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doubt but that Shin is the term the Chinese themselves use when speaking of their own objects of worship, just as the Greeks used Theos and the Romans Deus, &c. The whole ground has been investigated and discussed, and we appeal to you for funds. We need whole copies of the New Testament without note or comment. Can your Society aid us? As to the whole position of the Missionary work at this station we can truly say it is onward. Large and commanding chapels have been erected and opened, and large congregations listen to the word in their own language, the number of inquirers has increased, converts have been baptized, churches have been constituted, many publications have been issued, schools have been established, and the knowledge of our holy religion is rapidly gaining a widespread celebrity in all this extensive and interesting region! And yet in the commencement of operations here we have had to contend with trials and difficulties almost unprecedented. A few more years of untiring effort and whole hearted trust in the Divine promises, and rich blessings will descend from on high. And yet, alas! how slow are the churches and pastors at home in lending their aid in this "mighty" and glorious work. I am unchanged in my deep interest in all that concerns your noble Society. Let me hear from you, and believe me,

Faithfully,

J. LEWIS SHUCK.

DOMESTIC OPERATIONS.

There has been a steady demand for our publications during the year, and the number and amount of sales have been somewhat increased.

The want of a suitable pocket bible has long been felt by the friends of the Society, and an endeavor has hitherto been made to supply our auxiliaries by publications of others furnished by contract. But the inconveniencies and difficulties thence resulting have induced the Board to determine upon the issue of a pocket bible with references, at the expense of the Society, and they have contracted for stereotyping one on terms which they regard as most reasonable.

Gratuitous Appropriations.

It has not been customary to occupy the pages of the Annual Report by publishing in detail the appropriations made of books from the Depository. But the items that were specified in the Report of last year, seemed to give so much satisfaction, that the

Board have decided to publish the complete list of domestic apappropriations. It will be noticed that the gross amount is much less than that of the preceding year. This is to be accounted for, by the fact, that we have had no colporteurs in the home field, since our last Report. The Board have lately employed one in Pennsylvania, brother Felix Hartman, but the account of his operations is not embraced within the financial year just ended.

APPROPRIATIONS OF BOOKS FROM THE DEPOSITORY,
FROM APRIL 5, 1849, TO APRIL 5, 1850.

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S. S. Olive Branch Bap. Ch. New York,

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3 00 4.80 1 63

American Bap. Home Missionary Soc. by Rev. W. W.

Read, of California,

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S. S. Yonkers Bap. Church, N. Y.

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Bap. Church Cornwall, N. Y.

J. L. Richmond, Deposite, N. Y.

Rev. O. T. Walker, Holmes' Hole, Mass,

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American Bap. Home Missionary Soc. for Canada,

26

Board of Foreign Mis. of Southern Bap. Convention,

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Rev. J. L. Richmond, Deposite, N. Y.

56

C. A. Skinner, Hamilton, C. W.

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Episcopal High School of Virginia,

Rev. L. W. Allen, of Golansvill, Caroline Co., Va. for Slaves.

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21 78

11 28

62 75

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13 87

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52 94

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30.50

100

52 14 14.00 6.00

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The deep and abiding interest felt by all true believers in the conversion of Romanists, has inclined the minds of christians in this country warmly to sympathise with the efforts made by Madam Feller and her fellow Missionaries to propagate a pure gospel among the French population of Lower Canada. In response to an earnest application lately received on behalf of that Mission, soliciting authority to employ colporteurs for Scripture distribution at this Society's expense, your Board have authorised the employment in that capacity of the two individuals described in the following extract of a letter from Brother Normandeau, the Secretary of the Mission.

"Louis Anger is a young man educated in the Mission and recently entered on his arduous career. He gives promise of being most useful in the work of his choice. He asks a salary of $140 per annum.

Eloy Roy, the second whom we would propose to you, is a man of very

large family, and could not subsist upon the sum usually allotted to colporteurs. He is, however, so valuable in this department, that we will make up what is wanting, if your Society will engage to furnish $150 in his behalf."

Santa Fe.

