is not less than 150,000. More than 125,000 of these families, therefore, do not receive the missionary journals; and in upwards of two thousand churches neither of them has a subscriber.

The publications, it is to be remembered, are the mediums through which missionaries who have gone out from among ourselves, and by appointment, inform their supporters of the necessities and progress of their work. In them they speak of what their eyes have seen and their ears have heard; of the fears which assail them and the hopes which they cherish; of conflicts endured and victories won; of Christian privileges and obligations as they appear from lands in which the work of evangelization is no more than begun. Periodicals nearly filled every month with such journals and letters, and published at prices to make them every where accessible, and embracing the latest intelligence received at the time of their going through the press, are to be classed among the most powerful of missionary agencies; the introduction of which into every family in every congregation is demanded alike by the relationship sustained to missionary laborers abroad and for the right doing of the missionary work at home.

This can be effected without unreasonable labor, or making drafts on money which would otherwise be sent to the Treasury. Young men and women may be found in every church to whom the circulation of both periodicals might be assigned. The price of the Magazine or Macedonian can be obtained once a year from almost any family; the service of collecting it, of receiving the monthly packages and of depositing copies in the pews of subscribers, would create a livelier interest in the cause of missions on the part of those who perform it; and an invaluable missionary agency would be sustained from year to year throughout the congregation.

The third means necessary to the right prosecution of the work in churches, is

3. SYSTEM IN MAKING COLLECTIONS, or a plan by which every member of the church and congregation shall be personally solicited to make a yearly contribution, at least, to the missionary cause. The necessities of the missions for the past year have been met,-generously, nobly met; and, for reasons stated in the annual report, it would not be right to attempt to prove the want of systematic effort in the churches, from the fact that more than one third of the amounts received in two financial years came to the treasury in their last month. But a statistical view of donations received the year ending with March, 1848, was presented at the last annual meeting of the Board, in which it was shown that nearly three-fourths of their amount was received from two hundred churches embracing less than 50,000 members; and that out of the 285,000 members connected with the 3,500 churches in our home field, upwards of 175,000 members and 2,000 churches gave nothing that year for the support of the missions. The number of contributing churches and members has increased since that time; but not to such extent as materially to change the estimate then made. An agent, who has spent almost three years in one of the most intelligent sections of our country, says that he does not know of a church in his district of which every member is an annual contributor to the missionary cause; and it is believed that among the 3,500 of the entire field, there are not more than five churches in which all the resident members contribute as often as once a year.

Such facts as these show how wide-spread is the want of system in the missionary contributions of churches. The tendency of negligence in this essential thing is to produce measures and crises and appeals incompatible with the missionary service; but which will cease when the churches act on the principle that they are divinely appointed associations of missionary laborers, congregations of believers held responsible to Christ as individuals, for the obedience which they render to his last command. Then, as of old, will the disciples at home, "every man according to his ability," send relief unto their brethren abroad,-to forestall the calamities of famine.

But in what way shall the help of every member be secured? In two churches, all of whose resident members are annual contributors to our treasury, one of which is located in a city and the other in a village,substantially the same plan has been pursued for several years. Additional to collections taken at the Monthly Concert, each of these churches annually appoints a large committee of male and female members, whose duty it is to district the congregation among themselves, and, after a missionary sermon by the pastor in which special prominence is given to the necessities of the missions, to see all the resident members of the church, besides such of the congregation as may be induced to aid, for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions. This system presents one object at a stated time in the year to every individual, and leaves him to give according to the measure of his prosperity; it is simple, and has been faithfully tried; its success is a full reward for the time and labor which it requires, and it is believed to be the only system by which the cause of missions has secured the help of every member of any church from year to year.

