The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-04-08

for thorough exploration and supply
From only three of these, however, have
detailed reports been received.
In Washington county colporteur wa:
Kept in the field for six and q third months
He explored about tTo.thirds of the coun.
ty found about ene-third of the families
visited to be destitute sold books to the
value of s54, and distributed gratuitously
to the value Of s63.75. The greater part
Of the destitution was among the colored
people.
The Wythe County Society employed
two colporteurs-one for a month and a
quarter, and the other for two months.
Three hundred and seventy-six families
were visited, of whom eighty. eight we're
found destitute. Two hundred and seven
ty-tbree volumes were sold, amounting to
$1,000; and l07 given away, of the value
of s26.2O. "The freedmen we're in all
cases supplied with the Word of God the
same as the whites" One of the col
Pofteirs furnished list OF his gtatuitous
distributions, being to nineteen white and
fourteen colored families.
The Roanoke County Society -employe d
colporteur for a month. He visited
seven hundred families, sold Bibles and
Testamepts to the amount of $55 Is, and
gratuitously supplied ffty-two destitute
families.
The cash collections made by the gene
raj agent during the year were 81 $40 81,
beside subscriptions and collections flow
ing intosthe treasuries of the county socie-
Ties and that of the State societies. The
aggregate of these has been from sS, 900 to
S3,5O0.
Rev. DR.. Moore then read the
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.
The annual report of the Board of Man
ayers for the year ending April 7; 1858, is
a paper of considerable interest, but its
length precludes its publication in full.
1t commences with an expression of re-
gret that the hope Of return of material
prosperity indulged at the last anniver-
sary has not been fully realized. On the
contrary, the past year has been one Of de-
preston, and as an inevitable result, all re-
lgious aud benevolent enterprises have
suffered in financial affairs. At the last
anniversary the Society was largely in
debted to the American Bible Society,
and inaction or insolvency, or both, stared
the managers in the face. After due de-
liberation, it is set forth that the Rev. DR..
Moore was sent to confer with the Ameri-
can Society in person concerning, the
whole matter. The Doctor went to New
York, carrying with him long communi-
cation. containing detailed statement of
the condition and prospects Of the Society.
He was received with great kindness, and
after full conference, the Board of Mana
gers cancelled the whole debt by unani-
nous vote, and gave the additional assu.
rance that the Virginia Society should be
supplied as far as possible with the books
needed for gratuitous distribution. Fol
these acts of kindness, and for uniform
courtesy extended since the var, grateful
acknowledgements are made in the report
Assured of this action on the.part of the
American Society; the Virginia Society
adopted plan for more efficient prose-
cution. An executive committee, con-
sisting of four members of the Board and
the General Agent, was appointed; the
latter being the secretary of correspond
elce. This committee has charge of al
the details of receiving and granting ap
plications for books, filling orders, anc
keeping up an assorted stock in the depo
STORY, reporting their action to the Boart
monthly. The departments of gift ant
sale are thus kept constantly apart. 1t i
the desire that this should be the case. Al
applications for books for gratuitous dis
tribution should continue to be kept sepa
rate from those intended for sale, and b.
accompanied with full details Of the des
titution of the field. These minute facts
apparently trivial, are deeply interesting
| to others, and important to thorough un'
derstanding of the necessities Of the State
| When Of sufficient general interest the,
will be published in the Record for circu
lation. "A little incident in our mountain
may thus call forth princely contributions
| for the cause.
1t is recommended in regard to the dc
partment of sale that it be conducted OF
the strictest business principles. This i
absolutely necessary to prevent the con
traction of another debt. The cash princi
pie must be followed; and the attention 0
auxiliaries and depositaries is PARTICULAR.
called to this fact.
The attention of the friends Of Bibl
distribution is also called to the import
ance of the proper connection of auxiliar,
societies. Most of them are auxiliary t
this, and only through this to the Amerl
can Society. But some are dlrectl.
auxiliary to the latter, and others hav
been contemplating such relation. Al
the working agencies in the field shoul'
be under the supervision of one party
and as this supervision has been formal.
transferred by the National Society t.
this, and they are working the field through
this, all subordinate agencies should b.
connected with the Virginia Society, ant
form an adjusted machinery for doing tn
work. Every isolated society is MISSING
cog in this machinery, and must imped
its working. When majority of tn
auxiliaries formally recommend the disso
luton of the Virginia Bible Society, the
the managers will bow to the decision, bu
not without pain at seeing the old and gallan
craft, which has weathered the storm TO
fifty years, disappear from human vie,
forever. Until then the auxiliary socletie
should be such not only in name but i
| fact.
The managers then make an urgent az
peal to the friends of the Bible and of thi
Society, urging that the good work sha
not be allowed to languish. The repol
then gives the following words of warnin
against one of the dangers to which th
Society is exposed at is one of the dc
| lightful features Of the Bible cause that
ignores all sectarian distinctions, and il
vites all Christians on the broad platforr
of the Word of God. But this very tat
is o. source of weakness to US in our ope
rations. The old adage that what
everybody's business is nobody's business
finds too much illustration in this case, s
that its very catholicity is often a cause
its neglect. 1t is perfectly natural th'