ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY BOARD.
On the twenty-eighth of June, 1810, twenty-one clergymen of Massachusetts convened in the Academy building of the quiet village of Bradford, to concert measures for the up-building of Zion. In the midst of that little band of brethren, four young men, members of Divinity College, presented themselves, and respectfully requested the attention of their reverend fathers to certain statements and inquiries. They stated "that their minds had long been impressed with the duty and importance of personally attempting a mission to the heathen; and that, after a prayerful consideration of the subject, they considered themselves as devoted to this work for life, whenever God, in his providence should open the way." They inquired "whether, with their present views and feelings, they ought to renounce the object of missions as either visionary or impracticable; if not, to what portion of the world they should direct their attention, and whether they might expect patronage and support." We scarcely need to add that the names of Judson, Nutt, Mills, and Newel were appended to this memorial,