The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-26
For the National Era.
CIRCULAR. /
Office and Depository of the American Reform
Tract and Book Society, Cincinnati, March
Is fS50
liberty.

The Directors of the American Reform
Tract and Book Society feel it their duty to
present to the friends of the cause plain state
ment of their object and position. But, to make
such statement and the need of it more in
telhgible it will be necessary to take some no
tice of what has been done in the Tract cause
by others as we'll as by ourselves.
The American Tract Society was founded in
the city of New York, in the year 1925. Its
declared object was, 4" to diffuse a knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of
sinners, and to promote the interests of vital
godliness and sound morality, by the circula-
ton of Religious Tracts, calculated to receive
the appreciation of all Evangelical Christians"
But previous to this, in 1914, Society termed
The New England Tract Society" had been
organized at Boston the name of which, how
ever, was changed by legislative action, in
1923, to that of I" The American Tract Society
of Boston," These Societies-the one in Bos-
ton, and the other in New York-were soon
united in order to impart greater energy and
efficiency to the Tract system Of this country,
though neither Society was merged i'll the 9th
er, each still maintaining its distinct and in
dependent existence on the basis of its Consti-
tuition, and its distinct and independent charac-
ter as corporation"
The joint Society, thus formed, prosecuted
its work with great harmony and earnestness.
A large number of Books and Tracts were pub
lished and distributed in all parts of our land
and means were furnished to many foreign
missionaries to extend the benign influence of
the Society into their several fields. The bles-
sing of Heaven evidently and largely rested
upon these labors, and the hearts of Christians
were everywhere made glad. Thus matters
went on harmOniously and prosperously for
many years.
But, within two or three years past, dis
turbing influence manifested itself, which has
not only rent asunder the American Tract So
ciety of New York. and that of Boston, but
more or less divided the friends Of the Tract
cause all over the land
In the progress of events among us, which
could not be stayed by any human power,
American Slavery assumed such an aspect as
not only to excite the fears of patriots, but the
apprehension of Christians. Slavery threaten
ed alike the vital interests of religion and all
the interests of the country political, social,
and economic. 1t was widely felt as a disturb
ing and disastrous influence The American
Tract Society had indeed done something to
meet and arrest this evil but it now began to
be quite generally felt that something more was
necessary to be done Hence, in 1857, a special
committee of fifteen offered at the annual meet
ing of the Tract Society the following resolution
" ResOiUed That the political aspects of Sla-
very lie entirely without the proper sphere of
this Society, and cannot be discussed in its
publications ; but that those moral duties which
grow out OF the existence of Slavery as we'll as
those moral evils which it is known to promote
and which are condemned in Scripture. and so
much deplored by Evangelical Christians. do
undoubtedly fall within the province of this So
clety, and can and ought to be discussed in
traternal and Christian spirit"
Ihls step seemed to give much satisfaction
70 the friends OF the Tract cause, and would no
doubt, had it been adhered to- have formed
bond of united action for some years longer.
Eut the officers of the Society refused to carry
oat the Society's resolution. Hence the present
divided state of the Tract cause in our country.
Here 1t is necessary to return upon our steps
short distance, to mention the organization
OF the American Reform Tract and Book So
clety of Cincinnati, in 1851. This Society,
though it covers the whole ground of an Evan.
gehcal Christian Tract Society, was organized
In view OF the fact that other religious publica
ton societies are very generally the defenders
OF Slavery, either by direct teaching or by re-
tuslng to place it in the catalogue of sins; so
that the principles upon which they are acting
are calculated in their ultimate WORKINGS. how
ever undersigned to hinder rather than promote
the cause OF true Christian Anti Slavery.
We have now, therefore, three Tract orpani-
cations before us. Let us very briefly state the
position Of each.
l. The American Tract Society of New York.
protesting to occupy the whole range of Chris
tan truth and duty in which Evangelical Chris
tians are agreed, entirely ignores Slavery. saws
not one word upon it.
! 2. The American Tract Society of Boston
does all that the American Tract Society of
| New York does, and, in addition to this de-
clares its purpose to bring Evangelical truth to
bear upon the moral duties and the moral evils
arising out of Slavery.
| 3. The American Reform Tract and Book
| Society of Cincinnati not only covers the whole
| ground occupied by the aforementioned Asso
Citations, but goes into field which neither of
the others ever enters. 1t takes up Slavery it.
| SELF especially as it exists among ms. and OK.
| poses It's inherent sinfulness and enormous
evils. Its avowed object is to rid the world of
Slavery, as well as of every other moral evil.
The position of the frst-The American
Tract Society of New York-is considered by
increasing mutitudes of the most seriously think
ing and engaged Christians of our country as
really throwing the whole weight of its charac-
ter and influence into the scale in favor of Sla-
very. We need not be surprised, therefore. that
1t is populur at the South. Slavery, true to its
instincts, halls it as a strong endorser and a
most potent ally. Neither need we wonder at
the repugnance manifested by the friends and
| partisans OF this Association to Anti-Slayery
men and the Anti-Slavery movement of our
country.