EIGHTEENTH REPORT
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY
~MINUTES~
ANNIVERSARY IN NEW YORK,
MAY 9, 1850
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EXTRACT FROM PAGE 7
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ANNIVERSARY WEEK

The exercises of the Anniversary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society were introduced by a delightful preliminary meeting on Wednesday Evening, May 8th, in the Norfolk Street Baptist Church, occasioned by the anticipated departure of two missionaries (Rev. Messrs. F. E. Preveaux and L. O. Grenell) and their wives to California. It was emphatically a

FAREWELL TO THE CALIFORNIA. MISSIONARIES

The Chairman of the Executive Board of the Society, Rev. S. H. Cone, D.D., presided in his usual felicitous manner. After the reading of the 52d Chapter of Isaiah, by Rev. D. B. Stout of N. J., and prayer, by Rev. C. Morton of N. Y., the Chairman explained the objects of the meeting, and was followed by the Missionaries in brief and appropriate remarks concerning the field of labor assigned them and their duty to occupy and cultivate it; after which they and their wives were addressed by Rev. Z. Grenell of N. J., (whose son is one of the company) in a touching and affecting charge and farewell. He, again, was followed by Rev. J. N. Granger of R. I., (Mr. Preveaux's pastor) in an excellent, comprehensive address, in which he presented a fine contrast between the physical and moral features of the settlement of California. After which a contribution was taken up for the Society. The exercises were interspersed with singing by the choir of the Church, and the impression made by all the services were excellent - and happily adapted to prepare the minds and hearts of the audience for the Anniversary Meetings of the succeeding day.

Rev. Zelotes Grenell

of Paterson, N. J.
Delivered May 8, 1850

Address to Missionaries to California,
in anticipation of their departure for the field;
among whom was his son.

