64 



BAPTISTS. 



besides a Karen assistant at Rangoon and a 

 Eurasian at Nellore. These missionaries were 

 laboring among the Burmans, the Karens, the 

 Eurasians, and in Japan. Twenty schools were 

 aided or supported, of which four had been 

 bsgun during the year. In them were 51 na- 

 tive teachers and 1,420 pupils. 



The fifth annual meeting of the Woman's 

 Baptist Missionary Society of the West was 

 held in Chicago, 111., April llth and 12th. 

 The treasurer reported that the total receipts 

 for the year had been $13,744.02. The sum 

 of $11,816.93 had been spent in the foreign 

 work, and $1,467.43 had been applied to the 

 " home expenses " of the society. The joint 

 annual meeting of the two societies was held 

 in Buffalo, N. Y., May 24th. 



The annual meeting of the American Baptist 

 Historical Society was held in Philadelphia, 

 May 28th. The Rev. Dr. Malcolm, who had 

 long served the society as president, having 

 retired in consequence of age and infirmity, 

 was chosen honorary president for life. The 

 Rev. Dr. Cathcart was chosen president. The 

 report stated that the society had now in its 

 collection 4,264 bound volumes, besides a large 

 body of valuable pamphlets and manuscripts. 



Social unions have been organized in many 

 of the Baptist churches of the United States, 

 as voluntary societies for social and literary in- 

 tercourse. A general convention of these so- 

 cial unions was held in Philadelphia, May 29th. 

 Mr. J. P. Townsend, of New York, presided. 



The Southern Baptist Convention met at 

 Richmond, Va., May llth. The Rev. J. P. 

 Boyce, D. D., of Kentucky, was chosen presi- 

 dent. The treasurer of the Foreign Mission 

 Board reported that his receipts had been 

 about $45,000. This sum was stated to be 

 about $13,000 above the average collections 

 exclusive of the Rome chapel-fund of the 

 three past years; and some $23,000, or 100 

 per cent., above the average of the six years 

 previous. The women of Georgia and Vir- 

 ginia had contributed $2,491.60 for the Moon 

 house (so called after the Misses Moon, mis- 

 sionaries), in Fung-Chow, China, and the wom- 

 en of South Carolina $1,343.41 for the mis- 

 sionary-house at Canton. Women in other 

 States had also helped these objects. The to- 

 tal amount of $8,726.27 had been raised for 

 the house at Canton, and the expenditure for 

 this purpose was limited to $10,000 Reports 

 were made of missionary operations, of which 

 the following is a summary : 



African Missions. Foreign missionaries, 2 ; 

 native assistants, 3 : churches, 3 ; baptized, 

 26 ; total membership, 58. The Rev. W. J. 

 David had visited the Vey people, north of 

 Liberia, and had been impressed with the fa- 

 vorable opening for missionary effort. He 

 afterward decided to establish himself at Ton- 

 ohea. The convention recommended that ap- 

 proved colored ministers be advised to go to 

 this field. 



China Missions. Foreign missionaries, 15 ; 



ordained native pastors, 2 ; native assistants, 

 15 ; out-stations, 6 ; churches, 5 ; baptisms, 

 37 ; memberships, 350. The missions were at 

 Fung-Chow, Shanghai, and Canton, that at 

 Chefoo having been closed. At Canton an 

 average attendance of 91 pupils was reported 

 for all the schools, and a highest attendance 

 of 121. 



Italian Missions. Stations at Rome, La 

 Tour, Milan, Modena, San Capri, and Porsido- 

 nio, Lodi, Civita Vecchia, and Bari, with the 

 Rev. G. B. Taylor as American missionary su- 

 perintendent, and seven Italian ministers. The 

 Vatican adult school, under the care of the 

 Rev. Mr. Van Meter, of 75 or 100 pupils, was 

 addressed weekly by the Italian minister in 

 Rome. Twenty-one thousand dollars had been 

 secured toward the projected fund of $40,000 

 for the church in Rome. The Northern Bap- 

 tists had undertaken to raise $20,000 of this 

 sum, but had as yet failed to do so. The con- 

 vention decided that the publication of the 

 Foreign Mission Journal should be resumed as 

 soon as practicable, and that the Home Mission 

 Board should enjoy equal privileges and re- 

 sponsibilities. The treasurer of the Home 

 Mission Board reported that the board was in 

 debt to the amount of $6,483.44. On account 

 of this incumbrance, it had not enlarged its 

 work. Its work among the Indian tribes was 

 of a very interesting and profitable nature. It 

 gave much attention to the colored people of 

 the South, with results of great promise. 

 Twenty-six missionaries had labored under its 

 direction during the year, who reported 284 

 baptisms. The board was requested by the 

 convention to employ to the fullest extent 

 practicable any voluntary agents to collect 

 money, and, as soon as it may be done without 

 violation of present contracts, to dispense with 

 paid agents, except in States where it shall be 

 found impracticable to do without them. 



The report on the missions among the In- 

 dian tribes spoke of the importance of this 

 work, and declared that it had reached a crisis. 

 Special efforts were recommended to provide 

 the Indians with educational facilities. The 

 Creek nation had made provision to give land 

 for schools and for farms connected with them, 

 $70 per capita for scholars, to those who 

 would go and establish schools among them. 

 The Delawares and Shawnees were calling for 

 religious and educational advantages. The 

 convention resolved "that the agency of the 

 Home Mission Board is an imperative necessity 

 to meet the pressing wants of our own people 

 and of the Indian tribes." 



The president, Dr. Boyce, who is also presi- 

 dent of that institution, reported of the South- 

 ern Baptist Theological Seminary that during 

 the next year the contribution of the Baptists 

 of Kentucky of $300,000 to its endowment 

 would be completed. The $200,000 which 

 were to be raised in the other States must be 

 secured within the next two years, else the 

 funds for the support of the professors would 





