Is a Home Desirable!

Still, it is no wonder that some have felt, that in addition to what the Board now does, a home should be provided, in some quiet neighborhood, fitted up as a retrea for those who are disabled by ill health, or by advanced years, from further active participation in the foreign mission work. Such an institution seems to promise some advantages; but, in the judgment of your Committee, most of them are visionary. It cannot be doubted that many returned missionaries would decline to avail themselves of it, and few of those who might become its inmates would find it promotive of their comfort or their happiness. It would separate them from their friends and relatives, from those associations for which their hearts yearn. It would associate them permanently with the feeble and suffering. It would wound their just self-respect, and tend to lower them in public estimation; for such an institution would by many be regarded as eleemosynary as an infirmary, a home for the indigent, an abode fitted up for objects of charity. No beauty of surrounding scenery, no taste and elegance of furnishing, no amplitude of provision could make such an abode cheerful. Call it a home, it might be such in name, but not in fact. Those who are familiar with the most charming retreats for the aged, or for the sick and suffering, know that they are not the abodes of contentment and happiness. Some of them provide richly for physical need, but they cannot satisfy the longings of the heart. Visitors to the Hotel des Invalides assure us that, rich as its provisions are, its inmates are dissatisfied and unhappy. Much more might this be expected of those who, having been actively engaged in acts of Christian usefulness, are withdrawn from their labor, shut out from the world, and brought into contact mainly with the infirm and aged. Providence has ordained that the best, the most healthy society, that where all can be most useful and happy, shall be made up of the young and the old, the strong and the weak.

There are other considerations adverse to the establishment of such an institution. Without adding to the comfort of disabled missionaries, it would increase the expenses of the Board, and render its management more complicated. It would probably dampen the general interest that is now felt in those who have borne the heat and burden of the day, and worn themselves out in the mission work. It would withdraw them from the sight of the great body of those who sympathize in the cause of missions, and would deprive the churches of their personal influence, often most eminently useful. Though the novelty of missions has passed away, few turn from the sight of a veteran missionary with indifference. His presence ever awakens new interest in himself personally, and in the cause where he has been foremost. It often stirs the deepest fountains of feeling in the hearts of the young. Indeed, it is by no means certain that a disabled missionary may not effect as much for the cause of missions in the neighborhood in which he was known in early life, as he was ever able to do by his active efforts in the foreign field.

There are, in the judgment of your Committee, no considerations that outweigh these. There may be cases of missionaries in old age, or entirely helpless, who have no kindred or personal friends to receive them when they return, or none with whom it would be agreeable for them to reside. For such the Prudential Committee should make the most careful provision, and this they are authorized to do by the rules of 1835. Even such missionaries have not lost their usefulness. Though planted in a new and strange soil, they will often bring forth abundant fruit, and be permitted to rejoice in the conviction that their days of weakness are proving their best days. Another suggestion has been made. It is, that a special fund be established, the income of which shall be devoted to making suitable provision for superannuated and disabled missionaries, and for the widows and children of missionaries. This will be noticed hereafter.

What has been done for Children.

We pass for the present to the consideration of what has been done, and of what the Board is now doing for the returned children of missionaries. For them the tenderest

regard has always been manifested. Provision for them has been a frequent subject of correspondence and consultation with the missionaries themselves, and the rules under which the Prudential Committee now act, adopted in 1834, and subsequently amended, met, at their adoption, it is believed, the approbation of the missionaries generally. We quote them so far as they are convenient to this discussion:

1. "When missionaries or assistant missionaries desire to send their children to this country for education, and when it is decided, in a manner conformable to the rules and usages of the Board, that the children may come, the arrangements for the passage, so far as they may involve expense, shall have the concurrence of the mission, and the allowance, extraordinary cases excepted, shall be only for a passage direct to this country.

2. "When the children arrive in this country, the Prudential Committee will see that they have a suitable conveyance to the places where they are to be educated, or to reside, and the Committee may make grants, on application from the parents or guardians, to an amount not exceeding eighty dollars a year for a boy, and seventy dollars for a girl, until the children are eighteen years old.

3. "Children who are left orphans, and without a suitable home in the mission, or a responsible guardian, will receive the immediate and kind consideration of the Prudential Committee, who will make an arrangement for their return home, and provide for them the best guardianship in their power."

In 1845 the limit to annual grants was extended, and again in 1865. In 1867, on the recommendation of this Committee, the Board amended the rules of 1834, so that they now authorize the Prudential Committee to make grants not exceeding $120 a year to each child, until they are eighteen years of age.

