BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN MASSACHUSETTS. TWENTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY. On Wednesday morning, May 28, the Rev. JOSEPH ELLIOT, of Roxbury, preached at the meeting-house of the First Baptist Church, the Sermon introductory to the annual meeting of this Society, from Isaiah lxii. 6, 7—1 have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence; and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Immediately after the delivery of this discourse, the Rev. DANIEL SHARP, Secretary of the Society, read the annual Report. Professor BRIGGS, of Waterville College, moved the acceptance of the Report, and accompanied his motion with remarks on the value of the gospel, and on the obligations of Christians to extend its heavenly influence far and wide. That it might be universally published, Christ condescended to visit our guilty world, and to make himself an offering for sin by his death on the cross. Gratitude for our hopes and our blessings, founded on his atonement, imperiously urges the duty, and calls for the sacrifice of property, of ease, and even of life itself, if necessary, in making known this great salvation. The Rev. JAMES BARNABY seconded the motion, remarking on the obligations of the Society to those worthy females, by whose prayers and contributions, encouragement had been afforded to those mission ary operations, of which the Re. port gives a pleasing statement. The Report was then unanimously accepted. The Treasurer's account, as au dited by the committee appointed for that purpose, was then read. Eight hundred and eighty dollars were on hand, besides 500 dollars, which had been received in the past year, as profits accruing from the publication of the American Baptist Magazine, making 2,500 dols profits since the publication of the new series. Upwards of 2,000 dols. had been received from different missionary societies, and from donations and subscribers in the past year, and about the same amount had been expended by the Society, in the employment of missionaries, &c.--1161 dollars were also in the Treasurer's hands, being donations for the translation of the holy Scriptures. The Rev. ARTHUR DRINKWATER moved the acceptance of the Re. port on the Treasurer's account. He observed that it gave him peculiar pleasure to be present on that occasion, especially as he could speak from his own knowledge of the necessitous state of many parts of our country, destitute of gospel privileges, and some of them not very distant. He had met with persons in New-England, who had formerly been favoured in occasion. ally attending the ministry of the venerable President, who were now so situated as to be obliged to travel through woods and unfrequented roads, from 5 to 12 miles, to come within hearing of the joyful sound. These facts, he said, evidenced the utility of employing missionaries in our own country, and of increasing their number. The Rev. WARREN BIRD, in seconding this motion, remarked on the value of the Christian ministry, and on the awful iniquity of many in our country, who dare to refuse bread to Christ's ministers. This sin cails for deep humiliation and repentance, and is one of those abominations in the sight of Jehovah for which some parts of our country are threatened, and others visited, with a famine of the bread of life, There is now a loud call on the rich and on the poor, to come forward, according to their means, with their money and their prayers to the help of the Lord. When they thus consecrate their substance to the God of the whole earth, the blessing of Heaven will descend, the influence of the Holy Ghost will be seen in its effects, and our country shall universally be made glad with the rich blessings of grace. The motion passed unanimously. in which it is possible for human beings flow to those who are ready to perish. And who does not look with admiring gratitude on the success which has atsince the formation of this Society, weak Every year and destitute churches have been strengthened, encouraged and refreshed by its Missionaries; breaches and divis tended these exertions? The Rev. Mr. BOARDMAN moved a vote of thanks to the societies and individuals, who had contributed to the funds of the Society. He testing out channels for the water of life to tified to the necessity of additional missionaries in our own country. He had met with one individual, in his itinerant course, who, although a new-born soul, had never heard but seven sermons. He would not, he said, be understood as speaking against Foreign Missions; for he be lieved an effectual way to encourage them was, to increase our Domestic Missions. All our powers should be exerted in doing good to the souls of men, and all our ingenuity should be constantly on the stretch, in devising means for the spread of the gospel, till the world in which we dwell, shall resemble the heaven for which we hope.-To the accomplishment of this object, all our prayers should be directed. The Rev. JOB SEAMANS Supported this motion by several appropriate and interesting remarks. Rev. EBENEZER NELSON, jr. then rose and said- Mr. President.