Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-23
Nashville Bible society.


Bible Society was held last evening in the
lecture room of the First Presbyterian
Church; the President, DR.. w. II. Morgan,
in the chair. Owing to the inclemency of
the weather very few were present.
The Executive Committee presented d
report Of its work, Which is as fellows!.
To the Nashville Bible Society," our
Executive Committee beg leave to sdbifit
the following report of its work for the
year.
An organization of the committee was
perfected Jan. s, 1873, re-electing S. NJ.
Scott, ESQ.,, Chairman.
Pursuant to instructions given by the
Society at its. last annual meeting, YOUR
Committee at its first meeting appointed a
subcommittee to arrange for the celebra-
tionofthe Society's semi-centennial anniver-
sary, which celebration was ordered for the
first Saturday in May. Before the pro-
gramme was completed it was discovered
that the semi-centennial of the Society did
not occur until the S0th of August, 1873,
instead of during the year 1872, whereupon
the celebration was indefinitely postponed.
The work of the committee for this year
has been directed to the supply of Putnam
and jackson counties, and to finishing
the supply of Davidson county. In the lat
ter part Of May, Messrs. II. f. Pritchett
and A. S. Doak, the colporteuis engaged
for Putnam and jackson counties, began
their work, with the following results! In
jackson county T22 families were visited,
307 of which were found destitute Of any
portion of the Scriptures; Of this number
1S6 were supplied. The number of Bibles
sold was PA and the number donated 324;
value of those donated S112.75.
In Putnam county the number of fam
lilies visited was 607; found destitute, 271;
supplied, 246; Bibles and TeStamentS sold,
1872; donated POS, valued at S150.4S. Your
committee regret to report that an entire
canvass of these two counties was not
made.
The cOlporteurs employed were theologi-
cal students from Hampden Sidney Col
lege, Va, and better material the commit
tee could hardly have obtained, but the
time they had to devote to this work was
only three months which would have been
ample for finishing the two counties had
not other causes interviewed to interrupt
their labors, chief among these being their
inability to obtain more books after eX-
hausting the supply on hand. The only
transportation facilities of Putnam and
jackson counties are by private wagons,
steamboat, and stage from Lebanon. Their
supply ran out in the summer when the
river was too low for boating and at time
when cholera was raging in Lebanon and
Nashville, causing all wagon travel to sus-
pend. A lot of books were sent to Lebanon
by rail to be forwarded from thence by
the Stage-line which runs to COokeyille,
but this was destined never to be done.
The agents and drivers of that stage-line,
with an obliging kindness astonishingly
rich in promises, but distresSingly
barren in good results, delayed our
colporteurs some time. Hoping that
total depravity had not found its embodi-
ment in these individuals, and that their
promises would be redeemed and the books
surely come after awhile; but being disap-
pointed in this, after much trouble vehi-
Gle was hired by them, and hitching their
own riding stock to it, a journey was made
to Lebanon, despite the prevalence Of chOl-
era, and the books obtained. What has
been accomplished is due much to the
pluck and energy of these young men. The
county they canvassed is very rough and
and the obstacles to be over
come by them were not few nor trivial.
They report the ignorance of the people and
their restitution of the Scriptures to be
very great, especially in the county of Put
nam. Their reports show the average dcs-
titution of the two counties to be over forty
per cent, or nearly every other family.
The small portion of Davidson county
left unfinished at last report has been fin
ished, the report of Mr.. Rowe, the cOlpOr-
teur, being as follows: Number of families
visited, $50; found destitute, 90; supplied,
IS; number of Bibles and Testaments do
mated, 40.
As showing the financial condition of the
Society, the report of the Treasurer is here
with submitted, and made part Of this
report. 1t is as follows:
Nashville Bible Society in account with Amer
lean Bible Society:
Balance due Parent Society last
wear. s467 81
Bibles received from Parent So
cety during past year........ 941 OF
HOS SO
Cash RENTED Parent Society 1854 IS
Less amount Life Director. ..... $50 90 434 %
Balance due Parent Society. g73 G6
FINANCIAL CONDITION NASHVILLE BIBLE So
Getty.
Bibles in Depository at New
York cost. S9iS 10
Bibles in COlpOrteurs' hands,. IL 20
j. ii. + arrar- d 10
ash due from Depository Ag't. 517 IS SO II
1924 II
Less amount due Parent Society 973 66
Amount assets Nashville Bible
society. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 0Jb 80
Amount assets last year Lips 81
Decrease in assets since last y'r. 65 So
This is accounted for as follows:
Value of Bibles donated. ..... 379 SO
Amount paid ColpOrteurs and
expenses. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 900 10
Total outlay. ............... 9l5 IS
less total donations received. $40 10 5I5 IS
A. G. ADAMS, Treasurer
Nashville, Dec. %, 1873.
Nashville Bible Society in account with A. G.
ADAMS, IT.:
RECEIPTS.
lash Oh hand last report. .. 90 90 |
lash sales at Depository. ..G3 %
- - by COlpOrteurs. -. .266 90 1,2S9 IS |
CASH donations
First Pres. Chrch collection. 1913 20
81" Z" 90 members. 40 90
- 80 80 life diTectors.150 00-3lS 10
second Pres. Church member 500
Edgefield Church collection. 400
IcKendree Church collection 121 so
tulip st. Church collection. 500
christian Church collection. 1915
first Baptist Church member 100
from C0lpOrteurs. ........... II $3.50 10 |
Total receipts. ........ 1,729 93
DISBURSEMENTS.
aid Parent Society. .5S4 10
aid COlpOrteurs in jackson,