The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-07-28
Moral De.ss,u,sou a, the s.u,.

The 1TRe Wesleyan publishes letter from
Rev. Mr.. Cook, who has recently attended a
meeting of Colporteurs at Lewisburg, Virginia,
from which we make the blowing extract.
"The wide field traversed by these breth.
rem, embracing some fifty or sixty counties,
stretches from the Blue Ridge to the Ohio
river, mean distance of more than 200
miles in width, and from the Pennsylysn-
ian to the Tennessee line. The territory
is about equal to that embraced in the States
Of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu.
sets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New
Jersey. But while the population of these
States will average something like sixty to
the square mile, that Of the district under
consideration will not exceed ten. and
many counties have not more than two, or
five, Inhabitants to the square mile. West
Of the Alleghanies. the county is an al
most uninterrupted succession of mountains.
suited alone for grazing, or, if the immense
water-power were turned to account, for
manufacturing. The people chiefly reside
in log cabins, along the little valleys, ra.
vines, or hill sides, with almost no reference
to neighborhood, school, or church privi-
leges, in their location.
"Ihe means Of education are very re.
stricted and inadequate. The schoolmas-
Ter needs to be on horseback TO find his pu
pills. Probably one-fflh Of the adult popu-
lation cannot read at all, and much larger
proportion are but poor readers. Nearly
one-half of the population are so situated
TO prevent the enjoyment Of the means
Ul instruction with any degree Of REGULAR.
ty, if they were provided; and in many
counties there were not more than one OF
two common schools in operation. Sab
bath schools were few in number, and I'M
perfectly supplied with teachers or libraries,
and few children attend them.
THE amount Of ministerial instruction
is altogether inadequate. In e region Of
country more than twice as large as Mas
sachusetts, there are but six places where
The congregations enjoy the preaching OF
the Gospel regularly every Sabbath; and a
very small proportion Of those who hear
the Gospel, have the opportunity more FREE
quently than once a month. Immense
numbers do not enjoy the privilege from
year to year. Such facts as the following,
existing in State which has been settled
for two centuries. seem hardly credible; yet
they are literally true. A county, forty
miles long. has the labors of but two
preachers, with six congregations, averaging
about forty members. Another county,
seventy miles by thirty, has the labors Of
two itinerant preachers, and no other. Other
counties are better supplied with preaching;
but nearly all have destitute families and
neighborhoods, who never hear the preached
word. I-s
"Is it not strange that en- appalling des!i.
tuition of the Bible should exist among a
population so sparse, and enjoying so few
other means Of grace! Already, the col.
porteurs have hunted out 3,1S4 families,
embracing more than $4,000 souls, who
were destitute Of the word of God. In
many cases, professors of religion, of va
rious denominations, were found without
this precious treasure; and it is clear, that
large part of the whole number would have
destitute, but for such a system as
colportage.
"Religioss books, in any variety were
rarely found. No less than 5,2Ol families
have been visited in the last tarss years,