The Litchfield County post., 1827-10-04
Fssm Ghs N. J.. Observer.
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY CHAR
ITARIr NOR A NrRCA NTlLEl fNSTI-
- - TsafTfnN

TUITION.
Whatever NAV have been the impressions
of the founders Of this Society, or Of the
Christian community, respecting the plan of
operations which it ought to adopt, the indi-
cations of Divine Providence are VOiU so clear,
that IL mast engage largely sRATUIToUs DIS
TRIBUTIoNs TO THE DESTITUTE, and that
literal donations for this object will be indis-
pensable.
The mwltitudes of oar destitute to be snp-
piled with tracts, are, we believe, more Du-
nerous than those have been aware OF. who
have mOurned most deeply over the desola-
tons Of Zion. Leaving now out of question
the wants of Pagan lands, of South America
and of all North America except our own
country; passing over. also. the wants OF our
own seamen, and leaving out of question the
whole of New England, where many Tracts
have been circulated. though probably the
population of more than haEfits territory have
never yet been blessed or visited by Tracts :
Leaving out of the question all these, and all
the destitute families in our large cities, and
in the immediate vicinity of churches and
Christians who could, if they would easily
supply them, let one acquainted with the real
state of our population, take map of the u
nited States, and see what destinations still re-
, main.
Let him commence with the State Of New
York, near the Southern extremity of Lake
Champlain, and follow the boundary line of
the State of Canada, thence along the shores
Of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and round on the
southern boundary till he approaches the
Hudson let him examine the northern and
western parts of Pennsylvania, and the noun
famous tracts, and the pines of New Jersey
proceeding south, let him explore the whole
State of Virginia, embracing more than /,
100000 Of inhabitants, and N. & S. Carolina
embracing 100000 more and let him be-
come familiar with the moral state of large
part of Georgia.
When he has well considered the openings
fer the gratuitous distribution of Tracts in
these States, let him reflect that other States
west and south of Allegheny mountains, oc-
cupy fertile territory much larger than all
he has yet explored, and contain 1900, 900 of
inhabitants-one third Of the ,ohote population
Of the United States let him inquire into the
moral condition of all these miIlions--learn
how many places ofpublic worship they have
how many able and faithful preachers of
the Gospel--how many Bibles, how many
Sabbath Schools, how far the Sabbath is re-
garded, and the name of God revered what
numbers are destroying body and soul with
intemperance; how far infdelity and other
fatal errors prevail; how many children are
growing up without Instruction. aud ignorant
Of the way of salvation.
While the view is fresh in the memory, let
him also reflect, that this country is now
in comparative infancy, forming char
ceter for ages, and that the eyes Of the
true friends of God and man throughout the
civilized world are now directed here. that
they may see arhether there can be virtue e.
nough in a people to support a free govern
ment; and let him follow the mutitudes of
Of our fellow men, "who live without God in
the world,'' in their onward and rapid course
to eternity; then let him say how many short
and'interesting portions of the pungent and
searching truths Of the Gospel, in the form of
Religious Tracts, it is desirable to send to
these multitudes, and what is the call upon
! the American Tract Society,to engage in gra-
tnitous distributions.
The wants of these large portions Of the
country are not matter of mere theory.
There is scarcely spot of considerable size
throughout the whole extent, from which APP
pcations for the gratuitous distributions of
Tracts have not already been pressingly urQea
upon the American Tract Society.
"I'ask of you," says clergymani IL Ohio
"$s5'worth of tracts for gratllitous aistribu-
ton. Uniyersalists and Unitarians.are distib-
uting their tracts here, and we expectsoon to
see even Deistical Tracts in circulation. The
friends of religion here will do what they can
bnt they cannot do all that must be done.
The religion all around us is moral wilder
ness. The settlements are poor, and unable
to buy for themselves, or if able, they do not
feel the Importance ofthe work. S25 worth
would be but morsel in supplying the wants
of this part Of Ohio. viii not the committee
grant us that"
"The portion of country where reside"
says an Episcopal clergyman, in one of the
counties of Lower Virginia. 'as the commit
tee must certainly be aware, is in state of
deplOrabe ignorance on the subject of evan
gelical religion. beg leave to solicit, in. their
BEHALF grant of Tracts; the grqtuitous dis
tribution Of them here, l confidently be-
lieve, will much subserve the Redeemer's
cause"
s2se." / wish to know" writes travelling agent
of the Society, in the northern part of Penn
sylvania, whether the committee will not
authorize me to distribute some Tracts gratu-
itously to the destitute families that live scat
tered through these infant settlements. Who
can calculate the amount of good which
might result from putting one tract Of 12 pa
ges into each family the people would glad
ly receive them. In the neat two story dwell
ling, and in the log cabin, with slab or bark
roof, am, as Agent of the Tract Society re-
u,.~I 4. IL.