the western wilderness, where the voice of a herald of mercy is never heard! Will you unite with us in bearing the endearing testimonies of a once expiring Savior's love to those who dwell in the shades of moral night, and are exposed to the blackness of darkness forever? May the God of compassion render you compassionate, and teach you, by happy experience, that there is a giving that is more blessed than receiving.

Immediately after the Convention adjourned, the Board commenced their labors; and although they had no funds in the treasury, yet, relying on the Lord, they during the year gave appointments to Brn. Elon Galusha, Elkanah Comstock, and John G. Stearns, as missionaries.

The first annual meeting of the Convention was held at Whitesboro, Oneida Co., Oct. 16, 1822. The meeting was opened by reading a portion of scripture, and prayer. The report of the treasurer exhibited the amount of moneys paid out during the year by order of the Board, to be $147 84. The report of the Board exhibits the following results from the labors of their missionaries, viz.

"That Br. John G. Stearns labored in the vicinity of Buffalo, to their entire satisfaction; and that the entire expense of his mission was defrayed by the people among whom he preached the gospel. That Br. Elon Galusha had spent a portion of his time at Buffalo, where he had been instrumental in the hand of God of establishing a respectable church of thirty members; and where he baptized many worthy citizens of the village, it being the first time the ordinance of baptism had ever been administered in that place in its primitive form. In addition to his labors at Buffalo, Br. Galusha visited the Territory of Michigan, and was the instrument of planting the standard of the cross at Pontiac, it being the first Baptist, if not the first Protestant, church, in the Territory. Here, also, he administered the ordinance of Christian baptism, it being the first time the waters of the Territory had furnished a liquid grave for the disciples of Christ, except at the mission-station among the natives. And that Br. Elkanah Comstock had labored in Centre Co., Penn., where his efforts had been uncommonly blessed in awakening sinners, and in confirming the souls of the disciples."

At this meeting it was "Resolved, That a sermon be preached annually at the opening of this Convention, and that a contribution be taken immediately thereafter to further its benevolent objects."

The second annual meeting of the Convention was held at Vernon, Oneida Co., Oct. 15 and 16, 1823. The introductory sermon was delivered by Br. Lewis Leonard, from Zech. iv. 7. The report of the Treasurer showed that $311 39 had been received, and $192 43 had been paid out during the year. The report of the Board states "That they appointed several missionaries, but that two only had accepted the appointment. These were Br. Elkanah Comstock, who continued his labors in Centre Co., Penn., and Br. John N. Brown, who had taken charge of the church at Buffalo." The labors of these brethren are represented as having been "highly beneficial to the churches among whom they labored.' "The report also mentions one agency which was performed without any expense to the Convention, deserving of notice. It was by the venerable President, Dea. Squire Manro. He explored the Territory of Michigan, and reported "That he found the Territory in great moral darkness, very much needing the labor of missionaries, and presenting most favorable openings, where the people are desirous to receive the embassadors of Christ."

The third annual meeting of the Convention was held at Elbridge, Onon. Co., Oct. 20 and 21, 1824. The introductory sermon was delivered by Br. Spencer H. Cone, of N. Y. The meeting was highly interesting, and more fully attended than any previous one. The Treasurer reported the amount of his receipts to be $and that of the disbursements to be $704 91. From the report of the Board, it appears that they had appointed Br. Calvin Philleo their agent, and had also commissioned ten or twelve other brethren as missionaries; yet but a few entered the fields assigned them. Br. John N. Brown continued at Buffalo, Brn. John Blain and F. H. Johnson were employed alternately at Oswego, Br. Randolph Streeter at Vienna, and Br. Elkanah Comstock at Michigan. While each of the brethren labored to the entire satisfaction of the Board, none submitted to

sacrifices as extensive as Br. Comstock. He endured the privations and diseases of Michigan in the early settlement thereof, with unflinching perseverance, and continued to occupy the field assigned him, with untiring faithfulness, until the Lord called him to enter the rest in reserve for his people. During the period he was engaged in the ministry, the cause was so much extended in that Territory, that he not only assisted in the organization of a number of churches, but was also permitted to participate in the labor of forming the first Association.

At this meeting of the Convention an event occurred, which had long been most ardently desired by all the friends of domestic missions in this State. Upon the request of the President of the Convention, and one of the Directors of the Board, the Hamilton Baptist Missionary Society, which had existed for more than seventeen years, were represented by a committee whose object it was to propose a plan upon which a union might be effected between the two bodies. The Convention promptly appointed a committee on their part, and the two committees agreed upon the plan, which the Convention accepted and adopted, and the amalgamation was consummated at the subsequent annual meeting of the Hamilton Baptist Missionary Society, as has been already stated.