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Zelotes Grenell My DEAR SON: I rise to address you, and your companion and fellow-laborers, destined to occupy the same field with you, under peculiar sensations.
My recollection adverts to the day when you lay a helpless infant on your mother's lap: fond anticipations, gloomy fears, and sanguine hopes, all clustered round the little and beloved stranger. As rolling seasons developed your propensities, dispositions, and faculties, these hopes and fears succeeded each other in rapid succession, and with increasing vigor. O that Levy may become a Christian formed the burden of many a sigh. Prayer was answered, the Spirit came, and my son, my first-born, was sealed (as I trust) to the day of redemption. Then painful fears were allayed and fond hopes increased. The strong anxiety then was, that God would make you a special instrument for good in his militant kingdom. God called you, I trust; to the high and holy work of publishing his Gospel to the sons of men, and in his wise providence he has opened the door for you to attain a good degree of mental and moral culture. Deep anxiety still brooded over this subject - what will God do for my son; where will he assign him a field of usefulness? God, I trust, has spoken in his providence and assigned to you some portion of California as the field of. holy enterprise. In all the developments of grace and providence, God is witness that a fathers desires and prayers have been offered on your behalf; and with all my attachment I freely resign you to this high and holy work.
Allow me, First, to remind you, and your fellow-laborer in the important field assigned you, of the nature - and importance of the work in which you are to be engaged, You are not going to that distant land to live in ease, or acquire the honors and emoluments which are conferred by the men of this world. Nor to amass the treasures of this world, houses, lands, silver and gold; all of which perish with their using, Nor to be a political aspirant to trim your way through party politics to office, honor, or renown. Your calling is too high and holy to be devoted to such base and groveling ends. But you go to pour the rays of heaven's light into the dark minds of the people of all nations who shall be there congregated together. To proclaim to all the immutable laws of the Eternal God, the penalties he has enacted against all transgression and sin; and present: all God's revealed motives to honesty, purity, and virtue. To present the glorious Gospel of the ever blessed God, its claims, its hopes, and rewards. To lead those who thirst intensely for the gold which perisheth, to thirst still more for those riches which are durable. To convince men of sin and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin and an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. To collect souls whom God has renewed into a Church, administer to them the ordinances of God's house, feed them with knowledge, and direct their energies to useful ends. While doing these things you are incidentally laying, deep and broad, the foundations of society, domestic, civil; political, intellectual, moral and religious; to permanently benefit generations yet unborn.
Allow me, Secondly, to remind you of the fact, that many discouragements may attend your labors. The native depravity of the human heart is a discouragement that all ministers have felt and deplored; and, but for the power of invincible grace, this would be an insuperable obstacle to success. But you, I presume, may meet with peculiar discouragements, arising from the state of the population made up mostly of adventurers, far from home, all absorbed in business; and so peculiarly indisposed to hear and obey the truth: - people mostly who have a strong thirst for wealth, with sanguine hope of obtaining it; hence all absorbed with hopes of gain; hence a floating population constantly coming and going; hence impressions made to day cannot be followed up because the subjects of them are far away.
In such a community heresy, infidelity, intemperance, speculation and a want of integrity will all prevail to an alarming extent, and hinder the work of the Lord - they will discourage his servants.
Allow me, Thirdly, to remind you of the sovereign remedy for these discouragements. Occasional success in leading a poor convicted sinner to Christ; finding a wandering sheep and bringing it back to the fold; and comforting one of the Lord's people; these will go far toward alleviating your discouragement. The approvings of a good conscience for having done whole duty in the fear of God will go still further. But to fall back on the promises of God, trust in him, wait his will, leave all in his hands - believing that disappointments and apparent defeats are all for his glory - here is the sovereign remedy for all discouragements.
Allow me, Fourthly ,to present some appropriate cautions in view of your work. Take good care of your health, it is essential to happiness and usefulness and must be preserved by using appropriate means. Cultivate method in all your labors, lay out as much as you can well do, and do it well, and in its proper season. By all laudable means make friends of all, this is the foundation of influence for good; but make confidents of but few and they the well tried.
Never engage in party politics or any other exciting subject, which has no bearing on the great work of the conversion of souls; such things are to low for your attention. Avail yourself of all the appropriate auxiliaries to your work, as the cause of general education in the community in which you may reside; the Sabbath school enterprise, so blessed of God to the good of the church; and especially the cause of temperance which is very important. Avoid, by all means, all speculations and entanglements in the things of this world; many have fallen here; as did Demas. Please him who hath chosen you to be a soldier.
Be choice in the selection or materials you would build into a church; living stones are only fit for this building. Should special success attend your ministry; should God give you many friends and much influence, be not high-minded but fear; lay all your honors at the feet of Jesus, ascribe all to his grace, use all to his glory, and devote all to his cause. By a holy example, a humble walk with God, the daily reading of his word and constant prayer, endeavor to keep alive the flames of devotion, that your influence may be savory indeed.
Allow me to name, Fifthly, some considerations which should inspire you with constant fidelity in your work. The value of the undying souls for whose salvation you labor; the efficacy of the great atonement made for the salvation of the soul; the power of the Spirit to make feeble instrumentality effectual in leading the soul to Christ, and to believe on him for salvation; the prayers of the church who have reposed confidence in you and sent you into the field, among whom are parents, kindred and friends, near and dear, waiting and hoping for your signal success and the shortness of time. Soon those for whose good you labor will have gone; every sermon and visit may be the last; and soon you will cease from your labors to give an account of your stewardship. May I not add to the crown of glory which awaits all those whom you are instrumental in leading to Christ, and which awaits you at the end of your race.
And to you, my daughters, allow a remark. Consecrated as you are to a most glorious and responsible work, to be the bosom companion and constant attendants of men devoted to the ministry, is a most noble employment. Let it be your noble work - with woman’s deathless trust, entire consecration, and moral fortitude, which never submits or yields in a good cause - to hold up their hands by prayer, cheerfulness, fortitude and patient resignation. May you dry their briny pillows and by all means aid their onward course. O may you all live and labor together with an entire consecration to this great work, as heirs of the grace of life, and thus aid each other in this dreary vale to glory.
I had fondly hoped to have a son in the ministry living near me, to attend and console me in my dying hour and to whose counsels I could commit those who are as dear to me as my own life; but it seems that God in his wisdom has disappointed these expectations, so far, at least. As you, my son, are concerned. In this, I trust, I bow submissively to the divine will; yet I hope to praise him now and forever, for a son whom he has called top a work so noble. When the vessel which is to convey you to your distant field shall leave the wharf, we shall probably have seen each other for the last time in this world. Therefore take this my dying advice, which, in connection with prayer to the God of all grace, is all I have to bequeath. O, my children, live for eternity - glorify God - be faithful unto death, and God will give you a crown of life and glory.

FINALLY.

When the dreams of life are fled
And its wasted lamp is dead;
When in cold oblivion’s shade
Beauty, wealth and fame are laid;
Where immortal spirits reign
There may we all meet again.

Rev. Zelotes Grenell

of Paterson, N. J. Delivered May 8, 1850

Address to Missionaries to California, in anticipation of their departure for the field; among whom was his son.

& Eighteenth Report of the AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY 1850 Pages 47-49

of Paterson, N. J.
Delivered May 8, 1850

Address to Missionaries to California,
in anticipation of their departure for the field;
among whom was his son.

&
Eighteenth Report of the
AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY
1850
Pages 47-49