American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. DECEASE OF THE REV. DR. WISNER. THE Board has again been called, in the course of God's holy providence, to experience a most afflictive bereavement, in the sudden removal by death of the Rev. BENJAMIN B. WISNER, D. D., one of its Secretaries for correspondence. This event occurred on Monday, Feb. 9th. On Wednesday of the week previous, Dr. Wisner was in his usual health, and continued his labors at the Missionary Rooms through the whole day, though at the close of the day he spoke of feeling unwell. His disease, which was ulceration of the throat and scarlet fever, did not fully develope itself till Friday; and no serious apprehensions were entertained respecting its termination, till Saturday. Then all human aid was found unavailing. His work was finished, and it was the Lord's will to take him to himself. He continued to sink under his disease till Monday, at half past two in the afternoon, when he expired. He was in the forty-first year of his age. The funeral services were attended at the Old South Meeting-house, on Friday, Feb. 13th, when an appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Fay, of Charlestown, from Psalm xxxix, 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. A brief memoir of Dr. WISNER, adapted to this work, will be inserted in a future number. PROPOSED ENLARGEMENT OF THE MISSIONS OF THE BOARD DURING THE YEAR. EARLY in the year, for three years past, the Prudential Committee has published a schedule of the number of missionaries, upon a very moderate calculation, whom it was desirable for the Board to send forth, during the year, to the fields already occupied by its missions, and to the new fields to which Providence was calling its attention. Before presenting such a schedule for the present year, it seems proper to repeat those of former years in connection with the number of missionaries actually obtained and sent forth into the several fields. Needed. Obtained. To Western Africa, Miss. | Assis. To the Indians in the State of 1 To the Choctaws beyond the 1 2010 20 To Indians of Upper Mis- To Arkansas Cherokees, To Arkansas Choctaws and 1 2 To the Saux, Winnebagoes, and Sioux, 33 6 2 2 2 G 1 9 Events subsequent to the publication of each of the above schedules, made it expedient to send a greater number of missionaries into a few of the fields, than was proposed. In most of the cases where a less number or none at all has been sent, it has been owing solely to the want of missionaries to send. And the deficiency has been so great and threatens to be so great during the present year, that the Committee have hesitated to publish a schedule for the present year, fearing that the influence of it might not be salutary. But the churches ought to be made acquainted with the demand for missionaries, and also with the probable supply, that they may be incited to pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest, and also feel constrained themselves to strive more zealously to multiply the suitable laborers for the work. The estimate is more rigidly made, even than those of the two preceding years. The second and third columns contain the number of men who have been designated to the several fields; and the number of those who have received appointments as missionaries, but are not yet designated, will be mentioned. Choctaws, Creeks, Osages, and other Indians west of the State of Missouri, Indians in New York, Totals, 19 Also, two teachers for the Cherokees, two for the Osages, and five for the Choctaws. One accepted missionary and one assistant missionary are yet to receive appointments. Such is a brief view of the plans and progress of the Board, so far as missionaries are concerned, for several years past; and such are its plans and prospects for the present year. The plans are urged upon it by the manifest indications and calls of Providence, Limited as they are, and they are exceedingly limited compared with what they should be, they are in imminent danger of being more than half frustrated by the want of missionaries. From the foregoing schedule it appears, that the whole number of missionaries which the Board has ventured to ask of the churches