One of the marvels of modern history is the rise and development of the missionary spirit in the church within the last century. Almost from the apostolic age until the last decade of the eighteenth century the nominal Christian world seemed to be in the grasp of a profound slumber, an impassive lethargy, a supreme indifference as regarded the condition of the heathen world and the great commission given her to evangelize all nations. True there were here and there individuals who seemed to catch a glimpse of the work to be done and every age has produced its moral heroes who have dared and suffered for the lost ones of earth, but during all these centuries there was no general awakening of the church to this matter. This apparently impenetrable, immovable wall faced the young man upon whose heart the Spirit of God laid the burden of the lost millions of heathendom in the closing years of the eighteenth century. William Carey, an obscure cobbler in a little village in England; a member of a despised sect; later a poorly paid preacher for these despised people; who would have supposed that he was destined to originate a movement which would electrify the Christian world? His own people had no sympathy with what they conceived to be his visionary ideas. When he propounded in the association the question, “Whether the command given to the apostles to teach all nations was not obligatory upon all ministers to the end of the world,” one of the “Fathers” not only voiced his own unbelief and indifference but that of Christendom as well when he said, “Sit down, young man. You are a miserable enthusiast to ask such a question. When God wants to convert the world he can do it without your help.” But Carey had faith in God and the courage of his convictions and in spite of rebuffs he kept hammering at the wall until God enabled him to make a breach in it through which the light has been shining clearer and stronger with each decade of the century past and which shall shine

Instead of indifference there is now everywhere a great and growing enthusiasm among all bodies of professing Christians to evangelize the world; instead of one little society composed of twelve obscure men, there are powerful organizations denominational and interdenominational whose object is to carry the gospel to the nations who have it not. Instead of a paltry twelve pounds (sixty dollars), the amount Carey and his friends subscribed for the propagation of the gospel among the heathen, there is pouring into the treasuries of the various missionary societies and boards a golden stream of $20,000,000 annually; instead of one man who was ready to answer, “Here am I, send me,” thousands to-day stand waiting to be sent.

In the earlier part of our history as a church the subject of missions to the heathen did not receive much attention among us. There were several reasons for this. We had just begun our denominational existence. Our work in the home land was purely missionary work. All had to be built from the foundation. Scattered companies here and there must be gotten together to form the nucleus of an organization. Ministers must go forth without scrip or purse to where there were no churches, no parson-ages, frequently no members, to raise up a work and build churches. During this formative period it required all the energies of the infant church to meet the demands of the home work and maintain her existence. Quite early however, in our denominational existence, at the General Conference of 1874, just fourteen years after the organization of the church, action was taken looking toward efforts in missionary work by the election of a missionary board which was authorized to take charge of all moneys raised for missionary purposes and appropriate it to home or foreign missions as in the judgment of its members the cause of God could be best promoted. This was only a germ, but the issue has proven that it was a live germ.

At the General Conference of 1882 Rev. C. B. Ebey was elected missionary secretary which position he filled until the General Conference held at Chicago, Illinois, October 1890, when he was succeeded by Rev. W. W. Kelly. On account of failing health Mr. Kelly resigned and Rev. J. 0. Terrill was elected his successor by the executive committee in April, 1893, and filled the office with marked ability until the time of his death in the early spring of 1895. The executive committee elected as his successor Rev. B. Winget whose fitness for the position has been evidenced by the fact of his practically unanimous election at each General Conference since. The General Missionary Board of the Free Methodist church was legally incorporated June 19, 1885. The interests of which it has charge, the volume of business it transacts, and the amount of funds it administers are steadily increasing year by year. One of the hardest worked officials of the church is its secretary.

The first Free Methodists who went to the foreign field were Rev. Ernest F. and Phebe E. Ward. Mr. and Mrs. Ward feeling the call of God upon them to go as missionaries to India, Mr. Ward offered himself to the Illinois conference for appointment to that field. He was received on trial, ordained deacon and elder and appointed missionary to India at the session of that conference held at Freeport, Illinois, October 6-10, 1880. They immediately -sailed for India, arriving there in January, 1881. Although recognized as Free Methodist missionaries and receiving for several years, the principal part of their support from the Free Methodist church, they did not come directly under the board as they felt that to do -so would not be in harmony with the idea of “faith missions” which they had adopted. It should be said here, that, having some means of their own, they expended what they had in the work to which they felt they were called. They spent a part of the year 1892-93 in America, returning to India before the close of the year 1893. After their return for a time they withdrew from the church and labored as “independent faith missionaries.” Latterly they reunited with the church and in October, 1905, they were received by action of the Missionary Board as board missionaries and are proving to be valuable helpers to the missionaries on the field.

