The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-05-23
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
LLELUIAH.

Abstract of the Sirteenth Annual Report Of
the EreeutiUe COmmittss of Foreign MIS-
siOns, for the gear ending Aprl 1st 1871.
In presenting the Sixteenth Annual Re-
port on Foreign Missions, the Executive Com
mitsee would hambly and thankfully acknowl-
edge the goodness of Almighty God in His
merciful dealings with our missionary breth-
rem, and praise Him for the manifold tokens
of favor bestowed upon their work, for the
preservation of our missions and missionary
stations during the year, and for the grow
ing interest manifested by our Christian peo-
pie in the progress of this great cause.
UNFAvORABLE FACTS.
Among those events of an unfsvorsble or
affective character may bo mentioned first,
the removal by death of the Rev. William
LeConte, on the 4th of November, at his
mothers home in Washington, D. G. An
other unfavorable feature in the work was the
failure of health on the part of Mrs. H. B.
Pratt, of Buearamanga mission, and of Mr..
John W. Dabney of the Campinas mission,
making it necessary for both to return to
this country for the recovery of their health,
thus weakening the missions with which they
were respectively connected. In addition to
these, We are sorry to report that Rev. NJ.
H. Houston, who has spent so many years
in China and who has been lsboring in the
churches in this country for eighteen months
past with so much acceptance and success,
has been compelled in consequence of con-
tinued i'll health, to ask his dismission from
the missionary service. He has recently as
sumed pastoral charge in the mountains of
Virginia, and it is hoped that he will not only
be useful there, but that the mountain air
may be- the means of restoring him to ulH.
mate good health. The missions in China
and in South America feel very senslbly these
losses, and it is hoped that the time may not
be far distant when these breaches shall be
repaired.
But the trials connected with this loss of
lsborers are not the only ones that need to
be recorded During the greater part Of the
year, the United States of Colombia have
been so violently sgitated by bitter and
fierce civil war, that not only have the labors
of our missionaries been greatly paralized,
but the life of Mr.. Pratt, as there was reason
to fear, was for some time brought into seri.
Gus peril AT the date of our last letters,
there was something of lull in the progress
of the war, but still greater uncertainty as to
the final result. As further fact of kin
dred nature it is necessary to state that the
Muskogee Institute, in the Greek Indian
Country, to which frequent illusions have
been made both in the Missionary and in
previous Annual Reports, has, so far as con-
nected with the Committee, been suspended
owing partly to lawless assaults repeatedly
made against the Institution by drunken
young men in the neighborhood, whom the
community did not seem able to restrain, and
partly on account of dissatisfaction with the
conduct of Mr.. Perrymsn who has had charge
of the Institution for several years past.
FAVORABLE INDICATIONS.
One of the most important is, that not
withstanding the severe financial restrictions
that have necessarily been imposed upon the
missions, and Notwithstanding the further
fact that no missionary reinforcements have
been sent out for two years, yet, in the good
providence of God, none of our missions have
been discontinued on this account, whilst
most of them have been carried on without
anv apparent diminution of energy. At all
of the stations, except perhaps those in the
United States of Colombia, there have been
important aeoessions to the churches, and at
some of them those accessiOns have been CON
siderable. In this same connection it should
be mentioned, that our Christian people, not
withstanding the unprecedented hardness OF
the times, have responded to the calls of this
great cause with cOmmendable lberality, and
especially are thanks due the Christian wo-
man of the Church, many of whom have not
oplv prscticed self-denial, bat have wrought
vigorously with their own hands to raise funds
for the promotion of this great enterprise
The children of the Sabbath Schools too have
been active and have contributed materially
TO the missionary fund There is reason also
to believe that the great body of our Chris
tan people are acquiring more knowledge IN
relation to the progress Of this great work,
and are more ready to admit their obligation
to do all that they can for its promotion.
CHANGES IN THE MISSIONARY FORCE.
MissNannie Henderson, Whoreturned from
Campinas to this country two years ago In
utterly PROSTATE health, has gradually re
gained good health and hopes to return to
her chosen field of labor in the early summer.
Rev. J. H. Cotton, who had had charge Of
Spencer Academy for number of years, and
who had conducted it with efficiency, was
compelled last fall, on account of the feeble
health Of his family, to ask to be released
from the charge, which was granted with re.
gret for the cause which made it necessary
Rev. J. J. Reid, for 8 number of years the
efficient pastor of the Presbyterian church il
Houston, Texas, was appointed to take charge
of shis institution, which he did in the early
part of January, and with very encouraging
prospects of success. Rev. L. W. Currie, o
North Carolina, and DR.. H. r. Johnson, o
Texas, have been appointed permanent teach
ers in this institution and are now setiVel.
engaged in the discharge Of their duties q