Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-12-04

PoRT-INTEREsTING ADDRESSES
A LARGE NUMBER OF New MEMBERS
OBTAINED.
&C., &c, &C.
The Augusta Bible Society, of which the
following gentlemen are the officers: Pres
ident. Judge Hugh W. Sheffey Vice-Pres-
idents, A. M. Simpson and P B. Hoge
Secretary, G. W. S. Turner; Treasurer,
Jos. E. Rollins, and Executive Committee,
Geo. 2. Baker, B. M. Atkinson, J. W.
Todd and Jas. A. Waddell, held it's annual
meeting in Trinity (Episcopap Church
Sunday night. There was very large
gathering of persons present, including
representatives of all the denominations.
The exercises of the evening were opened
with the air and duet adapted from Mar
that-ssGuide me, Oh thou great Jehovah"
the solo part being beautifully sung, which
was followed by a prayer by Rev. W. O..
Hullihen. and the hymn Gail hail the
power of Jesus name.' After the read
ing of the constitution of the Society by
Judge Sheffey in explain tion of the objects
of the meeting, Mr.. Geo. P. Baker, Sec
rotary of the Executive Committee, read
a most excellent report. After noticing
the fact that four years prior to 1873 the
Society mad f1in dormant, it states that
for the years 18Th the Society received
from all sources $315.75, which does not
include $35.68 contributed to the State
Society by an independent organization Of
ladies in the county-the whole being
,S351.43, paid over to the State Society
through it's agent, Rev. S. D. Stuart
There are still II subscriptions
nnnaid. The Depository here 1.-THE Hunter
hook stored had received S143 worth of
hooks. sold 1856 worth, given SIS, 40 worth
and still had on hand $40 worth. OF the
1886 received for books S76 had been paid
out. The society has not as yet employed
a colporteur, not finding suitable one.
Comparing this report with that for the
wear ending in 1868, when the society sus-
pended operation, the Secretary shows
that in that year the receipts, mcludlng
the sale of books, were 1915. There were
received at the Depository, books valued at
$685.. so. and at the end of the year, Mr.. X.
Cowan reported On hand 1893 volumes
valued at $269. 2S. Further, the society
employed 2 colporteurs, who, though
only partially canvassing the county, sold
216 Bibles or Testaments or parts OF the
same. and donated 1874 volumes. They also
visited III families, of which 1O2, COM
posed of 422 persons, were destitute of the
Bible.
BIBLE DEsTITUTION IN THE VALLEY.
Rev. s. D. Stuart, agent of the Virginia
Bible Society, was called Oh, and made
short and business-like address. The Au-
gusta society he said was one of the favGrlre
aud, he hoped ,wou be one Of the most sue
cessfuI daughters of the parent society.
Its field was great, for he could state, from
his own observation throughout the length
of the great Valley, that deplorable desti-
. tuition existed. In Augusta there were
1000 persons that did not have the Bible,
iu Frederick more than 1000, ID Clarke
of every s, in other counties from
to 1000, and he could safely say that
teen hare and the Potomac river there
were 10000 persons without The sacred
book. In soanoke they got the county
assessors to ascertain the number OF destl-
tute and they had reported more than 1000
without the Bible. A gentleman there, on |
hearing the report, said that it was a |
shame in Christian land, and he would |
be one Of two to purchase the books, ii |
the society would furnish the way to dis
tribute them. The society met his propo-
sition promptly.
A BIBLE FOR SO CENTS.
He regretted to know some feeling
antagonistic to the Virginia Bible Society
had been created by the circIl-
lation of erroneous statements about
the expense of distributing bibles;
but he would remind the audience that
the society had demanded and obtained
an investigation Of these reports, made by
the most distinguished ministers of all de-
nominations, and the report was publicly
made in the meeting of the society at Eich,
mond, that for every 33 cents it received
the society put copy of the Bible in the
h %nds Of some destitute person. The only
roa1 fault to be found was in the want of
liberal,,+v in the people in not giving it more
means to o,oefate With
PRACTICAL VIEW OF THE BOOK:
Rev. II Miller, President OF the Staun-
ton Female Institute, 10 adea very apie ao-
dress in behalf of the cause. Apart from
the religious view Of the matter the a9lole
was indispensable to the good government
of society. Without belief in the truths
4 10, n0fIa b.
ment, no right popular sentiment support
ing the execution of the laws; without
laws properly executed there could De no
safety for property or life; property would
decline in value, business would break up
and there would be anarchy in all our at
fairs. 1t was to the pecuniary as well as
moral interest of every citizen OF COM
munity to aid in the distribution OF Inc
Bible. Suppose the Bible were swept out
of the world, what darkness would prevail,
what would become Of society, OF clVlllza-
ton Mr. Miller. besides a most practlcal
argument. made an address of great elo-
dluence and beauty.
AN APPEAL FOR WORK.
Judge Hugh W. Sheffey closed with a
strong appeal for work in aid OF the cause
calling attention to the fact that out OF
population of so, 900 in Staunton and Au-
{, esta there were only $50 members OF The
Soc, ETY.. He drew glowing and happy
nctura' of the outburst of liberallty IN
America for the relief Of the starving In Ire
land wears ago, and urged Oh the audience
the same EN-, tlgsisiasm and iberaity in re-
liovinr tho fan, 'isae of souls at their very