-I believe this Society entertain a grateful sense of the diligent, laborious, faithful and impartial manner in which its Officers have discharged their duties the past year; and that it is their desire to express the same by a vote of thanks. In rising to offer this motion, I would make a few remarks relative to the cause of Missions. This is a subject, in contemplating which, the benevolent mind will not soon be tired. The object the friend of Missions has in view is the most elevated and noble ions have been healed; new churches have been formed, and there have been great revivals of religion, as the immediate fruits of the labours of its Missionaries. "The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad for them, and the desert as the garden of the Lord!" Did it enter the hearts of any of the venerable founders of this Society, in their first council for its formation, that in so short a period, altars should be erected in so many parts of North America, from Nova-Scotia to Louisiana, from which thanksgiving to God should ascend for blessings communicated through this mediuin? But, Sir, in adverting to the great benefits resulting from the operations of this Society, I would beg leave to mention the periodical publication under its patronage. The advantages resulting from this publication to the Missionary cause, and to our own denomination, are known and appreciated by most of the members of this Society; but they are not known to all to whom the knowledge might be beneficial. Till within a few years there was no other religious periodical work of any magnitude in this country; at least, that had much regard to the cause of missions, and especially to our peculiar sentiments. This Society was the centre and grand depositary of religious intelligence from all parts of the United States, and from other countries. Aud from this Society, through the medium of the Magazine, an immense mass of Missionary and other eligious intelligence, was communicatd to the different churches in America, and in other lands. By its circulation, taste for reading has been promoted, eligious knowledge diffused abroad, the Bestitate state of the world ascertained, missionary spirit excited, and the energies of the churches called into vigor bus exercise. To what single circumstance could we refer this day, that has done so much to promote the union, harmony and strength of the denomination to which we belong, as the circulation of that work? But, Sir, its influence does not stop here. This Society has set an example for others. And it has been followed. Other Societies have been formed, and rendered active and useful, by viewing the exertions and the success of this. Religious publications have been multiplied in our own, and other denominations, in consequence of seeing the immense circulation this has had. And thus America and the world are blessed through the influence of the Baptist Missionary Society in Massachusetts. Surely there has been a handful of corn in the earth, in the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof has shaken ike Lebanon, and they of the city have Bourished like grass of the field. But, Sir, can this Society take any of this glory to itself? Who shall change the top of a barren mountain into a fertile plain or a fruitful field; revive languishing churches, heal divisions, check the torrent of errour, soften the hard heart of the sinner, and so change the enemies of Christ, that they shall be his friends? When the great Cicero had been successful in discovering and suppressing the conspiracy formed by Cataline against the Romans, he would not take the credit of it to his own account. His language is, "If I should say it was I who defeated them, I should take too much upon me, and my arrogance would be insufferable. It was the immortal God; it was he, it was he that defeated them; it was his will to preserve our capital; his will to preserve this city; his will that you should all be safe."* Cicero was a heathen, and a wicked an: how much more then does it become a Christian Society, in the great and signal success which has attended its exertions, to ascribe it all to the agency and power of the immortal Jehovah, and to say, with the King of Israel, "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name be the glory." * President Davies' translation, in his Sermon, entitled, Practical Atheism, &c." vol. 3, p. 262. Let this body concentrate all its energies, and direct them against the ignorance, errour and iniquity of one single obscure village; and what would be the result, if the grace of God did not accompany their efforts? Yet it pleases God to make use of means, and sometimes of feeble means. He has made use of this Society to accomplish great objects, in accordance with his eternal purposes of love and mercy towards our fallen race. He has made use of its Officers in directing its energies to such results as promote human happiness, and reflect honour on our glorious Redeemer. But in the operations of this Board of Officers, we discover marks of great care, labour, and perseverance. And, although it would be an abomination in the sight of God, for us to come into his sanctuary with fulsome adulation to any of our fellow men, yet it is fit, and proper, and scriptural, for God's people to express the gratitude they feel. towards faithful stewards of the manifold mercies of the Lord.-I would, therefore, move, Sir, that the thanks of this Society be presented to its Officers, for the diligent, laborious, faithful and impartial manner in which they have dişcharged their trust the past year. The Rev. BENJAMIN C. GRAFTON seconded this motion, and gave a brief account of some pleasing facts in relation to a mission in which he had lately been engaged, as a testimony of the useful direction to which the Officers of this Society had appropriated some of its funds. The motion then passed unanimously. The following were chosen Officers for the ensuing year :— Rev. THOMAS BALDWIN, D. D. President. ments. With much solemnity, he alluded to the divine goodness in his preservation to so advanced an age, and in which he had been permitted to see the church arise with so much prosperity. The time of his departure was at hand, but he could look around with confidence on his younger brethren, who, he trusted, would remain faithful, and could commend them to Him who was able to keep them from falling, with the pleasing hope of meeting them in glory. He then closed the meeting by prayer. In the evening, the Rev. ABIEL FISHER preached before the Society, from John ii. 14, 15.