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ADDRESS OF -THE -REV. DR. JOHNSON, To THE STATE CoNVENToN .OF TEE BAPTIST -DaoisinaTior, S.. C., DELIVERED ON THE 3RD DAY OF MAY. 1845, AT AN ExTRA MEE'T- - NG L' OF THE Bony. - Dear Brethren :-Preparatory to your en tering into business, l ask your auention to the following Address. The General Conven tion of the Baptist Denomination in the United States for Foreign M1issions, and other impor taut objects. relating to. the Redeemer's king doni, of which this Convention is a constitu ent -member, is ,composed of "Baptists fron - <very.par;of the Aiirericafd Republic. Tie distinction between Slaveholders and Not - Slaveholdersis,therefore,unknown to its Con stlitution.' This instrument secures to its mnem bers; the enjoyment of their "social equality as to all the privileges and benefits of the Foreign. .AMissionary Uiion." A special article, the 6th, requires, that -,such persons only as are m -.full communion with some church in- our de-. - nominatirn, and firnish satisfactory evidence of genuine piety.igood talents, and fervent zeal *forthe Redeemner's cause, are to be employed as Mis'sionaries." The adoption,of this article by Slavehcolders and non-sl'ivehdlders, united upon the princi ple of equal rights, who, communed together at the same table; received each other inter changeably'into church membership; whose Ministers preached in each other's pulpits; - conclusively proves,-thatthe Convention made -riot the ownuership of slaves. a disqualification in one, who should offer himself for a missiona The Convention, for the purpose of making the subject still plainer, passed at its fast situing, the.following declaratory resolution: "Resol. ved, That in co-operating-toge'lier, as members of this Convention in the work of Foreign Mis sions, we disclaimiall sanction, either expressed or implied, whether of slavery or anti-slavery, hut'as individuals. we are free to express and to promote, elsewhere, our own views oii these subjects in a christian manner and spirit " The mind, the intention, the will of the Con venation on these subjects cannot then be ntisun derstpod. Especially. would it seem, that the "Acting Board" should have clearly compre headed the intent and meaning of the Conven t * t~iona, siiicr it received its appoinltmuent from that body, as its agent. for the express purpose of carryiug out its will and design. And yet this agent has decided, that -- If any one shall offer himself as a Missionary having slaves, and should insist ontretaining thetm, as his property, I we dould-not appoint him. One thing is cer tain," continues the Acting Board, "we can never-be it party to any arrangement, that would imply approbation of slavery." By thisdecision,this agent has placed itself in di - reet opposition to the Conivention, and its dec- t laratory resolutiori. The only reason given for - - this extraordinary decision is, that --The ap pointing piower, for wise and good reasons, has been conidned to the 'Acting Board.' " But under this authority, strange to tell, this agent has undertaken to declare that to be a disqualification in one, who shold offer himself for a Foreign lissionary appointment, vhich the Convention has said, shall not be a disqutil- 1 ification. This agent has also czpressly sane tioned Anti-slavery, and condemned Slavery, t although the Convention has decided that neither should ' be done. And farther, it has forbidden all those, who should apply for a For nign Missionary appointment, to express and to promote-their own views on the subject of slavery,,in:a proper manuer and spirit. This is truly a hign-handed, most extraordinary men sure, for an agent, restricted to a constitutional f - provision, and a declaratory resolution. By t -..ilsbleoisiiit. is vidont.-that the Board stands ready to violate the Constitution of the Con- t vention under which it has received its alp ?ointment, as it has utterly disregarded, the resolution of that body. The Board, notwithstanding this measure. professes to recognize -'the social equality" of the members of the Convention '-in ait the privileges anid benetits of Ihe F'oieign Mission ary Unioin." By this, then, we are to under stand, that, as the Board wvill not cotnfer the Mlissionary appointment upott a Slaveholder,t such an appointment is not one of' the privil eg's and benefits of the Foreign Missionary U~nion. For, as that body recogntlzes our "so cial equality" in all the p'rivileges and benefits of that union, the Slaveholder, if in other res pects fitted for the appointmlent, would assur edly, on application, receive it if quch an ap pointmlent were ranked among the privileges and benctits of the Union. - Here, then, we have the strange doctrine taught, that in the judgment of a Board, selec ted but of the whole denommnation lor its pilety, integrity, ability and high character, the ap pointmaent of a Miniister of God to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among the lien *thaed, is iiot one of the privilrges and benefitst of the Foreign Missionary Union. When, on1 the contrary, it is the highest privilege and benefit,wivinch the Foreilan Missionary Uniion can confer. Compared with this, the Presi dcncy of thet Convention is of small moment. -And could anly mietmber of the Conivention, or of any constient memiber of thamt body, con sent to deprive himself, or any of his brethrenI of'this privilege, this benefit, because o~f his .holding a species of property; which would. not, even in the judgmient of thie Board itself, disfratnchise hini of a right to membership in *the church militant or the church triumphant, to the office of the Ministry of the Gosp~eh, or to a seat at the right hand of God ! H-low in consistent then is the decision of the Board with its owvn declared recogniition of our "so cial equality in aul the privilegves anid benefti s of the Foreign Mlissionary Union !" Btut the Board says: "The appointing power, foi- wise un'd good reasons, has been confided tothe Acting Board:' Anid, thieref ore- in the axer cise of this power, it finds authority to nullify a the Constitution, under which it is appointed, ~ and to disreg'ard the instructions of the body, which hza. gwven itim existence. Thus in thec exercise of a po wer"a confided" to the Board, - * that body discuvers.the authority not only to - - exercise a power not "confided to it," but one also that virtually destroys the atuthority of the body, from whom it has received the appoint - i:Mm to exercise any power at all- It is not diflicuilt to ese, in this decision of the Boaa d,L an initial movement towards the denial of the ~ eligilibity of a Slaveholder to the ministerialr office,. And this done,-hat shall hinder a de nial of the rightof'a Slaveholdortochurchinmem- t bership. And this accomplished, the Slave- ~ holder is denied the privilege of being a chirii- c tian-. t It is trute, that the B'oard is only the agent of I the Convention, and it is equally true, thatt the Conivention shotld not be imphteated in the act of its agent, until it -shall give, its sanction1 to that act- It would isecm proper, therefo're,t and more especially so as we have no dissatis-g faction with the Convention, to refer this wholet matter to the decision of that body, before we take any further steps. But, let it be remem-t b'ered, Chat two whole years must pass away .biefore this can be done, and that we have no remiedy in the mean time. For, although, we have a general Board, that meets annually, yet. the'"'Acting Board," chosen out of the Gene ral Board, at the meeting of the Convenition, has the eintire cehtrol of the whole Missionary concern, until the next meetinig of Convention. No tippeal then lies from the. Acting, to the 1 General, Board.' And if we should desire an extra call of the Convention, it would be in : valin' for this is wholly in the hands of-the Act ing Board, as will appear from the following t article of the. Constitution: "Art 15. It shall t - e the duty of the. Fresident to call a special t neetiug.of the Cenvcnti4n. on application oil he Board," and ab by the determination of.the Convennon, at its last meeting, ,the manage nent of the whole Missionary concern' was ommitted to the "Acting Board," during the ecess of the Convention, it must be an ap lication from the Acting. not the General, Board,that would authorize the call of a spe -ial meeting of the Convention, by the Prosi. lent. ' Under the existing circumstances of his case then, there is no ground of hope, that he Board will request the President to call a pecial meeting of the Convention. Hence ve are without -onstitutional remedy, in the resent case, for two whole years. In this state of things, it is natural to expect, hat the contributions to the Treasury of the Baptist Board of Foreign Miseions. will be witliheld by Southern and South Western Baptists, because they can no longer repose onfidence in a body of men, who. though ap. >ointed to promote the objects of the Conven ion, so tnaterially differs from- them in the :onstruction of its constitutional provisions. something, therefore, mus' be done, and -that no, without unnecessary delay. Anew chan el must be ereated. through which the liberal ty of Southern and South Western baptists shall How, that its streams may go forth to iangelize the world. Already have the funds of our Alabama and Virginia brethren been ithbeld fronit the treasury of the Board of f issions. And ii ii in the hearts of thousands if their brethren to do the same thing. Some hing, L repeat it, must be done, and done vithont unnecessary delay. The liberal feel ngs of our .brethren of the South and South WVest, must not be permitted, thrtagh want of proper channel for their course, to stagnate id dry up. The heathen nist not be per ntted to perish, through our neglect to send hem the word of life. Duty to God, to our ellow men, to ourselves, demands an-immodi teentrance upon the work of a Southern and luth Western organization for Missionary and other benevolent objects. Would to God. it ould be prevented on equitable prindiples. But acts forbid.he hope I have. been brought to this',conclusion by. low and painful steps. It was my privilege ny honor to be associated with that noble band f men, ivho organized the General Missionary >oivention of our denomination in 1814, now iearly thirty-one years since. Under the fos ering care of God, the success of the enterprize hen. undertaken, has. been wonderfully .glori lus, and I had almost indulged the hope, that esto pcrpetua" might be safely written upon is destiny. But now, when our union should e closer, our counsels more matured, and our ubors more. effective, there comes an awful rruption upon us, ulpaving the body in twain. ts indications were at first small, but they ave enlarged and multiplied. What it was a the power of our feeble efforts todo- in arrest if their progress, and in prevention