The General Assembly [pp. 521-553]

Missions to Papal Countries.
churches would enter into this work with proper zeal and
liberality, if it was not separately and distinctly presented to
them, and urged on their attention. Nor could we expect that,
considering its great importance, and the interest so generally
felt in the remarkable success with which God has blessed the
efforts to promote evangelical religion in Papal countries, that
our churches would shut their ears and hearts against the men
who came to plead this cause before them. Nor, finally, could
it be reasonably expected that the money raised by the appeals
of agents of the American Society should be, as a general thing,
sent to the treasury of our own Board. The fact stared the
Synod in the face, that our Church was doing comparatively
little through the Board of Foreign Missions, for this work;
that a growing interest was felt on the subject by our churches,
and that a large part of their contributions for this object was
diverted to another channel. It was also plain that this double
agency was embarassing and inefficient. The great majority
of the Synod, therefore, entertained the strong conviction that
something more should be done by our Church than had heretofore been attempted. Two plans were proposed. First, to
organize a separate Board, with all its array of officers and
agents, for this special purpose. To this it was objected, that
it would involve a great increase of expense, and that the object
might. be accomplished by another and less cumbrous method.
A second plan was, therefore, suggested, viz., to do in this case
what had been already in part done in the Board of Missions,
in regard to Church Extension. That matter was made a separate department; a separate collection was to be made for that
object, and it was understood the Board had determined to
appoint a separate secretary to devote himself to that particular
department. In like manner, what the Synod determined to
urge on the Assembly was the appointment, not of a new Board,
but simply of a Bureau in connexion with the Board of Foreign
Missions, for spreading the truth in Papal lands. What the
Synod had at heart was to secure separate collections in all our
churches for this great object. This the Assembly has sanctioned and recommended. To secure this object it was thought
a separate officer of some kind, secretary or agent, would be
absolutely necessary. This, too, the Assembly has virtually
1851.]
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