Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-04-14
Colportage i'm Virginia.

SOtYOrt0Sc III vItSfElA.
It's due to the friends and patrons orthe
Tract Society in this State. to place before
them the result ofthe laDors of the fiscal
year just closed. Reports have been re-
ceived from 46 Colporsa1s5. The aggre-
gate of labor perioraed amounts 70 IL
years.
Total oxPenses for services. tolls, freight.
ferriage, meals and lodging, S5,236 ST.
Value Of grants, S2.oll IA. Collected
in the State to meet this demand s4,s25.1s,
leaving balance drawn from the fAren,
Society Of S2.722 II.
an the labor reported has been done in
6l counties. in some Of them very extern
sivc revivals of religion have been snjoy-
ed. 3l74 new members have been ad-
dcd TO the churches. How far cur publ
cations, and the labors OF the Colpurteurs
have been instrumental in bringing about
these results we cannot undertake to say.
We know however, of no place where
books have been freely distributed where
there has not been more than usual In
gathering into the church.
About SO individual conversions are re-
ported which were brought about through
Tie direct agency Of arlsolS or tract. This
is encouraging, But stil our great en-.
couragement lies in the fact, that the read
ing OF the Society's books has led many to
the house of God, who were never seen
there before, and thus brought under the
Influence ofthe living ministry. those who
without. this instrumentahty would in al
probability. have lived aad died withou, q
knowledge the Gospel.
And here | would beg lcaveto annex d
statistical Report of the whole amount OF
labor performed in Virginia during the
six years and four months that the opera
tons have been carried on,-years Of la,
Dor performed, IS and fraction over
volumes sold, 1882, cost Of the same
S33,995. Given to the poor as grants
5l,4l0 volumes, amounting 10 SS,5S6 SO
Meetings held for prayer and exhortatons
5,39l. Families visited, $4,000 Families
found destitute Of all religious books, ex
cept the BILL, l,iS5. Families without
the Bible, 5,0l7, all Of which have beer
supplied, oi,her by grants from Auxiliar,
Bible Societies, or from privateindividuals
6,S20 tamilies We're found who habitually
neglected preaching. $40 Sundy School.
have been either organized or aided b
donations ofbooks, many of them in pool
destitute neighborhoods, where old anc
young have been pupils. The old mar
and the child, the young man and the mai
den, have been seen in these Sunda,
Schools taking their first lessons in the frs
book they had ever owned, and that bool
furnished by Coporteur In this way
desire for knowledge has been created
through the influence thus set in motion
day schools have sprung up, where III
childreno The poor are taught, and inma
ny cases the only book Of an elemcntar,
kind within their reachisthe Tract Primer
and that too, furnished by the Colporteur
In some instances whole families wer,
found numbering from five to twelve per
sons who did not know letter of the al
phabet, they wanted no books Of course
In such a case the Colporteur has beei
| known 10 open some book, read passag
or two, exhibit the. pictures to the wonder
ing eyes Of the children, "Oh, what pre-,
ty book" they would say; "Mothcr, do ge
it for me, / want to learn to read. mus
have that book" What mother, howeve
unculuvated can resist such an appealfror
her childl The book is bought, or receive
as gift, and perhaps one, two, or thre
more Of the same kind left in this cabi
"here hitherto ignorance had reigned su
| prcme; in little time the Colporteur wi
repeat his visit, and find these children
perhaps all, if not some Of them, at schoo
L he abovei is not an uncommon occurrenc,
in the experience Of the Colporteurs il
some Of our mountain counties. The frs
religious visit ever made to hundreds o
log cabins, has been made by him, and ma
ny have heard their first sermon from hi
lips, and to judge from appearances W.
should think the first prayer, also.
Pages might be filed with substantiatct
facts, showing the efficiency Of books anc
tracts III the conversion Of sinners, but w,
forbear. Next to the living ministry, whicl
Is Gods appointed way-the system o
tract distribution, combined with earnes
! personal effort seems to commend itself Il
Christians ofall denominations. Epligb,e,
and oyaupelize the nasses. and our ine,;tr
tons are safe.
ThA operations in VIRGINIA has cost In
Society SI9,48s 90, and there has not We
been collected in the State for the aid n
this cause. as much as was maid 10 M;s
jenny Lind for her concert IN n. c;rv =
Richmond.
To the Christian and pbilantbronist then
we appeal in behalf Of this causo From
the above statemeuts thev win draw tbe;
own conclusion and act accord;nolv Or
hundred and ffty dollars a the salary mai,
to Colporteur, together with Gfv dollar
for the use ofhis horse and carria1e. Az
there not some. into whose hands his Re-
port NAV fall, who viii deem /, \ privileo,
to aid in this blessed work of send;ng x,