Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-04-19
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.
To ruE uosokAsLE Tukopokr FsrlIseuuy.rs:

AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.
To rBE HosokAsLE TuKOpokE FsElLSsuuysrS
Dear ir-lt your happy lot aud mine to live in day
when "mlay running and ITO, aud knowledge is in
crcasin Our pious fathers prayed for IT, and doubt
not those who after will leok back to It, with
many ,hankssiying the dawn Of upon DARK
and porshag world. Ii the church has the miraculous
gifts the apostolic age for the spread ct the Gospel she
has other gifts which the apostles had not She has conf
that her free almost every nation un
der heaven" She has the sieamcngnc, which no bead
wind, MONSOON current can battle; and which
brings and islands the remote, into proa
unity hardly yet conceived Of possible. And above ALL
has the Press which neither apostles prophets ever
dr.. AIMED o and By which she speak 10 millions IN
gions that she visited sin their tongues wherein
| they bora"
As there were Universities Of gifts aud operations, but
the Sp," in the primitive age o the christian DIS
penssuon, there are divers agencies now employed BY
great HeSd ct the church for the building up and
arcemen his kingdom. In the success Of ALL these
agencies know that dear SIR, feel l'.y ioer-
AID how any oi Chfisrs servants, ~hn lake
comprehensive the .eld. which the wot,
and work be done, anu for the Bible Soe'r
~ and for the Tract Society, aud tor Foreign Missions
and tor Home Missions, and 50 ON 10 the end OF the INST
Can any one these great instumen'1es be dispensed
with they all. under the smiles OF heaven. tend
ing grand result Do not the rays OF light which
they out all converge 10 one po and heip I'd make
It more luminous :
| have sometimes been tempted ask these who
lind their benevolent regards for thsn
al the great Christian associations OF the day. To
look up and how many they would have srich
ct the brightest consultations IN tho heavens or 10
look Goes bow the cloud after summer shower, and
tell which ct the eOlos most beautiful, which OF
all the could he spared and leave perfect rainbow
Can you inform have been ready To ask which OF the
four rivers that OF Eden from n common source,
the deepest. broadcast irucutying or which OF
them could dried up withou; furnishing OF
the nations have Thought "a. the tree oi lie too, m the
midst Of the paradise OF Tod bearng twelve manner OF
and yeju her fruit month. and scattering her
for the healing OF the nations and have been ready
ssk whether likely that those who walk the
golden stec aud pluck these fruits, tell which OF
the swec.cstl
l. But while to that every true and enl ghten
ed christian phanhrOpist must love and pray Tor the
American Bible Society, the American Tract Society
Hume and Foreign Missionary Societies and all the
thy OF the family each know must have
Its devoted Managers and Agents; and from the con-
stuuon 81 the human mind person can feel deeply in
erested IN them all at and at the same time. The
claims une, like manner will. from various causes
sometimes le stronger ,han those OF another which II
should be added that the eNSrrevovins wheels of Prov
dence will be opening vstas To the ot those who
devouily watch he sigDs OF the times, and wait for the
salvation OF God"
confess you, my dear Sir that of the Societies which
have named aGd several Others, do no, know which
love best When my thoughts particularly directed
one apt think is that, and when another, ihat
1t is shat And do not care, II love and pray for
them oil as ought.
My attention recently been drawn particularly
than before, the origin. constitution, progress pre-
sent state and future prospects OF the American Tract So
cety 1t has always been layoriies admire the
broad cahoicty oi its platform have read It's Annual
Reports and visited great Depository, and looked
the list Ui It's publications, and reOiced lis increasing
prosperity But I'LL very lately have been
engrossed with other open my mind and heart
ully for short iimc It's inapPrecIabs Importance
IA liie system Of for the OF the world.
have teen too busy, sluggish 10 keep with its
ostIc march mountains and rivers ISLANDS dnd CONT
nens have Tor some time felt desire deliberately To
examine it, principles 10 look carefully into its policy aud
TO take connected Of all the agencies interests
which il involves.
In medItafg upon the subject, it has occurred
lin other ias irends OF the Society have, like myself had
many other things do aud think Of, fully canvass
and appreciate lis cuins and that have little
leisure upon my hands might be rendering acceptable
service 10 the christian public by thinking aloud, ia
miar eistnery style, and by arranging thoughts
iO give rapid and consecutive WHIT has been
| done, and ct what remains 10 be accomplished.
In this humble essay Impars little interest my
own mind that the twentieth anniversary the American
Tract Society iSnow Jnst at hand. lseems be fitting
occasion fer general of policy and progress
for inquirng what IL commencement, and what
II Is now-whai IL proposed and what II has dOne-wha
pledges II MADE, and how 1t has kept hem-what light
Is beginning to shed upon the dark places Of the earth"
and whni WIDE regions are s TO be Illuminated. IL
pears that something like rnpid and condensed his.
torca sketch. # nothing more of each Of great be
neyoleni Societies should be given often once IN
twenty years, oitener Such a birds eye view could
not fail Of being extremely interesting and acceptable to
all classes Of their patrons Ii would he them distinctly
before the minds OF thousands who have but little time To
wade through long reports aud who often bewidered
rather than pvfed by the very olucncc Of ihcge annual
communications; while those who leisure for re
gous reading would be surprised and delighted 10 see
what progress made IN short, definite periods towards
eyangelLng tie nanons-how fast the chariot wheels OF
salvation roll Surely, advance along the track
Of this nineteenth century, the road side ought stud
ded thicker 5nd thicker with Ebenozers.
Pardon ne, dear SIR, for the liberty which am taking
in Gddrc sing these familiar lccfs you. some such me-
dun Of communication the public seems 1, me most ia
nfal aud convenient, and d. know what other name
more intimately associated than yours with ell the PHI
thropc aud christian enterprises Of tic day. The numbt
Of these letters will depend upon my esure aud the
manner ~ which they received.
am, dear Sir, with highest pc rsnnl respect your
friend and servant, II. HUMPHREY.
Amherst College. April {, 1916.