for a space of time equal to one-seventh part of the probation allowed to a generation of heathen upon earth, is about 190, and that 83 (not including married or unmarried females) have been obtained-of whom 64 only were ordained ministers of the gospel. Is the church of Christ in earnest in its efforts to fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord? Shall the Board go on occupying new ground? Shall it any longer endeavor to keep pace with the grand movements of Providence? During the three years past, six ordained missionaries, and two male assistant missionaries, have died; and nine missionaries and twenty male assistant missionaries, owing to impaired health, the expiration of the time for which some of them engaged in the work, the discontinuance of the missions in the former Choctaw country and among the Chickasaws, or for other reasons, have withdrawn from the service of the Board; leaving the increase of ordained missionaries in four years only 49, and the number of male assistant missionaries actually less by two, at the present time, than it was four years ago. This leaves the number of missionaries of the Board now among the heathen 99, and the present number of male assistant missionaries 47. But what are these, in comparison with the many millions in Africa, and western, southern, and eastern Asia, and the islands of the sea, and on our own continent, to whom we have undertaken to proclaim the gospel? When will the work be done?-how?-by whom? Why should not the churches of America do it, and do it far more rapidly? More men will be urgently needed the present year to sustain the operations of the Board, than there is now any prospect of obtaining. object it is to train up young men for the ministry, as liberally supported as they ought to be? Are due efforts made in all parts of our land to search out young men of piety and talents, and induce them to enter on a course of study for the sacred office? Is unceasing and fervent prayer offered for our colleges, that the young men in them may be converted and qualified to serve God among the heathen? Do ministers and private Christians every where labor and pray for the effusion of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of souls around them, as they would do, if they had an unquenchable desire for the salvation of the heathen, and realized how much the speedy ac complishment of this depends on a great increase of the number of missionaries? Are all suitable means used to direct the minds of ministers and candidates for the ministry to the SIX HUNDRED MILLIONS OF HEATHENS, and to the demand made by them-benighted, miserable, and perishing in sin as they arefor immediate help?-If all this is not faithfully felt and done, how can the churches excuse themselves before their Redeemer and Head, that they have sent, and are preparing to send, so few men to perform the great work of converting all nations unto God. The Committee are aware that the Churches have not the power at once, or in a single year, to raise up an indefinite number of well qualified missionaries to meet the great and increasing demand of the heathen world. To accomplish this is the work of time. It is, also, to a very considerable extent, peculiarly the work of God;-He only can convert the hearts of the young men in our country and endue them with the gifts and graces which are requisite for so holy and laborious a calling; and he only can fix their minds and hearts on the heathen, and dispose them to abandon all the blessings of their native land and encounter cheerfully the toils and exposures of a missionary life. Yet to raise up a number of missionaries adequate to perform the service which Christ, at his ascension, charged his followers with, and to furnish them for their calling, is a work in which the churches have an important agency, and for which they are to a very great extent responsible. If the conversion of the heathen to God should linger or be postponed for some centuries to come, for the want of an adequate number of missionaries, would it be any the less the fault of the churches, than if the failure had been owing to the want of adequate funds? Did not Christ, when he gave the