With the exception of the minutes of the General Conference, and one or two other works scarcely deserving of consideration, the Seventh-day Baptists made no attempt to form a denominational literature until 1820, when an association of ministers edited and published a periodical designated the Missionary Magazine. About the same time a collection of hymns for the use of the denomination was made, which met with very general acceptance and applause. After the publication of the magazine had been continued for two or three years, various causes contributed to render the further prosecution of the enterprise inexpedient and unadvisable. Upon the discontinuance of the magazine, the necessity of a denominational literary organ was very generally felt, but engagements in other pursuits, fears of pecuniary losses, and other causes, operated to prevent the enterprise until 1827, when Deacon John Maxson, of Scott, projected and brought into successful operation a weekly newspaper, called the Protestant Sentinel, which, by untiring energy and perseverance, he succeeded in supporting and publishing for several years. The paper was first issued at Homer, then at Schenectady, and finally at De Ruyter. To Deacon Maxson, the publication of this paper appears to have been, from the first, a losing concern. His engagement in the enterprise was not undertaken with the view of expectation of pecuniary profit. He was influenced by considerations far more sacred and important. No doubt in the advantages secured by that enterprise to his brethren he feels amply repaid for all his toils and difficulties; for a man of his benevolent heart and amiable disposition ever forgets all personal considerations in the general good.
When the press was removed to De Ruyter, Deacon Maxson resigned the editorial charge, which passed in a very short period through several hands; the paper bearing the name of The Seventh-day Baptist Register. Even here its location was not considered as the most favourable, and many supposed that the city of New York would afford a more eligible situation. To that place, therefore, in 1844, it was removed, and the Rev. George B. Utter assumed the editorial chair, since which removal it has borne the name of The Sabbath Recorder.
The denomination became early aware of the utility of tract publications, and the General Conference in 1831, recommended the formation of tract societies in the different churches, which should become auxiliary to a general tract executive committee, annually appointed by that body, to procure, examine, and publish such tracts as in their opinion might be desirable. In compliance with this suggestion, such organizations were instituted in nearly all the churches, and several tracts were procured and printed. But the tract cause, like that of the denominational paper, laboured under much discouragement and great embarrassment. As a means for disseminating Christian truth and knowledge, it does not seem, even yet, to be duly appreciated. The want of available funds crippled its operations, and lessened its usefulness; nevertheless it continued to support a nominal existence until 1843, when it was remodelled and reorganized under the name of the Sabbath Tract Society, since which period its activity and usefulness have been abundantly exhibited. It has a series of stereotyped tracts, of which editions are published according to the means and demands of the society. In connexion with this, is a publishing society, recently organized, that has issued several publications not connected with the series, but all relating to the Sabbath controversy. The denominational paper is also published under the auspices of this society; and it is believed that whatever obstacles may have impeded the progress of our publishing interests, they are rapidly disappearing before the development of our literary resources.
The utility of missionary organizations engaged, at a very early period, the attention of the General Conference. At this time it was the practice of the individual churches to depute their ministers to make short journeys, of which they generally defrayed the expense. The inefficiency of this course had become painfully manifest, and it remained for the Conference to devise some plan by which the missionary efforts of the denomination could be concentrated. The subject was under consideration for two or three years, and finally resulted in the organization of the Seventh-day Baptist Missionary Society. By reference to the constitution of this society, which bears the date of 1819, it appears that its object was to consolidate the funds and concentrate the efforts of the denomination, in order to promote the interests of religion by employing missionaries and sending them to the destitute and scattered brethren in our fellowship. This society, notwithstanding its laudable object, was destined to meet with many difficulties and embarrassments. The poverty of some of the churches, and the unwillingness of others to contribute, were serious obstacles in the way of its accomplishment of the good it had purposed to perform. Yet under its auspices, several missionaries were annually appointed, for three, six, or nine months, to occupy such fields of labour as appeared most eligible, and generally embracing visitations to Sabbath-keepers who were removed to distant localities. These journeys, though attended in the sequel with the happiest results, often required no small share of personal sacrifice and inconvenience on the part of the performer. Difficulties were always to be encountered; many times dangers. These were greatly enhanced, from the fact that the missionary field generally lay in some new region, where the forests were as destitute of roads as the rivers of bridges, and where the uniformity of the one might prove quite as perplexing to the wanderer, as the swollen tides of the other might render dangerous the unaccustomed ford. Not unfrequently circumstances required the performance of these journeys in the winter season, when every discomfort was proportionately increased.