A train of remarkable providences clearly indicating the Divine wisdom, has led to the location of a Baptist minister at Santa Fe, as United States chaplain. Brother H. W. Read had been seleced by the Home Mission Society, and sent by the overland route as a missionary to California. His own health and that of his wife having been reduced by fatigue and exposure, he arrived in a state of physical prostration at Santa Fe. An extract from a letter written to the Corresponding Secretary of the Mission Society, under date of Santa Fe, Sep. 15, describes the circumstances which resulted in his remaining at that place.

"The same evening of our arrival, Col. Bell (the second in command in New Mexico,) called on me and stated that he was authorized to inform me that I was desired to remain at Santa Fe, and that the Governor, Col. Washington, desired an interviw with me at the palace. An arrangement was made for this purpose, and in the morning, accompanied by Col. Bell and several other officers, I proceeded to make the promised call. The Governor received me with great cordiality, and without ceremony informed me that he had been apprised of my coming. heard of me from Ft. Leavenworth, &c., and with much earnestness and many arguments solicited me to abandon my intention to proceed to California, and remain here as Chaplain of this post. I showed him my traveling letter and instructions as your missionary to California, and stated that no ordinary circumstances would justify my changing my destination. After perusing the document, he said he supposed the reason for going to California was because it was considered an important and destitute field; to which I assented; when he replied, I might travel the world over, and, in his opinion, I could not find a more dark, desolate, and destitute place than Santa Fe ; and of its importance, I might judge after looking at the 6000 inhabitants of the city, about one tenth of whom are Americans, and then at the 100,000 souls in New Mexico, among whom there is not one Protestant minister of the Gospel !

The interview was one of the most thrilling and painful interest, and my soul was deeply affected as he proceeded with his plea in behalf of this wicked and neglected city and country. *

*

On the Sabbath following, I preached twice in the Court House, and the people seemed to be interested. At the close of the service the Governor again renewed his proposal, and having prayerfully considered the entire matter for three days, on Monday I decided to comply with the request, and have since been acting as Chaplain of Fort Marcy. In arriving at this decision, I was compelled to take into consideration the very feeble state of my wife's health.

which alone would render it hazardous to proceed; besides which, the impossibility of pursuing my journey to California in a wagon; the consequent necessity of my purchasing pack mules, for which I had not requisite means, and the difficulties and dangers of the route beyond this, from hostile Indians and other sources, all combined to convince me that, on no account would it be right for me to proceed. The arrangement is such that I can accomplish much missionary labor, and, notwithstanding the enormous expense of living, (about equal to that of California.) I shall not probably be under the necessity of drawing on the treasury of the Society for my support.

The peculiar circumstances, which seemed thus to combine to open a new door for usefulness, induced your Board to appropriate to brother Read for sale and distribution among those who use the English language in New Mexico, 253 Bibles, and 641 Tes

taments.

California.

The wonderful dispensations of Divine Providence, which have combined suddenly to bring into existence a new state on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, with an active enterprising population rapidly increasing in numbers, wealth, and political importance, are already familiar to the members of this Society. The attention of the Board has been earnestly directed to the necessity of furnishing a people thus hastily drawn together, and generally destitute of religious instruction, with the Scriptures of divine truth, which may show unto them the way of life. For the effectual prosecution of systematic effort at so great a distance from the seat of our operations, they have urged upon the friends of the Society in California to organize auxiliaries, and supply themselves with books from our depository. They have the pleasure of stating that their requests have already met with a partial response. An auxiliary has been formed at San Francisco, with the following constitution :

CONSTITUTION.

ART. 1. This Society shall be called the Bible Society of California, Auxiliary to the American and Foreign Bible Society.

ART. 2. The object of this Society shall be to assist in circulating the word of God.

ART. 3. All annual contributors to the funds of this Society shall be members: and any person contributing twenty dollars at one time shall be a member for life. ART. 4. The business of this Society shall be conducted by a Board, consisting of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Depository Agent, and at least ten Managers, five of whom shall be a quorum.

ART. 5. The Society shall meet annually at the time and place previously ap

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