The Litchfield County post., 1828-02-14
Psam sAeNT. tsMrsry.
PROGRESS OF TnE AMERICAN TRACT
s&se,srx,

years. is now called on, by the providence
of God, and by abe exigeRcies otI@er great
eommunty,to put forth tie efforts If a fall
.or0.ca man. And there is tfbthioe IN the
nature of The institution to preVett its ina
mediaiely possessing the vigOr OF maturity
if its real wants are known, and Sufficient
adequate personal exertions ere promptly
contributedss
Zone characteristic of this cause" as
the Committee of the Society have well
said, e which gives it especial interest in
the present state of.our country,is rdpidity
of movement. Ii brings the art of sterOty-
ping, and the full power of the press, of
which every body has spoken, but the ex-
tent of which no one has duly estimated, to
bear in all the perfection of their energy,
upon the moral welfare Of our country.
And it is scarcely too mucIito say, that nu-
merous as our population is, and rapidly as
it is increasing, Religious Tracts, with no
demand upon the treasures of a Christian
public which would impoverish hem, with
no sacrifices of effort would etDbitter their
peace or mar their enioyment@ and with
benefit to our land, May soon be sent into
every family, and placed in he hands of
every little child. 1'aoclee millions ot in-
k0bit0nts are indeed a great many; but
twelUe millions of tracts can be printed, &
printed in one wear, with no essential sac
rifce to the community. Our population
is indeed increasing with rapidity that
astonishes us; but the amount OF Religious
Tracts issued may soon be made equal to
it. and surpass if. ! And little active eff
fort of Christians, which would only rem
der their lives happy, and, through grace,
give them unspeakable Joy in the great
day of account, will put them all into circu-
lation. ... ....
There is nothing to prevent those whose
hearts and hands are now engaged in this
work, from extending it almost beyond any
assignable bounds. We are not called on
to measure out our limited and feeble eff
forts, and wait for those who come after lis
TO accomplish the work. 1t need not be
delayed till the cause of in6delity and sin
have been streng henng through an age, &
one whole generation of those who are far
from God have gone down to death and
into eternity. The voice of Providence
most manfestly calls US to great and noble
efforts now. Every facility for printing,
and communication with the most distant
parts is afforded. The call is on as, who
now occupy these churches, aud who have
assumed the responsibility of urging for
ward, under the Divine direction and bles-
sing, this glorious cause. On us God has
conferred this honor and privilege; and
we may not ingloriously put them away
from us, and refer them to those whom he
shall raise up in future years.
That the openings of Providence are far
in advance the Society's operations, the
following facts Individually show:
The demands for Tracts have, from the !
formation the Society, greatly exceeded
the ability to publish them. In endeav-
oring to meet these demands, the Society
printed,
Tracts. I
During the year ending May |. 1896, $4,000 |
During the year ending May l, 1897 3,1l7,10O (
In eight months from May l, 1897, to Jan. |, 1928,
><t 100000 !
This amount of printin,;; has been done
with "a treasury rarely containing funds e.
nough tobear the current expenses of Two
weeks, and often entirely empty
and with obligations resting on the commit
tee for paper purchased, to an amount
which at no time, for several months past,
has been less than nine or ten thousand dol
lars. @
And notwithstanding this amount of
printing done, the whole amount of Tracts
in the General Depository ought to con-
tain, in order to enable the Society to
meet, without embarrassment, the claims
of the community. Iftwice this amount,
or 100000 Tracts, were added, their cost
would be about SO 900; if three FINEST this
or 100000 Tracts were added,
their cost would be $4,000.
In this state of things, the Committee !
have also made gratuitous distributions of
Tracts, chiefly to very destitute parts of
this and other countries, amounting in 8
months, ending January 1st, to 100000
pages; and the calls for gratuitous distrib-
utions, especially in our extensive New
Settlements, ARE now continually on the in
crease. aava
We ask the friends of this Society and
Of the cause Of Christian Benevolence, not (
to shut their eyes upon, or slightly consid-.
or these facts. Most Of them are of ma
ture which procludes the possibility of mis-
take. Their generalaccuracy is certain.
And ifthere is reason for faith in God that
the great work Of diffusing knowledge Of