Report-1839, October 15

Shawnee Mission House, Oct. 15, 1839

   The board of managers of the Missouri Conference Missionary Society feel devout gratitude to the great Head of the Church in being again permitted to meet their brethren and friends, and to congratulate them on the success that has attended this best of causes the past year within our bounds. It has obtained a deeper hold on the affections of our people, and called forth a larger measure of their prayers, and also pecuniary aid. And although there is so large a portion of Missionary ground within the limits of this conference, we hope the day is not distant when our now scattered population and distant settlements will be equally able and willing to sustain the gospel and its institutions, and when these rich valleys and plains will send forth streams to fertilize other parts of Immanuel’s land. The board herewith presents the following information touching the Indian missions within the bounds of this conference: —

1. At the Shawnee mission there are 22 white, 3 colored, and 93 Indian members in society, and 20 very promising children in the school; with a fair prospect of extending the influence of the gospel to many others in that nation who have stood opposed to civilization and religion, but are now ready to receive and profit by instruction.

   The measures heretofore adopted for preparing a manual labor school in connection with these missions have been pursued according to the means at command; but owing to various difficulties attending the erection of the necessary buildings in a new and thinly settled part of the country, the work is not as far advanced as we had hoped it would have been by the present. A frame building sufficient for two families is nearly finished. A brick building, designed for a boarding house, cook room, family residence &c., is in progress, which it is hoped will be up this season; and it ls intended to commence the school as early after conference as practicable. Good progress has been made on the farm attached, and produce raised sufficient for wintering the stock thereon at present. Your board regards this intended institution with great interest, and cherish the hope that it will prove an efficient auxiliary in spreading the gospel and its institutions, with civilization and the arts of life, extensively among the tribes in the west

J. Green, Vice-President
T. Johnson Sec’y.

[Christian Advocate Journal, Nov. 22, 1839. Baker University files.]