The North-Carolina standard., 1843-04-19

son who is the father ofeight children, and worth
more than $4,000, who never had had Bible
He found heads of families from rs to IS wears of
age without the word Of God. In one instance,
he visited man upwards of fifty years of age,
processing to be member of one of the religious
denominations,) whose children were married and
formed in separate families and neither father nor
children owned copy the Holy Scriptures
Another person, protesting attachment to the
Church of christ had no Bible, and refused to ppr
chase for his two sons who were married; one of
whom belonged to the same denomination as his
father, refused TO take the Blessed Book into his
housel These things, my brethren, were not dis
covered in land of heathenism, or in our own
thinly settled Far West but in the capital county
of the ancient State of North Carolina.
1t was likewise proposed to explore ORANGE
COUNTY. 1fthe influence of a University Of long
Standing of refined society in its central town, and
of probably Of ministers ofthe four leading
denominations Of Christians, (several ofwhom are
teachers of science as well as preachers of the
GospeD would make county secure in its posses
sion otthe Bible, there would have been no need
OF a visitation in Orange. But being convinced
that we had been mistaken in this matter, it was
determined to explore this county. Inthe person
of the Rev, J. A. McManin we found an agent
willing to undertake this honorable labor His
report up to this date shows 92O families visited Of
there were six families on the road between Hills
boro and Chapel Hill who had no Bible-within
the distance of IL miles OF the heads of these
families some were aged persons, some professed
to have belonged to a religious denomination for
more than quarter of a century. The Agent
found persons who have not heard the Gospel for
fifteen years, and Others who were more than
twenty one years of age who never had heard q
sermon! Many received the word of God with
1ID1 a.
which not only gave the poor the gospel "without
money and without price," but actually sent the
Holy Book to their houses. In no case was the
gift refused: in two cases it was taken with some
indications of "sournesS of feeling" which the
Agent thinks was "because they were ashamed to
be found destitute"
My brethren, we have too often said that none
are destitute who would have the Bible as they
have great facilities of purchasing Are there any
and WAKE2 None. probably. If then, more
than third of the families in these counties are
without the Bible what may suppose to be the
aggregate destitution of North Carolina Let us
take into the calculation the inland counties which
lie near no thoroughfare and those counties near
er the coast, where we may suppose the access TO
books to be of very great difficulty. The lack Of
the Book of Truth in this State will arouse every
right-minded Christian. Shall our charity begin
at home2 Let her begin at home and much
will she have to do to give her household bread
before she go abroad
Well, what shall we do2 Shall man quietlH
recline the cushions of case, while his brother
is fainting and dying at the door2 The Lord Of
Mercy and of the Bible forbid We must do
something nOw Let all the pastors of churches
in the State give to their people the facts with
which our agents furnish them. Let them request
all the christians in the congregation to explore
their own neighborhood and see whether there be
not some without the Bible. Let collection be
taken up in the congregations to purchase the Sa-
cred Scriptures for the poor near them, and to as
sist the State Bible Society in supplying the poor
in other parts of the State. Let the people know
thatthere is depository of Holy Books at Raleigh
where the attentive Agent, Jesse Broom esq is
ready TO sell Bibles, got up IN different styles, at
cost, and to ,giUc to those who have not money to
offer in exchange for the word of God. Where
are the County Auxiliarics? Cannot one Chris
tan be found in each county to arouse the dormant
Societies, to look after the wants ofther neigh
borhood, who will go to every house and see wheth-
er any of his fellow citizens are starving spiritu-
ally? Brethren, we have been walking and ri
ding past houses for weeks and months where
there is no copy ofthe word of God Let US wake
up to the matter, and not rest while there can be
any possibility of "a single family not having the
presence ofthe volume of Inspiration.
My brethren, know that the interesting nature
of the facts have stated will prevent you from
thinking ofthe length Of this letter, and Of the lib
erty taken in this appeal.
CHARLES M. F. DEEMS