The first missionaries to go out to India under appointment by the Missionary Board were Miss Mary Louisa Ranf and Miss Julia Zimmerman. They sailed from New York, December 17, 1885. Miss Zimmerman left the work under the board, June 12, 1886. Miss Ranf continued her labors until the time of her tragic death November 6, 1890. Going into a place of worship to attend an evening service she came in contact with an oil lamp which was insecurely fastened, knocking it from its position. In falling the lamp was broken and the burning oil was spilled on her clothes setting them on fire. All her clothing was burned from her body. About five hours after the accident her spirit went to be with Jesus.

Miss Celia J. Ferries was accepted by the board and left Chicago, Illinois, for India in February, 1891. After remaining in India for five and one-half years she returned home in August, 1896. Remaining in the home land a little more than a year she left New York for India, October 23, 1897. Anna Jones landed in India in September, 1892 and remained about four and one-half years when because of failing health she returned to America. The board not thinking it wise because of the condition of her health to send her back to India she was discontinued. Mattie J. Miller was accepted for India in October, 1894, and immediately set sail reaching Bombay in December. She was granted a furlough in the summer of 1900. At the meeting of the board in October of that year she tendered her resignation which was accepted.

Rev. H. L. Crockett and Abbie Crockett, his wife, and their daughter Vangie and V. G. McMurray, the first two having been accepted by the directors of the board and the last by the board at its annual meeting, sailed for India, October 23, 1897. V. 0. McMurray and Miss Ferries were united in marriage in the early summer of 1898. In the fall of 1900, because of Mrs. Crockett’s mental and physical condition they were obliged to leave the field. Not deeming it best on account of Mrs. Crockett’s health to think of returning to India, they tendered their resignation to the board and it was accepted. Mr. Crockett is a successful minister in the Susquehanna conference.

Miss Emma Appling went to India under the Pentecost Bands, later seeking employment under our board she was, on recommendation of the missionaries on the field, accepted in October, 1896. In 1900 her health failing she was obliged to ask for a. furlough. She was returned to India in the fall of 1903, but again in 1907 her health failing she was obliged to return to the home land, where she is at the present time. Rev. J. T. and Mrs. J. T. Taylor left New York for India January 19, 1901. Miss Rose Cox and Miss Effie Southworth sailed at the same time. In September of the same year Mr. M. C. and Mrs. Ethel M. Clarke sailed from New York for India. Miss Mary E. Chynoweth embarked for the India field, January 4, 1902. As a result of a nervous breakdown brought on by over-exertion Miss Cox in 1905 was obliged to return home for a furlough. Her health restored she is now on time field again in active service. On account of a serious failure in Mrs. Taylor’s health they were obliged in 1906 to come home. Mrs. Taylor’s health is much improved at this time (1908) and they expect soon to return to India. In the early part of 1908 Miss Chvnoweth contracted virulent smallpox and entered into rest eternal. Since the last mentioned have gone out the following have been accepted and are on the field: Rev, and Mrs. George Edwards, Miss Jessie W. Lively, Mr. S. P. Casberg, Miss Mata D. Allee, Miss Edith M. Santee.

Our first mission station in India was located at Yeotmal, Province of Berar in Central India. The struggle to get a foothold in that land was long and severe, but at last land was secured and a good bungalow erected. During the late famine in India the way was opened for our missionaries to get a number of orphans both boys and girls. Two orphanages were established and there are now fifty-two boys and forty-four girls under the charge of our missionaries. They are being reared under Christian influence and training, many of them have been converted, and in a few years they will go forth to tell the story of the cross to their own people. Two other stations have since been opened, one at Darwha and one at Wun. There are thirty-four native communicants in India at the present time, fifteen missionaries on the field, three native helpers and property valued at about $17,000.