New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-10
The ANNIVERSARY NEErING.

The Thirtieth Anniversary Of the American Tract
Society was held at the Tabernacle yesterday morning
In spite of the rain and rainy weather the edce was
nearly one-third filed. little pamphlet dlstrb-
uted at the door entitled The Unanimous Remon-
STRANGE of the Fourth Congregational Church, Hart
ford, Conn, against the policy of the American
Tract Society on the subject of Slavery" The tract
points out many instances in which from works re-
printed by the Tract Society An-Slayery sentiments
have been expunged.
Chef,Justice WILLIAMS, the President called the
meeting to ORDER and prayer offered by the Rev.
Dr. Magic of Eizabethtown.
hosEs ALLEN, Esq., the Treasurer of the Society,
then read the Treasurer Report which states that the
receipts for the past year werein donations including
sl3 500 ~ in sgacies si47,2 9s -; for Sales ncud-
ing periodicals. $685. ss5 %; totel s4l3,l73 Sc. Ex-
pendures for publishing books and periodicals, $685.,
$50 l2; for coportage, $685. 81; cash RENTED TO
foreign and pagan lands $4,000; total expenditures,
Sn9,227 81
An abstract of the Annual Report was read by the
Rev Dr. HALIocK and the Rev. DIR. Nj. Cook, secre-
tares II says that the periodical Department has be-
come one Of the most considerable OF the means OF use
fitness employed by the institution. About cnethird
Of the whole amount of truth issued from It's presses is
in the form of newspapers In English and German for
young and old. Themonthly circulation Of The liner
socn Messenger is 100000 copies of the Botschatfer,
$1,000 and of Tke Chiids Paper, 300, 0OO-ihe whole
number printed during the year having been 900,
or more than Tooth part of the entire periodical crcula-
Zion in the United States containing on amount OF mat
Ger equal 10 300 geo 2mo volumes OF 200 pages EACH
The number of these periodicals printed SINCE their
commencement has been 30, 100000 copies.
The grauitous distribution of publications has been
larger than in any previous year. Amounting, IN 5000
district grants including gra'utous to thermometers
ly - M III A.
Of about 600. They have gone TO the various for
eign missionary stations OF the world to Mexico, Cen
trial and South America, and IN dozen languages TO
Protestant and Pspal Europe. Eight and halt mil
hons OF pages have been placed on more than thou
sand packets and steamers sailing from this City for
foreign ports and ON the crah navig eating our lakes
rivers and canals. Literary, humane and criminal
institutions have received two millions of pages and
Mission Sabbaih-Schools another million. Ten thou
sand pastors and missionaries have each received a
copy Of the volume the Divine Law of Benehcence
postage paid But the most direct and perhaps the
useful channels for gatuoas circulation consist
OF the large corps of colporeufs in the Socieiys i'm
mediate service. Through them about 100000 of
pages of the value of $50 OO0 have made their way to
the homes of the destitute and the eIring.
The number of coporteurs for the whole or part of
the year has been 659, of whom lot were students of
theology, connected with 81 Institutions, and leo were
employed among the German, Dutch, French, Irish,
Spanish, Welsh and Norwegian population. Ninety
one additional coiporeurs have been recently comlis
number in commission April was AS.
Tie number Of families visited during the year has
been 63900o-7o 900 families more than in any preced-
my year, making an aggregate of about $4,000
reached by colportage SINCE the beginning OF the en-
ferprise. With abou, onehah the families Tie copor-
teurs had personal religious conversation or prayer,
beside holding or addressing nearly $4,000 psohc
meetings prayer meetings In destitute neighbour
hoods The number of books sold by oolportenrs has
been $4,000, and the total circulation of books since
the Society was formed has been 10, 100000.
Nearly $4,000 volumes have been circulated by
eoporteurs gratuiousy ia no; far from as many house
holds. The proSidenccs Of the year, which carried
sickness and want and sorrow so many families NAV
have rendered thcse timely supplies Of the moans of
grace and consolation potent for good than If
they had come in SCISSORS of worldly prosperity
The facts of the statistical tables furnish an imrres
sye illustration of the necessity OF such scheme Of
eyansehzaiicn as oolportagc. No less than 81 900
fnmiEes were found destitute Of SINGLE religious book
EXCEPT the Bible, and mere than 10000 hal no; that
sacred volume. More than 50 goo households Tor about
opes.yenth of the whoe habi,nal absenecs from
the evangelical sanctuery-preeiical heathens IN
Christian land-whle o. 600 families were adherenis
of Pspaey. .,.r.s-
The Committee have perscvered IN their efforts Tor
Abe spiritual benefit Of the emtgroHf classes Win
growing conviction OF their importance and usefulness
Ro,h the numbers and the character Of this population
omrel the earnest attention of evangelical ns;isu-
,,ons Official documents give the total OF 8, $4,000
;rarts for the ten years preceding 1885, and for the
has wear above sec, f7s-nearfy cne-haa beng ncm