of the ca astrophe, has been done, but all in 'vain. I herefore, bow subnmissively to the overiruling rovidence of Hin. who maketh darkness his >avilion, and the thick clouds his chariot, and m ready for the event.' ''he fact, that the ecent decision of the Acting Board was taken bout the time, that the letters of '"the "A uthor i the Moral Science," in reply to the first let er of our -own Fuller, now doubly ours, were eing closed, and. that this decision was pub. ished, whilst the very able replies of the lat er to the fortner were in a course of puhlica in, and that the decision itself was reached. ..'violation of constitutional provisions and reclaratory instructi-ns, leaves no doubt in mty aiid, that the time has arrived, when we of the loath anud South West should-withdriv our onnexion t'rom our \orthern Brethren in the issionary enterprise at home and, abroad, and arm a separate organization fur the prosecu. ion of this noble wouk. It may not be improper, at this point, briefly o review the ground, on which we stand in the iresent controversy %n ith our Northern brethren md to notice the mistaken views of those, who vonild remove us from it, or failing, hold us un rorthy of their fellowship, and-drive us f'rom Ihe rivilege of mutual concert in benievohent :Torts. God gave~to the Jews, authority to purchase mndmen and bonidwoment of thte hicathenm a sud them, anid of the chiildrenm of the strangers hat sojour .ed aimiong them, as an inheritance br them and their children, fojr a possession Prever. No statute on their records revokes his authority. It was, theref'ore, of force anid xercised in the days of' thme Savior, 11e re roved thena lor niny o'f'thoir sipis. lHe taught lienm, thtat poly gamy. though tolerated amnong hem, was wrohig, anid restricted the right of livorce, though piractised at pleasure, to vne ause only; but touchecd not1 the sid ect of domes i sistcry . The Apostles were instructed to teach the liscipes all things whtichi thte Savior had comi uauded them, and were endo~wed with the fts of the Holy) Spiirit, who should "bring all nngs to their remnemnlrance, that lie had taug ht hem." These mien, with thei first disciples, ere Jews. Peter, to whom the A postleship if the circ ucision was committed. thus teaches he Jewish converts: " Servants"' (household laves,) "he subject to your masters. with all ear, inot otily to the good and getntle, hut io the rowrd" -.Paul. to whom tie Apostleshlip of lie itncircumiicisioni was'comitited, thu is teaches oth the Jewish and the Gentile converts: "Let a matiy servants as are under thme yoke. count eir ow" roasters worthy of' all honor, that the aine o'Gnd and his docrinme be not blasphemed. nd they, that have helieving mast ers, let thtem ot despise them, because they are breiheru; ut rather do themi service, because they are iithful and beloved. priikers of the henefit." These thinigs were addressed, 1st, To those iho had grown itup under a systeni of domestic lavery. instituted ly divine authiority.''hery urely did not perceive ainv iitmation in these achings, ihat the matitution was wrong. 2ntd, hese teachitngs wvere also given to disciples, who were subjects of a governtment, by w bose uthority, frotw time imimemorial, slavery had een sustained ucnder a formr far more abject, tain the form. that obt-ains uder our govern sent. And surety, these disciples could not,'by se closest scrutiny of these scriptures. cotnjec. ire eveti, th-at they were required by the re-li in, thaut thej htad just professed, to emactei. itte their slaves, atnd particularly as both Jew ush n Gentile converts were receivced with eir slaves 'ldo the fellowship of saints acid ie membership of jhe christiant church. The elation of master and slave, toto, was as full3 ecognized, as the relation ofhttsbanud and wif'e, f parent anid child, anid the duties of'the~ parties >these relations were all enjoined with equal learess. Thus far we see nothing like sin harged upo'n slaveholders. In this state of iings, the canlon of scripture. which is a cum lete whole, closes. What lihen is the instruc ion, that we derive frum these facts in relation a doulestic slavery? That it is an ap paling sint?' (o. Far from it. .What.then do we learn from hem? Evidently this, that when under any :vermueat slavery isa partof its settled policy, he disciples of Christ, who are its citizetns or ubjets, may .hold slaves innocetntly and with rt crime. Here, then, is the ground on whicht ve staud ini holding our slaves. It is admritted by "the Author of the Moral cience." that "the New Testamnnt contaitis mo precept prohibitory of slavery." ie adds, 'This musti think, be gratited, but this is all." 3y this admission, lie mteans that there is noth-1 g more in favor of slavery.