Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-06-09
For the Standard.
COLpORTAGE IN NoRTH-CAROLINA.

COLP0RTAGE IN NORTH-CAROLlNA.
Since the first of March | have been greatly bless
ed of God in my humble efforts to spread gospel
light among the poor and pershing During the
quarter labored in sixteen counties; made 4SS re-
ligious family visits; found 100 families negecting
evangelical preaching 81 destitute of all religious
books, % who never owned Bible and 203 who
never had religious visit and prayer at their houses
before have also aided in holding 81 public meet
ings. Ministers of different denominations have
opened my way both publicly and privately.
have visited and labored with several of our Col
porteurs on their fields where have and heard
much of the fruits of their daily labors from house
to house. One family seemed not even to care for
religious books, but desired to buy novels The
Colporteur exhibited his books, and sold "Persua-
sives to Early Piety' to this family, which was the
means of the conversion of a grown son and daugh-
ter who have since been active in getting their as
;ociates to buy and read this excellent book instead
of throwing away their time and souls by novels.
In another county the Colportuer found 20 fami-
lies in one section who never had religious visit
before. After catechisng and encouraging them at
their homes by several visits he got them to unite
in Sabbath School and prayer meeting, in which
there is deep interest A wealthy gentleman told
me that he spent day riding through this neigh
borhood to satisfy himself to the effect of COpor
tage which resulted in impressng him that it was
the best system for efectually reaching all classes
and conditions because it united the social influence
with the power of Gods truth at the firesde on the
strong ground, simply, Of Christian love free of
scctariansm This gentleman says that he Stall
feel it to be both duty and privilege to support
CopOrteur annually even if he knew it would do
no other good than to improve society, for safety
and happiness here.
In another county the Colporteur visited similar
neighborhood which also resulted in the formation
of Sabbath School, under n board shelter in the
woods where parents and children are being taught
tbo hat IN nd rnnI | Op with
of the pouS intelligent friends who go six or eight
miles to aid in teaching this school. This Colpor-
tucr has found whole families entirely neglectlng
church and school, with no books at all, having
children fourteen years old who never heard ser
mon. Reliable persons in this county told Inc that
it six or eight miles to the nearest place OF
preaching, and they, though members of the church,
had not been able hear sermon in two years, and
that of their neighborS had not heard sermon
i'll more than twenty years. The many intelligent
and piouS of that county are heartily cooperating
with our COlporteur by their personal efforts and
liberal donations in supplying the wants.
In another county, a minister says he went with
our ColpOrtuer a week through a swampy section,
where it was thought to be dangerous to 60 and be-
cause of the poverty they could scarcely get neceS-
sary food for themselves and horses while visiting
them. Suitable books and instruction, with prayer,
were given at every house. Since that weeks labor
they have continued to improve, and for a year or
two they have had four Sunday Schools; and this
minister has just ordered Of the COlporteur $50 worth
of books to repcniSh these schools In recent let
ter the minister says: "Of the many converted IN
these schools there arc three men, now supcrinten-
dents, holding prayer meetings, visiting and praying
with their ncghborS at their homes, who when he
and the COlpOrtuer first visited them, were drunk
ards and great diSturbers Of the neighborhood.
During the quarter have visited, or been inform:
ed Of rs Sabbath Schools which are believed to have
II. 81.
in the families.
A few Sabbaths ago walked eight miles to visit
one of these Sabbath Schools now numbering about
30 scholars. and such interest, good order ard i'm
provemcnt have seldom before seen; and | have
never before seen happier faces than after there
scattered the "Childs Paper among them-the first
religious paper some of them ever owned: and this
they owned ny donation from pious lady, who
has since more than doubled her donation to make
other young hearts glad trust others will follow
her example in sending to needy children this bean
tiful and instructive little paper-10 copies year
for one dollar.
l have also heard of 142 persons hopefully con-
vertedby Gods blessing upon printed truth and per-
sonalregious conversation Two persons told me that
the tract, "Ye Must BE Born Again." by Rev. DIR.
Cutler, had been made a great blessing to their
souls. An active, christian gentleman, writing for
tracts to give to persons calling at his Office and
pecially to seamen, SAYS, Send me good supply
OF the tract Come to Jesus. l know II has done
and will do much good. We have a valuable men,
Der in our church now, Ia sea Captain,) who dates
his return to God from reading this tract, which I
got from the COporteur and gave him when bound
on foreign voyage" God is greatly blessing the
efforts of female tract distributors in different sec
tons Of the State. An infdel was recently led to
Christ by a tract thus given.
This work, which we are doing in aoout sixty
counties in North Carolina, is supported by dona-
tons, and it is cheering to the increased liberal
ity of the friends in supporting and extending this
work. Berthe county is doing noble part in dona-
tons and personal efforts; shall never forget the
warm Christian hearts there met, and also at Ply
mouth. l have never been moro encouraged than
by my recent visit to Fayetteville. The friends there
gave over 800 more than any previous year. Let
each enc give something. "GOd loveth a cheerful
giver" Yours truly,
w. j. W. CR0WDER, Gen. Agt.
Am. TT. Society.
Raleigh, June, 1860
f-STS Editors in N C. will pleaSe conv