As the constitution was so altered as to increase the number of Directors to thirty, it is deemed advisable to append the names of the first officers after the union occurred, viz. Elon Galusha, President. Elijah F. Willey, Secretary. Charles Babcock, Treasurer.

Nathaniel Kendrick, John Peck, Sylvenus Haynes, John Jeffries, Squire Manro, Alexander M. Beebee, John Blain, Alfred Bennett, Lewis Leonard, Oliver C. Comstock, John S. Twiss, Thomas Purinton, Jonathan Olmsted, Asa Averill, Daniel Putman, Joel W. Clark, Eliada Blakesley, Leland Howard, Rufus Babcock, Nathaniel Cole, Archibald Maclay, John Lawton, Martin E. Cook, Spencer H. Cone, William Colgate, John Williams, Thomas Purser, Howard Malcom, Nathan Peck, and Horace Griswold, Directors.

Before this election occurred, Dea. Squire Manro, who had been the President of the Convention from its organiza. tion, requested his brethren, in view of his age and infirmi

ties, to allow him the privilege to retire at least from that office, and to fill it with some brother who had not borne the burden and heat of the day. The Convention complied with his request, but continued him in the Board, so that his counsel was still secured, and his time, his talents, and his property, were unsparingly devoted to the interests of the Convention, until the Master released him from his labors, and received him into the mansions above.

The feelings of the Convention and of the Board, in view of the events connected with this meeting, and that of May following, when the union was consummated, will be fully developed by the following address, which they adopted and circulated throughout the State.

"ADDRESS

OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY CONVENTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

To all the Missionary Societies, Associations, Churches, and friends of Christian benevolence, through the State.

"The object of this Convention is to promote the knowledge of Christ among such of our fellow-n -men as are destitute of the ordinary means by which he reveals his grace and glory. To effectuate this purpose extensively, to us it appears important to combine, as far as practicable, the talents, resources, and energies, of our denomination, in every part of the State. And we rejoice to see our brethren in other States adopting such a course. That much good is done by small societies, and even by individuals not in concert, we do not doubt that abundantly more may be accomplished by a general union, is obvious. What would be the comparative force of two armies of equal numbers and equal valor, the one in single and disunited effort, the other in conjoint engagement? The former would resemble a mass of loose sand upon the shore, that yields to every wave; the latter a rock in the ocean, that defies the rushing billows. Such is the respective efficacy of separate and combined exertions in every cause. The most important achievements of which we have a knowledge, in every department of intellectual

In the

So

being, are the result of concurrence. There is a most perfect co-operation of all the glorious persons of the Godhead in the stupendous works of creation, providence, and redemption. The angelic hosts of all move in concert. cabinet of every nation on earth there is conjunction. essential is this to success in any great undertaking, that demons, with all their discordant feelings, co-operate in executing their infernal schemes. If, then, all rational beings, whether holy or unholy, whether on earth, in heaven, or hell, unite with their respective compeers in the production of important effects of joint interest, what an irrefragible proof have we of the great advantages resulting from a concentration of energies!

"Where a coincidence of views and feelings forms a common bond of friendship, a combination of effort is doubly advantageous and deeply interesting. Such are all associations in heaven; such were those of the apostles and primitive disciples; and such should be those of Christians in the present day. Behold! how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.' How amiable for brethren to labor together in love! It is much to be regretted that, in the Baptist denomination, where there is so much unison of sentiment and harmony of feeling, there is not a more general amalgamation and co-operation, especially in the promotion of domestic missions. Although the whole number of missionaries employed by us bears a very small proportion to the numerous and extensive fields of labor, yet for want of concert, when a Macedonian cry is heard from a particular quarter, many societies, equally anxious to afford relief, and ignorant of each other's designs, pour in their missionaries in abundance, which, besides exciting the false idea that there is an amplitude (or rather superfluity) of funds and laborers to supply all the destitute places in our country, often creates jealousy and alarm. This, and many other evils heretofore mentioned in our circulars, may be remedied by a union of all our societies in one general head; so that, acting as members of one common body, they may afford mutual aid. The benefits accruing from such a concurrence, in addition to those exhibited in our former communications, are