On Reception of Scholars at the Stations.
The Board resolved itself into a Committee of the whole to discuss this question, after which the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
Resolved: That experience has convinced us that it is absolutely necessary to keep a Boarding Department, to some extent, at each of the stations, viz., Good Hope, Avery and Debia.
(1) Because the people are unable to continue their scholars in school as necessity demands, to fit them for missionary work as suggested by the Executive Committee.
(2) The people on the whole are not sufficiently acquainted with the benefits of an education to compel the attendance of their children, even if they were able.
(3) We can never train up persons to serve as assistants in missionary work without taking them from under the unwholesome influence of their parents, and placing them under Christian influence.
(4) Therefore, seeing the difficulties which exist from having to receive the material upon which we are to work sent us at the will of the parents, we recommend to the Committee at New York that each station be allowed to retain as many scholars as can be well provided for. We submit this to your weighty consideration.
Extension of Mission-Work
was discussed by the Board. This is a question of great importance, and to carry our views into effect, will necessarily require a large sum of money. We regret to say that from the outset we have been greatly embarrassed, in attempting to extend our work, because of the want of means with which to do it. And we are no more encouraged now, from the fact that we are continually being instructed by the Committee that the means are short, and we must curtail expenses. At present we have not a dollar to do this, and we are unable to tell when we shall have. In our view, there are many places which could be opened and worked up with great success. But our present situation forbids any attempt. We hope the change may be such soon that we shall be able to do something in this direction, as we consider this to be one of the purposes for which we were sent out.
Rev. A. P. Miller, Sec.