Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-29
From the Pittab'HEh Gazette.

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The American Tract Society.
Nh, EprroR:-There.were some facts developed
during the. session of tie Convention of Agents,
and CalporteIfs of the American Iract SOCIETY," re-
Gently held in Allegheny city, which may perhaps
interest some of your readers.
The field connected with the Pittsburgh agency
has, till yefyIrecently, >consstedof tw entyI four
countitS,in weston PEN wants ten counties in
Ohio. and fifteen counties in North W esteTn Viz
ginia.
The WI ole amount of CoIporteur labor expended
by the Society in these counties, last year, was
equal to the lqbors Of twenty eight men for the en-
tire year.. The number of men now laboIing IN
these Counties and in eight added
to this agency in Ohio, is thirty five. :. -. II
The value of books eircplated through me eAess
1880, was $4,000. In lS6liitwqs Sl6.OOO. In
1852 it was S2l 900. The total value OF circula-
ton during the last eight years, is considerably
more than 100000, or something more than four
hundred and ffty thousand volumes. The highest
average value of circulation has been during the
last two years. being about 81 cents TO each family
visited. few years since it was but 81 cents 10,
each family visited
More than a dozen additional men are needed 10
fully supply the field.
In some Of the larger counties, where faithful
Colporteurs have been laboring for two or more
years. visiting the families regularly and consecu.
lively, several townships remain yet 10 De VlsLeu
for the frst time. IL,
During the last four years more than IL 600 fam
lilies have been found destitute of all religious
books except the Bible, beside multitudeS OF 9TH
ers whose religious hbIanes were very small NJ
deed Many whole neighborhoods have very few
hooks, except such were carried to them by this
and other similar religious societies and boards.
In supplying these destitutOns the Society has
made grants through the Pittsburgh Agency 10 the
value of SlI 900, during the last five years, which
it $500 more than the entle receipts in donations,
through this agency for the same FIVE years.
And to this the cost of circulating nearly half
million of volumes, over the hills and through the
valleys searching out the most waste places OF the
land and it will be seen that the Society cannot
have done this work without cost exceeding all
receipts by several thousand dollars for each year
Many families able to purchase, but destitute of
religious books require that book should be Civ
en- them on The first visit because such families do
| not appreciate religious books. On second visit,
| many such families are prepared 10 purchase, and
make still larger purchases third visit. So also
IN many neighborhOodS large portion Of the books
left on the first visit granted where good sales
were made at subsequent visits. LA.
This work might be greatly increased in this re-
sion without exhausting its capacity for proftably
receiving such labor, if wisely directed. Indeed,
as general rule those ColpoTteurs succeed best in
all respects whose fields of labor small as TO
enable them to repeat their visits two or thee times
| in twice as many years. In this way, both the
ColpoIteur and his books gain upon the confidence
| of both pastors and people. The Colporteurs per
sonal power and influence for goCd are increased,
and those people love the books best and most read
| lily purchase them who are best acquainted with
| their contents.
In neighborhoods where religious books are but
little known, and hence not appreciated, visits
may be advantageously repeated second and third
| lime, during the same year.
| One CoIporteur has labored seven years in one
county, and in few townships in another county.
There are now nearly one hundred more So bbath
Schools on his field. than there were seven yeats
ago. The origin Ofmany of these schools can be
traced either directly OF Indirectly to tue laboIS of
this Colporteur. Every Colporteur that labors for
a number of years on any given field ought to in-
crease considerably the number OF Sabbath Schools,
on his field, and many of them do this. There are
multitudeS of children in this whole region who
are not yet gathered into Sabbath schools. There
are multitudes that have veIy little religious i'll
StTuction from any source.
| In few neighborhoods in this region, Inidelity
is making vigorous efforts; many Of its most open
and earnest abetters being foreigners. In some
lneighborhoods large portions of the community
| avowed infdels. GeEteel looking ladies avow
L that Paines Age of Reason is their Bible. The
journeymen and apprentices of large business es-
Establishments are gathered together on the Sabbath,
by their employer at his own house, for the study
of nfdeI works. The poor laborer is said 10 have
given his five dollars to his association to aid in the
circulation of infde works, in place where siren
uous efforts ore made 70 poison the minds of the
young. In another neighborhood still, the more
influential in the community, carry from house 10
house infdel papers and pamphlets, and boast, with
good reason, Of large numbers of converts. s.sarl
/ In such neighborhoOds Nelson, Gregory, Spring,
Plumer, and other kindred spirits have been left
TO speak for God and the Bible. ....
| Not only are the better classes of this commune
ty being furnished with valuable additions to their
Libraries by this Society, there is also large a
mount OF religious truth being placed among the
We ry lowest classes OF society. The eaven oil truth
has power. Gods word will not return unto him
void. -,1am..