Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-12-05
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE
Colportage in North Carolina.

COtpoTGaSe In NoTtn CaIOtlEG- |
Since September LIST, | have labored in IS
Counties, visited and talked on personal re-
ligion with 429 families, 81 of whom had no
Bible; y no other religious books; 102 ha-
bitually neglected preaching, and 1917 never
had a religious visit and prayer before at their
houses. / also distributed over $40, 900
pages of gospel truth, mostly in families and
Sunday Schools, which we have organizedin
the most ignorant sections, by which hun
dreds of parents and children are being taught
to spell and read, and directed to Christ.
During the quarter | have learned of 6S per-
sons who attribute their conversion to Gods
blessing upon the reading of books and tracts.
FROM A MINISTER.
A minister told me that l gave him the
tract "Come to Jesus" a few years ago, which
was the meaps of the hopeful conversion Of a
whole family. At the same time, The says, |
gave him a packet of tracts, worth 25 cents,
which he scattered in a section where there
was not one family in ten that attended
preaching, because of the distance, 90 or 70
miles to the nearest their great wickedness
and indifference. Since then there has been
a revival, and church built there and he has
good reason to believe that the packet of
tracts was the means in Gods hands, of
starting this reformation.
FACTS THAT SHOULD BE KNOWN.
Owing to the increased demand fer grants
of books and tracts to ministers, colporteurs
and christians of the various denominations
at home and abroad for the destitute around
them, being greater than the increase of do.
nations, the American Tract Society is in i'm.
mediate need of funds to supply these starving
souls that are pleading for the gospel.
Dear reader, | hope you will respond quick.
ly, as we must nave funds or curtail our ope.
~rations in carrying the gospel 10 perishine
souls in the highways and hedges of North
Carolina. In this State our colporteurs are
successfully reaching over twenty thousand
families annually, mostly in our more desti
tute counties, leaving the more favored coun
ties to be occupied by other instrumentalities
In one county that | recently passed through
we have a faithful colporteur working, sup
ported by one lady. He found over four hun
bred families negleeling preaching, and Blu
few religious books, and great ignorance ant
wickedness. Besides uniting the social infiu
ence with Gods truth at their fre-sides him
self, he has got about two hundred of thu
most pious and intelligent men and wonel
to revisit the more scattered families for re
ligious instruction, and there are now elevel
good Sabbath-schools where such neve
existed before. 1t requires most of my tim
and efforts to superintend and push forwar
this extensive work in these dark section:
where there cannot be money enough raise
to pay for the grants, to say nothing of til
salaries of the colPorteurs. 1t is owing I
this fact that the Parent Society has expende
in this State ten thousand dollars more tina
we have ever given! Shall North Caroiir
t thus be a means of embarrassing this gre
Q benevolent Catholic Institution? Only abo,
one-half of the amount, wcare now necessari
expanding for this home work, is given /
:. the people of North Carolina. Double
r more would give if could call on them pc
: sonally, but for, reasons before given | a
!, to the extent | wish. One hundred and ff
dollars is the salary of a colporteur; fifty d.
lars secures q Life Dictatorship and tween
i dollars a Life Membership; and each doll
S given will pay for fifteen hundred pages
!. give to those not able to buy. Every dol
n you give will be expended in this State, d
: less you otherwise direct. / hope to ht
from you very soon. All donations
IS acknowledged in the American Messenger.
g. Yours truly.
r w. j. w. CR0WDER, Gen. Ag't
,e of Am. TT. Soc. for n. G
" p. S.-Donations may be sent to me be
u or to Rev. j. Cross, Baltimore, Md, or to
h r. Kingsbury, 100 Nassau St, N. Y.
Raleigh, n. c., December, 1850.
It
~ The VoTE OF VIRGINiA.-It is stated t
the vote Of Virginia has been east for n
st ~ "io 'N haoesois'