command to dis-bly occasion an increase of expenditure, above ciple all nations, make his followers responsible for all the means requisite; and if they are faithful, may they not be confident of his blessing on their efforts to obtain the means? Are there, then, it may be respectfully and affec tionally asked, those anxious and untiring exertions made, which the exigency demands, for multiplying, greatly and speedily, the number of candidates for the foreign missionary service? Are those institutions whose special || crease from year to year. Otherwise the las As the foregoing remarks relate principally to the apprehended deficiency in the number of missionaries, it may be inferred that no increase in the receipts of the Board will be necessary for the current year. It should, however, be stated that, if the expenses at the several missions already established remain the same, any increase of the number of missionaries must necessarily increase the expenditures of the Board. Should the Board send out this year thirty missionaries and male assistant missionaries, which but little exceeds the number sent forth during the last year, their outfit and conveyance to their several fields of labor, together with what it is necessary to advance for their support, will proba that of the last year of at least $20,000, Other reasons exist for an increase of expendi ture. In nearly all well conducted missions, which have been in successful operation for a number of years, especially if enlarged plans have been formed for promoting education and for the distribution of books, as is the case among the Mahrattas, in Ceylon, and at the Sandwich Islands, the expenditures must in bors of the missionaries already there cannot be rendered most efficient, nor the greatest advantage be taken of the progress already made. The amount which should be added to the expenditures of last year on this account cannot be stated definitely. It should not, however, be less than $10,000. This would make the sum needed by the Board for establishing new missions, and strengthening those already in operation and extending their influence, to exceed that expended last year by $30,000. The Committee have never presented an appeal to the Christian community under circumstances more solemn and affecting than the present; or when they felt it more neces sary to solicit their brethren in the ministry and of the churches to take a share in their responsibility. The urgency of the work is every year becoming greater. Missionaries are not suffered to remain by reason of death. Ten of their brethren and sisters who one year ago were laboring among the heathen, have fallen in the field; four of whom were preachers of the gospel. Three other preachers have been providentially called from their work. And now, just as these sheets are going to the public, the Head of the Church, for reasons, which, whether plain to us or not, we know are perfectly wise and good, has removed by death that executive officer of the Board to whom was specially intrusted the correspondence with the churches, and on whom, more than on any other, the Board depended for obtaining additional missionaries and the increase of its resources. But the Lord's ear is not heavy that he cannot hear, nor his arm shortened that he cannot save. May be by his Spirit effectually teach the churches and the Board the lesson which he designs by these monitory events, fill us all with holy zeal and perseverance, in preaching the gospel to every creature, and enable us diligently to accomplish as an hireling our day, that the blood of souls may not at last be found in our skirts. In behalf of the Prudential Committee, for Foreign Missions, was held during the sessions of the Synod of North Carolina, at OxOn the evening of the 9th, the annual sermon ford, Granville county, N. C., in October last. was preached before the Board by the Rev. William Hill, D. D., of Winchester, Va.On the 11th a public meeting was held, at which the report was read by the Secretary, Rev. William J. Armstrong, and addresses made by Rev. J. P. Sparrow, Rev. J. M. Brown, Rev. W. A. McDowell, D. D., and Rev. W. S. Plumer. The receipts of this Board during the year were $3,224 57. Officers. THOMAS P. ATKINSON, President; Donations, FROM JANUARY 11TH, TO FEBRUARY 10TH, INCLUSIVE. Southern Board of Foreign Missions, James Adger, Charleston, S. C. Tr. Addison co. Vt. Aux. So. E. Brewster, Tr. Addison, Asso. Bridport, Gent. 62,60; la. 34,74; mon. con. 13,63; (of which to constitute MATTHEW CHAM BERS an Honorary Member of Weybridge, Contrib. in cong. so. 20 00 110 97 52 32 131 00 12 67 1 25 1,000 00 4 41-332 62 Agent, 15 75 66 18 6 00 Genoa. Mon. con. in 1st presb. chh. 11 92 Ira, Presb. chh. Jordan, Presb. chh. Otisco, 1st cong. chh. to constitute Rev. LEVI PARSONS an Honorary Member of the Board, Owasco, Miss. bible so. Prattsburgh, Cong, chh. Springport, Presb. chh. Central aux. so. of Western New York, Rev. A. D. Eddy, Tr. Canandaigua, Towards support of a missionary, 83,43; H. Chapin, for bibles in China, 20; ladies in Ontario fem. sem. for China miss. 11; Castleton, Jasper, Newark, 10 00 31 62 50 00 50 96 72.00 3 54-317 97 La. Parsippany, evang. so. Try, Fem. benev. work. so. 12 47 18 00-89 82 New Haven city, Ct. Aux. So. C. J. Salter, Tr. Alon. con. in Free chh. 6,83; do. in 1st cong. chh. 21,85; do. in 3d do. 22,14; do. in North chh. 13.76; do. in Ya.e college, 29,46; Miss. asso. in North chh. sab. sch. for New Haven sch. in Ceylon, 30, av. of trinkets, 2; New York city and Brooklyn, Aux. So. W. W. Chester, Tr. 126 04 1,897 42 11 41-243 63 15 00 Orange co. Vt. Aux. So. J. W. Smith, Tr. Bradford, Cong. chh. Chelsea, Gent. 28; la. 20; Miss L. B. A. av. of beads, for Rev. I. 109 07 19 00 mon. con. 56,12; 71 37 Dunstable, Mon. con. in 1st cong. chh. 72 00 Hancock, Gent. 43,87; la. 35,23; mon. con. 66; Mrs. D. Whittemore, 60; Mrs. S. W. 3; Hillsboro', Gent. 48,76; W. Symonds, 10; C. S. av. of beads and ring, 4,25; 49 50 208 10 West Fairlee and Post Mills Vil New Ipswich, Gent. 73,45; la. 53,50; non. con. 46,39; Pelham, Gent. 27,25; la. 27,28; a fem. friend, 7; mon. con. 12,47; Piscataqua, Mon. con. 47,02; av. of ring, 25c. 47 27 Wilton, La. 18,32; mon. con. 3,31; 21 63-858 79 Lincoln co. Me. Aux. So. Rev. S. White, Tr. hea. sch. so. 6th pay. for Susan lage, Gent. and la. 30; av. of Rockingham co. East, N. H. Aux. So. D. Knight, Tr. Rutland co. Vt. Aux. So. J. D. Butler, Tr. cong. chh. 15; Brandon, Mon. con. in cong. chh. 47 94 31.00 Middletown, Mon. con. in cong. chh. 11 40 Pittsford, S. Penfield, 3.00 Poultney, Fem. cent so. 5; aux. miss. 8o. 35; 40 00 Rutland, Gent. 3; mon. con. in 120 00 78 51-211 85 167 80 Mackinaw, M. T., Aux. So. W. Mitchell, Tr. 107 00 Middletown and vic. Ct. Aux. So. R. Hubbard, Tr. Berlin, Worthington so. La. 21 79 Glastenbury, Gent. 12,31; la. 15,34; 27 65 Middletown, 1st so. Gent. 29,17; la. 1,60; Westfield so. To constitute Monroe co. N. Y. Aux. So. E. Ely, 30 77 50 12-130 33 Tr. Albion, 1st presb. so. 108 44 Bergen, 1st cong. chh. 78 00 Brighton, La. benev. asso. 20 00 Byron, Presb. chh. 59,45; fem. miss. so. (which and a prev. pay. constitutes Rev. B. B. GRAY an Honorary Member of the Board,) 39,37; 98 82 Chili, Presb, chh. 63 00 Knowlesville, Presb. chh. 55 88 Le Roy, Presb. chh. 37 00 Le Roy and Bergen, 2d cong. Menden, Mrs. R. R. Millville, Presb. chh. 62 17 00 North Penfield, Presb. chh. 7 40 Penfield, Presb. chh. 3 25 Pittsford, Presb. chh. 68 00 Riga, Cong. chh. 13 91 la. ack. in Jan. $50 constitute Rev. DAVID DICKINSON an Honorary Member of the Board. Valley of the Mississippi, Aux. So. W. T. Truman, Cincinnati, O. Tr. Western Reserve, Aux. so. Lorrain co. Columbia, Sub. 3,79; Penfield, Sub. 2,50; Wellington, Mon. con. 68c. sub. 11,50; Medina co. Brunswick, Sub, 20; mon. con. 6,26; Grafton, Sub. 7,06; Guilford, Mon. con. 4,60; Harrisville, Mon. con. 9; sub. 8,35; Hinckley, Sub. 2,58; Medina, Mon. con. 11,10; D. King, 10; indiv. 16; Richfield, O. M. Oviatt, 10; H. W. 1,50; indiv. 20; Westfield, F. m. so. 7; Portage co. Tallmadge, C. box of Miss S. W. Rochester, 1st presb. chh. 100,32; Brick do (of which to constitute LEVI W. SIBLEY an Houorary Member of the Board, 100;) 138,70; sab. sch. in do. 2d pay. for William Wisner in Ceylon, 20; Sweden, Presb. chh. Morris co. N. J., Aux. So. J. M. King, Tr. Mendham, Gent. 18,25; mon. con. 41; av. of jewelry, 10c. 59 35 22 00 12 25 6 38-40 63 |