The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-02
VIRGINIA BIBLE SOCIETY,
ssxTIETTa ANNUAL MEErIss.
ANNUAL REPORT OF MANAGERS.
addresses by Rev. DIR. Curry, Hon. r. =.
kirkpatrick. and Others. 4
EtEcTroN OF OFFICERS.

The Virginia Bible Society assembled last
n.ght Mt the Grace-Street Presbyterian
church Ia Its sirtieh annual meeting. Thts
venerable Society was organized III 1StA--
Two years prior to the organisatiSh of The
american Htle Society, with Which It has
necn IN cnse eoSt~ratsSli, ahd has exerted a
noSs potent inhtieace Ia giving the Word Of
among its active members some OF the most
distinguished men in the State. not only
among the ministry, but also among the
'aity. General r. e. Lee was devoted
friend Of this Society, as was also StonewalI
jackson. The Virginia Bible Society has
been more active during the past year than
| ever before, and It's prospects for future Use
| fulness are bright and Frightening.
| The meeting hast night was presided over
| by the president OF the Society (Rey. DR..
| George Woodbridgc), who introduced the
| exercises hy the use Of the 594th hymn of
the Presbyterian collection after the sing
ing of which Bishop Doggctt read the 10th
Psalm md Rev. DR.. j. e. Granbery led IN an
appropriate prayer.
Delegates from auxiliary societies wero
invited to seats, and the re,,nrt of the trea-
| surer (Mr. William Willis, Jr.,) was then
presented. THIS report shows that during
the lNss year the Society has received from
the contributions of the people the s,sp, rS
| 0,505.35, and after meeting its obligations
| have remaining in tho treasury balance of
1896 with which to begin the new year.
The annual report of the Society was then
read by Judge Robert Guild, who, in intro
ducing the reading, took occasion to allude
| IN fitting terms to the zeal and efficiency of
the secretary and general agent of the Society,
Rev. nj. W. Staples, and to express his high
qualification ut the large results accom-
plished.
ANNUAL REPORT.
| With an expression of gratitude to God
for blessings conferred, the report alludes to
the fact that during the past year much more
has been accomplished in the printing and
circulation Of the scriptures than during any
previous year.-the British and Foreign and
American Bible Societies alone having issued
4,903,932 volumes in 252 different languages
and dialects, besides the large number issued
| by the other eighty Bible societies and pri-
| vate publishers, which would probably swell
| the number to about 100000. Probably
| about 100000 souls have been reached
during the yearly the Word of God thus dis
| tributed.
The work OF the Virginia Bible Society
| has greatly grown during the year in inter.
est and importance, and much larger mum
Der OF churches and indiyssuuals have shown
readiness to cooperate. Although 0nly
ABOUT ohe'tnird or che churches have made
ulrcet contri'.0 tons, yet few have shown an
uh"liilpF.es TO work with the Society, and
more no LAS been done In Virginia than in any
op-rr southern State.
The plan of auxiliary societies hos been
successfully prosecuted; and societies formed
III nearly every county Id the State.
| The report gives very interesting details of
the labcrs of the district agents of the So
ciely, Revs. Mr.. Prichett, J. G. Smith, T. l..
Hoyle j. G. Rowe, and Thomas Brown,
who seem to hav5 been "ab,Indant in
| labors" and very successful. The Society
has also employed twelve colporters and
county agents, through whose labors finally
homes have been made happy, aud many
hearts have lSen made glad by the presenta-
ton Of Il copy of the Bible. They have
penetrated some of the most secluded por-
lions Of our State, and carried to those who
never hear the glad tidiDgS from the lips OF
the living ministry the precious word of
| life."
The report gives very interesting details
Of the labors Of these colporters, and shows
that the eratuitous work of the Society," is
|
following summary of labor performed du-
ring the year by tue agents and coIporters OF
the Society Bible societies visited, 1903; an
nversalies of a,xiliares attended, 70; aux
llaricS organized, 81; ecclesiastical bodies
| visited, %; sermons and addresses dcliy-
cred, 664; official letters written, 5,211 Off
cial documents distributed, 1860; miles
travelled in behalf of the cause, st, 900; fami-
lies visited, 1886; families found destitute,
$40; families supplied, 1858; destitute in
dividuals supplied, 653; total families and
individuals, 3,04S; life members supplied,
$l24; Sunday schools supplied, 20.
The 900 families not supplied were either
Roman Catholics who did not wish Bible,
OF families in which there was not single
member who could read. Tho Society had
also supplied many Roman Catholic families
with the Duoay version, and many Others
with our version, and had left small tesla
ments In many other families not noted in
the above statistics.
The report calls for $4,000 during the
coming year, and says that it could very
judiciously use $4,000.
II pays graceful tribute to the memory
of Mrs. Dawson, of the Presbyterian church
at Harrisonburg, who had died during the
year and left The Society legacy of $1,000;
aludes to the courteous reception given their
messengers during their visit to the Dover
Baptist Association lust fall expresses the
hope that this large denomination will now
enter into full cooperation with the Virginia
Bible Society. and closes by asking for the
continued sympathiesa and prayers ofall lovers
of the Bible.
The report was unanimously adopted and
ordered to be printed.
The President then introduced Hon. Z. j.
Kirkpatrick, of Lynchburg, who made IN
address of deep interest, which showed him
as much at home when pleading for Bible
| distribution As at the bar, OH the hastings,
| or on the floor Of the Senate.
REMARKS OF MR. KIRKPATRICK.
| Mr.. kirkpatrick said he had found dill.
Guilty in selecting n topic for his address;
that the theme was too large to DO exhausted,
too mportant and holy to be treated super
ficially; that he might easily occupy the time
! with q discussion Of the debt which the
world owed to the Bible; to show how it
/ had contributed to the advancement of learn
1 ing, civilization, and what it had done to Sc
cure the liberties Of mankind; or he might
show how the Bible had received the Ell
| dor,enent and yeneration of the greatest
names the world has known: and though
| bitterly opposed In every age by nfidels of
nvarv fvne its cause had been indicated and
had zone ON from triumph to victory till to-
| day il was held to Dc the greatest Sooh IHa'
the world possesses.
Sy,h;s RIf,Ie IL the charter of the Christian
Church. However these churches might
differ from each other, they unite in holding
th;s 70 be the word of 1God--the only infalli-
| c.;t,, aud pro,fica The churches