The New York herald., 1869-05-13
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.

The American Tract Society held its fOrty-fourth
anniversary meeting yesterday, at the Madison
square Presbyterian church. The Right Rev. Bishop
Mcllvaine presided, aud, in commenting on the
small attendance as compared with previous years,
said that this not the test Of interest in the OBJ
ects OF the society. The best test OF that was found
IN their receipts for those objects from ali parts OF
the country and the success of their abors. The
Rev. Dr.. Muhlenberg followed with prayer.
Mr.. MOSES ALLEN then read the ANIMAL report,
which, after noticing the deaths o. the Rev. Dr.
Sommcrs and VIM. W. Chester. among the original
founders Of the society, and OF Messrs Disosway,
Brewer, Ropes, Lowre and Others and an alluson
to the enlarged Geld OF work In Mexico, South
America, the reopened South, Europe. especially
spain. Russia ana Turkey, The Eastern nations, with
India and China, gives the following results of the
years work.
New issues of the year, books aud tracts, in Eng
lish, German, Spanish, Portuguese Italian, DANISH,
Turkish. and Koormangle Koordsh, 500, OF which
81 were volumes. Printed during the year s07, 600
volumes and 9493 100 publications. making total i'm
forty-four years OF $40 volumes and 500 302 2s7
publications Printed of the american Messenger,
l74,ssa monthly Ctd's Paper, 5s3: BotschoJte,,
Or German aesseeger, 34,il6 Total periodicals
monthly, J64, 1888. The Socety's list includes 4,320
publications in l4l languages and dialects
Gratuitous distribution Tor the year, $6,322 49, III
grants to missionaries, to literary institutions, ms
Sion Sabbath schools. colporteurs &C.
Receipts for The year in donations and legacies,
balance in the treasury, S4Ss, 02S or.
Expended in manufacturing and Issuing, S325, I'D Ia;
colp0rteurs agencies and depository, S10l,S42 6s;
cash for foreign and pagan lands, Sd,509 other eX-
penses, s5256 ca total s4ss,e25 So; balance IN the
During the year POI coporteurs have been EN-.
pl0Yed, addressing S,7S9 religious families, making
Ing with 1866 ~ fauIles; 1lndip s42l families with
out any religious book but the Blbe amt l0d8o Pro-
testaDt families without tn: Word of God.
The grants to foreign lands were:-Chna Presby
tcran Board 5000: Protestant Episcopal Mission,
$500; Baptist Mission, Nngpo and langchow 500;
Foochow, 500; Burmah and Karans, 5000; Northern
india, $500; Orissa, $500; Arcot, 5000; Teloooos
Nellore, 5000; Guntoor, 500; Syria 5000; Turkey.
81, $780, Russia 5000; sweden 500; Hamburg Bap.
tist Mission, 5000; Spain LOCO: Dacotah Indians,
The following persons were elected officers for the
ensuing year:.-itgbt Rev. Gishop Mcllvaine Presi-
dent; Vice Presidents, W. Z. Dodge, James Suydam,
a. r. wernore. Bishop p. s.. James and Rev. DR..
Eastman and Rev. T. NJ. Stevenson. d. d.; Assistant
Secretaries, Mcssrs. KIngsbury, Warner, Read and
shearer; treasurer, Moses Allen; Auditor, James
Deinorest.
The directors then selected the following executive
I'abiishi,,g-Rev Thomas Dewitt, d. D., Rey VIM.
r. Williams ID. d. Rev. illiam Adams ID. d.. Rev.
John cotton Smith. Rev. VIM. Buddington and Rev.
| DisUTbuting~Alfred :. Barnes. Samuel L. Con-
stant. Dr. W. N. Biakeinan Henry r. Marshall and
TyndJcp--Richard r. Haincs Moses Allen, Thomas
f. Doremus, G. N. Titus, Oliver Il. Wood and Samuel
Colgate.
Topics OF discussion being next In order, Rev. Dr.
Adams SPOKE first on the agency OF the p"ess In the
work contrasting the present force OF their society
with its feeble beginnings Mr.. A. T. Rose, OF Ran
gOon Burmah followed on the same subject, speaking
Of his labOrs as colporteur and OF his own personal
acquaintance with the e1ect Of printed matter sent
orth His accounts OF missionary Work and expert
ence were quite interesting. Rev. lr. Schenck, Of
Brooklyn, also spoke ON the same subject.
ON the next topic--''The Word OF God IN spain,
Mexico and South American-Mr. STEVENSON was
the first speaker. Uutl this year In spain none had
dared TO read Protestant books openly. The nrst
lew Protestant tracts were printed IN u cellar Now
that country was open. and millions OF tracts were
circulated there. fbey were now pouring III from
France switzerland and Britain. 1his society had
now two million pages of tracts circulating there.
The heart OF that country was now beating al lever
heat with throbs OF liberty. fhs was grand
change, and ioreshadowed grander ald brighter
future for SPAIN Mr.. stevenson also alluded 10 the
improved prospects in Mexico for religious ireedOi
Rev. Dr. PRIME followed speaking of the but
recent time when religious liberty seemed In spain
10 be dead ami laid In Is sepuchre. But the stone
had been rolled away aud liberty restored, and that
by a Doodcss revolution. Ia no place. save IN
Rome, had there been 50 much intolerance as In
Spain. Now all that was swept away. But the
battle hat had been fought in spain still raging,
evca in America, and IN the contest here the Amcri
can Tract society must take the ea,Ing part
The DoXology was then sung. after which the Rev.
Mr.. Warner offered u resolution that unlon msson-
airy colportage, as handmade 10 the churcncs,
should DC extended into every destitute coulury
the land. The resolution was carried
The Rev. Dr. Deems then spoke OF The reaction In
the southern states which had been caused hy Ine
publications OF the society ana of the duty incunl-
bent on the churches TO give religious Instruction to
the freedmen.
The Rev. Dr. Martin thought tine question OF the
Continent to-day was-Shonld tlC Chinese aosorb ps
OF we absorb llemI The Chinese were an intelligent
and educated race. MOI n Inan, woman or Cnld Of
them but could read and write. rney we're most
initiative and industrious. They were anxious Ia
learn English, ana he suggested the printing of
tracts for them with columns Of Eugisl amt chinese
side by sHle. Nothing had yet been doiie ior tner
eyangelIzation. nut the raplss were everywhere.
and they should not bc behind them.
Afler the singing of q hymn BISHOP Mcllvane pro-
nounced the benedicgion, aud the meeting o. ths
year closed.