baptism. The town of Worcester has been, and still is, highly favoured. Within ten months, about one hundred and fifty have obtained a hope in the mercy of God, and seventy-four have united with the Baptist Church. In that Association there are fourteen Sabbath Schools, about seven hundred scholars, and ninety teachers, three or four Bible Classes, two of which contain about one hundred members each. Thirty of the scholars and teachers, connected with the Sabbath School and Bible Class of one Church, have made a profession of religion. The Churches take a lively interest in Missionary and Education concerns. In all of them there is one or more Societies, whose annual collections amount in the aggregate to about six hundred dollars, for benevolent purposes. Several of the Churches have taken a decided stand against intemperance, and have the high satisfaction of knowing that their labour has not been in vain in the Lord. Every friend of economy, good morals, and piety, must forever and warmly approve their decision and firmness. May every Church on earth speedily follow such a noble example, and exert their influence to stay the progress of that wide spread evil, which annually drowns thousands of souls in endless perdition. Southbridge, and they are earnestly As the Minutes of the Wendall Association have not been received, we can state but little respecting its welfare, and that little from recollection only. This body is yet in its infancy, and consists of only eight Churches, three of which have no settled minister. They have enjoyed no special revivals of religion within the year To the fourteen Churches com- past. New-Salem, Athol, and Levposing the Sturbridge Association, erett, have received some additions, only nineteen persons have been and exhibit some hopeful appearadded by baptism the past year, and ances. The missionary spirit apthe ways of Zion mourn, because pears to be increasing among them. so few come to her solemn feasts. A Missionary Society has lately They are highly favoured with pas-been formed, and considerable tors and teachers, who have gone forth to the people weeping, bearing precious seed, and we trust they will soon return, rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them. "There are at least seven Sabbath Schools, and six or seven Libraries for Sabbath Scholars in the Churches composing this Association," one Bible Class recently begun in JAN. 1828. More numbers have joined it. 2 ence. They greatly need, and no doubt will receive all the attention and aid which our Board may be able to bestow. past year the Sun of Righteousness has gilded the hills of Berkshire, poured his reviving influence especially upon Becket and Pittsfield, and awakened a number of the Churches in that section of the State, to the great and growing interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. May all our Baptist Churches on the hills and in the vallies of that healthy and fertile country, be refreshed with the streams of salvation, imbibe the spirit of expansive benevolence, and feel the impor The Westfield Association held its sixteenth Anniversary on the first Wednesday in last September. This body has enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. Within the last eight years the number of Churches increased from eleven to twenty-one. At their last Meeting, three Churches took a dismission in order to form the Berkshire Association. Of the eighteen Church-tance of combining their counsels es now composing this body, seven are destitute of an under shepherd. "Most of these destitute Churches are very desirous of pastors possessing talents, knowledge, and experience; and are disposed to sup-ing, and more particular informaport them." Eighty-six persons were added to this Association the year past by baptism. None of the Churches were favoured with revivals, except Cummington and Becket. Within the limits of this Association there are six Sabbath Schools and four Libraries. They have also an Evangelical Benevolent Society, and eight female Auxiliary Societies, which are doing considerable toward swelling the stream of christian charity, and spreading the gospel of the grace of God. About one hundred and eighty dollars were raised last year for missionary purposes; and they also received a legacy of one hundred and fifty dollars,, payable in nine years with interest. These Churches have likewise contributed liberally to the New York Literary and Theological Seminary. They are generally in a prosperous state, and a spirit of christian liberality is evidently increasing. and efforts to extend the empire of Immanuel. Our best wishes attend this infant Association; and we hope at the next Convention, to receive from them still more cheer tion. When we consider what God has done the year past for some, and the spirit of prayer, which appears to prevail in all of our Associations; when we consider the increasing disposition in our Churches to use the appointed means of extending the blessings of Christianity, the agreeable season enjoyed at the sitting of the Convention, and the more promising state of our Treasury, your Committee see great cause to thank God, and take courage. The Convention has evidently done much good already; and we hope the feelings of every Baptist Church in the Commonwealth may soon be enlisted in its favour, aid our Board of Domestic Missions with their prayers, and the necessary pecuniary means, that the stream of our christian charity may annually become broader