Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-02-19
RELIGIOUS.

VIM. Ware, In the chair. n fHlNs
The exercises were opened BY the singing
Of hymn; after which Rev. Mr. Ware read
the ii9th Psalm, aud upon Ia conclusion Of
Rev. Nj. Cobb. agent for the society. made
| his report IN which he states that his labors
have been principally In that portion Of the
city known as the Seventh ward. He com
| menced canvassing on the LIST Of November
last, and be had visited 9,v95 families, OF
whom he found destitute Of q Bible or Testa-
mept as, or over II per cent. OF all. The
destitute families embrace ,262 individuals,
and 1911 families were supplied with either
Bibles or Testaments, and 50 refused TO receive
them. During thls time he sold o. Bibles and
10 Testaments, valued at t5S.02. Delivered
II addresses In churches and Sunday schoolr,
and received e83 90 as donations. Donated
| - Bibles and 81 Testaments, valued at $50 69
Mr.. Cobb, upon the conclusion of his re-
report, addressed the following 10 his hearers
Amid all the trials and dlscouragements
incident 70 the distribution Of the Bible there
are things truly cheering 10 the Christian.
II Is the cheapest Of all ways to do the same
| amount OF good Gods word will not re-
| turn void. Ii Ii a continuous leayen in the
lump. God has given US lis word, and we
are permitted to publish Il. In such place
as Washington Il Is, directly or Indlrertly.
both a domestic and foreign missionary labor
brought right TO our doors In such a way
that even children can engage In IT, The
| evidence IL overw helming that these Bibles ART
received not only with gratitude but that
they are kept and read even by the subjects
Of Roman lniallibility. That 90 many are
ready 10 20 aud read the Bibles 10 those who
cannot Rad Il for themselves. That, al.
though by the most liberal view we can take,
there are probably at least two thousand
families In Washington without either a
Bible or Testament The condition Of
things In this respect is now better than
formerly. 10 the canvass Of 1898, when
probably the city had not more than twelve
or fourteen thousand Inhabitants, when prob.
ably the .layo population was NOT reekoned
among tho destitute, 400 destltute families
were found, OF which 1874 were Catholic, i0l
Methodist % Episcopallan, IS Presbyte-
riao, 10 Baptlsts, and 1Oi Of all other'.
ain the last canvass, commencing lust after
the war aud closing In 1883, In the popula-
ton Of 1900 families Il was expected to
nnd about 800 destltue. The canvass, how
ever, revealed the fact that there were $50
{. g., over - per cent, or nearly one Nth Of
the entire population. It's encouraging 10
think that we are making souie little i'd
yancement and that from time 10 time 90
many friends have contributed In aid Of this
society. In 1885, Mt q similar meeting 10
this, and with little effort afterwards, over
$4,000 was subscribed aud ultimately all
paid, some giving hundreds and even thou
sands Of dollars. Now, with a greater popu-
ihllOn hnu nOFt mtAuAt may We NOT DC ems
| courayed 10 hope for eyengreater results from
thls meetiogi Twenty dollars constitute q
life membership OF the society and can be
paid In one or two installments; ESQ con-
| stitute Q life membership In the American
Bible Society, and the money uan be used
here or elsewhere, aud the dOpor Is entitled
annually 10 o. worth Of Bibles or Tesla
meut-; ESQ or more make the donor or any
one he may propose, life director, and Il
ertitles him to go worth OF Bibles or Tesla
nents annually. AZ PrOtcstants we trace nll
our social aud civil and religious privileges
IN the Influence Of the Bible. On these truths
We hang all our hopes for time aud eternity.
As philanthroplsls or Christians, are we not
called upon 70 furnish all In our midst with
the Word Of Life"
Upon the conclusion OF the reading OF the
report hymn was sung.
The folloslng gentlemen delivered able
addresses; Hon. Mr.. Ferry, Of Mich; Hon.
N Bright Of Tenn.i Hon. Mr.. Stevenson, Of
ky.j Kew. Mr.. Pltzer, cObgratulatlng the sO-
ciety upon It. success duriug tho year.
A collection was taken up, and the meeting
adjourned.
| AmsricAa Tract soeIoty -Aaaasi Meet
lag last NIahi-Iter BFt or the seerstary-
Addre-aoab by Secretary DolRnp, Hes. nsr-
ace MRyBHrd and o hers.
