The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-05-02
For the Free Trader.
Sixteenth Annual Statement of Eible go.
ciety Operations IN ILL.,, for the Year
ending March 81, 1863.

The past year has been one of funprece.
dented success in efforts to promote the
Bible Cause in Illinois. Although over
100000 of adult cisizens are absent from
the State, many of whom were formerly
patrons, and some of them officers Of our
Bible Societies, the amount raised for the
cause is more than ever before
The remittances to the American Bibla
Society from Illinois, in addition to all
that has been expended by the County
Societies for agency, freight, &c, amount
&c $il, ,I49 3I-exceeding those ofthe wear
before by $l6,0S2 70, and those of the wear
ending March 3lst, 1857 (Which were the
largest of any year previous TO the wear
just ended } by g 903 60. Of the amount
forwarded last year about S24, 900 wa, ia
payment for books for our own citizens.
and about Sl1,IjO donations to tho parent
Society to aid supplying other places
these donations exceeding those of the
year before by some 81 800
This increase of receipts is attributable
to variety OF causes, among which are
the increased amount of money in circu.
lation-the increased work of the Society.
which has called out larger donations.
and the CO operation to some extent of
the Baptist donation in efforts to supply
the army and the destitute at home.
The number of persons in the State
who have been constituted life member.
OF the A. B. ;. during the year by their
own donations or those of other indiyidu.
ais or auxiliary Societies is about 300 and
the number who have paid or pledged
$50 or more 10 constitute themselves or
friends life members or directors of the
Society is about $50 One liberal friend
has continued mis- annual Donation ofSIOO0
to the cause, and another has given n nota
Cn place of a beouestJ for $1,000. To be
paid at convenience during life, or by ex
ecuters after death
The circulation of Bibles and testaments
in our State the past year has also been
larger than ever before. amounting to
about 100000 copies. The cost of these
books has been increased about so per
cent-thus rendering a corresponding in.
crease IN receipts necessary &c supply the
same number of persons.
Much attention has been given to the
supply Of soldiers with the Scriptures
not only those who enlisted last wear. bu.
those supplied the year before. and who
had lost their Testaments by the casual.
ties Of war, and not only our own soldiers
but prisoners from the South. During
the past two years not far from 10000
Bibles and Testaments have been placed
In the hands of Illinois volunteers. In
almost all cases they have been received
with gratitude, and in very many per-
sued with avidity and profit
The home work of the auxiliary and
branch Societies has been carried forward
much as in former years. The whole
number of auxfiaries is now Il5 and of
branches nearly 1000, making about 1900
Bible Societies in the State. Each of
these Societies has Il depository of books,
and the aggregate value OF those in the
1900 depcsltarles in the State is some
$4,000
The number Of local agents connected
with the society is about 1000, and of
other officers, such rs President. Vice
Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers,
about 2,ooO making some $1,000 persons
who sustain official relations in connection
with the work, and who feel and manifest
more interest in it in consequence.
Ia addition TO these are few travelling
agents-enIployed mainly by the auxilia.
ries, and each of whose fields of labor em.
braces from five to ten counties, and on
an average about 100000 inhabitants. As
the cost Of this agency i. less than half
cent to each person on the field-as the
business OF these agents is not merely to
raise funds, but TO keep the State we'll
supplied with the Scriptures, and to per-
form important missionary or colporteur
iaoor-and as experience has shown that
NEST OF the branch societies would cease
to operate or even to exist without them.
their employment is regarded as not only
Judicious, but absolutely necessary to
the prosecution of the plan which has
been persued with so much success.
For the results of the past year we are
very much indebted to the labors of the
local agents-to the kind co operation of
Pastors-to the generosity of the people
of our noble State. and especially to the
blessing of God, without which all of our
efforts would have been fruitless
We enter upon a new year with an inn
mense army in the field to be kept sup
piled with the Scriptures-with thousands
of poor families and destitute children at
home to be furnished, and with the for.
eign field white to The harvest, whore
Bibles are needed by the hundreds of
millions. \. LORD, Agent A. B. S.