Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-19
THE BIBLE.
Report Of the Executive Committee Of TIE
Memphis ssd Shelby Gsuasy
Bible Society.

In this age Of steam and electricity men
Of business have not the time to read and
digest an elaborate report on any subject.
That he report ofyour COMMITTEES may be
read and receive that consideration she
subject lb treats of merits, the result OF
the years labors ia given briefly and clear
ly, and as nearly as can be in figures. The
sum Of the tabular statement (Omitted)
! giving the work accomplished in detail, IL /
as follows: White and eolored families
visited, 23.O62; destitute, 4535; supplies, |
0lb3; Blolei, ~Testaments, ETC., sold, 4l03;
value, S2i95 10; volumes given away, 4257; /
value, 1903 20.
This work mas been done chiefyin West
| Tennessee, In Mississippi, I1shOmlnRO /
county has been fully canvassed, and also
the unsuppli9d portions of D5SotO, Mar
shall and Iippah counties. In Arkansas,
only Crittenden county has been canvas
sed. Rev. ". NJ. LsstherwOod will forth
with enter Cross county. sand we trust
soon to put another distributing agent in
that State.
White families visited, 10, 1919; destitute
Of The Scriptures, 1872; proportion desti-
tute, 1 in 8. ColOrsd families visited, 1853;
destitute, 2459; proportion destitute, l in
2. OF emigrants passing through our city
| last fall supplied " Rev. Elias King, 2549
families were visited, of whom 1922 we're
fOundt to be without the Scriptures; pro-
portion destitute, l in 2L; average desti-
tute, 1 in 8.
Add to the foregoing over fifty Sabbath
I schools supplied, and also the families to
which books to the value of $500 have
been distributed by the Upton county
and Germantown Bible Societies and by
Rev. r. R. Evans and other voluntary
[ agents, and we doubt not that fully 25C0O
/ families have been reached and furnished
where destitute) with the Scriptures
| cOmplete or in part. Estimating these at
I l. - ~ e. $50 - E.--sT- Al I
/ gratifying fact is show that, during the
year, the Lord has blessed this society
with the happy privilege OF placing the
| means Of salvation within the reach Of
| 49, 600 immortal souls.
The tabular statement gives but a small
proportion Of the work lone by Mr.. W. |
| II. Thomas, agent, nor does it fully show
the labor of the distributors. Sermons
have been preached, appeals, public and
private, in behalf of the cause have been
made, prsyer-me6tings have been often
times conducted, and where there we're
none established, and Sabbath schools
ave been organized and supplied. Your
agent, Mr.. Thomas, under the direction
ofthe subcommittee, has spent a great
portion Of his time visiting and instruct
ing the distributing agents in the field,
and investigating the condition and con-
ferring with the officers OF the various
Bible societies in North Mississippi and
w ekk AHulGsHrHs " uGlbNul ybu4 AbBfb~
septatives ge reciprocal blessings follow
In their train.
The following exhibit from the books of
Mr.. G.. Johnson, Treasurer, and Mr.. ". Il.
Thomas, Agent, shows the years expenses
and present huancia condition Of the So
ciety:
Cash on hand March /. IS7O..--..-.S 28 so
Cost Of Upton County Bible Society,
ca lS5 TsSeivsd since March !, iS76..---. 2.76s 80 80
Value of books in Depository March J
value Of booas in hands OF agents. 80 10
s4,588 %
Deduct capital, with which We COM
mencs the new year viz
Cash in treasury March l.
l55 "a
Books in Depository March
B6oss In hands Of agents
march, 1871 lsay)~-~...--r 70 So 1853 95
Cost of the years work-.---sg,sOO co
IN THE EMPLOY OF h SOCIETY.
GIr. W. II. Thomas, General Agent; Mr..
W. NJ. LeatherwOOd, Distributing Agent,
Arkansas; Mr.. A. A. Wilson, Distributing
Agent, Carroll county, Tsnussses. We
viii mention inshis connection Rev. s. P.
