The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-04-20
For The F6rtdge County Democrat.
PORTAGE COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

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The attention of the friends and patrons of,
the Bible cause in Portage County is respect.
fully solicited TO the following plan of opera
tions now being introduced for the resuscita-
ton of the County Society, and more COM,
plete systemization of its efforts for the general
circulation of the Word of God.
Some years ago, the Portage County Bible
Society was among the most active and efficient
in the State; but it is painful fact to the
Board, that for several years there has been
gradual and manifest diminution in the receipts,
until for the last two years, scarcely county
upon my entire field has contributed. less to.
the Bible cause than this. Not q few have
deplored this state of things, and the convic-
ton has irresistibly forced itself upon US that
something must be done to impart new life
and vigor to the cause 10 our midst. i
We believe that we have now plan in op.
Grafton which will bring about q material
change in the. condition of the cause, and rem
der the Portage County Society more efficient
than it has been of late years., and our con,
viction of the success OF the measure is the
stronger because its introduction is not a mere
matter of experiment, but it is tried plan,
and wherever adopted has been attended with
the most encouraging results. A happy il
ustration of its workings may be seen in the
rapid and unparalleled progress of the cause
in Illinois. where. with half the population and
not third of the wealth of this State. twice
as much is being raised in donations for the
cause every year.
The plan proposed is simply this, To re-
suscitate township societies where they already,
exist, and TO orgaoize new ones in all the other
towns to be auxiliary TO the County Society,
and to take upon themselves the work of sup
plying the destitute within their borders with
the Scriptures, and soliciting from all yearly
donation to the cause.
The plan further contemplates the appoint
ment Of a local (unpaidl agent in every school
district, whose duty it shall be to visit all the
families within its bounds once ayear. cireula.
ting books and soliciting donations-the funds
collected being paid over by him to the treas
urer of the Township Society. Each local
agent will be furnished with printed subscrip.
tion book which is 10 contain the names of all
the contributors in bis district, ard which hasr
also full and explicit printed instructions rela.
tive to the duties of his Office. A printed blank
report win also be placed in bis hands by the
travelling agent, who assists in forming these
Societies and sets them in motion. This re-
port, when filled out. will embody the results
- h. Aka Al
travelling agent leaves him-showing the mum.
ber of families yisited-the number found des-
ltitute Of the. Bible, and the amount of sub
scriptions obtained, As these local agents
perform their work without any compensation
other than the satisfaction afforded in The
good they are doing, the reader of this article
will readily perceive that the plan proposed,
in addition to its system, is in an eminent de-
gree an economical one. As the local agents
perform all this work gratuitously, but little
expense will be involved, except in starting the
machinery and this is usually very small in
comparison with the results attained. Inou
county where universal stagnancy existed. this
plan brought in the first year upwsrds Of thir.
teen hundred dollars, and the cause hes been
improving there ever since. While speaking
Of the economy of the plan. another wheel in
4 the machinery presents itself. and that Is the
! annual nature of our subscriptions. We pro.
pose asking men not what they are willing to
! give for the present merely. but what they viii
/ give as q yearly donation so long as they see
| 1T TO continue their membership with the
Society, thus endeavoring 10 develope and
Icultivate the principle of systematic benevo-
euce Those who contribute this year would
in all probability contribute again next year.
Why not. then, adopt plan which viii obyi-
ate the necessity of call from u e travelling
agent every year. aud yet secure regular and