among the slaves. Our late Conference wisely adopted a resolution,
encouraging the building of churches for the accommodation of several
plantations together, wherever it can be done."

The South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in
their Report for 1859, say:

"Meanwhile the increasing claims of the destitute colored population
must not be ignored. New fields are opening before us, the claims of
which are pressed with an earnestness which nothing but deeply-felt
necessity could dictate. And the question is pressed upon us, What shall
we do? Must not the contributions of the Church be more liberal and more
systematic? Must not the friends of the enterprise become more zealous?
Will not the wealthy patrons of our society, whose people are served,
contribute a sum equal in the aggregate to the salary of the
missionaries who serve their people? This done, and every claim urged
upon your Board shall be honored.

"This is wondrous work! God loves it, honors it, blesses it! He has
crowned it with success. The old negro has abandoned his legendary
rites, and has sought and found favor with God through Jesus Christ. The
catechumens have received into their hearts the gracious instructions
given by the missionary, and scores of them are converted annually, and
become worthy members of the Church. Here lies the most inviting field
of labor. To instruct these children of Ham in the plan of salvation, to
preoccupy their minds with "the truth as it is in Jesus," to see them
renounce the superstitions of their forefathers, and embrace salvation's
plan, would make an angel's heart rejoice."

Failing in securing the Reports of the Baptists at the South, we are
unable to exhibit in detail, their operations among the slave
population. The same failure has also occurred in reference to the
Cumberland Presbyterians, and some of the other denominations at the
South. The statistics, taken from the _Southern Baptist Register_, will
indicate the extent of their success. The following statement made up
from the Annual Reports of the Churches named, or from the _Register_,
shows the extent to which the slave population, in the entire South,
have been brought under the influence of the gospel, and led to profess
their faith in the Saviour:

Methodist Episcopal Church South, 188,000
Methodist Episcopal Church North,[81] in Va. and Md., 15,000
Missionary and Anti-Missionary Baptist,