Such are the rules as they now exist. Under them, grants have annually been made to the returned children of missionaries, and to many of the children repeatedly, through many years. These grants, in the aggregate, have been large. In the case of one family they exceed $3,300. The amount of the appropriations for the year ending in 1867 was $4,300, and for the year ending in 1866, $4,383. Of course they have not been sufficient for the entire support and education of the children. There has been no reason for grants large enough to cover all their necessities. Christian friends have been found willing and anxious to supply, so far as possible, the place of absent or deceased parents. Some children have remained with widowed mothers who have themselves received appropriations, and some have contributed in part to their own support. Here and there a case of privation may have occurred; but such cases, it is believed, have been accidental, and not more frequent than have been cases of privation among an equal number of children of New England ministers. The children of missionaries, when they first arrive in this country, are like tender exotics. Having been born in heathen lands, and necessarily kept separate from other children of their age, they have not been accustomed to the healthful friction and collision which meet children born and nurtured here. Naturally they are sensitive, sometimes even morbidly so. In the new social relations into which they have been brought, much that others would regard as merely playful may to them appear unkind. They deserve, as they generally have, the sympathy and the considerate kindness of all who love the work of missions. It is most natural, also, that those parents who have made the great sacrifice of parting with their children, and sending them to this country for nurture and education, should be anxious on their account, fearful that they may encounter suffering, and keenly alive to any complaints. All this cannot be avoided. It could not be were the Board to make the amplest provision for the entire support and education of the children. This, however, is impossible, even if it were desirable, so long as there is among the disciples of the Master no higher degree of consecration to the missionary work than is now exhibited. Facts must be accepted as facts. The Christian public has not manifested a readiness to do more for the children of missionaries than is now done. And this is not because the claims of such

children have not received attention. The subject was much discussed at the annual meeting of the Board in 1857. An earnest sympathy with such children was avowed, and it was resolved that the Prudential Committee will receive and cheerfully appropriate, according to the same principles that have hitherto governed them in the premises, whatever legacies or contributions may be made from year to year for this specific object.

But while the Board has been most solicitous to prevent suffering in all cases, and so far as is in its power, judiciously to provide for the support and education of such children, it cannot be maintained that it would be wise to assume their entire support. Such a course would dry up many springs of private benevolence which are spreading blessings all over the land. It would remove the children from that warm personal sympathy which, in so many quarters, is now felt for them; and it would therefore, partially at least, deprive them of that which now operates as an encouragement and assurance. It would tend doubtless to hinder the development in them of that selfreliance and disposition to earnest effort which are essential to success in life. It is plainly not for their good, nor for the interests of missions, that they be in any way distinguished from the children of ministers at home.

The time will doubtless come when missionary life will cease to be regarded as exceptional, or as something beyond the ordinary duty of the ministry. Sooner or later the Christian public will recognize its obligations to provide such a support for missionaries in the foreign field as will enable them to do for their children all that is needful, without any intervention by the Board or any other agency. Then what is done for the children of missionaries can be done by the missionaries themselves. It is worthy of consideration, whether, if this were practicable, it would not be the best system - best for the missionaries, for their children, and for the cause of missions. But the time has not yet come for its adoption. It would necessitate a great enlargement of the salaries of missionaries, an enlargement which the Board is not able to make without seriously crippling its operations. Until the Christian public is prepared for such an advance, nothing better than the system now followed seems to be possible. Its value is to be tested by its results.

Results.

Very significant facts show that the course hitherto pursued by the Board has not been a mistaken one. The returned children of missionaries have not been broken down or discouraged by the discipline through which they have passed. On the contrary, they have, to a surprising degree, met the hopes of their parents and of the churches. To illustrate this, some statistics are submitted, for which the Committee are indebted to Dr. Anderson, the late Senior Secretary of the Board. The whole number of returned children of missionaries appearing on the books of the Board is 349. Of these about 230, are of the age of twelve years or upwards, the oldest being now aged forty-nine. To 212 of these returned children, or to their near kindred or guardians (though always to the children when their address was known), a circular of inquiries has recently been sent by Dr. Anderson. Answers to the circular have been received, giving the desired information, in 190 cases, 184 of them being cases of children twelve years old and upwards. From 22 answers have not yet been received. Of the 137 to whom the circular was not sent, 50 were out of the country, the address of 71 was not known, and 16 were not living. Of the 184, twelve years old and upwards, from whom answers to the circular have been received, 95 are males and 89 are females.

Whole number liberally educated, or in a course of liberal education.
In the gospel ministry

It thus appears, that of the 184 returned children, of the age of twelve and upwards, from whom answers to the circular have been received, 149 were church members, and 160 have received, or are now receiving, the benefit of a liberal education.

Of the 121 to whom the circular was not sent, because they were out of the country, or because their address was not known, 17 males and 22 females are believed to be members of churches, 20 males (of whom nine are missionaries) to have been educated in colleges, and 24 females in academies, or other high schools. The number of returned children aided by the Board cannot now be accurately stated. It certainly exceeds 126, and is perhaps much larger.

