Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-04-11
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CHRIS
TIAN CHURCHES AND s. SCHOOLS
In BRADFORD COUNTY.

In compliance with resolution of
the Sunday School Association at our
last annual meeting, the Executive
Committee have the pleasure of pre-
senting to you as their report of our
doings since our first organization
in 1868.
The necessity of al organization
like our present one, was apparent
for several years before to quite a
number of its present members, and
efforts for an organization resulted in
a meeting being called at Towanda
in June, 1868, at which, and at two
subsequent meetings, in September
and December, the plans were laid
for active work in the following
spring, which resulted in securing
the services Of Rev. r. Crittenden,
of Connecticut, who was commission
ed by the American Sunday School
Union TO work under our guidance ia
this county.
He has been here since them con-
stantly at work, and we refer you to
the reports and tabular statements
hel lewith presented, as the result of
of his Iabors
We have learned by his examina-
tions of the county, that there is a
very great work to do; and we are
also cDuv need that, under God, our
Association is the best organization
to carry the Sunday School to the
! destitute parts of the county We
do not propose to interfere with, or
supercede the work of any Evangeli-
cal Church organization, but leave to
them in every neighborhood this work
where there is the ability and zeal to
carry it on, but in the neighborhoods
where there are no regular ministra-
tions of the Gospel, nor numbers or
material strength sufficient to organ
ize church, we propose by uniting
the strength of combined effort, to
seek out those places and plant the
Sunday School, which we trust will
be in all cases followed by the preach
ing of the Gospel and the establish
ment OF the ministry. This is our
work, to this we direct our effort, and
as we have such abundant evidence
Of the Divine blessing, as the stats.
tical tables annexed show, we look
forward confidently to the time when
our whole county will be dotted over
with houses where the Gospel shall
be- preached in it's simplicity, and the
Truth, as it is Jesus, made known ev-
cry Sabbath.
We invite the help Of every pro-
fessor of religion in our county in
this work. Hie need your counsel,
! your prayers and your means. You
can give us Your counsel by attending
Onr regular meetings when held, as
they are, in different parts of the
county, four times a year. You can
give us your prayers at all times and
under all circumstances, and you can
give us your means, regularly and
annually, by collections in the church
es, in the schools, and by private
subscription. Our means are used
exclusively to pay the salary of our
Missionary and the necessary sta
tionery and printing. Nothing else
- no travelling or any other expenses.
"" hope i'll the ensuing spring to
have Il depository Of Sunday School
Books established at Towanda, where
Sunday School Literature can be sup
piled at publishers prices, adding on.
ly cost of transportation
1t will be our aim to do the work
efficiently and practically, and com
mending it to your earnest attention,
We remain,
Your brethren in Christ,
b. ). RUSSELL, President