Rice worked to unite Baptists in America to support foreign missionaries which resulted in the organization of "The General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in United States of America, for Foreign Missions," also called the Triennial Convention, in 1814.

[4] Also in 1814, Rice was awarded an honorary doctorate by then Baptist-dominated Brown University in partial recognition for his contributions to missionary work undertaken through his Baptist denomination.

He served as the treasurer of Columbian College from 1826 until his death, September 25, 1836, in Saluda, South Carolina, while traveling through the Southern United States raising funds for the missions and seminaries that he founded.

[1] He was interred at Pine Pleasant Cemetery, Saluda County, South Carolina.

[6] Although his life was not without controversy, Rice's contribution to the support of missionary work was invaluable in the early years of the Triennial Convention.