These facts are very remarkable. They show that the system thus far adhered to has been productive of happy results. They may well tend to allay the fears and strengthen the confidence of missionary parents. It is believed that no other class of children in this country can exhibit better results, either intellectual or religious. A system that has been thus successfully tested ought not to be abandoned or changed without the most satisfactory reasons.

Is a Seminary Needed.

At an early date in the history of our missions, it was suggested that a seminary should be established at some place where the children of missionaries sent to this country might find a home, and might be educated together. The suggestion has occasionally been repeated, but it is believed it does not now have the approval of any considerable number of the missionaries. The objections to it are many and obvious. It is true of a very large proportion of the children of missionaries sent to this country, that their parents prefer they should live with, and be under the supervision of relatives or intimate personal friends. This is also the preference of the relatives and friends of the children. Such children cannot be gathered into a seminary provided for them without contravening the wishes of their parents. The number of those who might thus be gathered, at a suitable age for seminary culture, would consequently be small, and the expense of their support and education would be vastly greater than that which is now incurred.

A more serious objection is, that such a mode of support and education would be positively hurtful to the children. Something has already been said of their peculiarities, of their sensitiveness, and of their inevitable want of familiarity with many things it is most desirable they should learn things to be learned only by actual contact with general Christian society. Exotics when they come, it is not desirable that they should continue such. For their highest physical, mental and moral development, it is needful that they be brought into association with other children — with general American life. It may be doubted whether they are, in all respects, the best associates for each other. Moreover, it is quite improbable that their happiness would be promoted by congregating them together. There would be danger of their being regarded as inmates of a charity school, the suspicion of which is always painful to a sensitive nature. Many other reasons might be given why a seminary for missionaries' children seems to be undesirable, but it is unnecessary to state them, for very few, it is believed, after reflection, would approve of such an institution.

A Permanent Fund.

One other suggestion (already alluded to) which has met with favor in some quarters, has received the attention of your Committee. It is that a permanent fund be established, the income of which shall be devoted to the relief of children of missionaries, of superannuated and disabled missionaries, and of the widows of missionaries. This plan is supposed to have some advantages over the system now existing. A candid examination of them, however, will lead to the conclusion that they are rather imaginary than real. Those that have been suggested are, principally, that such a fund would furnish a more secure and abundant provision for the wants to be relieved, and that it would dispense with the necessity of making annual applications to the treasury of the Board, and seeking help, with the painful conviction that whatever is granted is withdrawn from the direct work of missions. To these it is added, that if a relief fund be established, it would probably soon grow to be as large as is desirable from legacies and donations given to it directly, which would not otherwise be given to the Board, and thus that the annual charge upon the current receipts, a charge made by the calls the fund is designed to meet, would be removed.

It is obvious that while the Board recognizes, as it always has done, its obligation to provide for the support of disabled missionaries, widows, and children of missionaries, in such manner as shall best comport with the missionary character, seeking and obtaining assistance from the treasury of the Board, by any one in those classes, is no more seeking and obtaining a charity than would be successful applications for the income of a fund collected to afford the needed relief. And unless the fund were adequate, direct applications to the treasury of the Board would be as needful as they are now, and as frequent, though they might be for smaller grants. It is not perceived why receiving support from such a fund would not prove as trying to a conscientious missionary as would be receiving it from any other source.

It is an error, also, to suppose that such a fund' would enable a more abundant provision. Some undefined impression that it would is probably what gives it most favor. But there is no limitation, now, to the magnitude of the grants that may be made by the Prudential Committee to disabled missionaries and widows, except such as is found in the proprieties of each case. There is of course great diversity in the needs of different missionaries and widows. It would be unwise and unjust to make the same appropriation to each. But whatever is consistent with the missionary character, and is needed for the support of any one, may now be granted. More ought not to be, from the income of any fund, however large. No prudent and conscientious missionary would desire more. Whether the approval of a special relief fund would result in bringing into it legacies and donations that would not otherwise be given to the Board, to an amount sufficiently large to meet all the calls for necessary relief, is of course uncertain. It is certain that the offer of the Prudential Committee in 1857, to receive and appropriate legacies and contributions made from year to year, and designated by the donors for those who have been disabled in mission work, and for widows and children of missionaries, has not been productive of any considerable results.

Yet if something would be gained by the establishment and accumulation of such a fund, there are objections to it which, in the judgment of your Committee, outweigh all its possible advantages. Such a fund must be large. The aggregate of the grants made in the year ending in 1867, for those disabled missionaries and widows of missionaries not expecting to return to mission work, and to returned children of missionaries, was $11,267. The grants to the same objects during the year ending in 1866, were $12,318. A fund which would yield such an income, after deducting taxes and expenses of management, must considerably exceed $200,000. It is also to be considered, that with the growth and expansion of our work, which may be and ought to be expected, such grants will probably become more numerous, and their aggregates larger, necessitating a large increase of the permanent fund. Such a fund, could it be raised, is undesira