—As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder ness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life. [Watchman. REPORT OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN MASSACHUSETTS. IT has been frequently urged by infidels as an objection to Christianity, that it is an unsocial and repulsive system; and that where it gains an ascendency, it contracts. the heart, and transforms men into gloomy bigots. Its friends also have been stigmatized as a class of narrow-minded men, who, wrapped in the mantle of self-conceit, and proud in supposing themselves the peculiar favourites of Heaven, look down upon others with insensibility and contempt. We think the enemies of revealed religion could not have been more unfortunate in selecting an objection, because it is directly at variance with all the facts which the history of Christianity exhibits. Instead of giving existence and strength to selfish feelings, it controls and subdues them, and teaches its possessors not to live for themselves, but for the good of their fellow men. Nor can the accusation brought against the friends of this system be substantiated. From the earliest ages of the church, to the present day, they have signalized themselves as benefactors to mankind. When the disciples of Christ expe rienced the power and blessedness of the gospel in their ovn hearts, they went every where preaching the word. They rejoiced even in bonds and imprisonment, when they found that these had been over-ruled for the furtherance of the gospel. They had no desire to enjoy the blessings of salvation alone. They were anxious that others should participate with them in the mercy of God. It was not self-conceit, it was not bigotry, but an enlarged and pious benevolence, which filled them with transports of joy, when they learned that sinners were converted from the error of their ways. When information was received at Jerusalem, that the Gentiles had embraced the truth; the followers of the Redeemer "glorified God; saying, then hath God granted unto the Gentiles repentance unto life.' 39 We may venture then to assert, that the religion of the Bible is not a cold and selfish system. No! it is a system that warms and expands the heart with supreme affection to God, and a tender concern for the happiness of man. And while it administers in a thousand ways to the wants of the body, it does not overlook the wants of the soul. The spirit of genuine charity has never been extinct in the church of Christ. It has indeed been limited in its operations by the strong arm of civil power. But it burned with as strong and pure a flame in the breasts of martyrs, as it now that ever I saw in my life." These facts will surely, not only call forth your gratitude, but renewed expressions of your liberality in support of domestic missions. NEW-YORK. Rev. Emory Osgood has been employed as our missionary three months in the State of New-York. church, and I trust by many, the season will be held in long and grateful remembrance." After giving a detailed account of the virulent opposition he met with from some professors of religion, he says, "the work of the Lord still continued. I baptized seven others, who were added to the newly organized church. Five or six others were also hopeful converts, but they did not feel sufficiently strong in faith to make a public profession. Before I left, there were some new cases of conviction. When I preached my farewell sermon, the season was truly affecting. I saw more tears shed at that time, than ever 1 had witnessed before. Missionary labours are greatly needed in Eaton, and the region around. There is not a Baptist church or minister within fifty miles." A very affect ing letter has been received by the Board from the newly constituted church at Eaton, lamenting their destitute situation, and expressing their warmest thanks for the attention of your Trustees to their spir-"there is surely blessed prospect, itual wants. MASSACHUSETTS. The Board state with pleasure, that the services performed by brethren Rand, Hough, and Wil lard, in the western part of this commonwealth, have been accompanied with the blessing of God. At Springfield, Mr. Hough has baptized six persons on a profession of their faith; and about the same number more, who have experienced a hope in Christ, it is expected will soon be added to the church. Very encouraging circumstances have at tended the labours of brethren Rand and Willard. In a letter from one of them, it is remarked, "We hope your missionaries have been the means csalvation to more than twenty souls within the last eight months." It is said of one of the places visited by them," I have beheld the most interesting group of young men, anxiously inquiring what they should do to be saved, After stating that he had visited some of the churches, with the object of exciting a missionary spirit, and of giving a wider circulation to the American Baptist Magazine, he informs us in his journal, of the pleasure and success which had attended his mission. At Readfield, in Oneida county, New-York, a place which had been destitute of preaching, with the exception of occasional missionary labours, the Lord has been pleased, by the influence of his Spirit, to bring about sixty persons to a knowledge of the truth. After spending a few days in this place in preaching and visiting from house to house; he bap. tized three persons. He remarks, that a Baptist church will soon be planted in this place." A Rev. William Throop has also spent three months in the State of New-York He writes, "I have fulfilled my missionary appointment in the counties, on the Holland Purchase. I visited last summer the town of Clymour, in the county of Chautaugue. It is a rough country to travel in, but I was delighted in seeing the wilderness blossom like the rose, and become as a garden which the Lord had blessed. church was formed, consisting of about 100 members, where a year before, only two persons were members. Rejoice, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it. While preaching an evening lecture in the county of Erie, the Lord enabled me to proclaim the riches of his grace, and to describe the joy which those experience who receive it. At the close of the discourse, a pious young person observed; your sermon was |