ANNUAL REPORT OF THE WESTERN FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. MAY, 1837. PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY. 1837. ANNUAL REPORT. IN entering upon the details of the preceding year, the Executive Committee desire first of all to record their grateful acknowledgments to God for his continued blessing, in sustaining the enterprise when placed in circumstances of unexpected and extraordinary embarrassment-in uniting in its favour large portions of the Church-in giving a spirit of unity to the councils of its friends-in preserving the lives of its missionaries abroad-and in inclining the hearts of others to offer themselves for the same service. When the last report was written, it was understood that the Society was about to pass into the hands of other directors. By an arrangement with the regularly constituted agents of the General Assembly, the Society had been transferred, with all its missions and funds to the Supreme Judicatory of the Church. But the General Assembly did not carry into effect the stipulation touching the receiving the Society under their care. When the Synod of Pittsburgh, in the fall of 1835, agreed to the transfer of their beloved and cherished institution, it became with the committee a matter of importance, so to have their whole business arranged as that it would pass easily under the direction of another board. The contemplated transfer, very properly withheld them from submitting to the churches, a system of operations proportionate to their resources. Neither with any propriety could agencies have been established, by a committee, whose powers and duties were to terminate in so short a time. The effect of this state of things on the interests of the society is too obvious to need exposition. When the time for the change came, the whole enterprise was returned to their direction; and thus after one whole year had been taken up in arrangements and preparations for the transfer, the stipulations were not carried into effect, and their work was again to be resumed, under all the embarrassment growing out of a state of things so unexampled and so strange. It was in this emergency-this crisis in their affairs as some thought-this end of all their exertions as others feared, that the committee found how dear the sacred cause of Foreign Missions, conducted under their own direction, was to the hearts of so large a portion of the Church; and that the cause was not permanently or even seriously affected by the circumstances of difficulty in which it had been placed. For this instance of Divine favour and interposition, in behalf of an Institution, established, as the committee humbly trust, for the promotion of his glory, in sending the knowledge of the blessed Saviour to the perishing, dying heathen, they desire to record their devout gratitude to God. He has overruled all these transactions for good, and to his name be all the praise. When it was found that the highest judicatory of the Church, refused to engage, as a Church, in obeying the last command of her risen Lord, it became evident, that some change in the organization, and perhaps in the location of the Society would be necessary, to unite on terms of equality all the friends of the institutution. These alterations in the constitution of the society could only be made by the Synod of Pittsburgh. At the meeting of that Reverend body in October, it was provided, that any other Synod becoming formally united with them in this enterprise, should possess an equal representation in the Board of Directors; and that the Board should have the power to change the location, whenever in their judgment the interest of the cause rendered such a change necessary. Thus by the constitution, was an equal participation in conducting the business of the society offered to every Synod and every Presbytery in the Presbyterian Church; and, at the same time, the institution was retained in the hands of its friends. These alterations, after being fully discussed, were adopted by the Synod of Pittsburgh with entire unanimity; thus affording the surest pledge, how desirous they were to unite with their brethren in building up the kingdom of their common Lord. Other resolutions were also adopted in aid and encouragement of the operations of the society; one of which recommended that an effort be made to raise within their bounds $15000 during the current year. As the meeting of the Synods generally takes place about the same period, there was not time afforded to communicate to them the above alterations with the exception of the Synod of Philadelphia. With great unanimity and cordiality that enlightened Synod, united in this blessed work. They also passed resolutions. recommending their members to assist the society by voluntary agencies; and for the raising of $30,000 during the year. Whether any of the other Synods would have united with the society, had they been notified of the change made in the constitution, is not known to the committee. The cordial manner in which the society has been recommended to their churches by the Synods of New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi and Alabama, amounts in substance to the same thing. The society it is true would be greatly assisted by having in their Board of Directors, members appointed by those Synods; but while these venerable bodies give to the society the weight of their recommendation, the committee would find in that circumstance additional motives |