The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-09

ANNUAL MEETING.
Address of the Executive Committee.
At an adjourned meeting of the Board
of Managers Of the Bible Society Of Vir-
ginia, held in the vestry- room of st. Paul's
Episcopal church, q committee appointed
to report o plan for the future operations
Of the Society submitted s7series Of reso-
lutions which were unanimously adopted.
The new plan provides for the appoint
ment, by. the managers, of an executive
committee, consisting of four Of the mana
gers and the general agent or secretary Of
correspondence, whose duties are defined.
The committee is instructed By the resolu-
tions to meet once week at the depository,
to keep record of its proceedings; and to
propose to the Board, from time to time,
such measures as it may deem calculated
to advance the interest of the Society. 1t
is further ordained that the committee
furnish no books to repositories for sale
unless the orders are accompanied with
money, or reliable assurance that it will
be paid in sixty days; that monthly state
ments be presented of the supplies needed
in the depository that only such books as
are found of ready sale be ordered and that
suitable sppealsbe issued to the Christian
public. asking aid for the Society in its
present emergency. a@es
In accordance with the last resolution,
the Executive Committee, which consists
of Messrs. Samuel M. Price, Thomas H.
Ellis, Philip F. Howard, George L. Bid
good, and HRev.S.J. Baird, general agent,
have prepared an exceedingly lengthy ad-
dress, from which We make the following
extracts: sa Il . - Il
eaad ADDRESS. A.
After respectfully inviting the atten-
ton Of Christians to the. exhibition of
the condition and plans of the Society, it
| is remarked that when the Society met,
La short time after the close Of the war, all
| that remained to it of the past was debt
due to the American Bible Society of
about $500 and those blessed fruits of
past labors which, eternity alone can un-
fold, Her auxiliaries were disbanded, her
treasury empty, and her depository with
out Bible Even her records--the pre-
cious memorials Of. the laborious piety of
our fathers-were swept away by the pitt
| less flames which devastated our city.
| With sad and shrinking hearts, but trust
| ing in God, the Society commenced It's
work, and I" having resumed our former re-
| lations to the American Bible Society-Ot
which this Society was one Of the founders,
and from the beginning an auxiliary-we
were at once furnished with liberal supply
ofbooks through the beneficence of that So
ciety. By its order the books which it had
sent into Virginia for the supply Of our
State destitution were turned over to this
/ Society gratuitously to the value. Of
$5,l4S.70. In addition these books, which
were in the hands of its own local commit
! tees, the American Society made grant
to our depository of the value Of s949.05,
at the same time announcing its readiness
to honor our orders for books on account
to any amount which we might require" !"
With such encouragement and the SER
vices Of the Rev. DR.. S. J. Baird, joint
agent of the two Societies, the Virginia
Society has been struggling to re0rganize
their system. About forty auxiliary socie-
ties have been established, and supplies
placed in their hands and number of
colporteurs have also been employed, by
whom a good work has been done in sup
| plying the destitute of all colors and con-
!. ditions.
In the mean time the amount of receipts
| into the treasury from sales and collections
has been SO, 1878; Of which sum 81 ,676.73
have been received from friends of the
cause beyond the State; leaving but S2,2l2
as the whole amount received from at home
! for all purposes, except the sums collected
and expended by agents inthe canvass and
supply of their own districts.
With an income so inadequate, and a
debt of So, 800 at the beginning, the opera
tions of the Society were greatly restricted
and its energies seriously impaired, while
the Indebtedness to the parent Society
continued steadily to increase.
| Under these circumstances, Rev. Dr.
Moore was appointed to visit New York
\ and to confer with the American Society
| in regard to the embarrassments. The re-
suit of the mission was that the whole
debt (s7,549.74) was cancelled.
| The committee then states that, having
! been recipients to such an extent OF the
! benefactions of the American Bible Socie-
ty, this Society feels called upon to make
! vet more strenuous eXertions, being the
Emore impelled by their information in re-
gard to the condition Of the National So
ciety. 80
! "The Board of Managers find them
selves placed in a position ofpeculiar ooli-
CATION and responsibility. Not only are
they called to superintend the work of Bi-
BILE distribution in our beloved State, but
they are the guardians of an institution
the traditions of which are identified with
the names, the faith, and labors Of many Of
the best and noblest of our fathers-an in.
stitution which constitutes bond o1
blessed union with the plans and hopes OF
happy days long past"
/ The address closes with an earnest ap-
peal to the friends of the Word Of God:
! "We would say to every such friend, de-
not wait for any general movement in your
community, but give us your aid at once
Let our cause occupy its proper place
among those which claim your help, ant
as it's wants are pressing, let your help be
speedy. Your own contribution of money
i and of personal efforts to bring others te
contribute, is now needed, and vii
avail much. Without such immediate
individual aids there is danger that oul
. work, Notwithstanding the general ap
prevail of all Christians, will continue t
languish, and lis it too bold to say2) every
thing of value in our institutions mus
languish with it. Whatever else you d.
|, for needy souls land we would not dis
courage any form or mode of Christian
I benefcence) do not fail to put into thei