Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-08-20
RENikGIOUS,
-Eic0ensh annual Report of the .4meri.
can Tract Society, 1925.

1870 ~'ohNptO'3 INV iS%pCuNHS oOti-
miltee now present their Eleventh An
nual Report, at the close Of year which
has been more eveniful than any record
ed in the annals OF the Society.
Less than twelve years ago, this So
ciety existed solely in the minds Of a few
Pious individuals, met together for chris
tian communion and consul.asion-snd
now i, is circulating its nine hundred
thousand Tracts year. 1t not only scat
tiers ITS publications among the hills and
wales of New England, but sends them
all along down the Atlantic Coast, over
the Mountains OF the Allegheny, and
through all the length and breadth of our
country. The traveller finds them on
the shores of the Lakes and of the Gulf
Of Mexico, on the Tennessee and the
Cumberland, the Ohio and the Kaskas-
kia, the Mississippi and the Missouri
The Committee regard with astonsh-
ment the progress of the Society, and in
view OF it cannot but exclaim, :" What
hath God wrough. ?" A little while
ago it was like the cloud seen BY the ser
want OF the prophet, when he bowed him
self before God, no bigger than a" mans
hand;" and now its showers of spiritua!
blessings are descending, here and there,
over the face Of country vast in extent,
and viewed in all its political and moral
relations, as one of the most interesting
on which the sun ever shone.
The Committee cannot but feel, that
every christian in these United States
stands on consecra,ed ground. Ascene
is acting around US, the results of which
must be grand beyond description, and
must involve the temporal and eternal
welfare finnumerable multi,udes. Here
political and religious liberty has taken
up her dwelling. No arm of power, CT
vii or ecclesiastical is extended over US,
and crushing our efforts to spread the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. No monarch
here feels his throne endangered because
the Bible is circulated among his sub
Jects. There is no external barrier 10
oar enjoying all the prosperity that we
will enjoy, or to our difusing all the
blessings to others, which we wish to
,liffuse. And while we are in possession
Of these privileges, the nations Of the
South, moved by our example, are with
great cagcrness rising to obtain them
and tens of thousands in the old world
are painting and struggling to gain them
for themselves. The most exalted in
seres,s Of our world depend, under Di.
vine Providence, on our nations moving
forward unn,erruptedly in ito career, till
its prosperity and its spiri, OF active, en-
lightened, and Christian Beneyolence,
shall stand forth to the visw OF every
kingdom of men, with brightness be-
fore which, ignorance, and despo,isu>,
and superstition, shall be compelled 10
retire. All, that will be happy day,
when the arm Of tine oppressor shall be
broken, and the oppressed go free; when
all shall worship God in the sincerity Of
their hearts; when the Bible shall be in
every family and all shall enjoy the pre-.
cious light Of the Gospel.
But as we contemplate the influence
which our nation can exert, we tremble
to observe in her very heart the seeds Of
destruction. Sin is binding the eyes OF
her children, and sinking ttem in degra.
dation and ruin. And there is bu, one
counteracting cause.-the influence ofthe
Cross of Christ. Cold morality will not
reach case so desperate. Blu, the Cos
pei can do it, and this Gospel it is our
duty and our privilege to spread.
In such work as this, is the Society,
whose anniversary we this day celebrate,
engaged; and with power and success
which perhaps none have duly estina,.
ed. The Tract System is so noseess
and unassuming, that its influence, ex-
cept by the eye Of christian faith, is in a
great measure overlooked. But such is
its power, tina, taking your stand at some
eligible point, you may exer, an influence
IN favor Of religion, through every state
and territory Of the Union. Thousands
Of the people OF God shall be sladdened
by your endeavors; hundreds OF thou
sands Of children and youth shall read
Of Saviour and him crucitied, and re-
ceiye impressions which they can never
forget; you shall raise and support the
tone Of christian morals and christian
doctrine, in this age when SO many coun.
teracting causes are in operation; you
shall bind closer 10 each other the hearts
OF the ministers of Christ, scattered
abroad in the land; and you shall pre-