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The anniversary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society was held in Buffalo, N. Y., May 26th. The Hon. Samuel A. Crozer presided. The report showed that the receipts of the society for the year ending April 1st for missions and educational purposes had been $175,534.38, or about $25,000 less than the receipts of the previous year. Report was made of the seven freedmen schools Wayland Seminary, Washington, D. C., 92 pupils; Richmond Institute, Richmond, Va., 79 pupils; Shaw University, Raleigh, N. C., 236 pupils; Benedict Institute, Columbia, S. C., 115 pupils; Augusta Institute, Augusta, Ga., 95 pupils; Nashville Institute, Nashville, Tenn., 112 pupils; Leland University, New Orleans, La., 119 pupils. A report was presented on Indian missions, showing that among the tribes of the Indian Territory there were three Baptist associations, 84 churches, and nearly 5,000 members. A delegate was present from the Consolidated American Baptist Missionary Convention (colored), who presented resolutions which had been adopted by that convention in acknowledgment of the value of the work of the society among the colored people, and expressing readiness to cooperate with it. In return a resolution was adopted, "That this society extend to the American Baptist Consolidated Convention our expression of fraternal fellowship, and desire to coöperate as far as practicable in their most laudable attempt to conduct missionary and educational work under their own management and support." A resolution

was also adopted, "That we cordially and urgently invite our brethren of the entire South, and particularly the ministers and members of Southern Baptist churches, to cooperate with our teachers and our board, even more earnestly than ever before, in the building up and strengthening of these schools for educating colored preachers and teachers."

The anniversary of the American Baptist Educational Commission was held in Buffalo, N. Y., May 24th. The report discussed the relations of the Baptist denomination to edu

cation.

The fortieth annual meeting of the American and Foreign Bible Society was held in New York City, May 16th. The treasurer reported that there was a balance in the treasury May 1, 1875, of $4,506.33; that the recipts during the year had been $8,725.77, and the expenditures had been $10,466.16, leaving a balance of $2,765.94.

The anniversary of the American Baptist Missionary Union was held in Buffalo, N. Y., May 23d. The Rev. Barnas Sears, D. D., LL.D., presided. According to the financial statement in the report, the total receipts of the Union for the fiscal year ending March 31st, applicable to the work in hand, were $245,997.23. The total of liabilities for the missionary year in the foreign field. ending September 30, 1876, were $223,176.68. This left a balance

of $22,850.55 applicable to the deficiency of the previous year, reducing it to $30,136.17. In addition to the receipts reported above, gifts have been made to the Union to be founded, and gifts in the nature of annuities, sufficient to swell the total of recipts to $258,678.03. Fourteen new missionaries had been sent out under the auspices of the Union and the two Woman's Baptist Missionary Societies. The Rev. San-Pan Kau-too, a Karen, educated in this country, had been sent back to labor for his people. One other missionary was under appointment of the Woman's Society for Burmah. Six missionaries, now in the United States, were expecting to return to their posts within the year, and several missionaries had retired from their posts for a vacation.

A correspondence was recommended with the Baptist Missionary Board of the South, and with the Colored Baptist Conventions of the United States, for the purpose of agreeing upon some policy of agency in which all the Baptists of the United States may unite in the support of missions to Africa. A delegation was received from the Southern Baptist Convention.

The following is a summary of the statistical reports of the mission-fields:

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The missions in Sweden, France, and Germany are carried on entirely by native agencies.

The fifth annual meeting of the Woman's Baptist Missionary Society of the East was held in Boston, Mass., April 18th and 19th. The treasurer reported that the total receipts of the society for the year had been $35,801.91, and the total expenditures, $34,157.62. Five new missionaries had been appointed, two of whom had gone to Burmah, two to Japan, and one was under appointment to Maulmain. More than 800 auxiliary circles, 90 children's bands and young ladies' societies, and 90 associational secretaries were reported as connected with the society. In the foreign work the society supported 18 missionaries,

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 begun during the year. In them were 51 native teachers and 1,420 pupils.

