Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-01-19
For the Spirit of the Age.
is connected with a Western Col
norfeuT Tour

~ 49, - tAAAtla -
sn Nashville, Tenn, the 18th If that month.
This Convention was composed Of Ministers,
puperintendents of Colportage, General A
Gents, and Colporteurs belonging to several
WSerent evangelical denominations. Judge :
Il Caruthers, of Lebanon, Tenn. was
ted President of the Convention, Rev. ID
II. Stevenson, d. D., of New York, Vice Pres
dent, and Rev. S.. Wells, of Columbia, Tenn, |
9ecretary. :
1.-Two sessions, 3 hours each, were held in
Hlsev. Mr.. Hays Church, and two similar ses-
Aions in Rev. DIR. Edgar's Church. In these
meetings each one gave a brief account of his
early religious advantages, as to parental in
~luence, Sab. School and Sanctuary adyan
thges, by what means awakened and led to
Christ. how led into Colporteur work, man
Ifkr of doing it, and the need and effects of it
iA families and neighborhoods.
iThree days and nights were spent IN these
delightful exercises, without a Jar or note of
dlscord, though the members belonged to
several different branches of the church. The
one feeling and expression was, that they
wese children of the same Father, met to-
gether in love, to encourage each other, and
get more wisdom and grace to render each one
more useful in going forth to the JfreSides of
the poor and needy to help break the bread
Of Hfe to perishing souls.
Qthe many interesting statements, / will
sketch one of a Colporteur from Henry
EYest Tenn lie stated that he had spent
ed months as a Colporteur in several coun-
tfs-yisited 1864 families of which he con-
vfrsed on religion or prayed with $751;
found destitute OF religious books 3,26S, and
without the Bible l ,304; neglecting preach
ing 688 also held 103 meetings got 474
subscribers for the American Messenger
EoJII o. zoo ~, = Il Gn 4rn ~. -
away 1892 vols. in value $516 So and near
ly 500, 600 pages of tracts. This Colporteur
had pious parental influence and although
the neighborhood in which he was raised
was about equally divided among the denom-
nations, yet he enjoyed the privilege of see
ing these pious, praying christians united in
a Sab. School, and frequently in public meet
ings for preaching and prayer by which he,
and others, were made to feel and say, BE
hold how these christians love-" 1t was my
happy lot to be raised within a mile of this
Colporteur-being carried from this county
to that when | was a child. | say "my hap.
py lot" because it was good to be raised in
such a n~cighborhood and ESPECIALLY because
it pleased God to make this Colporteur tbs
instrument in my awakening and deciding t
seek and serve God about Il years ago
And from witnessing the adaptedness of tht
work in this Colporteur's personal kind talk
prayer, and books and tracts distributed, tx
every class of individuals and families, [ wa
solemnly impressed and influenced to com
mence this work in this my native State, at
ter being proyidentially brought back an(
:. kept in 1849.
Since God brought me into the work here
He has raised up other laborers, i~ncreasin
the number year after year, until now hav
, ho1 accnciafn1 with mo ovar en h,,nohl
!, selfdenying fellow laborers. And we hav
! now visited in n. G. 88,S87 families
whom over 12, 900 were destitute of religion
books, and more than 1000 without the 3
BILE; over 5000 habitually neglected church
and we have sold at the Socicty's low pric
l33, 03S vols. and gave away 43, 769 vols
: To what extent this work alone in n. c.,
I attributable to the above Colporteur of We
a Tenn, God only can make known, but | a
e satisfied that | owe, to a great extent und
+ Gods blessing, what | have received and be
5. enabled to do, to that mans influence and c
: Ianple as a praying christian and faithful G
noateA~
,esrest Of the Convention was great
Ieased by the interesting statements
% Seely Wood, Superintendent of Colp'
Ie tase in Ohio, KY, Tenn. and Miss, who co
u menced the volume circulation Of the Al
n Tr. Soc. in the west, about 20 years ago, a
a from seeing that the scattered poor famil
i were not sufficiently reached by that syste
: he was perhaps the most prominent amo
. the first men who suggested the idea Of {
l. p~orteurs in the United States, which v
10 commenced by this society in 1871, by sci
le ing out only two men that year as a trial
70 this benevolent system of reaching pare
10 and children at their homes with the &C
n bined influences of kind, personal CONVEX
80 ton, with the printed page. As it proved
efficient and economical, this society has b
d enabled by donations Of $150-a COLI
ne tours salary-and smaller sums, to send
ne over 5000 Colporteurs who have visited
IN 496, 663 families, mostly in our own count
cd in which they had religious conversation
on left a book or tract. Since the Introduce
10 of this system in our country by the
- Tr. Soc. different denominations and so
oh ties have also adopted it in the accompl
$50 ing of great good, in all of which this SO
ty ~rejoices. What great results flow Fl
he the little beginnings even Of one man!
", On sabbath OF our Convention, Il addr
ed cs on Colportage were made to the sab. sch
FIJI and col. gregations in different churche:
-. Nashville. And the friends of that city st
~ cd their interest in the cause by giving
US 129 90, with a cheerfulness that is highly
re- couraging.
md After an absence Of several weeks I
again privileged to enter upon my dutit
,es- n. c., where | am willing to spend an6
spent, in helping to carry the means Of cd
ton and religion to every house, rich
poor, in our State. We are also having
new Colporteurs commissioned who pro
ave great usefulness-one gives up a p%leasan
and siness at which he was making over SIC
attic year and engages in this for $3.50. Thus
abb brings in both men and means for the v
$50 During last quarter, we visited in n
lore 6731 families, found 268 of these withou
- Bible, 467 destitute of all other reli@
- hooks. aud 3l2 negleeting preaching.
nav 2, 344,42o pages and gave away 529,35
late ges. This has been done entirely by
and charities of the people, and every one
the take part in it and do great good.
rent Yours truly,
tho w. j. w. CROWDER, Gen. Ag't
~ of Am. Tr. Soc. for y.