The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-09
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
To the Ministers and Church Sessions of the
Presbyterian Church in the United States.

1t is made the duty of the undersigned
to remind our ministers and Churches of the
time for the annual collection for the Exec
utive Committee of Publication, appointed
by the General Assembly for the first Sab
bath in March, or the first convenient Sab
bath thereafter.
In calling the attention of our brethren to
this subject, we have nothing new or start
ling to present. The facts and suggestions
are few and simple; and the practical result
which it is important to reach is easily ex-
planned. The work of this Committee is
one which in its progress attracts less atten-
tion from the Church at large, than any
other of its enterprises; and yet it affects
the great interests which are involved in the
scheme of evangelical effort on which we
have entered as vitality as any of them can
do; while it practically reaches more fami-
lies, individuals, congregations and Sabbath
Schools, in the accomplishment of its benign
mission, than any other. Moreover, while
it is pressing duty to send the living teach
er to the destitute and perishing at home
and abroad, as fast as God in His providence
shall raise up the men; in tie absence of the
regular ministrationS Of the gospel, and as
an auxiliary thereto, where these ordinances
are enjoyed, the publications of this Com
mittee are of incalculable advantage. With
out the aid of the printed page, in this age
of the world, the labors of the missionary
would be well nigh spent in vain. No re-
Elective mind can fail to perceive the great
Importance of this enterprise, and that its
success and prosperity are absolutely essen
tial to the existence of our Church, as sep.
arate denomination. Moreover, at this pre-
sent juncture, it is perfectly manifest that a
wider door of usefulness is rapidly opening
before us that our mission, if we are only
able to enter fully upon it, is rapidly en-
larging its proportions.
The great drawback which has impeded
our work from the very beginning, is the
want of adequate capital. The General AS
sembly at Macon resolved that the capital
endowment fund of the Committee should
be at least $4,000, and each succeeding
General Assembly has affirmed the same
No man who has any knowledge of the pub
fishing business, would think of naming q
less sum than this, And yet, up to this
time, the whole amount of the funds received
by the Committee for that object has only
been $3O,O00 By its economical use, this
money has been carefully preserved, and il
now invested in our business Not cent
has been lost to the Church. By hard work
economical management, and the judicious
investment of our capital in remunerativt
stock, the business has paid for itself, anC
has cost the Church nothing. The capita
is all safely invested-the only difficulty ii
that it is inadequate. We ha owed toc
sluggishly for the wants of rch anc
section, though as rapidly ad
vance with prudence.
earnest for us to press fos 4 tax
possession of the fields white harves
which lie open before us, amoi 10Th races
in our wide destitutions. And, now, W
come before the Church, and ask for tn
means requisite for this important and ex
panding work.
But little has been done toward raisin;
this endowment by special effort, since tn
first year after the re organization of thi
Committee. The first smiles of prosperit.
which were enjoyed by the Southern peopl
since the war, beamed on the South. western
states; but that was succeeded by blasting
the canker-worm and mildew, sent by th
inscrutable providence of God, upon tina
whole region. The commercial disaster
and political troubles through which ou
people have passed have been such, that W
have attempted no special effort to raise thi
, capital since that time Political and CON
mercial affairs are becoming more settled
and this interest is so pressing that we fe'
2 we ought not to withhold our appeal an
longer. As the last General Assembly urge
! this matter afresh on the careful attentio
$ of the Church, we feel the greater confdenc
e in addressing our brethren on the subjec
As we have no collecting agency, and desil