The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-07
lBostcn Advertiser
The American Board

The American board of commissioners for
forsign missions is holding It's annual meeting
in Portland and deserves wide attention,
chiefly on account Of its religious work in for
eign parts, but hardly less because the board is
the centre of enterprises, profoundly interest
Ing to the friends OF philologY, ethnology, GO
osraphy and the widest of human concerns, in
Guiding commerce and business. If there BIO
those who prefer to smile or sneer at foreign
missions, they will have occasion to reconsider
their opinions, if they will consider what these
missions are doing in a purely secular way.
Nor is tits work the less remarkable because it
Is chiefly in the hands Of evangelical churches.
Foreign Protestant missions are IN the main
the werk Of England and America and the
English church, the Congregationalists, the
Methodists and the Baptists take the lead.
The American Board, for instance, reports lis
expenses for the last year at $651, 403.S4, every
penny OF which was covered by the income,
though the balance in the treasury is slight
and the general permanent fund but $162. 947-
80. However, universities and church enter
priscs have always fourished when they OK
pend the whole Of their income wisely, aud
trust in true piety for more The budget of the
American board is in harmony with this lot
too unworldly principle.
The board, during the past year, has not
looked so much to an increase of workers, as to
higher education, to the employment OF native
agents among their own people and--most
wisely-to work among women. The board
now has twenty foreign missions, eighty-four
stations, and T0S out-stations; it EMPLOYS 1f4
ordained missionaries, including five phvsi-
clans. ten physicians not ordained, and AIS
persons sent out from this country, who are as
sisted by 1868 native helpers. This makes 291
Churches with nearly 10000 members, beside
SOB higher schools, forty-one boarding-schools
for girls. and SOC common schools, with 60 $50
Pupils all told. The hoard has printed during
the year thirty-one million pages The missions
are situate among the Zuus, ia Turkey, IN In
dia and Ceylon, IN China and Japan, and
among the American Indians.
The whole number OF the latter, excluding
Alaska, is estimated at 100000 Of whom 1907
900 wear the ci4izens dress. They cultivated
In all s54,3 1857 acres. The government owes
these Indians, under treaties or otherwise,
$9,680,032 in gross, and $2121750 year.
Last year every Indian family cost the govern
mont directly about $50, of which $40 was for
expenses The education of Indian children
cost $584,248 in all, or about $13 for every
child OF school age. The American Board has
worked chiefly among the Dakotas and at the
Santse agency, bat may give up part of this
as finished and more suitable for home board
while the American board will devote its
strength to foreign work, among tribes not yet
brought under the full influence Of our
religion and our civilization. The re-
port of the Rev. DIR. John Means Oh the In
diaDs, however, should be referred to as 2 sim
gplarly complete review of what this country
does for It's Indians. This review is not uusat-
isfsctory, and the whole work of the board
sornmendg Itself to the generous attention of
merchants and students, beside those who
share in its immediate burdens and glories.