In June, 1810, Adoniram Judson, a young theological student at Andover Seminary, had, with a few of his associates, prepared a memorial which they presented to the Association of Congregationalist ministers meeting at Bradford, in Massachusetts. In this memorial they asked the advice of their elders in the ministry as to their own engaging in the work of foreign missions, and, as a consequence of the memorial, the Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was formed; and on the 19th of February, 1812, Messrs. Judson and Newell, with their wives, sailed from Salem, Massachusetts, for Calcutta, to be followed by Messrs. Hall and Nott, with their wives and Mr. Rice, who sailed from Philadelphia on the 24th of the same month. The story of that eventful voyage is best told in Dr. Carey's own words:

MY DEAR BROTHER :

Lot 1812.

It is a long time since I wrote to you. My numerous avocations must be my apology, and indeed this apology is the true one, for want of will is not the cause. I shall, however, now write you a short note to make amends for my long silence, and request a continuance of your correspondence.

You as well as myself are acquainted with the circumstances of five brethren having been sent from America to begin a mission in the East. They have all safely arrived at this place. Government, however,

have absolutely refused to let them stay here, and have peremptorily ordered them to leave the place, and not to settle in any country belonging to Great Britain or her allies. We have tried our interest, but have succeeded no further than to gain permission for them to go to the Isle of France, to which place Brother and Sister Newell went before the arrival of the other three. It soon appeared that the mind of Brother Judson had been much employed upon the subject of believer's baptism, and in a little time after his arrival he and Sister Judson wished to be baptized, with which we complied, and they were both baptized publicly at Calcutta in the name of the blessed Trinity. I inquired of Brother Judson what could have induced him to take this step, to which he replied that on his voyage he thought much of the prospect of meeting with us at Serampore. He knew that we were Baptists, and supposed that he might probably be called to defend infant baptism among us. This led him to examine the evidence for it; and the further he proceeded in this examination the clearer the evidence for baptizing believers only, and that by immersion, appeared. He frequently conversed with Mrs. Judson upon the subject, which was the occasion of her thinking as he did upon that ordinance. Since his baptism he preached a very excellent discourse upon the ordinance, which we intend to print, with an account of the change in his views in his own words.

Since his baptism I hear Brother Rice has been thinking closely upon the subject, and to-night I was informed that he had made up his mind to follow our Lord in his ordinance. He disputes the matter with his other brethren, and it is difficult to say what will be the effect of his conversations.

Now, what is to be done with these brethren? They expect to be discarded by the Board of Commissioners for Oriental missions. We shall advance them temporary supplies, but we are not able to invite them to become missionaries for the Baptist Mission Society without first writing to England and receiving our brethren's consent. Our brethren Judson and Rice would also be glad to be American missionaries.

Cannot our Baptist brethren in America form a missionary society, either auxiliary to our society in England or distinct from it, as may appear most eligible, and take these brethren as their missionaries? I believe they are men of the right stamp. They intend to settle eventually on the Island of Java, but must first go to the Isle of France on account of the orders of government. One of our brethren is also going thither, viz, to Java. We will give them advice and everything else within our power.

I think this circumstance opens a new scene of duty to our Baptist brethren in America; and though I am persuaded that their proper sphere of action is among the Indians of North and South America, and in the

West India Islands, yet this extraordinary call should not be lightly passed over.

The Lord is still carrying on his work, about twenty persons are now expecting to join the church at Calcutta and to be baptized in a month or two more. I am very affectionately yours,

CALCUTTA, Oct. 20, 1812.

W. CAREY.

But a few days could have elapsed after the receipt of this letter when the following overture was received from the brethren in Boston:

DEAR BROTHER :—

BOSTON, March 23, 1813.

By the arrival of the Reaper in this port, last Saturday, from India, letters have been received from several of our friends in Calcutta, particularly from Mr. and Mrs. Judson, Dr. Marshman and Mr. Rice. The latter, like Mr. Judson, has been constrained to examine the subject of Christian baptism, and has come to the same result. He was not baptized on Oct. 22, but expected to be soon.

This change of sentiment, he has stated (as he informs us) to Dr. Worcester, the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners for foreign missions. He has also concluded by the advice, or in concurrence with the Baptist brethren at Serampore, to go with Mr. Judson to the Island of Java. Dr. Marshman and

both of the above brethren unite in urging the formation of a Baptist mission society in this country, in order to take up those brethren, and direct and support them independently of our English brethren, or as an auxiliary to the Baptist society in England.

Dear brethren, the events which have taken place in relation to the foregoing missionaries, are highly interesting and important. The voice of divine providence in them seems loudly to call for our speedy attention and assistance. We have already two societies formed, as you will perceive by the accompanying circular, which have this objective view. But, dear brethren, we want your advice and assistance. We would gladly engage all our churches throughout the United States in this great work of sending the preached gospel among the heathen. The difficulty seems to be, in part at least, to fix upon a proper plan. Can you devise and propose any plan for forming an Executive Committee, with sufficient power to carry into effect our united efforts? There must be somewhere a common center, a general treasury into which all the money in whatever way raised may flow. We have no anxiety whether this deposit should be in Salem, Boston, New York or Philadelphia, provided we can only fall upon a plan that will unite all hearts.

The society in Salem have already collected more than $500, and have voted one-half for the support of Mr. Judson and the other for the translation.