The Portland daily press., 1882-04-28
Tha american Board.

In view of the fact that the American Board
of Commissioners for Foreign Missions is to
hold its next annual meeting in this city in
October, few words concerning its history
and work may be interesting to our citizens.
This organization had its origin with young
men. Samuel j. Mills, while at Williams
College ia 1903, first conceived the idea OF
society which should have for its object, ''to
effect in the persons of its members mission,
or missions to the heather" Such society
was formed in the college, and in 1909, or
early in 1870 it was transferred to the Andover
Theological Seminary where it has continued
to the present time.
Four young men from this society, Adoniram
Judson, Samuel Mott, Samuel j. Mills and
Samuel Newall, drew up memorial. express
ing their desire to be sent to preach the gospel
to the heather, aud presented it to the general
association of Massachusetts, which met in
Brad FORD, June 20, 1910.
Action was taken upoa the memorial, and
through the influence of Dr. Samuel Worcester
of Salem and Dr. Samuel Spring Of Newbury-
port, it was voted to institute a society "for
the purpose OF Foreign Missions, and for pro-
noting tue spread OF the gospel in beathen
lands"
Two years after this, in the face of much OPP
position, this society was incorporated under
the name of the American Board of Commits
sioners for Foreign Missions.
This was the beginning of the stream whose
waters now cover the whole earth.
At the first meeting of the Board but five
persons were present, and at its second but
seven, and its receipts were but thousand
dollars.
Now its meetings call together from three
to five thousand people, and its receipts are
three hundred and fifty thousand dollars an
nualy.
"Then it had no missions and it was not
known that any heather country would be
open to them. Now its mission stations belt
the globe, so that the sun does not set upon
them, and the whole world is OPEN"
It has employed over fifteen hundred mis-.
| sionaries and assistant missionaries and abou;
| the same number of native preachers and
helpers.
These have charge of seventeen distin ct
| missions, in which there are at least one hum
| dred millions of people, or twice the popula-
| ton of the United States
They have formed two hundred and seventy
| one churches which enroll nearly nineteen
thousand members. The Board has under it,
care eight hundred and seventy eight semina
| ries and schools, and in them more than thirty
three thousand pupils.
It has printed more than thousand millions
of pages, in forty different languages. 1t has
Christianized an entire nation in the Sand
witch Islands so that a larger proportion of Its
people can read than in New England.
1t has done much to advance the Interest,"
of commerce and science, and more to diffus'
in this land knowledge of different countries
and peoples than all other agencies together.
The annual meeting of this society bring
together large number of the ablest men 0
our country, many missionaries and many
earnest men and women, and wherever i
meets, it leaves good impression.
The Board has met in Portland twice, an
those who enjoyed the last meeting more thai
thirty years ago will be among the first to wei
come it's return to our city next fall.
Drs. Alden and Clark, Secretaries of tn
Board, will speak in different churches in the
city next Sunday.