Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-09-10
For the standard.
AN ABSTRACT

CSIDorteur of The Asaerican Tract Society, ii
Wake Countgn FOR The quarter ending August
q. 91st 1852.
field of operation has been highly interesting one,
promising much for the future have visited talk
ed personal religio and prayed with BIG families
Found 127 of them destitute Of all religious books
except the Bible, 81 without Gods Word, and o.
haDitualy neglecting divine worship. Sold 500 vol
umes containing about 175 900 pages in value $17O
SO; and gave ay235 volumes, containing nearly
$4,000 pages in value $50 Oh
In doing this work my plan is to visit all from the
richest and most refined to the poorest and most de-
graded The former treat me with great respect and
kindness, expressing hearty approval of our work
by saying: 1t is just what weneed, because it goes
cverywhere making good and useful citizens of those
who have ever been clogs to u.s." And another
This is the work, under God to secure his bless
ngs upon us all because these books come to not
trammeled with GAIN being sold at cost, loaded with
prayers by the Authors, Publishers Committees and
Christians of IA different denominations free from
sectarianism, bidding all mankind to to Jesus
and finally go to the Saints everlasting rest in Heav
en- The latter generally receive me kindly, treat
me eivily, and listen to me attentively. Many of
the log-cabins to which have trudged with my sad
de-bags of books on my back, were made vocal with
praises to God while others sent forth loud cries for
mercy. Several of these said: :" Well, Sir, you
the first man that ever come to our house to talk
about God and Jesus Christi we love to hear it, al
though we wicked and would be glad if some
body would come to talk and pray with us every
week.
1 spent few DAYS previous to a late election, in
and about interesting yillagewas greatly delight
ed with all. visited and spoke kindly to the deal
in ardent spirits of the effects they produced up
on the very society with which their children must
mingle, and told them, as they would have those
promising children to enjoy the very important help
of good society to aid them in taking high and
useful position in the world they should keep con-
slant watch out to get rid of and keep out everything
which would tend to corrupt that society, and en-
POur md
would tend to make it healthy and as had to
hepthem improve their society should stay at the
election to if there were any corrupting it, and
by what means they were doing 1t.
Early in the morning of the election spread my
books on a table in the grove and near by saw a
class of men, fathers of children, set out and sell
ardent spirits until few got drunk and several 9TH
in condition unfit to be seen by the children
was sorry for them, and especially when heard
the entreaty of men" Come boys all, and drink
lemonade for you must be trained to do things right
Many went, but finding it dashed with liquor,
most drew back, and their parents Immediately in
tcrfcred o! what sad sight this was Around |
my table persons crowded, who seemed deeply in |
terested with the facts gave them, and my books
and tracts. Very every temperance book and !
tract was sold, and many more applied for; I also |
sold nearly all the religious books-tota sold, Al 900
pages. One of these dealers in liquor has expressed
to me in being engaged as he is and
said Intend soon possible, to go to farming,
which know is an honorable business, and will do
no one any HARM"
In three neighborhoods / visited 60 families and
found Al without the Bible. They number 221 souls
over 10 years old; only % of them could read and
II write The average of their going to church was
once in years-seyelal from so to 45 years old had
been but once or twice in their lives, some grown
children had never been at ALL nor heard prayer
until my visit, and did not know there such
being as the Saviour also boys and girls II and Is
years old passing about without any clothing, not
knowing who made them. All of one family ran
Diff when kneeled to pray, to the neighbours, to
IL
forwards said Some of other families fell upon their
aces instead of kneeEng At one house got sew
,ral of these families together, where spent some
lime teaching them the fundamental doctrines of re-
igion, and while giving the children talk about how
good mothers and Sunday School teachers talked and
prayed with the children, a sensible girl-Mary-
aid, with tears filling her eyes, 60 wish had such
mother and Sunday School teacher" This led to
he organizing of Sabbath School near by of 40
Members. faithful Superintendent and good teach
IT'S took charge; I visited the school last Sunday
ound the house filled, all looking clean and nice,
anxious to shake hands with me, and show how far
hey had gotten in their Tract Prmmer. In the five
weeks many of them had learned their letters, to
pel and to read that beautiful paragraph, page &C.
: The Bible is the best of all books" &c. Little
Mary and those children who once ran from me and
lid in the bushes were among the delightful group
How cheered and happy all seemed! The School
aow numbers upwards of 60. move is being made
o build church among them.
In nearly, every instance in these three commu-
mites ardent spirits was the first and main thing
spoken of as the cause of their miserable condition
Many of them said g know liquor is running me,
md Iought to quit til keep trying to quit it. and
believe would, although love it well, if it
lot for others / wish there want drop to be had
except as a medicine" Several, who were nearly
always drunk, are now sober men, at work. and go
o ch1rchs Such is the spirit of the Temperance
racts of the American Tract Society that almost any
me will be interested with them, and find scarcely
40 difficulty in getting liquor dealers to listen to me
read them, to cheerfully take Them and, generally
o buy them. One liquor seller fine man, too
aid - If men would right in, look right at u.s.
Ind talk like these tracts read, instead of standing
off calling by hard names, might be convinced
If error instead of being enraged." This man has
since quit the business. During August there were
upwards of rs converted to God in this county, 10
If whom attribute their awakening to the Tract pub
ications- making a total since have been engaged
n this work, of 80 converted, grog shops broken
Up, and II who have abandoned the use of ardent
spirits, by Gods blessing upon our humble labors.
To God be all the glory
1t is cheering to see how nobly the kind people of
Raleigh have acted in this work since the interesting
Tract Meetings held in the City the Sd Sabbath of
June by j. Cross, of Virginia. have received from
hem 1892, making in all given by them this quarter
for the Tract Cause, $42S 40 and also proposition
20 add, as present. 800 to my regular salary-$15O
Ill of every denomination and class in the City, on
whom we have had opportunity of calling have
given donation But few of the country friends
have, yet been called on and it is gratifying to
say Of that few, that ecery contributed. Three
persons made themselves Life Members of the Tract
Society by contribution of $40 EACH
/ think feel safe in saving that this neonle