The fifth annual meeting of the Woman's Baptist Missionary Society of the West was held in Chicago, Ill., April 11th 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 intercourse. 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 11th. The Rev. J. P. Boyce, D. D., of Kentucky, was chosen president. 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 collectionsexclusive 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 Virginia had contributed $2,491.60 for the Moon house (so called after the Misses Moon, missionaries), in Fung-Chow, China, and the women of South Carolina $1,343.41 for the missionary-house at Canton.' Women in other States had also helped these objects. The total 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 favorable opening for missionary effort. He afterward decided to establish himself at Tonchea. The convention recommended that approved 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 Porsidonio, Lodi, Cività Vecchia, and Bari, with the Rev. G. B. Taylor as American missionary superintendent, 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 Baptists had undertaken to raise $20,000 of this sum, but had as yet failed to do so. The convention 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 responsibilities. 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 Indian 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 president of that institution, reported of the Southern 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

be exhausted, and the seminary would have to be closed. A resolution was passed, expressing the interest of the convention in the seminary, and recommending efforts among the people to complete the endowment before the end of 1876. Eight visitors were appointed to attend the Northern Baptist anniversaries to be held in Buffalo, N. Y. New Orleans was appointed the place for the next meeting of the convention.

The twenty-seventh anniversary of the American Bible Union was held in Brooklyn, N. Y., November 16th. The report showed that the expenditures for the year had been $3,084.69. this sum including donations amounting to $3,232.17. The whole amount had been met by receipts during the same period. The following books of the Old Testament were revised and ready for the press, awaiting the means to publish them: the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Isaiah. II. FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.-The following is a summary of the statistics of the Free-Will Baptist Church, as they are given in The Free - Will Baptist Register for 1877:

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preceding year of four quarterly meetings, 118 ministers, 2,523 members, and 65 churches. The Register accompanies its statistical reports with the statement that "there are a number of associations of Baptists in America which, in doctrine and polity, are in general agreement with the Free-Will Baptists. No specific reports have been received from these associations, but, from the best information received, the inference is that they number in the aggregate not less than 25,000.” At the Free-Will Baptist Printing Establishment, Dover, N. H., are published the Morning Star, the weekly newspaper organ of the denomination; the Little Star and the Myrtle, semimonthly Sunday-school papers; Lessons for Sunday-schools, and a variety of denominational books. Among the Benevolent Institutions of the Free-Will Baptists, the Register names the Foreign Mission Society, the Home Mission Society, the Education Society, the Sabbath-School Union, the Temperance Society, the Central Association, the Kansas Free-Will Baptist Home Mission Society, the Free Baptist Woman's Mission Society, and the New Hampshire Charitable Society.-The Register gives the following list of Free-Will Baptist literary institutions: Bates College, Lewiston, Me., Rev. Oren B. Cheney, D. D., president, and ten professors; Nicholas Latin School, Lewiston, Me., four teachers; Hillsdale Col4.650 lege, Hillsdale, Mich., Rev. D. W. C. Durgin, 6,344 D. D., president, and eighteen professors and 3,017 instructors; New Hampton Institution, New 51 5,351 Hampton, N. H., eight teachers; Austin Acad1,408 emy, Centre Strafford, N. H.; Lapham Insti1,887 tute, North Scituate, R. I., four teachers; 1,086 Whitestown Seminary, Whitestown, N. Y., 670 nine teachers; Pike Seminary, Pike, Wyoming 2,018 County, N. Y., eight teachers; Atwood Insti1,626 tute, Albany, Athens County, Ohio; West 1,455 Virginia College, Flemington, West Va., Rev. W. Colegrove, A. M., president, and four 267 teachers in the literary department; Ridgeville College, Ridgeville Ind.; Rochester Seminary, Rochester, Wis.; Wilton Collegiate Institute, Wilton, Iowa, four teachers; Stover 723 College, Harper's Ferry, West Va., normal 48 2,195 and academic departments in operation, seven 19 663 teachers; Maine Central Institute, Pittsfield, 1,304 Me., six teachers; Parsonsfield Seminary, North 1,252 Parsonsfield, Me.; Green Mountain Seminary, Waterbury Centre, Vt.; Randall Academy, Berlin Cross - Roads, Ohio; Evansville Seminary, Evansville, Wis.; Lyndon Literary and Biblical Institution, Lyndon Centre, Vt.; Walsey College, Peach Grove, Tenn.

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Union reported that there had been during the year an increase of 8,000 scholars and 2,000 teachers, and that about 2,000 conversions had taken place among the children.