and deeper, until every destitute Church, and every portion of the State not already under spiritual culture, may be supplied with a The Berkshire Association has been lately organized, and consists of ten Churches, the three Church-stated and faithful ministry of the es dismissed from the Westfield, and some of the Churches in that county, which have not been heretofore connected with any Association. We rejoice, that within the word and ordinances of the gospel. Every child of God must view this as a most important and desirable object. And how can it be accomplished so speedily, easily, and successfully, as by a concentration || design of the Education Society to of our energies and efforts? In this respect the children of this world have been wiser than the children of light. How can the people hear without a preacher? And how can they preach except they be sent? In order that the Convention may apply their funds to the best advantage, we hope, at the next Annual Meeting, every Association will be represented, and furnish a full and particular account not only of what God has done, or may be doing for them, but also of what the Churches are doing to promote the glory of God and their own prosperity. We wish for more particular information respecting Sabbath Schools, Bible Classes, Sabbath School and Church Libraries, and Tract Societies; the number of scholars and teachers, mode of instruction, and how many scholars and teachers have become professors of religion. We all have but one great object in view,-the glory of God in the salvation of sinners; and the more fully we are informed of each other's views, feelings, wants, and efforts, the greater will be the sympathy between all the members of Christ's mystical body, and the greater interest we shall all take in the welfare of Zion. C. TRAIN, Ch'n. MINISTERIAL EDUCATION. give pecuniary aid to all approved indigent candidates, and of the Institution, to furnish the best Theological and Biblical Instruction to all who are disposed to avail themselves of its advantages; instruction adapted to the age, talents, and acquirements of the individual, and to the state of our churches. The Education Society, according to their last Annual Report, have on their hands nearly thirty young men in different places and in different stages of advancement. Their funds are exhausted, with the exception of a permanent fund, the interest only of which is available; and this interest will not meet more than one quarter of the annual expenses of the Society. The Institution at Newton is yet in its infancy; it has property worth $10,000 which has been paid for by the charities of the friends of Christ. But in order to proceed in its great designs, it requires aid for the erection of a building for the students, a permanent fund for the support of the Professors, and several thousand dollars for a Library. The amount needed at the present time, to place that institution in a situation that shall be creditable to the Baptist denomination, is not less than from $40,000 to $50,000. To some of our brethren it may appear discouraging, to present claims for their charity to so large an amount. But when we consid Your Committee, to whom was referred the subject of Ministerial Education, beg leave to Reporter the magnitude of the objects That there are two great objects which claim the immediate attention of the Associations represented in this body. They are the Massachusetts Baptist Education Society, and the Newton Theolog-fected by them, the consideration of ical Institution. The principal means now in operation in this State, and even in New England, among the Baptists, for the moral and intellectual improvement of candidates for the Ministry, centre here. It is the contemplated by these Institutions, that they take hold on the vital interests of Christ's kingdom, that the eternal destiny of thousands and millions of souls is to be af the value of a few thousand dollars. is diminished and lost, only as it can be brought to bear on the promotion of the eternal happiness of sinners. And it affords great pleasure to your Committee to know that the associations and the churches are || is apparent, and so easily are they beginning to feel a deep interest in put in circulation, that it is hoped both these great Institutions, and to favour them by their liberality. It is also matter of praise to God, that as the fruit of the late revivals, in other churches the Lord is calling out a goodly number of young men, and impressing on their minds and hearts, a sense of duty to preach the word of life. Still, there is a great deficiency of ministers churches languish, extensive regions are slumbering in sin, souls are perishing, mission societies are sighing for the appearing of young ministers designated of God to go to the heathen, and the associations must arise in their strength, and call upon God to send forth more labourers. They must also cultivate a sense of dependence on God for the prosperity of these Institutions. If he bless them not, the glory will depart from them. Your Committee would close their remarks on this subject by recommending the following resolutions. 1. That as all our efforts will be utterly useless without the grace of God, our brethren be earnestly requested in all their private and publick supplications to beseech of him to convert and send forth more young men to labour as the ministers of Christ; and that he will shed down his gracious blessing on all our education concerns. 