Tho annual meeting OF the American Tract
society was held last night In the Congrega-
tloual church, corner Of Tenth and G streets,
Rev. Mr.. Rankin, pastor Of The church, pro
siding.
The exercises were opened by praying and
singing, after which Rev. q. l.. ShearcT, sec.
rotary Of the society, read the following an
The american Tract Society Is about TO
begin its fOrty-elghth year. Since its second
year It's issues have Increased from 1000, 900
pages TO i57, 000, 900 pages, and an annual
circulation Of =, 600, 900 copies Of Its six perl
odlcals. Ithas Issued nearly 8, 900 distinct pub
lications at home, besides having approved
more than 1900, which have been Issued
wholly or la part by the society funds abroad
In lIS languages or dialects.
The donations and legacles for the past
year, exclusive Of sl2, l68 for the HIustrated
Christian Weekly, were $40, 2l.lh The eE-
pendltures for salaries and travelling expenses
OF missionary colporteurs and cash appro-
prtatlons Tor foreign mission presseA were
t02, $500. Grants Of publication were also
made 10 the value Of $50, 49,. 90, making a
total OF benevolent expenditures Of els, i65.45
Ia excess Ofbeneyolent receipts nearly $4,000
Il will be seen from this that the buslncs, Of
the society Is self-sustaining; that ali dona-
lions and egacies are applied TO benevolent
work, and that the expense Of administering
the missionary work is met from other sources.
The total cash appropriation In aid Of the
mission press abroad Is nearly S6OO, 600.
That for the current year ls go 600.
By grants Of publications, soldiers, sailors,
prisoners, freedmen and others, who arc Al.
most wholly without living ministry, are
supplied with saving truth. Pastors, chan
lAlus, home and foreign missionaries, Sab
bath-school snporintendents aud teachers are
aided with books, tracts and papers, and
their efficiency for Christ Is thereby greatly
increased. The gratultOus dlstributioa
through these channels amounts 10 nearly
81 900, or Is, 900 900 pages per week,
Union missionary cOlpOrtage has been sue
cessfully prosecuted for thirty years. Over
10, OO0, 900 Christian family vislts have been
made. During the past year 2ST eolporteurs
we're employed, chiefly 10 the needy districts
o, the West and South. They held 10 900 re-
Ilgi0us meetings, made 27S, as family visits,
nndlng 2,OOO families without Religious
books, aud II, 295 without the Bible. i
These laborers arc The organized lay
preachers Of the churches. They go from
house to house; converse with lndlyiduala
upon personal religion; direct Inquiries TO
Christi distribute, by sale or grant Bibles
and other religious books enlist believers In
Christian work; organize SabbAth-schools
aud prayer meetings, and make ready the
destitute places for occupation by the settled
ministry, or aid the missionary 10 hold these
places when they have once been occupied,
These eolPorteurs are paid about $500 per
Annum. Their labors are directed from I'm
portAnt centers, such as Richmond, CHICAGO,
81. Louis, and San Francisco. In the Rich.
mOnd agency the cOporteuTs organized or |
aided over seven hundred Sabbathor secular |
schools during the year, and 10 more or less |
direct connection with their efforts over three |
thousand hopeful conversions are reported. |
The district secretary for the field west OF the |
Rocky mountains Is present and will give |
particulars OF the workings OF colportago In |
that region.
The COMMITTEES, rejoicing In the blessing Of |
God upon these efforts In the past earnestly |
solicit the continued cooperation OF the |
friends Of the society, both In their liberal |
gifts and their faithful prayers. !,
Rev. y. X. sheaTer, Of San FrAncIsco,
called attention 10 the vastness and Import
ance Of the field west Of the Rocky Moan |
talns, with but few Christian people. Here
we hnd one evangelical Christian In every
Ave and = half Of the population. California
one In twenty-four, and In Nevada one In |
thirty five. While these are noble ChrlstIans |
they have the many burdens OF new land.
Gathered from all quarters OF the earth, they |
are Of many opinions. In California alone |
twenty-four religious sects have houses OF |
worship. Idaho has only two active evan |
gellcal preachers, One county OF California |
has ten thousand people and only four thou.
sand accessible TO the churches, Miners are |
coming and going with little local attach |