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“...the gth of November laft ; when four per-
fons, whom they had ftri¢tly examined, were re-
commended by them, and approved. At the fame
time we thought it our duty to come to fome con-
clufion refpeéting married perfons, that the minds
of thofe, who had offered their fervices, might no
longer be held in fufpence. Therefore; having ~
previoufly confulted various books and experienced
__perfons, to enable us to form a proper judgment ;
_ and having well weighed the peculiar nature ot the
| - b 2 mission...”
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| 2 |
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“...the acquifition of
fuch mechanical arts, and other information, as
may render them moft ufeful to the natives.
We have moreover the fatisfaction to fay that
our refources of Missionaries, as well as money,
continue happily increafing. Several more are
eagerly pressing into the fervice and waiting to-be ~
- examined ; and we hope, from the reeommenda-
tions we have received, the greater part of them
will be found worthy to fhare, with thofe already
accepted, the perils and the glory of the mission. -
Thus has God, beyond even our moft fanguine
expectation, provided the means of accomplithing
: our purpofe, in funds fo nobly liberal, and in per-
fons apparently fo well qualified.
But, after all our endeavours to find proper la-
bourers, it is evident that nothing could be effeét-
ed, unlefs fome mode were deviled for conveying
them to the place of their deftination—an ifland fe-
parated...”
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| 3 |
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“...leffen the expence of the
mission in a veffel of our own, by procuring a car-
go of ftores to Port Jackfon from the government,
and a returning freight from the Eaft India Com-
pany, by leaving the direét courfe and touching at
Bengal. To detail the difficulties they foon per-
ceived, and the various fieps they took to obviate
them, would be quite unneceflary. It will be fuffi-
cient to fay, that, as they were proceeding in their
enquiries, a circumfiance occurred, which providen-
tially decided for us, and left us no alternative :
: ’ Government being about to engage tranfports
to convey ftores to Port Jackfon, we were apprized
of their intention; but having no fhip ready, we |
could make no offer, nor could their contracts be ;
delayed till we had made our arrangements. From |
the fame authority we-were likewife informed, that
no ftores would be fent there again for, at leaft,
nine months to come.
Thus were we providentially precluded from
commencing the mission with any object of com-...”
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| 4 |
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“...navigated by a ferious captam and
“ crew; containing accommodations for thirty Mz/-
“© fionaries or more, exclufive of women and children.”
2 The expence of a Miflion on this enlarged {eale
will certainly be very confiderable; but we are
authorized to hope, from the liberality which we
have already experienced, that exertions fo great
: will never want fupport, when conducted with
prudence and zeal, and regulated with the firicteft
oeconomy. ,
It has been among our firft defires to form our
Mission on the broadeft bafis of -Chriftian Liberty,
and to prevent, as far as lieth in. us, every fubject
of contention among thofe, who may in future
conduct the affairs of the Society. We have
therefore unanimoufly agreed, that, renouncing
our feveral educational partialities, it isa funda-
mental principle of our inflitution, not to fend to
the Heathen any exclufive form of Church go-
| vernment, Prefbyterian, Independent, or Epitco-
pal, but the glorious Gofpel of the ever bleffed
| God; leaving...”
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| 5 |
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“...TO THE MISSIONAEY SOCIETY. XIX
| fible, with equal or fuperior profpects of fuccefs,
though we have been unable to find fuch by our ‘
refearches. We have not, however, been inac- _
tive in our enquiries for information. Early in
October, a Memoir was prefented by one. of our
brethren, refpecting a Mission to Africa; which
Memoir he fubmitted to the correction of Mr, .
Macaulay, Governor of Sierra Leone, who obli-
gingly favoured him with all the knowledge he
was then mafter of concerning it, and promifed,:
on his arrival at Sierra Leone, to communicate
every additional information he could colle¢t : an-
other of our brethren prefented a Memoir of a
Mission to the coaft of Sumatra; refpecting which _
feyeral inquiries have been likewife made; and
we doubt not but thefe, and many other plans, will
bewellconfidered, and, iffound practicable, purfued.
It would be pleafing to detail, did time allow, ;
the correfpondences we haye eftablifhed through-
out the united kingdoms. The letters and ad-...”
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