These missionaries held meetings, organized churches where such a course seemed expedient, and administered baptism to believers. Sometimes their visits to the destitute would be attended by a gracious revival, but at all times were accompanied with gratifying results. But the embarrassments of the society continued, and finally, in 1841, it was formally extinguished, in order to make room for another, whose regulations, it was conceived, were more judicious, and which commenced operations in 1842. To the domestic this adds a foreign field. Under its direction, Messrs. Solomon Carpenter and Nathan Wardner, with their wives, are labouring at Shanghai, in China, and the mission, with which a small school, under the management of the excellent Mrs. Wardner, is connected, is in a highly flourishing condition. The Board are collecting funds to build a chapel for public worship, to purchase an eligible site for which, about one thousand dollars have been already despatched to that country.
A Seventh-day Baptist society for the dissemination of religious truth among the Jews, took a permanent form in 1838, and Elder William B. Maxson was appointed to labour, under its direction, with that ancient and bigoted people. The success of this enterprise was not proportionate to the anticipation indulged, although probably as great as could have been expected, had all the difficulties and obstacles of the mission been fully considered. In connexion with this society, a small work on the prophetic character of the Messiah was published, and many copies gratuitously distributed among the Jews. Recently this society has only supported a nominal existence.
The attention of the Seventh-day Baptists was early called to the subject of education, and two institutions of a high classical character, have been established among them. Of these, one is located at Alfred, Alleghany County, New York, and is denominated the Alfred Academy and Teachers' Seminary; the other at De Ruyter, New York, was founded in 1837, at an expense of near thirty thousand dollars. The first has a charter from the state, and both have acquired a high reputation, and furnish the means of a classical education to a large number of students. Besides these, academic schools have been projected and brought into successful operation in other sections, in connexion with our denomination.
The Sabbatarians have repeatedly taken action in their ecclesiastical bodies, against war, intemperance, slavery, secret societies, and the like, and in favour of the great moral reforms and benevolent enterprises of the age.
Within the last twenty years a very interesting correspondence has been carried on with the Sabbatarians of England, through the medium of Rev. Robert Burnside, and Rev. William Henry Black.
About 1830, the great increase of business, as well as the scattered situation of the churches, seemed to justify, in the opinion of many, some modification of a general annual Conference. It was therefore proposed to divide the denomination into two Conferences, according to their geographical position. When the subject came up for action, it was judged most expedient to continue the Conference, but to divide the churches into Associations, which should meet annually, to transact the business of the churches within their own bounds, and appoint delegates to represent them in the General Conference, which, according to a resolution passed at one of its meetings, convened at Shiloh, in 1846, is hereafter to meet triennially instead of annually. Five Associations have been formed, in accordance with this plan,—the Eastern, embracing the churches in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey,—the Central, including those in the State of New York, east of the small lakes,—the Western, composed of the churches in Western New York and Pennsylvania,—the Southwestern, comprising those in Ohio and Virginia,—and the Northwestern, including those in Wisconsin and Iowa. The utility of this arrangement is unquestionable, and, so far as it has been tested, has been found to answer all the purposes of an Annual Conference without its disadvantages. But it must not be supposed that during all this time, the sun of prosperity to this people has been unclouded; that no difficulties have arisen in their straight and narrow path. On the contrary, they have been subjected to many and peculiar trials. They have been despised by the worldly and the great, have been oppressed by law, and persecuted in more ways than one by those professing the Christian name. Even now they are subjected to many inconveniences from their nonconformity, and are deprived of many social and literary privileges that they might otherwise enjoy. In consideration of this, and the strong worldly tendencies that bind the human heart, it is not surprising that thousands who have been brought up to recognise the obligatory and sacred character of the fourth commandment, and who were fully convinced of its unalterable claims, have been induced to abandon it; while others, for the same reasons, although fully convinced of their duty, have refused to embrace it. Yet some have been able to appreciate the vast importance of the stake at hand, have felt the danger of trifling in an affair on which eternal interests depended, and have concluded that popular applause was nothing comparative with an approving conscience, and the smiles of God. Such have strictly adhered to the Sabbath, or have embraced it, notwithstanding the consequences. Of the latter, we might instance several eminent and worthy ministers, who now occupy prominent places in the denomination. Rev. Wm. M. Jones,[36] and Rev. J. W. Morton, Professor of Modern Languages in the De Ruyter Institute, are both converts to Sabbatarianism.