- But here hies a reat mistake. Domrestic slavety had been itn roduced by God's antbority among the Jews. prohibitory precept wats then necessary to ake it wrong among them. But there is no tch pr ohibitory precept. Therefore its absence nder these circumstances amounts to a sane on of slavery. Anid this is more clear from he fact;- that wha the .rews beamen daiile af chlistianity, they bad uo intimatiou that slavery was wrong. *The permission bthb;Gantile converts; who had grown .p in the midst of slavery, to retain teir slaves,-without the -iost-distant hint of its sinfulness, would.be regisrded by them as sang tioning the continua'tiC of their slaves in servi tude. And moree'pially would both these converts be confirmed ii-this ytew of die mat ter, when they heard frnin the Apostles the in structions given to both masters and slaves, teaching the duties of both parties to tbe rela tion. This effect would be the more .deeply impressed upon their minds upon hearing the following .language from the Apostle: " Let every man abide in thesame calling, wherein he wasballed. .Art thou called being a servant? Cure not for it. But- if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." And when too they should know Paul's conduct, exemuplying these teach ings in the case of Onesimius, the runaway slave of Philemon, whom Ie'sesnt-back to his master, even after his conversion to christiani ty. '-The Author of the Moral.Science" evident ly makes a mistake,then,in supposing,that the absence of a precept:prohibitory of .slavery, is al that the New Testament af'ords in favor of its support. - There-is anothertnistake, into which some a- our ltiethren 'at the North have fallen, to Which our attention may be progtably drawn. It is the determination of the time, as which forbearance towards slaveholders'by non-slave holders should cease. Our abolition brethren have required -that emancipation should be in stahter, and thatif uotso done, they should for bear no longer, but separate fron -us in eccle siastical matters. They have neverthelesswait d with us several:years, in the hope,-I suppose, that we would be convened from the error of ur ways. -The Acting Board" seems now to e making a large stride towards the same point. And the Athor ofthe Mdornl Sciencereems to be going pari passu with the Board. For he says, "God has- taught us that ,.lavery is wrong, a violation-of his most holy law. And if so, it is ur duty at once tO abandon it." But- it what time has God atry hire tagglt slaveholdeist~ emanci fMte their slaves? No where, and at no tie. \Viththe-Abolitionist then, tire time of :esing to forbear in this case. is mere matter wf opiion - and' not of faith. And for this 3piniui he. will agitate the earth. dissever :hrclies, break up holy combinations of breth ren, which have for near the third a century jeen owned and blessed of God I xtending lie triumphs of the Cross at home and abroad, inddiffusing the light of holy truth to millions if our race. I have gone into this brief review or the purpose of setting before you the entire mprobability -of any relief from our present iletma, in any thing that moay be expected roim die General Missionary Conveniion two years hence. The tenure, by'which ne hold our slaves, is nisu nderstood by ourNotthernbrethren. From he iifluence of this misapprehension arises heir courseof action. We leave endeavored to nform them on this point. But we have at enpted it in vain. The acute and logical Meredith of North Carolina, the clear-headed end argumentative.-M ell of Georgia, the learned, loquent and lofty Fuller of S. Carolina, have ll attempted to remove this misdjprehension, but in vain. We had hoped, that the number of those, who had labored under this misapprehension, was small, and relied with confidence upon a larger number of our brethren, whom we re garded as moderate msen. The 'Acding Board' rf Freign hiissiosiespecially had received our entire confidence". But alas! ovebwhelmed by irresistible influenees, that Body hasyielded to the pressure around them. Whit t all this Is being done, a letter is published - in -the Reflec tor, in Boston, one of the organsit is'believed uf the Board, from Mr. Mas pd -of or Mis sionari's, to Mr. Tappan, Trsderdr oiohe A. and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, containing the following sentence: "I have, therefore, the pleasure to enclose an order for ten dollars on nur Treasurer, which I will thank you to pay ver to the Commiittee in New York, to assist in he ecpe of rd nawcay slaves." M ore thans ix weeks have elapsed since this letter reached the kiiowledge of the Board, yet we have tnt seen expressed buy that Body, thne slightest dis grprbation of this immuorality of the Missiotiary We learn, frosm the Iate Address of the Pro vissionial Comimittce of the Baptist Anti-Slave iv Convention,. that, " 'The .dlissionaries in hiirah once had it uder consideration to re eest the Board to deduct froms their scanty uzalaries the probable amount secured fromt slave labor." When all these things are considered I ropeat it. thters is no just hope of relief froni the main difficuidty, in referrinig the decisioni of the Actinig Bioardi, ol which we complain,. to the Generasl .Missioniary Convention. It is nost to be expected tusat that bodhy will disapprove of le decisin of its Board. lBut should it disapprove osf thse decision of that agent, such disapprovaul will not chatage the opinsions of thea greast body of its cor.stituency ini the North. And whetn wet consider that so intlelligent and resetable an Agetnt as is thse Acting Board of Foreig n hlissions, situated as it is its the midst f so large a portion of its constituencey, who ire opposed to slavery, and who approve its ate deci~iont, mn substanice. if unot in formt, has iliberately taken its stuand, it is nsot reasonable o suppsose that thme Contvention, dhiays emblod ing in its trienial sitimga, a larger nuansber of No-slaveholders thtan Slaiveholders, will either :haige the locations, or displace the memhers if that Agent. And is it to be expected that at Agent will be required to chasnge its cotsrre? s it not rater to be expected, that the Cots rention. by the force of a large msajorsity of non-slveholders. which may be easily corn amanded at Cisniati, in a nson-slavehsolding State, where the Conivention will hold its nsext neetingr, will, at that mseeting, excludo frons sppitients to the Foreign Missionary ser ;ic. such as hold slaves, howeverfitly qnsalified n all other respects ? 