OP THE ' BAPTIST SOCIETY, FOR OREIGN JIND DOMESTIC MISSIONS, CONVENED AT THE CROSS ROADS MEETING HOUSE; WAKE COUNTY, AlONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1821, FWETTEVTLLE ! JPRINTED BF k. H. DISMUKKS. 182% MINUTES, The North Carolina Baptist Society for Foreign and Domestic Missions, convened agreeable to ap- pointment, at the Cross Roads Meeting House, Wake County, North Carolina, on Monday the 6th of August, 1821. During the session of the general meeting on Saturday previous to the Missionary Meeting, Rev, P. Bennet was appointed to deliver a discourse on the subject of Missions on the intervening Lord's day, which appointment he fulfilled in an animat- ing sermon from Gen. 49 chap. 10 verse. On Monday, the 6th August, 1821, the Mission- ary Society convened as above. 1st. Solemn prayer to Almighty God for his counsel and direction, by the President. 2d. The list of the members of the board was called; those present were the Rev Geo. Roberts, President; Col. Charles M'Allester, Vice Presi- dent; the Rev. Messrs. John Landers and John Purifoy — Brother Gurdon Robins being present, offered himself as a member of the society, and his name was accordingly enrolled among the mem- bers. 9^ 4 3d. The brethren present were invited to take a seat with us, whereupon the Rev. Messrs. Bennet, Crocker, Weathers, Lawson and brother Neal accepted the invitation. 4th. Proceeded to the choice of officers for the ensuing year, when the Rev. George Roberts was elected President, Col. Charles M'Mlester, Vice President and Treasurer, in consequence of the resignation of brother John Campbell, Rev. A. W. Clop ton, Cor. Secretary, Bro, Gurdon Robins, Bee. Secretary, Rev. John Purifoy, Auditor. Rev. John Landers, Messrs M. Neal, Gurdon Robins, Joel Battle, J. Boberts, F. Neal, E. W. Brown. 5th, Resolved, That the following persons be, and they are hereby appointed and requested to collect funds in aid of this society, viz: — Messrs. John Oliver, of Duplin county, Jeremiah Battle, of Raleigh Gurdon Robins, of Fayette vile, Benjamin Hester, of Granville county, Thos. Hallyburton, of Bethel Church, Halifax, (Va) Hoshea M. Neal, of Caswell, near Bush Arbour, — ■ ■■ . Womack ; at Lich FocL 5 6th. Appointed Brethren Gurdon "Robins and Rev. John Purifoy, Committee of Finance. 7 th. IWpoYt of the Committee of ¥ inane e. Received by the hand of Col. Charles M'Aliester, from the Cape-Fear Association for Foreign Mis- sions, - - - 8t3 80 Rev. Drvid Thames' subscription, - 1 00 Col. Charles M'Allester's subscription, 5 00 Eeceived by the hand of Col. C. M'A! Jes- ter, from the Female Mission Society, near Fayette ville, - - - 20 59 j Gurdon Robins' subscription, - 1 00 Eeceived by the hand of Bev. G Roberts from the Lich Fock congregation - 9 10 His own subscription, - - - 1 00 Rev. John Purifoy's subscription, - 1 00 Brother Brofoot's subscription, - 1 00 Brother Moses Neat's subscription, - 1 00 By the hand of Rev. John Landers, for bro- ther Patterson's subscription, - 4 00 Dr. J. Battle's subscription, - . 1 00 Collected after sermon on Lord's day, 15 01 Do. from the coloured people for the Afri- can Mission, - 31 874 Sl| 8th. Appointed brother Gurdon Robins t^wrTte a letter to the Female Mission Society near Fayette- ville, acknowledging the receipt of°820 59| from them. 9th. Appointed Rev. John Purifoy to write a letter to the Hyco Female Mission Society, acknow* iedging the receipt of 815 36| from them. lOtlu Heard a circular letter prepared by the President, and appointed brethren Landers and Law son, with the President, to correct and revise it for the press, and when so corrected and revised, llesolved to have it attached to the minutes of this meeting. 11th. Appointed brother Gurdon Robins to write the next circular letter. 12th. Ordered, that the Treasurer forward to the General Board for Foreign Missions, $100 before the 1st of May next. 1 3th. Ordered, that the present Treasurer settle 'with the former Treasurer, and receive from him all monies, books and papers in his possession, the property of this society. 14th. Voted the thanks of the society to the in- habitants of this vicinity for the truly christian hospitality with which they have received and en- tertained this meeting. 15th. Resolved, that the question be submitted to the next annual meeting of the society, whether our Constitution shall be so amended as to allow the appropriation of funds hereafter collected (ex- cept the 8100 designed for the general board) to domestic, as well as Foreign Missions, at the dis- cretion of the society — Also, whether this society have a right, by their Constitution, to appropriate any part of the monies already collected, to Domes* tic Missions. 