Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-02-08
For tn. warrer Chronicle.
Third Annual Statement

Eastern Ohio for the Year Ending
Dec. 31st, 1859.
In presenting to the friends and patrons
of the Bible Cause in Eastern Ohio, my
third annual statement of its operations, it
affords me pleasure to state, that notwith-
standing the continued depression which
has rested so heavily upon all the financial
interests of the State throughout the entire
year, the receipts from my field show de-
cided increase over those of any previous
year since entered the field. In no pc
riod, perhaps, since the organization of the
American Bible Society. have the diff:ul-
ties in the way of a successful prosecution
of the wOik been greater than during the
past year. The hopes of thousands who
were looking to the fruitful increase of the
labor of the husbandman, have been DOOM
ed to another disappointment, and the
'.bone and sinew" of the land have felt
the stroke, and felt it severely.
1t would not be surprising then, than a
cause whose claims are of 4 benevolent
character, should share largely in the gen
eral depression.
Much of the success of the cause under
all these difficulties, is due to the excellence
of the system now in operation. The work
is mainly conducted through the operation
of auxiliaries and Branch Societies; the
former usually comprising a single County,
and the latter only township within its
limits.
The number of auxiliary Societies upon
my field, is now thirty-four; and that of
branch Societies has been increased to one
hundred and eighty-eighty-One of this
number having been added to the list dur
ing the past year. Where three years ago
many of these auxiliary or County Socie-
tics were sustaining but feeble and sickly
existence and we're practically bencfciaries
rather than auxilaries of the American
Bible Society. now liberal donations are
being annually made by many of them in
aid of the general work abroad.
The utility of Branch or Township So
cieties has herein been satisfactorily estab-
lished. They have impaired a vigOr and
strength to our auxiliary Societies, such as
could not have been secured to them in any
other way.
By the annual cooperation of the County
agents with the friends and patrons of the
cause, these Societies are kept in active
operation by regular annual meetings; and
in no instance has Society thus conducted
fallen into decay or stagnaney. On the
other hand every successive year has been
one of advancement
= Another wheel in the working of the
machinery, has been the system of Local
Agencies Each Township Society is d.
vided into a number of Districts-usually
comprising the limits of School District
each-over which local or unpaid agent
is appointed. who visits his district annu-
ally, supplying the destitute and soliciting
from all who are friendly to the cause. a
donation in its behalf
Still another feature Of the work is the
annual nature of our subscriptions. By
this plan the work has been greatly sys-
temized and economical Our subscrip-
tons falling due annually, the necessity of
a call from the travelling agent, year after
year, Is, to a great extent, Obviatcd.
As was above stated, we have now in
operation, upon my field, which comprises
twenty-three of the Eastern Counties, or
One-fourth of the State, one hundred and
eighty branch Societies. Each of these
Societies is furnished with well assorted
of Bibles and Testaments, thus
rendering the Bible accessible to almost
every community.
Connected with these branch Societies
are about sixteen hundred Local, or unpaid
agents, who cheerfully devote such pOr-
ton of their time as the interests of the ,
cause may require, in visiting their respec-
tive districts annually. They constitute q
noble array of fellow labOrers, and to
them the cause is greatly indebted for its
efficiency.
Two thousand copies of The Bible So :
,iety Record" are sent monthly to the To- !
al agents and main officers of the branch, G
and auxiliary Societies, which serve to I
Keep alive the interest taken by our fellow i
abOrers and the patrons of the cause. In
his way the operations and claims of the c
Soceity are stately brought before almost
light thousand readers The number Of I
antilles visited upon my field the past year, I
, dOOUL bnClhG buOuSauuY VI hAOA Nk-
Yards of fourteen hundred have been found g
destitute and supplied with the Bible. The :
lumber of volumes distributed was about i
Eighteen thousand Z
The amount of funds raised the past r
ear on my field. is about eleven thousand r
IOllars; of which, about eight thousand c
ave been remitted to the parent Society, b
nd the balance applied upon the field in L
the destitute, sc. s
In addition to the amount Of cash receiv- [
i, much has been accomplished of pros Z
ective character. An unusual number Of +
iberal and reliable pledge have been OBJ is
aimed and secured by promissOry notes. S
n this way, in a single County, about one #
lundred life memberships, Thirty dollars
aeh, we're obtained for the Society.