'The stahd, which the [oard has takens, is to msy mind. armple justifi ation for exp ressing then iintimiion thtat this sheraton wilt be rnade. 'Tbc dere disapprovalh ss consstitutionah principles, then, of what thte Ioard ha-' done., will not reiove thse main iffiulty,since it arisesufroms the deep and wide preadaisg innfuensce oh Abolition prineipilesi.: A few of us might hue willinig, foir the ironotiohn of the divitne cause, to aunhm it o a privation of right, and " take wrong," tid so continue in the Csn venstlon ; hbut ould we take the body of our brethren wi us ? I apprehend nsot. Would it be ight however in any one oif us to consent o continue in the Convention, when it thould involve a violation of principle ? surely tnt. We have, in the Scripture, in examiple in point. When Pauil anti Barnaibas resolved to ke a second tour through the churches, Bnrnabas determinued to take John with hem. But Paul thought niot good to take in with them, who departed from therm *rom Patmphylia, anid wvent not with them o thre work. Ansd the contention was so harp between theni, that they departed sunder, one from the other. And su Bar abas took Mark, and sailed unso Cy prus. nd Paul chose Silas and departed, being -ecmmAnded by the brethren unto the trace of God. And he went throngb Sy -ia nod Cilicia confirming the churches." Paul, because Mark exhibited a scant of rrinciple, wvould no more . be connected with him. And let us partiedlarly.notice :he overruling providence of God in this matter. On their first visit to the church the thitrgs, that- were wanting,-were to be set in order and Elders ordained in-every church." But when- all this was done. the necessity-of their united presence and labors ceased. *-Therefore. when a. second visit was to be made. the improper con dnct of one of their companions..in the first sour, was permited to separate them, by which means. two lines of service were opened for the benetit of the churches. Such, I -trust, will he the result of the sep. aration between the Baptists of these United States in their general benevolent Institutions. When we embarked in the cause of Foreign Missions, the union of the whole Denomination was necessary, for it was then comparatively small. But now, such nuion may tnot be required, and God may have permitted the present state of things, that we may depart asunder and open Iwo lines of setvice to the heath en and the destitute, instead of one only. And the vast increasein our numbers, and the wide extent of territory, over ,which we are spread, seem to indicate our di vision into two-bands. I indulge the hope. that our separation will be attended with no sharpness of contention, with no bitter ness of spirit. We are all the servants of the same master, " desirous of doing the will of God from the heart." Let us, then, in generous rivalry, " provoke each other to love and good works." Many of our Northern brethren, (and the number is growing) plainly shew. that they could- not "teach and exhort-as many servants as are under the yoke" to " count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doc trine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters" not "'.o despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the ben ofit." And notv the "Acting Board" of Foreign Missions, seems to be giving in its adhesion to the opinion of the author of the moral science, that "' Slavery is an appalling sin." Is it diflicnlt. then, for us to understand, that we should no longer continue our connexion with brethren, who are at such variance with divine teachiig; when that same divine teaching com matids;" From such withdraw thyself.' My own opinion is, ihat the time has ar rived for such withdrawment. Amd in ef fectuating it, I would impress uion your minds the great principle, which Joseph lays down when he discovers himself to his brethren, in relation to his elevation in Egypt: " And Joseph said'to his brethren, I am Joseph ; doth my Father yet live And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Now, there fore, be no: grieved, nor angry with your selves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life : Su niv it was -not you that sent me hither, but God." Let us, then, in our separa tion from our Northern brethren, not in dulge hard thought's of thei, nor spea harshly of, or to, them. However wrong they may have acted in the present mat ter. let us remember that God's hand is in it. lie has done it " to preserve life." Let us, then, my brethren, yield to the will of God in thisedispensation..painful as it is, and seek the especial guidance of his word and spirit, that we may he preserved from indiscretion, and the influence of an angry revengeful spirit. Let us remember that.