National Republican., 1873-03-31
SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.

THE AMhklCAN ThACI hVoihi Il
- -
Forty-rIsL,h Annual session Last Might
The Report OF the secretary-An Inter-
estins and Commendabic EShibit-Ad-
dresses by vice President Wilson, jas
tice Strong, senator Ferry and Others
Collection In Aid OF the Work.
The forty-elRhth annual meeting Of the
American Tact society was held last evening In
the Metropolitan Presbyterian church, (Rev. Or.
Chester, pastor,) on Fourth street east near
Pennsylvania avenue. The audltorum Of the
church was nlled by = large and Intelligent con-
gregation, who listened attentlyely 10 the ad-
dress, and appeared to take q deep interest In
the exercises. On the platform were Vice PresI-
Michigan; Justice strong, Of the supreme Jourt:
Rev. Or. seibert, Of New Jersey. and Rev. Dr.
Chester.
The exercises were opened by the pastor,
who read selections from the 5ist chapter OF
success. Of the cause for which ali were working.
t,gether TO marx great esults, There were several
benevolent associations In this country, hut the
greatest and most Important was the American
Tract Society. II was marked for patriotism,
sacrifices and the privileges OF doing good. He
then introduced Rev. Dr. Shearer, the Secretary,
who said that the Vice President had made
citation In whose interest they had mot. The
society was neither denomlnatf0nh nor anti
denomlnational, but evangelical It's board Of
directors ls oompoaed Of members from different
denomlnationa, who must approve all publlca-
tons, thus showing what care Ia exercised In
issuing books, In some cases the publications
can be done cheaper abroad than at home, and
He dis not think i right to refuse these men
who had taken their lives In their hands TO 20
they % asked for to asst gem MIN in dffrisIns re,
ngion. He did not 90 over the entire foreign
ned, but referred TO Mexico. and said that be-
% the United States, and thty snoaid Be- ss'h in.
structed In the trutha OF the gospel. There were
now more books printed In the Spanish language
BY ne society than e done n AMI other country,
being Protestants than of any other faith. Ne
continued TO speak OF the work OF tne society
during the past year, much o. which viii be
This society dlffusea knowledge OF Christ by
means OF the press and personal effort Chris
tians OF eyery denomination cooperate with Il.
Printing In Ia anguages aud dialects, Its
influence Is Worldwide II has issued nearly
tIb 600 900 copies OF publications number sum-
cient 70 supply eyert living family with saving
were Issued, making the total publications nearly
5000, OF which about one-fourth are yolumes
Tue society Is now issuing regularly six periodl-
~
ischsr BOtsehStter, the Childs Rspsr and the Morn
ing LiOht, monthlies; and the Hinsfrdtsd CAris-
tidA Hsetty and the Leutschsr roltgreund, Illus
trated weekles. The receipts from donations
OF this iil,is.i 81 were for the Ilustraied CIris.
tan WecEly, the George Wood Medal and the
,uhlishlng funds, leaving for ordinary heneyo-
Tue expenditure for salaries and travelling
expenses Of missionary colporteprs were t5s,-
gss.ss; the cash APPROPRIATIONS for printing At
publications granted TO the destitute $40 s67S.bi-
Total tli2 s6s.3o, slightly exceeding the ordinary
benevolent receipts. II thus appears that the
expenses OF collections and Of administering
the benevolent work has been met from other
sources, and that all donations aud legaeies are
strictly applied to benevolent work. For circu-
among as Se:,Gs nss
per week. During the past year eds eoiporteurs,
Including ~ students from ID colleges and theo,
Logical semnaaes, labored IN 2 States and Per
They held or addressed s,ss6 religious NEE tlngs
made 25S t05 family visits; converted on personal
religion OF prayed with lIeiss families; found
| attending evangelical preachlnG li,9lI families
Of Roman Catholics, ~, oSi families destitute Of
all religious books except the Blble, and II 200
/ Protestant families without the word OF God
i tIons ahTUad the society since he formation ha
expended nearly 800, BOO, OF which tIBQl vas ap-
y sNa during ne nSst ySn 10 asoH g
i for circulation abroad.
Vice President Wilson said that during the
past thirty years he countries that now make
/ up the great German empire have sent 10 this
country many thousands OF their subjects, and
| they, with their children, make mp q million oi
the citizens. They are TO WELD q mighty lnnu.
their country will see that It Ia Important Il
imbue them with the faith received by us.
He then introduced Rev. Dr.. selbert, who said
II as German he dared to address them, h,
| hODPu thpV WOuld give him their fnFhaaFanra .
because he spoke IN a tongue which his mothe
did not teach him in his prayers. II a religion,
prsss a was nesessaIy sss Tor Americans t was teI
this country 1900, 900. and the number rapidly In
, creAslng. Last year ~, 900 emigrants arrived
double the number OF Irish. New York Is to-da
the third German city OF the world. Vienna
! inst, Berlin second and then New York. At tn
present tine In many cities OF the West tn
German speaking population exceeds that o
I the English. The words OF the Vice Preslden
showed that he took great interest In the mattel
: II was true, as he said, that the future OF tn
Germans In this country would be q power elthe
for good OF evi and why not try TO utilize 1t 70
The Germans here were different than vhe
, In their native country. He had never see
ssrs - my ha v Sn profanity and proagac
himself, Was Il possible that such a chang
could take place In peoplei Al home most {
them were minors by occupation and Kept und,
q strict military government. About one tayer
would be founG In town, and they would nc
he tolerated Ia such numbers as permitted
] America.
There were three hundred German papers pul
llshed In thk country, and most OF them wei
hostile 70 religion, and he regretted that mo,
Americans were unable 70 understand the lAI
peafed in the 6erman press OF this country q
the subject Of religion.
Z The reason why there were 80 many Germa
spaTs Of rellson was eS,nSaisssd sII' on their g IA
, nvn In America by the aeFman press. In ord,
10 make money they abuse religion.
senator Ferry was then introduced and sAl
; that he could not assume 70 enllghten them 9
; the faith the association was based upon, bI
claimed the privilege OF being present wit
other TO give force by their example to d
4 longed to all. lie thanked the secretary for h
! report, which showed that though they did M
! see y done, the work had gone successfully o.
4 They had listened TO and heard the key OF IN
+ great enterprise. II he did nothing hut ca
/ the stone on the surface to encourage them
! their enterprise he would have done bis dut
: The tract society comes nearer to salvation thu
! any other organization, because it was near,
4 10 nature. IL presents the Gospel truth that 4
{ must be saved; This was the great fact, an
none could shake the responsibility OF their pa
In the work OF human redemption. IL nothln
Of example. -
Justice Strong was then introduced, and sal
: that he should occupy q few moments. Thei
Ee benevolent organizations In this count
that have existed for ntty years. They WEI
great lnstitnuens; had existed and grown an
: adequate conception. The tract society was
: power In this land, and would i've when the
were gone, because II was not born TO die,
2 was one OF the faults OF Christian men an
, women that they did not know what God WI
doing among the heathens through the agenclt
: Of the Church. They had not followed the hon
? missions 10 the Western country 10 see whi
they had accomplished, or their needs. II WI
their duty to acquAint themselves with Il
American Tract Society and ita wants.
2 Vice President Wilson said that the audient
4 had heard the claims Of the society In the Ia
9 hour and half, end they would submit It to u
Q audiepoe,
: A collection wa. then takOn up, and quite
handsome sum realized.
: The services were closed by singing the do!
/. oloey, and benedictlon pronounced by Rev. d