present crisis, for placing the entire system of payments in their
Foreign Missions upon the soundest footing, and for determining the
principles by which those payments shall be regulated. The Directors
accepted these suggestions, and since then the three Foreign
Committees, into which the London Board is divided, have devoted much
attention to the system of their Foreign Missions.

In the case of each of the Missions examined, they carefully laid
down the principles applicable to the condition of the Native
churches; the forms of missionary labour among the heathen; the
number and work of the Society's missionaries; the number and labours
of Native agents engaged in purely mission work; and the state of
education. The present scale and details of expenditure were
examined; and then, to every element of the system an APPROPRIATION
for the year was made of that amount of money which, in the judgment
of the Directors, the Society could justly spare from the funds which
they have at their command. A Schedule of these allowances in every
group of Missions was next drawn out, exhibiting the sums available
for the expenditure of the year, and was forwarded to the Mission
concerned. And finally, a special DESPATCH which accompanied the
Warrants, was written to the members of every Mission, in order to
explain in the fullest manner the views of the Directors respecting
that Mission, and the form which, in their judgment, the aid of the
Society should for the future assume. Again, while the Society enjoys
the services of a large number of able, conscientious, and spiritual
men, as devoted as ever their predecessors were to missionary work,
it was seen to be essential to their fullest efficiency, that they
should be brought into closer union with each other abroad, and with
the system of the Society at home; that the personal comfort of the
mission families should be more fully secured under the changed