Circular to the Baptists of Pennsylvania
1837Beloved Brethren: -
THE undersigned have been appointed a committee to present to you the result of the convention held in the city of Philadelphia, on the 24th and 25th of April last, with the view of combining the energies of the Baptist churches of Pennsylvania: and to invite your co-operation in giving the Gospel to the destitute within our borders.
That convention comprised delegates from nearly all the associations of the state; who resolved with entire unanimity, after surveying the posture of our Missionary affairs, to form a "State Convention for Missionary purposes." The minutes of the proceedings, the constitution adopted, and the list of the board of officers elected for the ensuing year, we herewith submit.
By these you will learn, that it is proposed that the strength of the Baptists of Pennsylvania, shall be no longer divided: that those who have heretofore been labouring in behalf of Domestic Missions, under separate organisations, are henceforth to unite their means, their counsels, and their prayers. Whatever obstacles have existed heretofore to united efforts, they are removed; and we have the cheering prospect of uniting all who have sustained the Missionary cause, under different organisations: and we indulge the hope of enlisting in its behalf those brethren and churches who have heretofore been inactive.
The religious wants of this state are great, very great; and call for the utmost exertions of all within its borders, who love the souls of men; especially upon Christians of our own denomination. The minister of Christ, who shuns not to declare the whole counsel of God, and maintains the order of the Lord's house, as established by the Apostles, is received with peculiar favour; and the truth from his lips is listened to with eagerness, however simple and unadorned the garb it wears. There is, perhaps, no more promising field of labour in this country, than is presented by our own state, could we but secure the means of sustaining labourers. And these means we feel assured it is easy to secure, if, brethren, you will take into prayerful consideration your responsibilities to God, and the duties he has enjoined on you to
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the souls of your fellow-men. It is but for you to consider your Christian stewardship - to consider that all you have is the gift of God which he has a right to resume, and which he has bestowed, not for your luxurious indulgence or aggrandisement; not for the temptation of your children: but for the comfort of a brief earthly sojourn, and for the means of ministering to the temporal and spiritual wants of those around you. We say it is but for you seriously and prayerfully to consider the tenure of what you possess, and the responsibility connected with it, to ensure to our Domestic Missionary enterprise, an ample pecuniary instrumentality for vigorous operation.We beg leave to recommend, that societies be formed in the churches throughout the state, auxiliary to the convention; and that all the members of the churches, in conformity with the Apostolic direction, lay by them weekly " as God hath prospered them," something for the specific object of spreading the Gospel in Pennsylvania. Nothing but system, brethren, is wanting - "if there be first a willing mind" - to ensure the means requisite for carrying forward our Missionary operations to any extent to which suitable Missionaries can be found.
If the members of the Baptist churches in the state, would all adopt the system of laying aside the insignificant sum of two cents a week only, for the Treasury of the convention, we should have about five times the amount per annum, which has ever been contributed by us for Domestic Missions! Assuredly, if our love for the Saviour who shed his blood for us; if our relish for the word of salvation he has sent us; if our respect to his command, to give the Gospel to the destitute ; and our attachment to our country, bear the smallest accordance with our Christian profession and our American name, then the means will not fail this convention for carrying the glad tidings into every vale, and on to every mountain-top in the state, where there are ears to hear, and souls to save.
[The remainer of this document, which contains the minutes of the meeting, may be accessed @ SBTS E-Text Collection; provided by Adam Winters, Archivist at SBTS Library. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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