Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-12-19

were then chosen, as follows:
President-Ira NJ Barton
Vice President-liev. Alonzo Hill, d. d.
Treasurer-Frederek A. Clapp
Audtor-William Cross.
The Society made donation of 500 to the
parent society.
The meeting then adjourned to assemble at
the Center Church, (Rev. DIR. Sweetser's) on
Sunday evening, when, after prayer by Rev
Mr.. James, the forty-fourth annual report Of
the Board of Directors of the Society was read
by Rev. Mr. Jones, the retiring Secretary
This report stated that in accordance with the
spirit of the policy adopted in 1857, which they
had attempted to carry out under the super
vision of Dea. W. Guild, agent of the parent
society, Bible committees were formed in near
| ly every town in the county, having for their
object the careful exploration of each town, by
the aid of voluntary visitors, and the estab-
lishment of repositories where the issues Of
the American Bible Society may be had at
the same price as at the Bible House in New
York This plan has resulted very success
! fully.
| Dea. Gould, the agent, has visited 43 towns,
and found 81 of them explored, in whole or in
part. The completion of the work is to be
made at the earliest practicable period. As
natural result of these efforts, the sale of
Bibles has largely increased. The agent, in
visiting 552 families found 80 without a Bible,
ten of whom he supplied. The amount receiv.
ed by him for Bibles from January l, to Nov
ember II, 1859, was S1I54 SO.
An interesting letter was read from DIR.
Leonard Spaulding, Secretary of the Bible
Committee in Millbury, detailing the operation
of the work in that town, among the foreign
or Catholic population, which has been very
successful Among the Bibles found in the
different families, was one 260 years old having
been Imprinted at London, by the Deputies
of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queens
most excellent Majestic, 1890, cum privilega."
This venerable relic of past age is copeously
illustrated with engravings and other repres-
entations of the text, and is truly curiosity.
Dea. Guild addressed the meeting in refer
ence to his labors in behalf of the cause, and
the importance of the work.
Rev. James Mcneil, one of the Secretaries
of the American Bible Society, made an able
address, detailing the progress of the work in
this and other countries since the organization
of the American Society, and especially with
in the last twenty five years. Such had been
the increase in the number of local societies,
that with the exception of the territory of
| Utah, there was not an acre of territory in our
whole widely extended country, which was
not the theatre of some bible association. The
operations of agents of the society in the val
ley of the Amazon and the various govern
ments in which South America is sub-divided,
as well as in France, Russia, Turkey, and 9TH
err European and Asiatic countries, and in
the various departments of India, and in
China, were detailed, showing largely in
creased labors and success in the distribution
of Bibles, and conversion from heathenism o
Protestant Christianity, within the last two
or three years. In China, within the past
year, from Canton alone, 40, 900 copies of the
Bible had been circulated, from Calcutta, 90
600 to the natives around there, $1,000 from
Madras, and from other points in similar
proportion.
After prayer by Rev Mr.. Jones, and bene-
diction by Rev. DIR. Sweetser the meeting ad-
journed.