III. SEVENTH-DAY BAPTISTS.-The Executive Board of the Seventh-day Baptist Education Society, in their thirty-first annual report, for 1876, made the following statements of the condition of the several literary institutions of the denomination-Alfred University, Alfred Centre, N. Y.: endowment fund, $95,746.10; grounds, buildings, library, cabinets, and apparatus fund, income from 1836 to 1876, $145,076; teaching and incidental fund, income from 1836 to 1876, $211,574.38; revenue and expenditure account for the year ending July 5, 1876, $9,088.46; number of teachers, 19; whole number of students during the year, 388. Wilton College, Wilton, Wis.: value of lands and buildings $34,450; amount of endowment fund and notes, $6,000; value of cabinets, apparatus, furniture, paintings, and libraries, $5,600; value of other articles, estimated, $300; total assets, $46,350; number of students during the year-in the college classes, 67; in the academic classes, 175: total, 242; whole number of graduates from the beginning, 131, 98 of whom were in the academic classes and 33 in the college. Albion Academy: value of property, $50,000; indebtedness, between $2,000 and $3,000; number of teachers, 10; whole number of students during the year, 263.

At the thirty-third session of the Seventhday Baptist Tract Society, held at Walworth, Wis., October 1st, the Executive Board were instructed to pass over the work of the society to the General Conference as soon as it could be safely and legally done. The board were advised, also, to take "early and efficient" measures to procure the publication of tracts in large quantities, "bearing on every aspect of the Sabbath controversy, together with larger works containing more elaborate and extensive treatises on the same general topics, and a good commentary on all the passages of Scripture bearing, or supposed to bear, on the Sabbath."

The sixty-second session of the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference was held at Walworth, Wis., beginning September 27th. Letters were read from thirty-nine churches, representing the Eastern, Central, Western, and Northwestern Associations. D. E. Maxson was chosen president. Report was made by the Executive Board that, in accordance with instructions received at the previous session, a charter had been procured for the General Conference, bearing date July 4, 1876. The various societies were invited to become constituent members of the General Conference, without loss of their legal rights or prerogatives as societies. The report on the state of the Church represented that the educational work of the Church was in a prosperous condition at every point; that the missionary work was in good condition, but that its field of

operations should be enlarged; that the "Sabbath reform" work had been greatly extended during the year; and that the Sabbath-school work had everywhere become greatly strengthened. One hundred dollars, contributed for that purpose, had been received, and bestowed by the committee having the matter in charge upon young men preparing for the ministry at schools of the Church. The trustees of the "Seventh-day Baptist Memorial Fund" reported that they had just received the deed of a valuable property in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., the gift of Mr. Delos C. Burdick and his wife, of Pardee, Kan., constituting the largest gift yet made to the fund. The income of the fund had been considerably larger than during any previous year, so that a balance of $251.89 was left after paying all appropriations and expenses. The Executive Committee of the Sabbath-School Department reported that there were under their care 58 schools, with 489 teachers and 4,519 pupils. One hundred and eighty-two baptisms had taken place in the Sunday-schools. A normal institute had been held at Westerly, R. I., in November, 1875, with good results. The interchange of courtesies with the Seventh-day Adventists was commended, and its continuance advised, but a resolution was adopted in connection with this subject to the effect that "while the Seventh-day Adventists and Seventh-day Baptists cherish in common a sacred regard for the Sabbath of the Lord, and will still continue kindly Christian intercourse, nothing good to the cause of Christ would come of any measure looking to a consolidation of the two bodies, while holding such diverse and opposing views on important Christian doctrine." Varnum Hull was appointed to prepare a paper or tract on "the difference now existing between the Seventh-day Baptists and the Seventh-day Adventists," to be presented to the next session of the Conference for action upon it.

IV. BAPTISTS IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA. The first Baptist Conference of Ontario and Quebec was held at Toronto, Ont., October 15th. Papers were read on subjects pertaining to the interests of Baptist Churches in the Provinces. The twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Baptist Missionary Convention of Ontario was held in Toronto, Ont., October 16th. The report of the secretary showed that the income for the year had been $6,100. Forty-six missionaries had labored in the mission-fields, who had conducted services at 103 stations, and administered baptism to 584 converts. Ten associations, of which the convention is composed, reported an increase in membership of the churches of 2,391 by baptism.

