The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1859-06-16
PERRYsBURG, O., THURSDAY. JUNE 16. 1850.
Tract Society of Boston.
SPEECH OF HENav WARD BEEcnrR.

American Tract society of Boston.
SPEECH OF HENav WARD BEscugR.
The meeting of the Society was held on i
wednesday last, in Dr. Cheever's Church.
The receipts of the Society for the year have |
been S57 900 Ian increase OF moro than S5 900 |
over the receipts Of last year. Over G,O00, 900 |
pages have been distributed among seameu and |
granted to individuals. aud the entire circulation
has been over 3700O,oo0 pages.
Mr.. Warren also read a statement relative to
the position of the Society on the question of
slavery. The Society believed that slavery was !
SIN, which should be discussed, and bad de- |
termincd to publish tracts relating to it.
But publications had by no means been limit
ed to this subject. The Society had sought to
publish living Gospel, such as an age Of revi-
walls aud OF progress creates and demands 1t
had also sought to establish system of mis-
sionary labor and distribution, without the
necessity OF church collections, II is proposed
to extend the system Of colportage, in connec-
ton with local auxiliaries 1t is hoped thus to
secure a more active aud economical system,
than could be secured by great centralized
power acting Independent of the Churches
The report alluded to the fact that an unusual
degree of interest in the Society, on the part of
tue Christians, had been recently awakened, aud
that many have como to believe it destined to
accomplish the great work for which it was es
tablshed.
Speeches were made by Rev. d. f. Kirk of
Boston, Rev. DanelVrooman and Henry Ward
Beecher.
nEERr WARD BEEcHERs SPEECH.
Mr.. Beecher said, every intelligent observer
of the times must be aware that we ARE mon
the eve o great events for good or mischiei.--
There is no place in the world where mon are
idle, unless it is in tract societies. (Laughtcr)
We are stirred up IN this country happily not
by wars, but the minds of men are agitated -
Why is it that that which stirs war in other
countries only creates agitation here 1t is
because we have learned that safety is in liberty
And while Emperors, Kings aud Priests are
tossed like chips upon the ocean we are not
disturbed--there is no danger of dsunion here.
We are too selfish for dissolution. The Devil
has got too much invested here.
Ile learned yesterday that things pertaining
to The good of Christ's kingdom cannot BE- safe
ly discussed in deliberaive bodies When he
heard the Rev. Daniel Lord, Gas he was called
in one of the morning papers,) MIR Lord is a
lawyer OF New York talking OF the danger of
free discussion, in u body where every other
member was gray-haired, he thought there was
as much need OF sending fire engines to put out
tOmbstones, as gAg rule TO put down tumult
there, prolonged lauShter)
He believed it was high time that this North
American Tract Society should tuke ground
against the South American Society 1t is like
the old man who cit the business of the farm
TO his son but finding that the business was not
going on we'll, took it back into his own hands.
SO this Society, being the elder, gave the other
| the main charge of active business, but we now
| find il is not being cone we'll, so we must take
it bnck from the hands ol the boys who talked
yesterday at the Opera House. (Laugher)
| Mr. Beecher denied that well written tracts
on slavery would not find demnnd in the
South, lie would pledge himself to find hun
dred readers for such tract there, Tor every one
the Tract Society will find to read its ordinary
tracts. He would promise the Rev. Daniel
! Lord that in one year from the time the Tract
Society will publish anti-slavery tracts twenty
millions pages shall be distributed in the South
ern States.
| Mr. Baecher next reviewed Mr. Lords opinion.
that the Society has no right to instruct its pub
fishing committee what to publish In other
! words, he said ii was the business OF the Society
to elect the committee, aud it is the business OF
! the committee to do what it pcases. The So
ciety must not even talk and why? Because
there was danger of excitement in that BODY of
venerable men, and on question which every
one perfectly understands. He never knew a
body of men who usurped powers first but stop.
ped men talking next 1t is usurpaton first
and gaging next, and both have been done in our
midst.
Mr.. Beecher believed there was public senti.
ment that would crush out even the Amer lean
Tract Society He believed God would mari,
with condign punishment those who in the
name OF religion, trampled on the rights of their
! fellow men. He did not say these men were not
! Christians--he hoped they were. He supposed
Peter was Christian when he denied his
| Lord
| Mr.. Beccher spoke OF the duty of the strong
to deal justly by the weak What SAYS Eog-
| land, Lord of the Isles, when asked tho business
of the strong with the weak? she saws. get
opium out of them. What says America q
| Lay it upon them with cato nine tais--we
have not yet thirty niue articles in our creed
but we have nine. For thirty years the diapa-
son of this nation has been the sghna of the
slave The speaker remembered the DAYS OF
mobs, when Birney's press was DESTROYED. when
stores were sacked in New York--when it was
as much as mans name was worth TO be called
an abolitlonist. He was yet comparatively n
! yonng man, but he had seen political parties
crushed out Of existence, aud synods and gen
ernl assemblies overturned by this once despised
cause. The Tract Society is about the only
society that has maintained bad consistency
and if to speak for the poor and oppressed
should be a source of condemnation in the day
of judgment, the American Tract Society will
be clear on this account. The Society teaches
that a man may hold oil ethics necessary to
save his soul, and practice all vices which VIC.
late morality They are so busy preaching the
Gospel they cant condemn adullery--c cant con
demn stealing--can't condemn robbery; for
slavery contains in itself all that is sinful II
| were asked who was doing most to spread in
dlelity, you would think would say Theodore
Parker. No he is harmless because he is open.
Then 1t must be Garrison aud Philips. of the
iron heart and golden tongue. No. It is the
man who puts on a sain,ly garment and turns
| up his eyes whenever ne means TO do wicked
| thing-who has text for every commission and
omisson--who make long prayers while thew
| devour widows housewife lake the garment
| of Christ To do the work of The dsvil ,rha