WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has reached a crisis in its history in which its future usefulness, and perhaps its very existence, will greatly depend on its prompt and decisive action on certain matters,
RESOLVED, 1st. That the Southern Baptist Convention is a permanent institution; and that in view of the new and enlarged fields of usefulness which its special fitness for the work requires it to occupy, the necessity of sustaining it is more imperative now than at any former time.
RESOLVED, 2nd. That Providence clearly indicates, and Christian philanthropy admonishes us of our duty to put forth an earnest and organized effort for the religious instruction of the colored race in our midst.
RESOLVED, 3rd. That we believe that the time has fully come for the introduction of a new instrumentality, in addition to those already employed, for the conversion of the heathen, viz: the Christian Colony; and that as the enterprise is now, as we believe, both practicable and desirable, this Convention will adopt, at an early day, measures to organize bodies of converted freedmen, and aid them in settlying as missionary churches in Africa.
The Committee to whom were referred the preamble and resolution presented by Bro. Seeley, respectfully report:
The first and second resolutions we heartily approve, and recommend their adoption by the Convention.
The third resolution relates to the system of Christian colonization as a means of evangelizing the heathen. That it may be rendered subservient to the spreading of the Gospel we do not doubt; but it is an experiment involving too much expense, and whose success depends on too many contingencies to justify the Convention, at the present time, in entering upon it. We therefore recommend that the subject be referred to the Foreign Mission Board, to give it careful consideration and to take such action on it as they may deem proper.