In other churches, where collections are made at the Concert of Prayer, subscription-cards are circulated among the congregation at the close of a missionary discourse, once in every year; or the pastor presents a subscription-book to individuals as he may have opportunity. From congregations in which these plans are pursued, large contributions are annually received; but the number of contributors seldom exceeds two-thirds the number of the members. Some churches in country towns have adopted the practice of making up their annual donation by collections taken on the morning or afternoon of the first Sabbath in the month; and where these are preceded by a sermon connected with the subject of missions, the results have been encouraging. But there are churches whose collections made or subscriptions paid at the Monthly Concert of Prayer are allowed to pass for the yearly contribution of the entire congregations,-three-fourths of whom are generally absent from such meetings, and seldom give any thing for the cause they are designed to promote. The largest number of churches, however, have no system for gathering missionary contributions, other than such as depends on the annual visit of an agent or the recurrence of some special emergency.

The adoption of precisely the same system in all churches is not to be expected. But a point of immeasurable importance will be gained, when every member of every congregation shall be personally and wisely solicited, at least once a year, to "give according to his ability for the single object of diffusing "the knowledge of Jesus Christ by means of missions throughout the world."

A fourth means essential to the right prosecution of the home work of missions, is

4. THE SABBATH SCHOOL,-or the observance of some plan by which children shall become intelligent helpers in the missionary work. Connected with the congregations in the home field of the Union, there are probably not less than 3,000 Sabbath schools embracing more than 150,000 members. In these schools are the germs of the men and women to whom in a few years will be committed the unfinished work of evangelizing the world. The future missionaries and home laborers of the enterprise are there. Ought they not, in childhood and youth, to receive instruction suited to the responsi bilities which await them? While the character of the man and woman is forming, shall Christians fail to illustrate before the young those principles of benevolence which must be imbedded in their hearts to qualify them for the holy trust? In some schools an hour of the first Sabbath of every month is now devoted to this work; when brief statements or addresses are made by pastors, superintendents and teachers, on the subject of Christian missions, and collections are taken on the penny-a-week system. From such schools the treasury receives from five to a hundred dollars a year; contributions which are fraught with the richest hope to the missionary cause.

But this kind of coöperation might be greatly extended were suitable measures taken to foster it; and as children may be expected to feel a livelier interest in a specific object than the general service of the missions, to them might be assigned the support of all mission schools intended for children and youth. The annual expense of these schools may be from $6,000 to $10,000; but the highest sum might be reached in a few years by the Sabbath schools. For their encouragement and instruction a separate monthly acknowledgment of their offerings might be made in the Macedonian, and the balance of the page be devoted to such communications from missionaries and members of mission schools, as would interest and profit the contributors. In these ways the Board might coöperate with parents, superintendents and teachers in making children the intelligent and enduring helpers of an enterprise whose object, principles and incidents cannot fail to interest their hearts; and is not the end to be secured is of sufficient importance to command the earnest care of all engaged in Sabbath schools and in the home work of missions?

The last means which will be named in this paper, as indispensable to the right doing of the work in churches, is

5. PRAYER, or the faithful observance of the Monthly Missionary Concert. If prayer is essential to the prosperity of every spiritual undertaking, how can such an enterprise as that of Christian missions live without it? Prayer for it is to be made elsewhere than on the occasion referred to. But in no other place, at no other time, are the inestimable benefits which pertain to a well-conducted missionary concert to be obtained. It is a meeting for united prayer to those who there join in it, and of simultaneous prayer on the part of multitudes in their own and other communions, throughout their own and other lands. It is a meeting for missionary instruction, in which the pastor presents great principles in a familiar manner, and illustrates the vicissitudes of the enterprise by facts rendered more impressive by reference to the places on the missionary map where they transpired. It is a meeting for missionary exhortation, where thoughts, which may have been long burning in Christian hearts, are uttered with subduing or reviving power. It is a meeting for missionary contributions, in which fervent prayer and stirring facts and impressive exhortation are linked with the giving of that which is needful to carry forward the work which has called them forth. The Monthly Missionary Concert should, therefore, be cherished by pastors and churches, as an appointment which cannot be separated from the full development of the missionary spirit.