2. That it be recommended to all our churches to take up annual collections to aid the two great objects presented in this report. E. NELSON, Chairman. RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. no arguments will be necessary to urge the churches to the duty of distributing these silent messengers of truth. They would also mention, as highly deserving of patronage, the National Philanthropist, edited by Rev. William Collier, of Boston. The object of this work is the suppression of intemperance. It is conducted with ability, and we hope will not fail for want of patronage. It is believed that its good effects have already been somewhat extensively felt. As the evils which the wide-spreading vice of intemperance has entailed on our country are very great and alarming, your Committee do think, that, as patriots and christians, the churches would do well to encourage the Editor in his praiseworthy object. The Baptist Preacher also has been just commenced by Rev. Mr. Collier, and in the opinion of your Committee is worthy of patronage. They would also state that the American Baptist Magazine which is now published by the Baptist Board of Missions, and which is becoming more and more extensive in its circulation, still deserves much more general and vigorous efforts to increase its list of subscribers. This periodical from its cheapness is accessible to all; and while the ability with which it is conducted must render its perusal a source of elevated satisfaction, the information which it communicates, added to the consideration of its being in a pecuniary as well as in a moral sense a powerful auxiliary to the cause of missions, cannot fail to recommend it especially to every Baptist who feels an interest in the rising empire of the Redeemer. Your Committee on Religious Publications beg leave to Report: That they are deeply impressed Your Committee would add that in with a conviction of the great util- their opinion the Christian Watchity of Religious Tracts. So numeman is highly worthy of patronage. rous are the instances in which All which is respectfully submit-. their direct and salutary influence | ted. A. SAMSON, Chairman. [Remainder in our next No.] BURMAN MISSION. LETTER FROM REV. DR. JUDSON TO REV. MR. SHARP. My dear Sir, You are doubtless acquainted with the measures we have taken,|| in regard to the formation of a new mission station at this place. Amherst, May 5, 1827. the best military station, and the whole tide of Burmese emigration has flowed thither. On brother Wade's arrival, and my return from Ava, as we had a The final disposal of the ceded house here which Mrs. Judson had provinces on this coast, is still begun, we continued to occupy it, rather uncertain, the question hav- and wait for the openings of Proviing been referred to the decision dence. On brother Boardman's of the Court of Directors. But it arrival, he had occasion to go up to is generally understood, that the Mau-la-ming, to obtain medical asBurmese government has behaved sistance for Mrs. B., and according so ill, since the war, in not com- to an arrangement we have made, plying with the terms of the trea- he will probably remain there for ty, and in giving the Envoy, Mr. the present. Sir Archibald has Crawfurd, a most ungracious re-repeatedly offered us ground for a ception at court, that these provin- mission station; and we are pleasces cannot be restored to their ed with having a footing at both former masters; and that the diffi- || places, that we may, with greater culty attending their erection into facility, occupy that which will bean independant principality, or come the permanent seat of govtransferring them to any neigh-ernment, or perhaps both, if the bouring power, will render their fi- || native population of both, and othnal retention necessary, though theer circumstances shall appear to British Government uniformly pro- warrant such a division of our fess their reluctance to extend strength. their Indian territories. The expense of building such The fate of this port is still mat houses, as our present necessimore dubious, in consequence of ties require, is not large. We Sir Archibald Campbell's having have expended about three hunfixed his head quarters at Mau-la-dred dollars in Amherst, and have ming, twenty-five miles up the riv- sufficient accommodation for myer, and of the uncertainty whether self and brother Wade's family, Mr. Crawfurd, or any person inter- beside a commodious zayat for the ested in the prosperity of Amherst, female school. And even this apwill be placed in civil charge propriation has been made here. from the funds furnished from A||merica, but from donations made us for the express purpose of building. Since the close of the war, I have been able, from money paid me by the British government, pres When I first determined on settling here, it was understood, that all the heads of government were unanimous in the purpose of making this the capital of the ceded provinces; but an unhappy misun-ents lately made me at Ava, and derstanding took place; and though this is admitted to be the most pleasant place, the most salubrious, the most centrical, the best, and indeed the only port, (for ships cannot go up the river,) Sir Archibald pronounced Mau-la-ming || donations to the mission, to pay into the funds of the Board, above $4000, which, after deducting such expenses as our regulations allow, (together with the last donation from Madras,) I have remitted to Mr. Pearce of Calcutta. |