Rev. Samuel Davison, the present pastor.

It is said to occupy a pleasant and healthful situation.

REMARKS.

A majority of the churches embraced in this Association may be considered as enjoying all the advantages of a healthful climate and fertile soil, with facilities for commerce. Although few in numbers, their prospects are most encouraging, perhaps too much so. It is not in the sunlight of worldly prosperity that the good seed rises to maturity and bears much fruit: the mind, exulting in temporal advantages, the accumulation of riches, or the acquisition of worldly honours, is too apt to become cold and indifferent to the subject of religion. We trust that it may not be so with these sister fraternities, who have designed to hold up the light of the truth, and to witness for the Sabbath among an apostatizing community. May they grow in grace as in numbers; may they become rich in heavenly wisdom as in earthly goods; moreover, as they have received liberally may they be disposed to give liberally, and to bear in their hearts and upon their prayers the burdens of a perishing world. In connexion with this subject another consideration is presented. These churches occupy situations as desirable as can be found throughout the whole country for mercantile, mechanical, or agricultural avocations, and embrace every variety of soil, scenery, and climate. Some are located on broad meadow-like prairie; others amid a diversified landscape of hills and valleys; and yet others in the neighbourhood of marts of commerce, and communicating with lakes and rivers. No brother need forsake the Sabbath, in order to find a more eligible or advantageous situation than could be obtained in contiguity with the settlements of the Sabbath-keepers; and no person, whatever may be his denominational character, who wishes to emigrate, will find in any locality a state of society more elevated, moral, and Christian-like, or schools more really useful and well-conducted than are to be found among the Sabbatarians. In tracing the history of our denomination, there occur many reflections of a pleasant and interesting character, particularly in connexion with our missionary efforts. The review of the fields of labour thus occupied would prefigure in a remarkable degree our gradual expansion and increase. First we see those good old fathers, over whose graves the flowers of centennial summers have bloomed and withered, making short journeys from Rhode Island to New Jersey, and perhaps to some parts of Pennsylvania. This, at that time, was missionary ground. Subsequently the area was extended. Where was the missionary ground in their youth to those venerable men who have grown gray in the service of the sanctuary? In the wildly beautiful and romantic region of western New York and Pennsylvania, where a glorious harvest has arisen as the fruit of their labours. Then gradually expanding westward, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Iowa, became alternately the theatres of new scenes of trial and triumph. Intimately connected with the progress of our denomination in this region are the names of Rev. L. A. Davis and Rev. J. L. Scott, both indefatigable missionaries, through whose instrumentality several of these churches have been gathered and organized. Is not our missionary ground still expanding? Does not the time approach when the broad plains of the Missouri will be so occupied? when the region of the Rocky Mountains will be so occupied? when Oregon and California will be so occupied? Does it appear impossible or improbable? All that is necessary for its realization, is the application of means, and faith in the promises of God.

SECTION IX.
GENERAL SUMMARY.

The reader who has followed me through this brief and imperfect sketch of the history of the Seventh-day Baptist Denomination, cannot fail to perceive that our churches have gradually and healthfully increased in numbers, notwithstanding the continual opposition which is manifested to the cause we advocate, and the continual discouragements that we have to encounter both in society and business. It is now about one hundred and seventy years since the first Seventh-day Baptist church was organized in America; and the efforts which have been made within the last thirty years have accomplished more to advance the interests of the cause than what was done for nearly a century and a half preceding. This has not been produced by any special excitement, but by increased energy and courage, and by the multiplication of means for disseminating the truth; and those means have but just begun to develope their influence. Our Education, Missionary, and Tract Societies are yet in their infancy; our denominational paper is only beginning to acquire a circulation corresponding to its merits, indicative to other denominations of Christians of our literary resources,—and yet effects that would have astonished our ancestors have been realized. In 1805, we numbered eight churches, and about one thousand five hundred communicants. Twenty-five years increased that number to three thousand four hundred; but the five subsequent years to more than four thousand five hundred. In 1840, we numbered a fraction over five thousand members, which in three years increased to six thousand. At this period, there are about seven thousand communicants in the connexion. There are sixty-five churches united with the Conference; sixty ordained ministers, and about thirty licentiates.

RECAPITULATION OF CHURCHES FOR 1849.

Date ofNumber of
Designation.Organization.Communicants.
EASTERN ASSOCIATION.
Newport,1671 28
First Hopkinton,1708 344
Second Hopkinton,1835 173
Third Hopkinton,1835 166
Marlborough,1811 131
New York,1845 33
Piscataway,1707 174
Pawcatuck,1840 172
Plainfield,1838 83
Richmond,1843 25
Shiloh,1787 261
South Kingston,1840 25
Waterford,1784 110
Westerly,1837 72
CENTRAL ASSOCIATION.
Adams,1822 230
First Brookfield,1797 200
Second Brookfield,1823 109
Third Brookfield,1823 128
De Ruyter,1806 111
Diana,1846 18
Hounsfield,1841 65
Lincklean,1831 104
Otselic,1830 50
Preston,1806 81
Richland,1845 14
Scott,1820 176
Truxton,1824 51
Watson,1841 66
First Verona,1820 70
Second Verona,1837 31
Berlin,1784 272
Petersburg,1829 109
WESTERN ASSOCIATION.
Amity,1834 27
First Alfred,1816 437
Second Alfred,1831 249
Clarence,1828 77
Friendship,1824 155
First Genesee,1827 171
Second Genesee,1834 60
Third Genesee,1842 39
Hartsville,1847 54
Hayfield,1771 85
Hebron,1833 61
Independence,1834 118
Pendleton,1844 20
Persia,1832 59
Scio,1834 40
Ulysses,1845 17
Wirt,1827 34
SOUTHWESTERN ASSOCIATION.
First Hughes River, Va.,1833 12
Second Hughes River, Va.,1840 7
New Salem, Va.,1745 71
Lost Creek, Va.,1805 68
Jackson, Ohio,1843 40
Northampton, Ohio,1837 20
Port Jefferson, Ohio,1840 31
Sciota, Ohio,1842 20
Stokes, Ohio,1842 22
Pike, Ohio,1824 30
Madison, Ia.,1843 12
Woodbridgetown, Pa.,1780 4
NORTHWESTERN ASSOCIATION.
Albion, Wis.,1843 90
Milton, Wis.,1838 112
Walworth, Wis.,1849 21
Fredonia, Ia.,1842 9
Farmington, Ill.,1849 16