These embrace two stations - the Southern at Canton, the Northern at Shanghai. The Canton station comprises I. J. Roberts, George Pearcy, Samuel Clopton, preachers; Francis C. Johnson, preacher and theological instructor; Mrs. Pearcy and Mrs. Clopton, and five native assistants - total, 11. "Upon the selection of Canton, it was deemed proper by the Board at Boston to transfer their mission to Hong-kong, leaving the field in that great city, as far as American Baptists are concerned, entirely under our control." "On the departure of Dr. Devan from Canton to Hong-kong, our missionaries deemed it wise to rent of him the premises owned by the Boston Board, and which he had occupied. They also entered into a stipulation to purchase the property, on condition of the approval of the two Boards. The contract has been confirmed, and funds forwarded for making the mission premises ours, at an expenditure of $1164.44. This is regarded as a favorable interposition of Providence."The employment of a missionary to preach to the English and Americans who are connected with the shipping at Whampoa, is strongly recommended by brother Roberts." Whnmpoa is about 12 miles below Canton. M r. Roberts remarks: "About nine months in the year there are, say fifty English and American vessels in the harbor; and all the year there are less or more, besides foreign residents. All, however, live on the water, and have no opportunity of hearing one sermon during their stay. Besides this foreign community, there are several large Chinese villages in the vicinity, containing from ten to fifty thousand inhabitants who would be accessible."
The amount received by Elder Shuck, and paid over to the Treasurer for the Canton Chapel, was $5324.75.
_________ SHANG-HAI. - The selection of Shang-hai as a missionary station by the Board was contemporaneous with that of Canton. They did not however regard it their duty to commence operations there until the month of December. At that time they assigned to the station, brethren Shuck, Tobey, Yates, and James. The two former sailed March 12th. and Mr. and Mrs. Yates on the 26th of April; Dr. James, who will labor in the character of a missionary and physician, is expected to sail in a few months. The population of Shang-hai is estimated at 200,000.
From the Treasurer's report we learn that the balance on hand at the close of the preceding year was $9504.13, and that he had received during the year the sum of $l7,965.69 - making a total of $27,469.82. The disbursements amounted to $15,274.94 - leaving a balance of $l2,194. Of the amount received, Virginia contributed over one-fourth, $4,525.58. The next highest is South Carolina, $2,591.92; Georgia is the third, $2,151.87; and Maryland the fourth, $1,533.20.
========= [From the Tennessee Baptist newspaper, June 12, 1847, p. 1. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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