The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-03-30
From the Spirit Of the Age.
ANNUAL REPORT OF CoLPoRTAGE IN
NORTH CAROLINA.

lat. has been enc Of Increasing interest and
encouragement to me. Gods hand seemed
TO open my way at almost every step so as
to give success. Confidence, love and CO.
operation in behalf Of this cause. have great.
" increased within the last twelve months.
Gsrihg the year in AZ counties, ] was ena-
bied to make 1899 visits to 1890 families I;
,conversed on religion or prayed with 1907 /;
of which zoo said they did not attend preach
ing once in three, six and twelve months,
and many families had not heard sermon
IN several years. The reasons for this state
Of things l have found to be various-dis.
lance to church, prejudice to nearest demo-
mination, ignorance OF the duty, aftllcton,
love of distilleries. BISHOPS and places Of
amusement, which are resotted to en- the
Sabbath BY parents and children. Recently
visited. talked and prayed with 81 persons
in poor, ignorant neighborhoed, and only
s had heard a sermon in one, two and live
years. In another neighborhood Of tami.
lies they did not 60 to church, as a general
rule. but once year; their nearest church
"a about s miles.
also found 227 families destitute Of all
religious books, &c of whom had no Bible.
The reasons for this destitation are, the diff
cuf.y in getting religious books owing to the
scarcity and distance 10 them, inability TO
purchase, especially at high trade prices, in
difference TO reading because Of ignorance,
prejudice, bigotry, superstition and fatal,
ism fastened upon the minds Of hundreds,
that they are to do nothing. The fatalism
was recently exhibited by the earnest ex.
preston OF an aged man to me, who said, :"
II k.,& ka
me have such thoughts and feelings as fear
will cause me 10 seek religion before the
Lords good time to give il TO me. Our
minister breaches to us to watch against
tract; for they are written so as to make US
cry and feel badly" After word Of ex-
planation that tracts were the best sermons
of pioas ministers, and facts showing Gods
providence, written out and printed, thar
thousands could read them, and thus have
tSod's plain truth, that we are all great sin
ners and Jesus is great Saviour, so impress
our minds, under the Spirits influence. as
20 lead US to trust that Saviour and nothing
eise-he then took snme tracts and seems to
be seriously concerned about his soul. Not
long since | was forced to wait several hours
al a Railroad Depot in dark section where
lies around, and one family Of several chill
dreu was SO exceedingly ignorant that they
4 knew nothing in books and cared nothing
for books" a. they expressed themselves.
] showed the pictures in the Chlld's Pa
per-, aud some tracts, with which the chill
aren were delighted. and these are the first
printed truths in that house. there prayed
the FIRST PRAYER the children ever heard.
engaged the services Of good man to teach
that family, aud at that Depot we deposited
q good lot Of the Is, 200 pages Of books given
by the American Tract Society few months
ago for the Railroad Depots aud Asylums in
n c. At another Depot met man who
told me he lived six miles from there, and
-hs nearest church Ia him was about 9 miles,
~hsre there was preaching once month
which he and his neighbors could rarely at
tend. They haG no religious books except
tie Bible. which had been given them by the
American Bible Society several years ago.
and they did not know what sort 81 religious
books 10 get. When | told him he could
borrow some from the Depot he was rejoic-
ed The destitution and darkness Of such
sections can be reached only by going to
syers family Nth good. cheap aud beauti-
fal books, aad heart full Of the love Of GOd
for souls.
Mere than 500 families said they never
had q religious visit and PRAYER At their
houses before. | think there are two prin.
c!pzl reasons for this-Pirst, the time has
now come when almost every Minister Of
every denomination has just what he can do,
after preaching, 70 visit the members Of his
charge, ard in frequent instances, such are
the circumstances, that he cannot visit his
ova members, leaving him comparatively
no time TO 20 into the "regions beyond 70
visit and pray with ungodiy families, Who
certainly should be kindly reached At their
homes. that the gospel may be preached 10
every creature" Seeond-becanse a large
majority Of the laiiy neglect the daily read.
iug u the Bible ard prayer in their own
families, consequently, comparatively few
are prepared OF wiling u talk On religion
AID pray with their neighbors prominent
minister having charge Of several hundred
members scattered over the whole county,
told me that there was but one Of them Who
prayed in public. In another county. among
al The denominations. il was found that 0nly
-. out u 2001 families. had family worship
Ii view Of such facts which I fear are true.
more or lees, ia most 81 our counties. how
can every family have religious yisii. and
lie preaching the word b. accomplished
ess-Yshere" AMI u every creature"
ne SIX. NE poor. lie ignoFan. ard clicked
whether they be 81 our doors ur Il dis.
iines n the ssamps and mountainsi III,
hfsi and greatest instrumentality j., the liv'
ing Ministry, preaching and acting out God'I
saving truth. And second, every christian
old and Young. who should seek the Iioly
Spirits influence Ia properly understanding
that truth. believing il and practieing il a
ais and her home, 80 that parents, children
servants and neighbors may see the fruit
daily resulting from Christ dwelling in th'
soul. As there are, comparatively, 30 few
having this degree 81 living. active piety a
,her homes 70 aid the ministry 10 extending
!; 70 other homes where ungodliness reigni
and spreads itself BY the increasing fseiliiie,
- saff.=aYo EnIgs ofarioua uroefdenre a a. II