Missions in Asia.—The news of the success of English missionary enterprise, seconded by the zeal and influence of S. J. Mills, originated the germ of the invaluable labors of this board, which was organized in 1810. Their first missions were in Asia. Bombay was the scene of their first labors, in the year 1813, and Messrs. Nott, Newell, and Hall, their first missionaries. From Bombay they extended their influence to Ceylon, in 1816; to China, and South-eastern Asia, and to Siam, in 1830.

Mediterranean Missions.—These missions were begun by sending out Messrs. Parsons and Fisk on a voyage of research. The first station occupied was Beyroot, in Syria, in 1823. To this, stations at Malta, in Greece, at Constantinople, &c., have been added.

Missions at the Sandwich Islands.—A special providence marked the commencement of these missions. Two boys, named Obookiah and Hopu, were, at their own request, brought to America. This gave rise to a train of interesting circumstances, which led to the commencement of the mission, in 1820, by Messrs. Bingham, Thurston, and others. Vast success has attended this mission, especially of late.

North American Indian Missions.—These were commenced in 1816, among the Cherokees, by the Rev. C. Kingsbury. The Choctaws, the Chickasaws, the Osages, and other tribes, have since shared the labors of the board. The late unhappy removal of the Cherokee nation has done much towards the prostration of missionary success among that interesting but deeply-injured tribe.

Missions in Africa.—The efforts of the board in this quarter of the globe are of recent date. Only seven years have elapsed since their commencement. Some native towns on the western coast, and a numerous aboriginal tribe called the Zulus, on the south-east shore, are the chief objects of their labors at present. This field is considered very [pg 337] promising, and it is confidently believed that its occupation will be one effectual aid in the great work of regenerating that darkened, enslaved, and degraded continent.

In 1841, this board had missions to the Zulus in South Africa, the Grebos in West Africa, to Greece, to Turkey, Syria, the Nestorians of Persia, the Independent Nestorians, the Persian Mahometans, to the Mahrattas in Western India, to Madras and Madura in Southern India, to Ceylon, Siam, China Singapore, Borneo, and to the Sandwich Islands.

They have missions to the Cherokee Indians, the Choctaws, Pawnees, to the Oregon Indians, the Sioux, Ojibwas, Stockbridge Indians, New York Indians, and to the Abenaquis.

Summary Of Foreign Missions.

The number of missions in this department is seventeen; of stations, sixty-one; of ordained missionaries, one hundred and eleven, five of whom are also physicians; of physicians, seven; of teachers, eight; of secular superintendents, two; of printers, eleven; of bookbinders, one; of female helpers, married and unmarried, one hundred and thirty-nine;—making a total of laborers beyond sea from this country of two hundred and eighty. To these add four native preachers, and one hundred and thirty-five other native helpers, and the number of laborers who are employed and supported by the board in the missions beyond sea, is four hundred and nineteen.

Summary Of Indian Missions.

Among the Indian nations, there are twenty-five stations; twenty-five missionaries, two of whom are physicians; two other physicians, five teachers; ten other male, and fifty-nine female, assistant missionaries; three native preachers; and three other native assistants;—total, one hundred and seven.

General Summary.

The number of the missions in 1841 was twenty-six; stations, eighty-five; and ordained missionaries, one hundred and thirty-six, ten of whom were physicians. There were nine physicians not preachers, thirteen teachers, twelve printers and bookbinders, and twelve other male and one hundred and ninety-eight female assistant missionaries. The whole number of laborers from this country was three hundred and eighty-one, or sixteen more than were reported in 1840. To these we must add seven native preachers, and one hundred and thirty-eight native helpers, which made the whole number five hundred and twenty-six, thirty-nine more than in 1840. Nine ordained missionaries, three male and seventeen female assistant missionaries, have been sent forth during the year.

The number of mission churches was fifty-nine, containing nineteen [pg 338] thousand eight hundred and forty-two members, of whom four thousand three hundred and fifty were received the year before.

There were fifteen printing establishments, twenty-nine presses, five type-founderies, and fifty founts of type in the native languages. The printing for the year was about fifty million pages; the amount of printing from the beginning is about two hundred and ninety million pages. Twenty-four thousand copies of the Missionary Herald are now published monthly, and sixty-five thousand copies of the Day-spring, a monthly paper, are also issued.

Seven of the thirty-four boarding-schools have received the name of seminaries, and these contain four hundred and ninety-nine boys; the other twenty-seven contain two hundred and fifty three boys and three hundred and seventy-eight girls;—making a total of boarding scholars of one thousand one hundred and thirty. The number of free schools was four hundred and ninety, containing about twenty-three thousand pupils.

The receipts have been two hundred and thirty-five thousand one hundred and eighty-nine dollars, and the expenditures two hundred and sixty eight thousand, nine hundred and fifteen dollars.