16th. Appointed brother Gurdon Robins to su- perintend the printing and distribution of the Min- utes of this meeting. 17th. Ordered, That 500 copies be printed. 18th. Appointed the Rev. George Roberts to preach the introductory sermon at our next annual fleeting. 7 i 9th. Appointed our next meeting to be held ia the Qity of Raleigh, on Saturday before the first Lord's day in August, 1822. 20th. Adjourned. During the time occupied by the Board in trans- acting the business of the society in the Meeting House, a number of sermons were delivered by sundry ministering brethren from the stage, to a numerous and attentive audience. May the word delivered prove a savior of life unto life to many souls. GEORGE ROBERTS, President, GURBON ROBINS, Secretary. The Worth Carolina Baptist Mission Society, met at Cross Roads Meeting-House in Wake County, first Saturday in August, 1821. To t\\e> "Friends of Go&^s Spiritual Zion, and a\\ w\\o ^visl\ ^vell to iW Heathen in ovir o^n, anA other countries, and. to the desti* tute neighbourhoods in our o^n State : Beloved friends and fellow-citizens — We hope it is now, and ever has been, our greatest care to seek the honor of our Divine Sa- viour, and the interest of mankind ; in order to promote which, we have been striving to propagate the Gospel of the Son of God, not only in our indi- vidual capacities, but to make collections, and to meet annually for the purpose of uniting our ener- gies to send the word of life to the most destitute regions wherever we could find access We have, and do still think it our duty, to aid our brethren of the Geueral Board, in their laudable undertaking. to send Missionaries amon^the heathen in foreign countries, but especially in our own wilderness — We hope the time is not far distant, when a good and gracious God, will do great things for our red brethren in America. It is with peculiar pleasure we hear of the progress of Indian schools, as well as other Missionary labors of our beloved brother Posey among the Cherokees ; also the exertions of our dear brethren at the Great Crossing in Ken- tucky, together with a number of -other labourers among the savages. Could we exert ourselves a little, notwithstanding the pressure of hard times, who can tell what our Heavenly Father may do. — We expect you believe with us, that the savages are our fellow creatures, and have precious souls to be saved or lost. If the Redeemer looked upon one soul worth more than the whole world, what must be the worth of the many millions who are perish- ing for lack of Divine knowledge. Should you think this too high a calculation of the worth of souls, then look to Calvary and see what it cost the Saviour to purchase his people. How truly praiseworthy is the conduct of our "benevolent and liberal brethren, the Charleston as- sociation, who have at their own charges, employ- ed a missionary for some years to preach to the Catawba Indians, and perhaps have a teacher to instruct their youth also. If God has given us all things richly to enjoy; has blessed us with bibles anil bible opportunities, together with the unspeak- able privilege of hearing the gospel's joyful sound; shall we not make some use of these good things our gracious benefactor has so liberally bestowed upon us, to civilize the heathen, and teach them the right ways of the Lord ? 9 But shall we forget the people of our own states many of whom are very destitute of preaching, and are much neglected hy our society. Is it not a criminal neglect, to suffer a large extent of our own country to be without what we call, and really be- lieve to be, the true light of the Gospel. We trust those who have thrown in money heretofore for Missionary purposes, were actuated by pure and disinterested motives — many of us are of opinion there is a Mission wanting in our own state of 'N. Carolina. We wish some information at our next ^ meeting, which will be held in Ealeigh, first Sa- turday in August, 1822, whether those who have contributed towards the Missionary funds, would still think the fund should be confined to Foreign Missions ; or whether they are willing it should be in part, appropriated to send the preached Gospel in dark and destitute places in our own benighted country. The General Board, in a late publication, have recommended Domestic Missions in the seve- ral states in our union, which may not be improper to give the public in their own words. — "Among the resolutions lately adopted by the Board, they meditate with pleasure