-" the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness oif God." In view of a tnew organization for be nevolent objects for the Denominatiori in the Sonthern and South -westertn portion of thec United States. I invite your asen tion to the consideration of two tptans. The one is, that, which has been adopted for years past. viz : Separate antd inde pendent hodies for the prosecution of ech oject. Your familiarity with this plan, retders anty remark upotn it unnecessary. The other proposes one Convention, em bodying the whsole lDenomination together with separate and udistinct Boards. for each obiject of benevolent enterprize, loca ed at different places, antd all amcnable o the Consvehtion.' Judiciouis co)nceritration is of the first moment in all combinations of' meu for important enterprizes. The plan~just sug gested, proposesanth combination, I n is sccessful operation, the w~hole Denomni nation will be united in oneo body furt ahe purpose of well-doing. with perfect liher ty secured to each contributor oif specifying the object, or objects, to which Ihis amount shall be npplied, as he may please, w~hilsi he or Ihis Delegate may share in the delib eatiotns and control of all the obljects. pro. mted by the Convention. The Minutes sof the Conventio.n wtill contain, not only a statment of its own doings, but atso a statement of the doings of each Board. Such a doctiment would comprize a body of valuablo informnation, and form a vol ume of respectable size, worthy of being bound and carefully preserved. Such a volume might be sold at a small advance upon the <.ost, ansd thus contribute to the funds of the body, whilst it diffused noad intere.sting intelligence of nil the Misionary and other benevolent eflhrtr ol the trohe Denomination. That my views may be' better understood. I have pre pared the draught of a Constitution, in which the plan is more mtnutely delinea ed, and which I shall now read. CONSTITUTION. . A a-r. 1 This Body shall be styled, the Con ventions of the Baptist Denomtinsation in the Southsern asnd South Western tsortionss sif thse United 8tates of America, fosr M issionsary andc ither benevolent object. 2. -ThIs Conventons shall bse ermiposed of Delegates from Mission Societies, State Con ventions, Associations. C hurchses, Religions Bo dies and Isndividuals, that shall each pay, for rntrancee into the membership of the Cosnve ion, thes snitn of - dusllars, and thsereafter ssually the like snm of - dollars. Bit no member of the Convention shall he entitled to more votes than one. Thse Cosnvenition shall hsold its meetinsgs triennially, but extra neeings may be calted by the Presidenst, with the apprombatnon of either of the Boards of Man igers. A majority of the attendisng delegates hall form a quornum for the transsaction of bu iness. 3. Th'le officers of thsis Convention shall be s President, Vice President. anid Secretaries, who shall be elected at each triennial meeting, itd hold their offices until a new election. 4 Thse Comnveuntion shall elect, at each ' tri nmals meeting, as many Bnards of Mvanagers, is, in its judgment, wdll be necessary, for car ying oat the benevolent objects, it my deter' mne to promote ;-all which Bosrds shall eon inns in office, untit a new election. Each Roarde shnll cnsit nf a Praaidents Vie Presi deist, .Secretaries, Treasuer, Auditor cud - other members, --of whom, including one or more of the officers,.shall form a quo -rum for the transaction of business.' To each Board shall be conmaitted, during the recess of the Convention, the entire management of all the affairs relating to the object, with whose interests it shall be charged; all which manage ment- shall be in strict accordance with the conastitutional provisions adopted by the Con vention, and such other instractions, as maybe given trom time to time.. Each -Board shall have power ,o make such compensation to its Secretaries, and Treasner, as it may think right; fill the vacancies occurring in its own body, appoint its own bye-lan s; have air annual meet 'ing at any place it may appoint ;and other meetings -at such times and places sait may think best; keep 'a record of its proceedings, and present a report of them to the Convention at each triennial meeting. 5. The Tr a-irer of each Board shall faith fully account for all moneys received by him; keep a regular entry of all- receipts and dis. bursenents, and make report -of them to -the Convention, whenever it shall be in session, and to his Board as often as required. He shall. also, on entering upon the duties of his office, give competent security to the President of his Board. for all the stock and fuodscoinwitted to his care. His books shall be open, at all times, to the inspection of any member of the Convention and of his Board. No moneys shall be paid out of any of the treasuries of'the Boards, but by an order from that Board, from whose treasury the'tmoney is to be drawn; which order shall be signed by its presiding officer. 6. The Correspodding Secretaries of the several Boards, shall -mamntain intercourse by letter. with such individuals or public bodies, as the interests of their respective 'bodies may require. Copies of all such communications, with their- answers, if any, shall be kept by them on file. 7. The Lecording Secretaries of the several Boards shall keep a lair recorii of their pro ceediugs, and of' such other docume ts,.as may be committed to theni for the purpose. 8. All the Officers, Boards, Missionaries and Agents appointed by the Convention, or by any of its Boards, shall be members of some regu lar Church, in union with the Churches coins posing this Convention. 9. Missionaries ap pointed by any of 'the Boards of this Convention, must, previous to their appointment, furnish evidence ofgenuine piety, fervent zeal in their Master's cause, arid talents, which fit them for the service, for which they offer themselves. 