The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-03-21
foI ItS ''ee Trader.
History of the Bible Cause in Illinois.

nInQ sui farther decrease IN rcultIanccS
the money sent to the a. Il. 3, amounting
! to but 81 900. Only two new societies wcrt
! formcd-that of Macon County, and ths
! Alton Young Mems Il. $. But few weeks
of agency were devoted TO the State, ard
the results were as might have been expect
/ cd
/ In 1919, Rev julius Field was appointed
an agent for Northern Illinois. Gm counec-
tion with the Te,ritoric; Of Wisconsin and
Iowa. and Virgil \. Bogue, Esq, was com
missoned for central and southern portions
/ Of the State. The societies Of Woodburn,
Jersey county, Preston. Stark county, and
/ Peoria county, were formed, and the cause
began to assume brighter aspect. During
the next year, the rcInttanccs amounted to
81, 22J ,, and the books received to fifteen
thousand eight hundred and thirty.
McssIs. Field and Bogue having resigned,
| Rev. J. ). Graves was appointed to labor IN
portion OF the State. Scarcely year had
/ elapsed before Mr. Graves rendered his res
+ lgna;ion, and the scciety Wac again without
AT agent. Consequently, less than usual
was accomplished. No new societies were
formed during the yca--tLe only one, prob
ably, with enc exception, which las elapsed
since the commencrment OF operations with
out the formation Of one or more.
Not few OF the onbarTasarueDts connect
Cd with the Bible Society operations in the
State Up 10 this time, are to be attributed to
the frequent changes Of agents. When 50
many sacrifices and discoursgemcnts are
connected with an agency Of this kind, it is
not surprising that men should become tired
of it and wish to resign. But permgnence
in this as in any other occupation is ueces
sary to acquire experience and carry oct
plans, and hcnce,,~u agent should count the
cost before hand, and resolve TO pcrsevere.
10 such nords as failure cannot i'm
possible, etc, should have 2 place in lis 20
cabu!ary.
S-He tine during 1875, Rev II. B'od-e.t
Eas transferred from the service Of the 4. b
), III Ohio. and labored efficiently in the
centrg! portion Of Illinois u:.til his death,
Which occurred in ls50.
1t the close Of the year ending March 80,
1876, the managers were able ~ report that
much more had been accomplished in llli-
nois, during the past year than during the
year preceding. Ia.ce csw societies mad
been orgag. 'Zyd
III April, lS+1, the counties Of Lake. Cook,
DupdCc, Kane and nclIeury, were assigned
10 Rev. AuaSa Lord, i connection with
portion Of II isconsin. Other counties were
cnt times, until, in 1851 the whole State was
committed TO his supervision. His plan. was
to form Z branch society in each town or
prcciact-t thus reaching and interesting the
entire population. Each society, was to
have a siaai! depository Of books and suit
able number Of local agents, and to be can
vaSsed i'y these agents Ganudliy, both TO
raise funds and circulate the Scriptures.
DuIiug this year Mr.. J.. ;. Swcczy also
acted "a an agent for a saor; time, in the
nprtkwcstcrn part or the State. Rev. Mr.
BCdccit continued services in the central
portion, and Rvv. Charles Fitch. OF Indiana,
extended his labc!s across tie Wabash into
SOME portions of southern Illinois. Nine-
teen auxiliary societies were iormed-tGe
rcmiitanceS were increased TO So, ,sl02l. and
books sent 10 the state to the number OF ST..
3G2. This year was the commencement Of a
new era In the history OF the Bible cause in
the State, and since thcn its history las CON
tnued to a bright one.
During the next year but two new auxil-
iarics were formed, bat the rernit;ances and
distributions were about equal 10 those CT
1877.
In 1879, Rev. :. Fostor was appointed
agent Tor Tie southern portion OF the State,
the central and northern having the same
agent. as tefvrc. Three new auGiliarics
were formed, and 4. the close OF the year,
the cause in the State was reported in an
improved condition. Auxiliary societies
had now been formed in nearly all Of the
counties, and hence, there was but little oc-
casion to- the organization Of new ones.
But branch societies have been formed du.
ring every year since !5.1, a. Tie rate Of 10
20 loo annually.
In the summer OF 1880, Rev H. B!odgeit,
VINO Ead laborei as al agent in the State
longer than say ef lis predecessors, con-
tractod disease from exposure aud hardship
while in his work. and hastened to his home
in jacksonville, where he died soon after
He was the FIRST and thus f;iT, the oaly agent
OF the Parent Society, in this State " 10 mas
died in the work, and his loss was deeply
felt We find the following minute respect
ing him IN his next annual report of the \
Is. ;. Speaking Of agents wko bad died,
the managers say:
"Of these, only one was exclusively in
tie service Of this society-Rev. II. Blod-
gett. who, for the last FIVE years, has been
diigent aud cifcien. agent in the state Of Iii.
lie commenced his services in the state of
Ohio, where his interest il the cause, and the
habits Of business developed, led the Board
to invite him to take charge Of its affairs in
central III. lie has proved himself wise
and useful laborer, and his loss, as fellow
laborer and Christian friend, is sincerely
felt"
,'r. Blodge:t was succeeded, soon after
his death by Rev. Z. !Io!ister, who has
labo-cd in the cause most of the time ever
since. Mr. Foster continued his agency in
the southern part Of the State, and at the
close of the year reported that, from cx-
anlinations made, from one-fifth to one-third
of the families on his field were supposed to
be destitute of the Bible. Seven new aux
iiary Bible Societies were organized during
this year.
In the autumn of 1851, Rev. ". ii. lay
lor was appointed agent in the south Cart Of
the State-Mr. Hollistsr continuing in the
middle. and Mr.. Lord in the northern part.
The same arrangement continued during
the next year, and at its close. the remit
tanccs were found to Sl3,5l1 "A, including
a legacy of $1,000 from the estate of W.
b. Kelly, Of Lewiston, the first one of any
size from the State since its settlement
In 1852, the plan Of securing subscriptions
to be paid annually was first introduced IN
Northern Illinois, and is now generaiiy
adopted throughout the State. 1t is based
pen the fact that men ought to give regular
Ia to this cause as matter OF course, and
not merely when they happen to be aroused
by some thrilling appeal, or when they have
money which they know NOT what else 20
do with.
TtoniiaweH i our nfTf
WIN CAT KrIlED-A large wild cat was
L;lIed on the Sd inst, near Liepertown in |