The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-17
Anniversary OF THE VIRGINIA BIBLE So.

| ANNIvERsARY OF THE VIRGINIA BIBLE So
crETY.-The fifty fourth anniversary meet
ing Of the Virginia Bible Society was held
in the First Presbyterian church last eve
ming. The proceedings were opened by
the singing of the 3sth Psalm. The 54th
chapter Of Isaiah was then read by the
Rev. DR.. Woodbridge, after which prayer
was offered by the Rev. DR.. Moses D..
Hoge.
The Society was then called to order by
the Rev. DR.. Woodbridge, president. Mr..
Fisher, secretary of the Board of Man
ayers, was requested to act as secretary
of the meeting.
The Rev. Nelson Head then read the
following report:
annual Report of the Virginia Bible So
ciety.
The Board of Managers of the Bible So
ciety of Virginia, on presenting their
annual report, would record their devout
thankfulness to Almighty God for His pre-
serving goodness over us during the year
that Is now closing, and for the measure OF
success which has crowned our efforts in
the noble cause to which we are devoted.
L For more than half a century this So
ciety has been engaged in its philanthropc
labors for the diffusion of the sacred
| Scriptures among the destitute Of our
State. These labors have been attended
with varying success, as times and circum-
stances have changed. But our record is
on high, and we doubt not the day of eter-
nifty will reveal the results of blessedness,
which shall gladden. the everlasting ages.
The circumstances now surrounding us,
so strangely new and so embarrassing in
some of their aspects, should, neverthe-
less, not be allowed for moment to
dampen the ardor of zeal in the blessed
work of placing in the bands of all the des-
titute of our fellow citizens Of Virginia the
precious treasure of the Word of Life.
Indeed, there is trumpet-call, sounding
out Of the peculiarly of our times, sum-
moning all the friends of Jesus, the lovers
of the Bible and of man, to renewed exer-
tions in behalf of the Bible cause.
New elements of moral mischief have
arisen out of the new order of things now
surrounding us, which can only be met
and neutralized by the revelation of the
truth and love of God as contained in the
Bible.
The class of poor and destitute, for
whose moral elevation and religious COM
fort and safety this Society has been
years, we think has largely increased by
the operation of causes which are obvious
to all. Besides, we may reasonably look
for still larger increase by the tide of
immigration which must flow into our
| State, the first risings of which are even
now visible. To mould all these into ele-
mcnts of moral and material strength and
glory to our Commonwealth the Bible
must be brought into contact with their
thoughts and feelings.
| In addition to these, there is now new
class of our population claiming our pro-
| foundest consideration and sympathy.
These are the colored people, who have
been suddenly introduced into state of
| freedom, with but small capacity for
rightly appreciating or properly using that
freedom. Every consideration Of religion
and of civil polity demands that they
should be elevated by education and by
the moral influence of the Bible. AS we
were their friends in their servitude, so
should we be in their freedom. We firmly
believe that the missionary labors of the
various churches ofthc South among them
while in servitude yielded, under the
blessings of God, richer harvest of souls
for the world of bliss than any field of TO-
reign mission which, in modern times, has
been cultivated by the Christian Church !;
and now we must teach them to read and
give them the Book of God.
! We see no reasons why the more favored
portions of society should be left altogether
. out of consideration when surveying the
field of our operations. 1t is great mis-
take if we suppose there is no ignoring OF
the Bible among them. And there is OBJ
vously great danger of their undertaking
and neglecting the sacred volume through
/ the current disbelief of the times. The
pestilent issues of rationalism and open
intidelity which are being flooded forth
from the press are poisoning the toun-
tains of faith in the Book Divine. A large
portion of the higher literature of the day
is either covertly or openly hostile to the
Bible, and, so far, in conflict with the wei
fare of our race. The grand security in
the midst of these perils is to be found in
/ the Bible itself. If we can keep this self
evidencng message from God in the
hands of men, and bring its truths
and love into contact with the mind
and heart, the cold criticism and sophis-
try of disbelief will be rebuked, and our
fellow-men rescued from the vortex of
moral ruin by which they are threatened.
In this connection the words of Guizot
may be opportunely cited "The Chris
tian faith has been and is still very
fiercely and obstinately attacked. How
many efforts have been made and are still
made; how many books, serious or fri
volous, able or silly, have been and are
spread necessarily in order to destroy it in
mems minds. Where has this redoubt-
able struggle been supported with the
greatest energy and success? And where
has Christian faith been best defended
There, where the reading of the sacred
book is a general and assiduous part OF
public worship-there, where it takes
its place in the interior Of families and in
solitary meditation. 1t is the Bible, the
Bible itself, which combats and triumphs
most eflicaciously in the war between in
credulity and unbelief."
Your Board is gratifed in being able to
state that the American Bible Society has
withdrawn its agencies from the State OF
Virginia, and turned its entire work in this
field over to the Bible Society of Virginia,
and has also placed to the credit of this
Society books transferred from its dis
solved committees, and by grants made on
application by our general agent amount
ing in all to $5,l4S.70. These and other
acts of generosity of the American Society
towards the Society of Virginia will, we
doubt not, be properly appreciated by the
Society and by the friends of the Bible
| hn