Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-08-08
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
THE NECESSITY FOR COLPoRTAGE.

THE NECESSITY FOR COLPORTAGE.
This necessity is to be seen and felt from
the following figures gathered from the re.
cent annual report of che american Tract
Society: The GAO Colporteurs the. past wear
made 629,952 family visits, in which they
iounu 43,41o families destitute of all religious
DOCKS; -, 14O families without the Bible !:
", 1874 families habitually neglecting church !;
Fl, oO2 koman Catholic families were visited
win much success; 520,0 600 evangelical vol,
uihes were scattered, mainly among the more
destitute. This work was done in 80 States
and territories. Ninety-four Colporteurs la
bored among the Germans, Swedes, Norwe.
gians, Danes, Hollanders, Wclch, French ana
Indians. The Society is publishing gospel
truth in l29 languages and dialects. In ad-
dition to expanding $79,61G 90 in supplying
our home wants, the Society gave $12, 600 to
supply Missionaries Of different deuomina-
tons IN distant heather lands with printed
gospel truth IN their native languages. "a
single tract was the germ eta whole mission
in India" says Rev. Mr.. Scudder.
SUGGESTIVE FACTS.
From careful investigation by ministers
and others, it has been ascertained that. even
IN New England, where they are so thickly
settled and church advantages so numerous,
that not more than one-half of the people
ever attend the churches, not above one-third
with any regularity, and only one-fourth
constantly.
If this be true of them, how great the neg
lect and destution must be in the never and
more sparsely settled States and territories
A minister in a prominent town in our State.
having charge of a church numbering about
zoo members, recently told me that one-third
OF the members habitually neglected public
worship, a careful investigation oftwo pro-
mlnent country churches in the same coun.
", shows still greater neglect, neither
OF which have united religious interest
enoughlto get up and carry on a Sabbath
school, the Importance Of which they admit.
1hey content themselves, generally, with GO
ing to church once or twice a month for pub
hciy worshiping God an hour or two each
tlme, then much of those and the other Sab
baths are spent by them, their children and
servants, in visiting for feasting and anase-
ment.
a minister writing me from another conn
ty, says: There are whole districts in this
county where there is scarcely ever any
preaching, the bottle is the common com
panion. If had time to have appointments
TO preach among them they would not come
out TO hear me, or any educated minister.
but by a pious, prudent colporteur to make
kind family visits among them, and wisely
distribute the gospel books and tracts pub
lished by the American Tract Society. thew
can and will be reached successfully. as it is
carried on in the spirit 0 fnumble prayer and
faith IN Christ, who also went about doing
good. l have distributed all the tracts YOU
sent me, and am sure they will do much
good take great pleasure in visiting the
poor, and leaving a good tract to continue
talking to them of Jesus after | am gone.
nope You will send me many more to seat
ter, for next to the ministry | love this work,
which is such a strong help to the ministry.
viii raise a liberal proportion in my church
es to support a colporteur in this county. as
believe it to be the only means that can
reach the masses at their homes who will not
come to church."
THOUGHTS FOR CHRISTIAN PATRIOTS.
From reliable statistics, there are from
eight to ten millions of souls in this eur
CHRISTIAN land, who are not reached by the
ordinary means of grace. Every christian
and every patriot should be moved to promnt
action in reaching this one-third of our en-
tire population with light and truth. that
both mind and heart may be properly taught
for sin and ignorance are the sure and dead
" enemies to the safety, success and happi-
ness Of state, nation and soul. Let each one
labor Increasingly tobuild up and make strong
our TWO sure pillars as a nation-religion and
intelligence. Mothers who are properly
taught these will teach them to their chill
dren, and the children who properly Ieayn
and receive these now, will be the reliable
christians, patriots, and officers in church
and State in the succeeding generation.
Righteousness exalteth a nation" The
father, the mother, the child, make the nation
therefore, We must teach them this fright
eousness" as the only sure foundation for
temporal and spiritual action in whatever we
do, and this must be taught them, not only |
at the church and on the Sabbath, but at their |
homes, the homes of rich and poor, through
the week, and it must be taught, and felt,
and practiced every day, and every week,
and every month, and every year, while it is
UodS VIII that we be a nation and thus
acting ae wt1 be a SAFE, happy, christian
natto@: An Ex-Governor of our State utter
ed a wise sentiment when he said, that if
We educate our children in the sciences alone
and not in the Bible, they cannot be trusted"
Daniel Webster said that nothing could he |
more promotive of the union of our country
than the circulation of religious evangelical
publications"
HOW coLPoRTAGE HELPS.
To help do this important work in the
family, we see the adaptation of colportage bv
which we are now carrying gospel ruth to
more than 10000 families or over 100. 900
souls in this our State annually. As God
has raised up this active system to helm
meet the increasing wants Of this rapid age
It Is proper that the friends of the American
Tract Society should know it greatly needs
1unds TO carry on its benevolent work. On
ring the first quarter of the present year, en-
ding June 1st, the grants to the poor and
needy have been $9,02S, and the expendi-
ture for colportage has been upwards Of SIS
900; Calls for gospel truth, for perishing
souls, are coming to us from every quarter.
THESE truths are being read and Gods daily
owning them as His instruments in the saliva
ton Of souls. saw a lady a few DAYS ago
who was hopefully converted by the Spirits
blessing upon the tract 40 the Afflicted
trust soon to hear from friends, and receive
Their donations to this work, all of which
are acknowledged in the American Messen-
ger" The salary of a colporteur is $50
Life Director $50 Life Member $40; and
every dollar will print 800 pages.
REV. DIR. R. FULLER.
AS the Rev. DR.. Richard Fuller, of BaIti-
more, SAID in his recent address at our ami
versary-"f we deserve to be American cit
izens, this society will engage our warmest
fn1nE aRY,- =