Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-06-28
Abstract from the tsreJth annual report Of the
American Sunday School Union.

During the past year, twenty-Qhe HIS
sionaries and agents have been employed
for different portions oftime, in the west
Their principal employment has been to
revisit the schools formed in previous
years, to repleuish their libraries, and a
waken the interest of ministers, and OF
other Christians in the work.
The expense Of maintaining the mis-
sionaries and agents was S9O66 62. The
cost of books supplied gratu,ously TO l57
schools, and presented to military stations,
and for other useful objects, was Sll44
81. The contributions to the Valley
Fund, amounted to Sll,34 06, and were
received as tollows:-
The progress of the Board, in fulfilling
the resolution of 1888, in regard to the es-
tablishiug of schools in the southern states,
has been retarded solely by their want OF
success in procuring men to undertake the
work. We have endcavoured bv applca-
ton, appointment, inquiry, and correspon-
dence 10 obtain suitable men to engage IN
the service; but the general answer has
been, that the need of pastors for church
es, and for direct employment as preach
ers, is such that the proper men cannot be
spared The Board still hope that they
Nill be able to secure the services of chief
agent for the south, by whose influence
many will be enlisted in the cause.
We cannot think, that if the objects Of
the society are viewed in relation to the
future condition of this country, and oi,the
church Of Christ, men will believe that the
religious education of the young must be
postponed to other departments of religi-
Gus duty. 1t is, therefore, the confidence
of the board, that if the question were full
ly presented in its strength to the atten-
tion of the ministers and people OF the
southern states, they would furnish an a.
dequate supply of men for the wants of
that section of our country. We hear with
solicitude the appeal that is often address
sed us from this district but we can only
In return express our readiness to appoint
any man whom they will nominate, with
proper assurance Of his qualifications.
On this subject we have lately made an
earnest request to all the Unions that ex-
ist in the south, for their aid in finding
missionaries, and have already received
encouragement to expect that it will be
granted.
During the year nine agents and mis-
sionaries have been employed in the south.
The contributions to the Southern Fund
amounted in the year to $542l "a, as
follows:--
The expense Of employing the mission
aries was S337S 81, and of the books ei-
ven to AZ schools and otherwise, $36l
43. The balance to the credit of this fund
will be required as soon as we are able to
engage the number of agents called for by
our plan.
Two agents have during the year made
an extensive tour through the south and
west, and one of their objects was to pro-
cure missionaries, and to awaken the in
terest ofthe churches to the necessity of
providing men from among themselves to
undertake the work.
With respect to the actual number Of
schools now in the United States, VIC la
bour under the usual difficulty ofprocur-
ing returns. According to the register Of
our auxiliaries, there are 1859 societies
aud schools boand to send us an annual
report. But, although a request for such
areport, with list of the six questions
that we desired to be answered, has been
sent to each one, so far as we knew where
10 direct them, only l44 have complied
witt the conditions on which they sustain
this relation. These l44 reports give,
as their present statistics, 1912 schools,
l6,647 teachers, and ll9,955 scholars.
Only "a unions and schools mention the
number of volumes in their Libraries, and
these amount to lS7,667. The number
ofconversions reported by AZ unions and
schools, is 42S teachers, and 2039 schol-
ars. Besides these, COS persons are re-
ported, without specifying whether Icy
are teachers or scholars; making the total
number in these schools 3075.
In the northern and eastern states we
have had at times, or permanently, one a.
gent employed in Vermont, one in New
Hamphire, one in Connecticut, one in
Massachusetts, seven in New York, one
in New Jersey, and two in Pennsylvania.
The time of these agents has been princi-
pally occupied in collecting funds, holding
public meetings, attending Sabbath-school
conventions, presenting the objects Of the
society to the notice of different ecclesias.
,ical bodies. and visiting schools connect
ed with the numerous unions and associ-
ations organized for the promotion ofSun-
day-schools within certain bounds.
The donations to the Foreign Fund,
from March /, 1885, to March /, 1886,
amount to $2239 95, making S3772 &c,