10- The Bodies and Individuals, composing this Convention, shall have the right to specify, the object, or objects, to which their contrib - tions shall be applied. But- whe:e no such specification is made; the Convention will make the appropriation at its own discretion. 11. Any alterations, which experience shall dictate, may be made in these Articles. -by.a vote of two thirds of the members present at any trtennial meeting of the Convention. In this plan, provision is made for an. indefinite number of Boards, according to the number of the objects adopted by the Convention.' Each Board will be inde pendont of the others, and will receive the contrihu:ions made, for that object, wiih the management of whose interests it shall be charged. An act of i'corpora tion for each Board, in the state of its 1o cation, will give legal securiy,to the funds contributed. All these Boards will report at each triannual meeting of the Conven tion, and they will, dach. receive the in atruelions of that Body. The character and the number of the objects to be adopted will necessarily come upr for consideration. Disquietude has arisen only it two of our general bodies, the Foreign and the Home Mission. For the promotion of these two objects provi sion must be forthwith made, and in the location of Boards for carrying out these objects; respect tmust be htad to the facili ties in men and situations, which difIerent points may p'resent. The coast of the Atlantic invites our nttention for the For 'eign Mission Board, as aflording facilities for intercourse with distant regions. And on that coast Charleston perhatps presents the most favoirable spot for .its location. For the Home alission Board, the WVest pr t ng claims to out- regards. We have a floe body of men in the Valley of, the Mississippi, w ho have come up nobly in the cause oif Theological Edluca tiotn and of iudian Reform. In this ias' department of henevolent effort, an Asso ciation is in successful operation, the seat of whoise Board is at Louisville, Kentucky. I submit to this Uody the propiriety of an ntitmpt tam identify the Home Mission anal Indian A'ssociatio~n tdepartmentsa, that one Boatrd may transaet the buisiness of both. Should the plan of taie Conv-ention, anal se-parnte Boards obt ain, our brethren of the Indiatn Association may cotisent so to unite in the Convention, as to sustain the irela tion of the Home Mission Board to that body, anti extend their active operations 'over a larger sphere, the Indian' territory forming a legititate and important part of that sphere. The Board of these ex cellent brethrea usould then accomplish what without such arratngement it wotuld require two to peformn. in the contemt plation of such an arrangement, I regard, as a providential orderinmg.the appoint ment of the semi-annual mteeting of .the Indian Association at Forsyth in -Goorgia, at the time, when theGeorgia Baptist Coti venitiotn will asseomble there. This meet ing w"ill commncec in two-w'eeks, and will te aittended by tho Geora Delegntion to the Convetiont iin Augusta,' and tmaty of, the brethren of that Convettion will be at Forsymb, so that it favorable opportunity will be presented at an early 'period fur consultation with the Indian Association. The Comumittee, which may beappoitnted to conduct thnt consultation, and make definitive arrangements t'l ih the Indian Associatioit, may be empowered, in the evetnt of~ a failure, tto reqtuest and author ize the Board of the Indian Association to conduct the business of the Ilomie M ission Departmetnt, unitil the next meeting of the Con~e n tion. It many lie prttdent to stop in our inicipi ent movemetnt with provision for the pro motion of .these tlnoohjects for the followv itng reasons.' I. No disquietude has arisen in the Bible, andi Publictionm and Sunday School -Societies, anti as the' more direct causes of disquietude in the. Foreign and H ome Mission derartments, have no place in the other two, there may not, at least, for some time to come, be any dissatisfac tioni in them. 2. The fixtures for the Bible and Puibi-. cation and Sunday School Societies" are already in operation, so that our contribu lions 'for the advancement of' their respec-.. live objects, by' cootiotting our connexion' 'with them, can'be rendered immediately available. 3. The pect'aliar .circumstances,. under which the Bible Society arose, give in f tronn claims, to otur support, wLiit we may remain in it upon equita de principles I perceive in suo:no ommuiCatione from rrethren, whose opinions are.entitled to much respect,.that the subject of a-Tbe ological Institution of high orden.sbould engage the deliberations. of the Conven tion to he held in. Augusta. With due deference -to ihese brethren, Iiubtnitt6th Convention the inexp.ediencf of- taking up this subject at this early-stage of our'pp-. crations. Several of the.States, that will be'etnbraced in' the Southirn and South Western organization, have already, em" barked in 'the Theological ente'rprisze, aid they find 'pressing need of aU their mnea4 for sustaining their efforts. When they - shall have so far -accomplished'.their de signs, as to endow their'respective isstitu tious with permanently available -funds we may, -then, with more' propriety, enter upon the consideration of a central- Inti tution of higher order.. The proper line of conduct, (ji'ch the