The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-03
uIanLY INTERESTING DOCUMENT
"Reminiscences OF Old yirEinian MIN.
tsters-Historiea sketch OF che b.
BILE Society or vtrginia-Iss Origin
and Operations.

The IohoWihS u VIC Hhsy
report of the Bible Society of Virginia
presented at the meeting Of the Society ~
St. Paul's Church on Tuesday night
The last annual meeting-of this Socle,y
was held on Friday, the Sth day OF APih,
1891 That day had been appointed ny
proclamation of the President OF the Con
federate States, in compliance Win icso.
luton of the Confederate congress, as .
day of fasting and prayer ana me noaro
If Managers. in the hope and expectation
that a larger attendance than usual would
he secured, and an increased interest IN
the Society be aroused under the combined
feelings which such an occasion was cal
culatcd to inspire, had ordereda postpone
ment of our meeting from the first Tues
day in April until the evening OF the
day thus set apart. In this hope and ex-
pectation the Board were not disappointed,
since the meeting proved to be one OF spe-
cial interest and attraction.
1t affords the Board pleasure to announce
that the Annual Report, presented on tiat
occasion, together with the accompanying
documents, and the Report OF the FRO
ceedings of the Society, all of which were
supposed to have been lost or destroyed,
have been lately found, and will be soon
published.
Preparations were duly made for the
holding of the annual meeting on the ap.
uointed day, one year ago; which happened
on the 4th of April; but the excitement
attending the dreadful confagration OF
large portion of this city, the sudden eva.
cuation of the city by the authorities OF
the Confederate Government, and Its mill
tary occupation by the armies OF the
United States on the preceding day, pre-
vented even an attempt to assemble loi
the purpose indicated.
Inasmuch as no report was then MADE
il seems to the Board advisable to include
in this statement of the operations OF the
last two years.
Before entering into business details,
however, it becomcsus, asa CHRISTIAN ooa!,
TO recognize the great events by Which IL
hath pleased the Supreme Ruier OF the
Universe, not only to influence the pro-
ceedings of our Society, but to mark our
course as a people. We ever deeply de-
plorcd the necessity which constrained US
TO take up arms in defence of what we pc
licved to be our rights, and of the free IN
stitutions derived from our ancestors. We
felt that il was sad spectacle that war
and carnage should prevail among such a
people as those of the United States In q
land Boosting itself to be the chosen abode
of liberty and self-government, of peace
and a high civilization. We would not
now, in any spirit of vain Boosting, refer
10 the manner in which we were enabled
so long to maintain the unequal contest
To the unanmity, firmness, fortltude, CON
stancy, and devotion, of young ana oiu'
rich and poor, male and female I; ana esPe-
cially we do not propose to draw aside the
pail of mourning which covers our lana,
tocxpose our broken fircsides and desola-
ted homes, or to count the costly sacrifices
of ease, health, property, and life, when
have been freely laid upon the altar OF
country. Every heart III this assembly
prbbahly has its own sorrow connected with
The late war. But we know that we are in
the path of present duty when we ascribe
the result of that war to Him who hath or
dsred it according to His own unerrlng
wisdom and that it is ours now rather to
rejoice that the terrible conflict is over,
hat peace has come, and that, entertain
ing no principle, sentiment, or purpose, ln-
consistent with peace, we commit our cause
in the past to the enlightened Judgment OF
the world, and grid ourselves to the new
duties which await us. These duties are
many of them high, honorable, and en-
couraging,-some of them involve iapors Oh
love, and are designed to save souls from
death. Not the least in dignity or lmpor-
lance is that which assemblies us TINS eFeh-
ing to hear what has been done, and to con-
slider what can best be done, by tins So
cicty to aid in the distribution OF the
Word of Life.
At the date of the annual meeting IN
1864, the supply of books on hand was SO
limited that the Board were under the ne
cessity of declining almost daily number
of the most pressing and affecting applica-
TONS. OF the munificent grant, consisting
of ten thousand Bibles, fifty thousand Tes-
taments, and two hundred and fifty thou
sand copies of the Gospels and Psalms, IN
"parts," made by the British and Foreign
Bible Society to the Bible Society of Nlr-
ginia, large portion was still due, some
having been detained at Nassau, others, as
has been ascertained since the close OF the
war, having been captured by vessels OF
the blockading squadron of the United
States, carried to Boston, and there sold
and others again having been misplaced or
delayed in consequence OF the difficulties
of transportation. Measures had been
previously adopted by the Board to have
the New Testament printed for the Society
in form convenient for the use of the
army, and the committee having the mat
ter in charge renewed their efforts to ac-
complish this object, but it was found
impracticable with the resources at their
command. In this condition Of affairs,
Mr.. George D. Fisher, an esteemed member
of the Board, volunteered to go in search OF
some of our missing supply. Heproceeded as
far as Wilmington, N. c., and early in June
returned, bringing with him, without
charge either for his travelling or Incl
dental expenses, twelve boxes of the Tes-
taments which had been sent from England.
These, numbering about - thousand,
were, by order of the Board, reserved ex-
clusively for the army. In order to meet
with the least delay the constant demands
upon them, and at the same time to insure
a just discretion in the distribution, as
far as practicable, to all the divisions of
the army, Donation Committee was APP
pointed, TO whom every application was
referred. About the beginning Of the year
1865, Mr.. Parham, of the house of James
Woodhouse s Co., depositaries, being with
the army in the field, Mr.. Woodhouse
being frequently called out with the re-
serve forces, and their store consequently
often closed, the Board concluded an ar
rangement with Mr.. William D. Cook,
...a.s - slce Cnp,n;tfaa Of