Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-01-23
BELMONT co. BIBLE SOCIETY.

rial can be collected for a History of the
Society, whose semi-centennial snniver- !
sary we celebrate. The early records
have been irrecoverably lost, as issup-
posed, In the destructive fire which oc-
Cured here in May, 1896, and those who
were most prominent in originating aud
carrying forward the work have passed
away to their reward; and while their
work remains a monument to their piety
and zeal, we cannot but lament that we
are not able to write fullor account of
their labor of love. With such data as it
was possible to obtain, the following
sketch has been prepared which, while
Ineagrs and necessarily incomplete, Will
at least be free from the fault of tedious-f
ness. N
1t was at the very beginning Of tHs
century that movements were made lobk-
ing to q more general distribution oitne
Word of God. Christians in Great Fitain
began to discover that the channes thro'
which they labored in supplying lhe
Scriptures to the destitute, we're aito1
rethsr Inadequate to the necessities or
MANY portions of that Island. They felt
that they must organize with the view OF
accomplishing a great end, and TINS iea
TO the formation Of the first society which
had for its specific object the circulation
of tho Holy Scriptures. What they
achieved, the history of the British and
Foreign Bible Society will show.
But the same spirit was abroad IN our
own land previous 70 that time, and soon
afterward took form in organized socie-
ties. Our country was rapidly ming up
with q population Which was exceeding
ly destitute of the Bible, and Christian
love for the perishing proHptsd to ener-
getic efforts in supplying their wants.
These efforts were, of course, local, and,
while there were many Blble socleties
and associations in various parts of the
land, all of these acted Independently.
or the local and independent societies,
there was one organized in this place in
1915, and called the st. Clairsville Blpie
Society. It's origin was owing. to the
want of proper supply OF Bibles 1of
this portion of the rapidly growing new
state of Ohio. How much these local
societies accomplished it is impossible TO
saw. but there were more than 10 oil
| them in different States, and doubtless
their work was considerable in particular
| districts. In 1916 the American Bible
Society was brought into existence, as
the result of a desire to invite all these
independent organizationsinto one grand
National Society, in which there would
bc cooperation and greatly increased eff
cheney. II was in 1873, or two years after
the American Bible Society was organ
ized and three wears after the formation
of the St. Clairsvills Bible Society, that
IL was merged into the National Society
and became an auxiliary to it, under the
name of the Belmont County Bibte Soci-
EN-. 1t is, therefore, this Society, as an
auxiliary to the American Bible Society,
whose semi-centenn anniversary we
are holding.
AT the oltset n aCoustitution was adopt
ed and funds were collected for purchas'
ing books for sale aud distribution. The
next year u donation was recei ived from
the American Bible society of l0D Bibles
and 50 Testaments, valued at T9) o.
Again, two yoars later in 1921, dona
ton of - Bibles and 70 Te'taments, val
ned at $82 O2. Another donation was re-
cciyed from tho same source in 1881 o
3l6 Bibles and ~ Testanents, valued al
S2Dl SO. Beyond these donations from
the Parent Society, this Society, for tht
first eighteen years of its existence, de
pended on annual subscriptions OF fxet
amounts by citizens OF st. Clairsville anf
vicinity. No attempt was made to Sc
regular snbsor! ptions throughout th'
Comfy, and very little was done outside
} o. tl;s town and ncighborhood. Book
wore sold and donated on application
and Us individuals discovered desttutioI
in Dlrt.cular localities. But compare
; lively little was done.
II was in 1867 that the Society begaI
: more enerreticaily to cultivate tho iisl'
under its care. They employed Mr
Dnndas to visit the families throughou
theCountyand supply the,destitute, g the
, by sale or gift. The expenses We're ne
cessarily great, as great aestltutioi
, abounded but these were more thar
. | "A. t,I,S
} the friends OF the enterprise in dit
ferent parts of the County. About fiv
wears after that (lSl2l it was felt that tn
work could he done more successfully b.
having persons i'm each Township espe
cially Interested in the Bible cause, an
= some one appointed in each school DIS
trict to distribute books and raise fund
{ Cor CARRYING on the work. In two o
Q three Townships this was success, bu
. it was not anything like q general eiior
f throughout the County and was not pre-
= ductive of great results.
: But q far more successful effort wa
t made about the year 1850. Mr.. II. W
: Smith. now the General Agent for North
1 western Ohio, undertook general SUI
= ply OF the County, by the appointmeu
3 of this Society. lie began his labors i
|. October, and took asystamat C tour thrt
{ the County, the officers giving him tn
: names of Christian friends in eYery tow
shin, who would be likely to help hil
f>rward He was then new in the worl
: and was unaccustomed to'speakinS, bl
' was ,.ran of marked energy and dew
/ ton to his work. His plan OF operatio
I was TO appoint day for meeting to o
i, ganize a Society in every Township
TIistributors and Collectors were appoin
z ed In each School D,strict, 10 thorouShl
9 canvass the whole field. Anotner NEE
J. ing was held, rs q Township AhhiVe
v sary, at which these returns were pr
3 sented, and finally vt the close OF u
d Township canvass a County Anniysr srsal
l. WAS held and the full returns brousA6s
II gether. This was the beginning In Tn
10 County of what We're afterward still mo-
fully organized as Township Societies
so great was the necessity for such
,e work as was done through the agency
: Mr.. smith, that 1t was found one-fourI
D, of the families in some of the Township
D. had not u whole Bible. SO successf
was the effort then made that Sl2O0worl
of Bibles were distributed, and fun
l. enough raised to meet all expenses, to i
< crease the stock of books in the Depos
Mt tory, and to make respectable donate
4 to the General Society In New York.
Is These Township Societies organized
or that time did not all work efficiently, b
the larger proportion Of them did go
service, from year to year, In Keeping
10 supply Of books in their repositories al