THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THF. COMMITTEE OF THE Uaptist iilteistonari) ^ocictj), ADDRESSED TO THE GENERAL MEETING, H fcL n AT GREAT QUEEN STREET CHAPEL, r On Thursday, June 21 si, 1827- b e i n g A CONTINUATION OF THE PERIODICAL ACCOUNTS Relative to the Society. PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL MEETING. LONDON : PRINTED BY J. HADJ)ON, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL MEETING, HELD On Thursday, June 21st, 1827, at Great Queen Street Chapel: JOSEPH GUTTERIDGE, E sq. IN THE CHAIR. Moved by the Rev. J o seph K in g h o r n , of Norwich, seconded by Rev. S am uel N ich o lso n , of Plymouth, I. That the Report now read be adopted and circulated under the direction of the Committee; and that this Meeting desires, devoutly and humbly, to acknowledge the goodness of God in enabling this Institution to co-operate in fulfilling the Divine command to pro­ claim the Gospel among the heathen; and deeply sensible that success can only be expected where exertions are made from prin­ ciples which God shall approve, earnestly recommends the friends of the Society to pray that the spirit of meekness, wisdom, faith, and love may rest upon all, at home and abroad, by whom its affairs are conducted. Moved by the Rev. E ustace C a r e y , of Calcutta, seconded by the Rev. J o h n S t a t h a m , from Howrah, II. That the proceedings of the Gentlemen who have acted on behalf of the Institution during the past year, meet the cordial approbation of this Meeting—that the Treasurer and Secretary be requested to retain their offices—Mr. William Beddome, Mr. W. Burls, Jun. and Mr. Paul Millard be the Auditors—and the following Gentlemen constitute the Committees for the next year. 4 Ctxafjurer. JOHN BROADLEY WILSON, E sq. £?ccr£tarin R e v . JOHN DYER. m itrito m Messrs. W. BEDDOME, W. BURLS, and PAUL MILLARD, festival Committee. R e v . J. ACWORTH, Leeds. C. ANDERSON, Edinburgh. W. H. ANGAS, London. G. BARCLAY, Irvine. ISAIAH' BIRT, Birmingham. C. E. BIRTr Portsea. J. BIRT, Manchester. T. BLUNDELL, Camberwell. J. CHIN, Walworth. T. COLES, Bourton. W. COPLEY, Oxford. F. A. COX, LL.D. Hackney. EDMUND CLARKE, Truro. E. DANIELL, Luton. R. DAVIS, Walworth. T. C. EDMONDS, Cambridge, W. GILES, Chatham. W. GRAY, Northampton. S. GREEN, Thrapston. W. CrROSER, Maidstone. ROBERT HALL, Bristol. C. HARDCASTLE, Waterford. J. HEMMING, Kimbolton. J. H. HINTON, Reading. J. HOBY, Weymouth. R. HOGG, Kimbolton. R. HORSEY, Wellington. T. HQRTON, Devonport. VV. INNES, Edinburgh. J. IVIMEY, London. J. JARMAN, Nottingham. J. KERSHAW, Abingdqn. S. KILPIN, Exeter. J. KINGHORN, Norwich. J. LISTER, Liverpool. 5 R e v . ISAAC MANN, London. T. MIDDLEDITCH, Biggleswade. C. T. MILEHAM, Bow. J. MILLARD, Lymington. T. MORGAN, Birmingham. W. H. MURCH, Frome. 3. MURSELL, Leicester. W. NEWMAN, D.D. Bow. W. NICHOLS, Collingham. J. PAYNE, Ipswich. R. PENGILLY, Newcastle. G. PRITCHARD, London. R. PRYCE, Coate. P. J. SAFFERY, Salisbury. J. SIMMONS, Olney. S. SAUNDERS, Liverpool. JAMES SMITH, Ilford. W. STEADMAN, D.D. Bradford. M. THOMAS, Abergavenny. T. THONGER, Hull. J. UPTON, London. T. WATERS, Pershore. J. WILKINSON, Saffron Walden. T. WINTER, Bristol. M e s s r s . B. ANSTIE, Devizes. W. BEDDOME, London. G. BLIGHT, London. N. BOSWORTH, London. J. M. BUCK LAND, Hackney. W. BURLS, Edmonton. J. DEAKIN, Birmingham. J. DEAKIN, Glasgow. J. DENT, Milton. JOSEPH FLETCHER, Tottenham. J. FOSTER, Biggleswade. W. B. GURNEY, London. J. GUTTERIDGE, Camberwell. J. HANSON. C- HILL, Scarborough. T. KING, Birmingham. J. LOMAX, Nottingham. J. MARSHALL, London. B. SHAW, London. J. SHEPPARD, Frome. 6 tTnitral aronumtter. Rev. C. E. BIRT. R ey. C. T. MILEHAM. JOHN CHIN. W . NEWM AN, D.D. W . COPLEY. G. PRITCHARD. F. A. COX, LL.D. J. UPTON. R. DAVIS. M e ssrs. W. BEDDOME. T. C. EDMONDS G. BLIGHT. W . GILES. J. M. BUCKLAND. W . GRAY. J. FOSTER. W. GROSER. W . B. GURNEY. J. H. HINTON. J. GUTTERIDGE. J. IVIMEY. J. MARSHALL. J. K1NGHORN. B. SHAW. ISAAC MANN. Moved by the Rev. Dr. W in t e r , seconded by the Rev. C. E. B i r t , of Portsea, III. That this Meeting- fully recoguizes the just and urgent claims of the Society upon the strenuous support of the Christian public; and recommends all its friends vigorously to come forward with their aid, especially in the formation and encouragement of Auxiliary Societies. Moved by the Rev. J o h n B i r t , of Manchester, seconded by the Rev. T ho m a s W tnter, of Bristol, IV. That this Meeting renews with great pleasure the expression of cordial thanks to the Trustees of this Chapel, and to the Rev. R. Hill, and the Trustees of Surry Chapel, for the kind and cheerful promptitude with which the use of their respective places of