constituent members, of.stbe generaf iis-w sionary Convention of the Baptist [?enom ination in the .United':iaies, in-the South and South West, embiaced in the new organization, mayinow receive our-atkea' lion. - Shall they retain their. membership-ia that body,:and go up by-delegatior tof its Sitting in Cincinhati in 1847 or shall ihey not. If they, do, in: what -maatreir.:aball their delegates be instructed to act fThese are questionsof importance. The error, into -which the Acting Board has fallen, does not dissolve our coaaelon with the Convention. - We-are stillytmem hers of that body, and have no disajis faction with its constitutioaor proceediogs.. Willit be courteous, then, in us to dissolve our connexion with that body because'.of. - the conduct of.the Acting Board,. withour going up at its' next meeting in 1847, and. - assigning the cause of such' withdrawn ment? Whether the Convention ishal. approve or disapprove of the decisjon of the Acting Board, will- have no jefuence, I suppose, upon our determinatioa-to withdraw... Eipctliency,. in view pf the whole state of the case, will render'asep aration of the body necessary in_ any event. But it .i3 highly important to us, as, Christians, that thepart we-bear in the separation- should .he borte on.scrip tural.firinciples, and in scriptural courtesy. Besides, here'are -important mat tera to be. adjusted iin the separation.: The 'diri sion of the, Mission stations must- be pro vided for. as some of.these' stations .may prefer to work under Northern, and come uidbr Southern .patronage. it wveuld tie proper to hirve them consulted in the mat ter. Some adjustment, then, must be made in reference io this poiti;.. if I have been rightly informed. by'the Treasurer of the Acting Board,-there is a permanent fund in his hands, the avails of which go to the support. of' the: Secreta ries of the Board, of -which mote than $5000.were given by our beloved Mercer: Ste arrangement of 'this fund should bag made in the separation. It is also to be remembeied, that the Acting Board has.employed Missionaries and incurred other expenses in conducting the Missionary concern. And this; has. becn done by the o'rder..pf: the Coyazthniik Justice, then would'seemito requiretha t we' hear our part in meeting these expert ses. until we give notice of withdrawing from the membership of the Convention. But forced, as wve are, to leave that body, the obligation to do thbis ceases. Hence the importance of our ap)pearing by Dele. ation it. the next neeting of :he Con ven tion, to have these mndtters amicably 'a.id fairly adjusted. - Will it not be proper then,' that the Mlembers of the General Missionary Co'ni veintin in the South and S'outh4Vest es pecially the State Conventiomns should send up tlheir annual conitibutions as heretofore,. at least su much ofthenm, as will',retnitn their miembersbip. and right to.delegation, and senid up their dlelegates to the tnext 'Cr.vention, that all matters may be ad justed, and that the separation ttay be conductedin a chiristian temnper and spirit? Somie of these constituenit meme:bers 'have already santt up to 'he treasury of. t'be BoardI, a sullictent amount to secur&'rteit' right to ruepresentation. and all. I 'presume, have senat a poirtion 'of the aaiount neces sary, so'that by all in the course of two years, the sus neccessairy may be forward ed, whilst yet they make t.hei( contribu tions 'o the tiew orgaization. To th1k order of things it may be ob jected, that, those, who enter into the new organization, will, ipso facto. have forfet-' edl their seats in the General Coniventio. To this it is replied, that the only qualifi ca tion' for miembership in 3he ' General' Conventiotn is, the pay ment of therequired sum. llence niemnbers' of 'all 'our ~other'' General Iastituitions, are Membersalso, of~ the G.10i. Cotwentions. I have thus, breihi ren, midresed yoi "at'someilengtl.onirho su'ojects,which legitimtnitely fall 'ibinyour province to deliberate andc to decide upon. The importance of the cause of your as sembing will form my excuse'fordetaining y ou so long iin my opening c'ommunication. You lhave seen. that I regaro a septration, from our Northern brethren~in some oF< our. general Missionary"'efforts, as neces- - sarily demanded of us- I mtean not, hpw ever, in wshat I have said, to.'dictate to you ; for I assure you, rhat if you ean di vise a plan, by which, in the m'aintenanee of our rights anid privileges,.the separation can be prevented, I shallh beattily rejoice. anid cordially concur, in it. You'will now. enter into business, ,and. forte such dee?-. ions, as may seem- be.st. to yoo. Qor~u may be pleased to proceed to-the appomnt ment of Delegates to .ihe Cotivention to be held:.in Augusta, and' leaye theam to. their ow-n discretion i.adopting such-mea sures, as they mnayjtudge best, after mnutal' counsel with the members of-:thbtbodf. May the God of wis.dom and-graceiflieside ai your ebounsels antd'direct you aiht W IL LIAlM -B. JOk-INSON, 'Presidient of'the Conventin.' May 3rd,'1845. .2he Weath'er since our lst Sissue, has jeen extremely w arm. night atgd 'day'ayd lhough1wehATe 'had prospeets3'bot one - drop of 'r'ainah9' reached -11is ?egiou.s Withi'n five ersix milesoef thoen~~nah rivd, 'apon'ttie Ge'orgia side,.we tnyder stndl ihore' Was aflne rain duran ii ndiy night last." The yladiers com plain btera ly' of the l~proets of their crops, bujt still 'apparlaisfied that perhaps, "itsall for'