Written, agent for the American Bible
Society for West Tennessee and North
Mississippi, as g pleasant and efficient CO.
labOrBr. We are often indebted to him
for valuable suggestions and letters of
advice as to conditions Of counties within
our field of operation.
THE FIELD.
"Au counties IN Tennessee, Mississippi
and Arkansas within n hundred miles
of Memphis"
There are three counties In West Ten
nessee, ten in Mississippi and fifteen in
Arkansas yet 10 be canvassed. There are
not less than $4,000 families in these coun-
ties. which can be found by the cOlpOrteur.
each family to be composed of
i've persons, we have 375, 900 souls to
visit, of whom S~eUenfy-fUe thousand HeUeT
see q Bible at GL :
ESTIMATE FOR THE FUTURE.
We should, and can have if " will, half !
Of these, say 1900 families, visited and {
the destitute supplied before our next an {
nivsrsary. Taking the past years ex- {
pendituae as a basis OF calculation, the |
work can be done at a cost OF $4,000. We 2
nave now, in cash and books, SlZ70, which !
$3.50 as the sum necessary to be
raised that this work for eternity, for God z
and humanity may be successfully prose- I
cutsd. c
THE Upton COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY, Z
as is shown by the purchase of books, and
rs We know by other evidences, is a live t
self-sustaining, and prosecuting s
its work. s
HHE HARDEMAN COUNT Bill SOCIETY /
has invited us to send an sgent there to =
contributions, that they may prove .
their gratitude by their works. y
H GERMANTOwN BBLE SOCIETY +
las made a small purchase Of books for S
distribution. We trust that we shall have Y
,omsthing handsome to say OF its works d
70 our next report. E
TIE b SOCIETIES -
counties csnvassed have given your 5.
agents hearty welcome, and, as far as able, z
extended moral and material aid. h
II MEMPHIS FEMALE BIBLE SOCIETY, b
Miss E. Rudisin, Secretary, is doing, il a ,
luiet way, a good and an imperishable >
work in this city. The Bible readers,
Ann KertusOn and Mrs. NJ. T. Hal S
jone, though paid for only half, devote G
most of their time TO their work. They 10
visiJ the poor and nurse the destitute sick, at
administering to their spiritual wants al
nd supplying temporal necessities as far A
IS the means are provided. In a word, It
initiating the "Man Of Sorrows" they are CO
onstsntly 'gOing about doing good"
the year they have made $3.50 81
-islts and read over 5000 verses of Scrip
ure. They have also distributed q large -,
lumber of tracts and religious neWspa- 10
Ders, gratuitOusly, as furnished by mem NJ
of the different churches. These ladies' ~
f.aa W my AN4@ N@AAAA AAAAAk 10L ~
he society had the means to pay them, ~
nd when the Treasury was exhausted n,
heir lsbOrs we're, for a time, suspended. :,
We fselit, therefore, within the range of -
disability to state that if the pious ladies' -
{ Memphis viii provide the means these VI
noble women will break the Bread -
f life" to tlUeJUe thousand impoverished, y
eTi8hiHg souls the current year, a greater -
amber Of different Individuals than Gny
&c city pastors IOiU preach to IN the sa9}e
sIf0d Of time, or all The office bearers IN all
he churches aOiH Uiait IN fUe yeGTsl
FINANCES. Us
The Female Bible Society has received H
uring the year 1854 55; disbursed 1851 go; r
D the treasury, - 80. 10
To keep the two Bible readers employed O.
n their time, it is necessary TO raise $50 10
least monthly. A
INTERESTING ITEMS FROM THE REPORTS 1oo
OF AGENTS. ~
One writes; 81 have found only two 10
ersOns in the country who would not iO
the Bible on any terms" at
Another: "In the backwOOds / found 8 10
well-tO-dO in worldly goods who "
usitiVely refused to lot me leave a Bible r.
q his house. Nevertheless, I left a copy, M
nd invited him to hear me preach near M
y the next day. He came, and after ser la
ices be approached me and said, "Sir, I nf