Having thus presented an outline of things deemed essential to the right prosecution of the missionary work in churches, the subject is committed to the consideration and disposal of this body. If the pulpit, the press, systematic pecuniary efforts, the Sabbath school and the missionary concert, are means on which depends the permanent growth of the missions, the Missionary Union ought wisely and unceasingly to seek the largest measures of their influence. For while God is multiplying the blessings and responsibilities of the missions, the help of all things necessary to their largest success should be within their reach.

By direction of the Executive Committee,

EDW. BRIGHT, JR., Cor. Sec. Home Dep.

Rev. L. Tracy of Mass. offered the following resolution, which was adopted.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Union are hereby tendered to the Rev. Morgan J. Rhees for his judicious and excellent discourse. delivered last evening, and that he be requested to place it at the disposal of the Executive Committee.

Adjourned to meet with the Washington Street Baptist Church in Buffalo, N. Y., on the third Thursday of May, 1850.

The President closed the harmonious session with a deeply impressive address. Prayer was offered by Rev. L. Howard, of New York.

WM. H. SHAILER, Recording Secretary.

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF 1849-50.

Philadelphia, May 18, 1849.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the American Baptist Missionary Union, the Board of Managers met after the adjournment of the Union, at 3 o'clock, P. M.

The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. E. Lathrop, of New York.

The roll was called, and the following members were found to be

The Board proceeded to the election of Chairman and Recording Secretary. Rev. A. Bennett and Mr. J. A. Gault were appointed tellers to conduct the election.

The tellers reported the following persons duly elected.

JAMES H. DUNCAN, of Mass., Chairman.

MORGAN J. RHEES, of Del., Recording Secretary.

Rev. Messrs. T. F. Caldicott, G. S. Webb, E. Lathrop, E. Hutchinson and E. Worth were appointed a Committee to nominate an Executive Committee, two Corresponding Secretaries, a Treasurer and an Auditing Committee.

In answer to the resolution of the Board last year, requesting the Executive Committee to report on the propriety of increasing the salaries of the Corresponding Secretaries and Treasurer, a communication was received from that Committee referring the subject back to the Board.

On motion, it was

Resolved, That the salaries of the Corresponding Secretaries and Treasurer be fixed at $1,400 for the ensuing year.

The Committee to nominate an Executive Committee, &c., reported.

The report was accepted, and the Board went into the election of the Committee and Officers.

Rev. E. E. L. Taylor and Mr. D. Sanderson were appointed tellers.

The vote of the Board receiving and referring the report of the Committee on European Missions to the special consideration of the Executive Committee was reconsidered, and on motion, the report was recommitted.

The tellers reported the election of the following persons as the Executive Committee and officers.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Ministers.

WILLIAM LEverett,

BARON STOW, D. D.,

WM. H. SHAILER,

J. W. PARKER,

ROBERT E. PATTISON, D. D.*

Laymen.
HEMAN LINCOLN,

S. G. SHIPLEY,

J. W. CONVERSE,

GEORGE CUMMINGS.

SOLOMON PECK, Corresponding Secretary for Foreign Department. Edward Bright, JR., Corresponding Secretary for Home Dep. RICHARD E. EDDY, Treasurer.

The report of the Committee on the Comparative Claims of the Missions to Reinforcement, and the paper on which it was based, which were referred to the consideration of the Board at its present meeting, were taken into consideration, and were referred to a Committee of five. Rev. Messrs. J. N. Granger, S. B. Swaim, G. S. Webb, E. Lathrop, and N. Colver were appointed the Committee.

Adjourned till 8 o'clock this evening. Taylor, of New York,

Prayer by Rev. E. E. L.

8 o'clock, P. M.

The Board met. Prayer by Mr. T. Gilbert, of Massachusetts. Resolved, That the proceedings of the Union and the Board be published under the direction of the Executive Committee.

The Committee to whom were referred the report and paper on The Comparative Claims of the Missions to Reinforcement, reported the following resolution.

* Declined.