worship was granted on the present occasion. Moved by the Rev. W. G r o se r , of Maidstone, seconded by the Rev. T hom as S h ir l e y , of Sevenoaks, V. That the next Annual Meeting of this Society be held in London, on Thursday, June 19, 1828. Moved by the Rev. J o h n H o w a r d H in t o n , of Reading, seconded by the Rev. Ow en C la rk u, of Taunton, VI. That the respectful acknowledgments of this Meeting be presented to Joseph Gutteridge, Esq. for the kindness and ability with which he has conducted the proceedings of this day. tUlan of tljc *orieta. I. Hie name by which the Society has been, and still is designated, is, “ The Particular Baptist Society for propagating the Gospel among the Heathenor, u The Baptist Missionary Society.” II. The great object of this Society is the diffusion of the knowledge of the religion of Jesus Christ through the heathen world, by means of the preaching of the Gospel, the translation and publication of the Holy Scriptures, and the establishment of Schools. III. All persons subscribing 10s. 6d. per annum, donors of £10. or upwards, and Ministers making annual collections on behalf of the Society, are considered as Members thereof. IV. A General Meeting of the Society shall be annually held ; at which the Committee and Officers shall be chosen for the year ensuing, the Auditors of Accounts appointed, and any other business pertaining to the Society transacted. y. A General Committee, consisting of eighty Members, shall be appointed for the purpose of circulating Missionary Intelligence, and promoting the Interests of the Society in their respective neighbourhoods; nine-tenths of whom shall be eligible for re-election for the ensuing year. VI. A Central Committee shall be formed out of the General Com­ mittee, more immediately to conduct the affairs of the Society : which Committee shall meet monthly, in London, on a fixed day, for the despatch of business. VII. Besides the Treasurer and Secretaries of the Society, who shall be considered Members, ex officio, the Central Committee shall consist of twenty-jive persons; of whom sixteen shall be resident in London, or its immediate vicinity, and nine in the country; five Members to be deemed a quorum. The Commit^e to be empowered to fill up, pro tempore, any vacancies from death or resignation. VIII. All Members of the General Committee shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meetings of the Central Committee; and whenever the attendance of any Member or Members shall be particularly desirable, the Central Committee shall be empowered to request such attendance ; in which case, the Member or Members so invited shall be considered as part of the quorum. IX. All monies received on behalf of the Society shall be lodged in the hands of the Treasurer; and when the amount shall exceed £300, it shall be invested in the public funds, in the names of four Trustees to be chosen by the Society, until required for the use of the Mission. FOR THE GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE SOCIETY. I give out of my monies, or personal estate, unto the Treasurer, for the time being, of the Baptist Missionary Society, the sum of for the use of such Society. And I declare that the Receipt of such Treasurer shall be a sufficient discharge for the same. FOR PROMOTING THE TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. I give out of my monies, or personal estate, unto the Treasurer, /or the time being, of the Baptist Missionary Society, the sum of to be applied to the sole purpose of promoting the Translation and Printing the Scriptures. And I declare that the Receipt of such Treasure)' shall be a sufficient dis­ charge for the same. *** Those friends who wish to promote the extension of Native Schools, may, by distinctly stating their desire, effectually secure the application of their contributions or bequests to that specific object. All persons who may have bequeathed to the Baptist Missionary Society, Legacies payable out of the late 5 per cent. Bank Annuities, are hereby respectfully requested to provide a substitute in their Wills, or by Codicils thereto, out of some other part of their Personal Estate. And further, that in all bequests of Stock, there be superadded, that in case there shall not be any, or sufficient money in the Stock named in the Will or 0òdicil to'pay'the said Legacy, that the same be paid out of the residue of the Testator’s Personal Estate. REPORT Before your Committee proceed to narrate, as usual, the foreign operations of the Society, they deem it proper to refer to certain occurrences at home, in which the friends of the Mission have felt a lively interest, and on which they may justly claim full and explicit information.