On August 28 and 29, 1852, a special conference of the Church was called by President Brigham Young. This meeting, called specifically for the purpose of sending out 108 missionaries, was an extra meeting in the yearly schedule of Church conferences. Nine of the 108 missionaries chosen were to go to India at Calcutta, four were to go to Siam, and four were selected to go to China. The four men chosen to fill missions to China were Hosea Stout, James Lewis, Walter Thompson and Chapman Duncan. The conference was held early so that the missionaries could reach their fields with greater ease before winter.