The Baptist Convention of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, met at Sackville, N. B., August 26th. Avard Longley, Esq., of Paradise, N. S., was chosen president for the year. The convention has charge of Acadia College and the foreign mission in

terests of the Baptist churches of the three Provinces. The most important business of the present meeting was the consideration of a proposition to incorporate Acadia College in the scheme of the university at Halifax, which had been established by the Government of Nova Scotia as an examining university. Most of the other denominational institutions of the Province had associated themselves with this university, and the Government had appointed five gentlemen to represent the Baptist denomination in its senate. The convention unanimously decided that Acadia College should not comply with the enactments of the bill establishing the University of Halifax. It also resolved that, in order to enable the college to maintain an independent position under the circumstances, an appeal should be made to the members of the churches to give it a new endowment of $100,000. A resolution was passed expressing confidence in the fidelity of the Baptist brethren who had been appointed on the senate of the university, but declaring that while no infringement was intended on their individual rights, it must be distinctly understood that their acceptance of office "must not be interpreted to indicate affiliation, direct or indirect, of Acadia College with the University of Halifax."

A report was adopted protesting against the desecration of the Christian Sabbath by the running of railway-trains and the consequent employment of men in connection therewith, and calling the attention of the Government to the subject.

V. BAPTISTS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.The anniversaries of the British Baptist Societies began in London, on the 20th of April, when the fifty-first annual meeting of the Baptist Building Fund was held. The reports showed that the annual contributions had increased, and several legacies had been left the fund, the contributions of the year amounting to £1,700. The annual meeting of the Baptist Union was held April 24th. The report stated that during the year 20 new churches had been formed, 30 new chapels had been built, 8,371 new members and 20,318 new Sundayscholars had been received. The sum of £58,804 had been spent in building chapels. Ninetythree brethren had entered the ministry, and 55 ministers had died. The following amounts had been received for benevolent schemes: For the Home Mission Fund, £15,435; for the augmentation of ministers' incomes, £2,670; for ministers' widows and children, £15,161. For foreign missions, the Particular Baptists had raised £52,871, and the General Baptists, £9,471: altogether, £62,342; for the nine colleges, £15,655. Adding to these contributions the amounts raised for ministerial support (estimated at £170,000), the offertories at the communion (estimated at £20,000), the contributions for Sunday-schools, Dorcas societies, and incidental objects, it was thought that between £600,000 and £700,000 were an

nually raised by Baptists for denominational purposes.

The anniversary of the Baptist Missionary Society was held April 27th. It was reported that the entire receipts for the year had been £44,762 18. 10d.; but there had been a falling off of more than £2,000 in the contributions, and an increase of £2,081 138. 4d. in expenditures: there was, therefore, a balance due to the treasurer of £4,354 128. Five new missionaries had been engaged in the service of the society; six missionaries had returned home for their health, and three had died. About 99,000 copies of parts of the Scripture had been published from the mission press in Calcutta, in the Bengali, Hindi, and Geno languages. Selections from the Scriptures had also been prepared for popular use, in attractive forms, with engravings. In Rome the work of the missionaries had been prosecuted with vigor and success. Many thousand copies of the New Testament and of religious tracts had been circulated.

The thirty-sixth annual meeting of the Bible Translation Society was held April 24th. The income for the year had been £3,165. The work of translating, printing, and distributing the Bible was actively carried on in the various mission-fields.

The autumnal meetings of the English Baptist Union were held at Birmingham, beginning October 2d. About 950 ministers and delegates from all parts of the kingdom attended its deliberations. A resolution was adopted condemning the Elementary Education act of 1876 as unjust to nonconformists, and prejudicial to the interests of national education, "inasmuch as it shows great favor to denominational schools, which are almost wholly in the hands and under the control of the clergy of the Established Church; tends to demoralize parents by encouraging them to seek pecuniary help, even at the sacrifice of their conscientious convictions, for the education of their children; gives the management of schools, with power to compel attendance, to the guardians of the poor and others not elected with reference to such duties, and not properly responsible for the discharge of them; prepares the way for the dissolution of existing school boards; and, generally, is calculated to retard instead of advancing the establishment of a sound system of national elementary education. . . . For these reasons," the resolutions continue, "the assembly cannot accept the act of 1876 as a satisfactory settlement of the principles on which the elementary education of this country shall be permanently based; and, having little confidence in the effectual working of any conscience clause, anticipates the continual recurrence of cases of oppression toward the nonconformists, and recommends the immediate formation of vigilance committees in connection with every county association."

The annual meetings of the Baptist Union and

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