on the plan for bringing Domestic Missions into operation ; and in such a way, as may Remonstrate w the affinity between the spirit which creates these, and that which gives birth to Foreign Missions. It is proposed, that influential, pious and zealous ministers of the Gos- pel, be selected from the various parts of the Union, who shall perform preaching tours in destitute sections of the country, and make collections, which shall be in part appropriated to meeting the en- gagements of the Board with them, and the remain- der applied, as collections may have been ;uade, to / 10 the concerns of the Missionary or Education de« parti uent. The remuneration, is at no time to ex- ceed the sum collected. It is believed that men of a right character and temper for the work, may be found; that, with the blessing of the Lord, the waste places of the earth may become fruitful, and a Mis- sionary spirit be greatly promoted." In the Boston Association, a Missionary has been travelling for some years past, the account of which, together with his useful labour, has appeared in the Magazine. Those brethren apply part of their funds to these Internal or Domestic Missions ; and also aid the General Board in their very useful operations. The Chowan Mission Society in the lower part of our own State, has six Missionaries appointed — these w orthy and useful men, have in part been tra- veling, the past year, and have been much owned of God. Brethren Bennett and Newbern, have been very successful ; the Lord has added many seals to their ministry, and given them souls for their hire. Could a Mission be promoted in this and other parts of the Union, no doubt many churches would reap great advantage by it. Many brethren are vv ithout preaching ; sonae by the death or removal of their Pastors ; others have removed themselves where the bounds of their habitations is seldom enlightened by the rays of the sun of righteous- ness. How great have been the advantages de- rived trom itinerant preaching — -This may be, and is no doubt, in a partial manner kept up ; but could we see it carried on as it formerly was In the days of our brethren Bead, Harris, Webber, Waller, James Clulds and many others, who knows what happy effects might result therefrom. What it some of the prophets have assendcd, is the mantle of Elijah fallen on none who are left behind ? Some of the servants of the Lord are wearing out, and many have finished their course and gone to the church triumphant, while many we hope are still left among the saints below, to bear the burden and toil a while longer ; and some are raising up to fill the place of those who have finished their w arfare : Could the friends of Zion's King, and Zion's cause, feel a willingness. to fcold up the hands and affor^ aid to Missionaries to travel by aiding the funds, not only to send the Gospel to foreign perishing Heathens, and into the wilderness among the Ame- rican Savages, but also among the poor perishing North Carolinians, who are many, no doubt, under the influence of the gloomy god of this world. We can but feel a sympathetic tenderness for all who are perishing for lack of knowledge^yet as the people of our own state are, or ought to be near to us, we should remember the words of the Saviour, 44 these things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. " The rich and fertile lands of the Western country, Georgia, £jc. has ta- ken off a number of ministers from Virginia and North Carolina ; but whi^e there are any to labof* for God and the good of souls, let us be much en- gaged in prayer to God for them, that he would make them very useful, and revive his work in our hearts, and in all the churches, and carry it on wherever it is begun ; and may our fervent prayers and cries be to the Lord of the harvest to send more labourers into his harvest; and may we en- courage the hearts, and strengthen the hand of those God has given us ? that they may go out into iz -/the high ways and hedges, and compel many to come in, that his house may be filled. Missiona- ries, or travelling preachers, have ever been the most useful men in the world — witness Whitfield Miller, Tan-horn, Gano, §c. Sjc. who were like a gels flying through the midst of Heaven, havi the ever lasting Gospel to preach to them w dwell on the earth. May a gracious God hasten the time, whe Gospel of the Redeemer may spread, the anti-c fian powers be overturned, and true ^ml vital gion be experimentally known ; a universal r mation take place; which, may the good Lord ten, for Christ's sake* Amcn* • This bookmust not be taken from the Library building.