The Grand Haven news., 1862-03-05
For the Grand Haven News.
Ottawa County Bible Society.


Mr.. BARNS: Allow me space in your
paper for few words on this subject.
The American Bible Society is national
institution, sustained by most of the
churches of our land. 1t is, in the best
sense of the term, Catholic in its princi-
pies, and il means that all its branches
shall be so. Is this the case, wo ask,
with the Ottawa County Bible SocietyG
1t held its annual meeting last year in
the Presby terian Church, of Grand Haven,
and this year it held it in the same place.
Is this in harmony with the liberal spirit
of the Parent Society," Rev. Mr.. CooP-
ER, of the Presbyterian Church, told me
last year that the annual meeting should
be held in the Congregational Church this
year. Now, We must believe that Mr..
COOPER was sincere in this. Why, then,
was it not so heldl
Again, by the constitution of the Soc-
ETY., the annual meeting should have been
held in January. l asked Mr.. GRIFFIN,
the Treasurer, in presence Of Mr.. AVERY,
why it was changed to February, this
gear? He informed me that il was by
vote of the Society, at the last annual
meeting, 1861, and yet in the record of
the meeting, held in last month, the mo-
tion to change from January to February
was put by Rev. Mr.. COOPER and carried.
The day of meeting, therefore, could not
have been changed at the annual meeting,
last year. BY what authority, then, was
it changed? and how could Mr.. GRIFFIN
tell me so, when it was not so, and refer
to his records where it was interlined in
his own hand writing?
Again, is il not strange proceeding
for an annual meeting to be called with
out the Committee being convened, or
onsulted-without the President of the
the Society being notified, or any notice
being given in any church in the County.
Now, it is evident that all this "hole
and corner" mode of proceeding is for
The purpose of preventing the pastor of
the Congregational Church from having
any voice in its proceedings. We ask, is
this christian9 or in harmony with the
Bible, which this society processes to re-
gard9
But, again, by looking at last years
report, by Rev. l.. M. S. SMITH, and this
years also, it will bo seen that the Coun-
ty has been explored, and those destitute
Of the Bible supplied. This was done
three years ago. But from the reports it
would at once be inferred that it was ac-
complisbed by the Ottawa County Bible
Society. Whereas, it was done solely ut
the expense of the parent institution, in
New York. Nor had the Ottawa Coun-
ty Bible Society the slightest agency i'll
getting this good work done. The fact
is, that the writer of this wrote and OBJ
tained the Colporteur of the American
Bible Society, and he did the work-so
that any credit for work done is due to
the Parent Society, and any credit for
the getting of it done, is due not to
the Ottawa County Bible Society, who
never moved in the NATTER but TO my in
strumentality alone.
If this be County Society, why are
not the churches of the county notified
Why are not contributions taken up in
each church, Why is nothing done
One hundred dollars could easily DO col
lected from the County for this object
but, to do this, the Society must have the
confidence of the churches.
1 am glad, Mr. Editor, to see your
name on the Committee. | hope you
will induce the Society to become what it
ought to become, truly catholic, chris
tian institution, and thus answer the ends
of its organization. J. ANDERSON.