Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-09
Xirpinia Bible Society.

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street Methodist Episcopal church, Kichmord,
on Tuesday night last, Rev. Dr. Woodbridge
presiding, aud Mr.. Staples acting secretary.
The report of the Board of Managers was
read by Rev DIR. Minnegeode The to.
tai receipts OF the society from April, Isl 10
April, 1878 were SO, 539 30, aud the cxreu>es
IS, SSS 49, leaving 81 800 as invested III Bibles
and Testanents. The EXPENSES were: Salary
OF general agent, SO, 333 81; salary OF district
agents, s., 4Gl G5; salary OF dcposltary. 5000;
travelling and geueral EXPENSES : ,OS3. Il; *
peuses Of disirlou:lous s., 4Oo,ln
The report gives full description OF the
work of the society done III both years, 1922
and 1874, from which it appears that the
society has prospered greatly, and been man-
aged most efficiently. After a detailed account
Of the financial operations tor both years. the
report concludes with u statement vi the n"ceS-
shy Of the office Of general agent, paylhg
compliment to the Rev. Mr. Staples, the pres
cut agent, aud the Importance OF travelling
missionaries and the necessity Ut their work 10
carry tue Bite to the pevp.r. The report also
makes the explicit announcement that The So
clely is always ready to promptly meet any ap-
piicAtons for grants 10 auxlIlarlcs, churches Or
individuals.
DR.. Miuuegcrode said that the statement NJ
! uded to by Dr. Sprlgg Was Improperly nlaic
! and calculated To deceive any person 1T ll>t
! sight, He gave many Interesting facts about
the society. and said III CONCLUSION that he c"rn-
! estIv hoped its workings would GOT be retartcd
! By the unfortunate aud thOuslIteSs attack up
on 1t.
Rev. DR.. Wall said he heartily approved the
report read by DR.. Minucgcrodc, lie could
| not take part with the editor OF the Southern
| Churchuan, but he would say Il lew calm aud
di passionate words III his behalf, as ne would 10
the case Of any other pcr>''n who Was absent on
| a ike occasion. aud therefore could not defend
! himself. he report which Rev. Mr.. Sprgg
! had seen was IMPERFECT aud calculated to cnu-
vey wrong impressions He believed tia, the
editor OF the Southern Churchm man would be
! the first one, when he found that be wis his
/ takru to say 50, anu that he would never be
guilty OF anything untecOmlng III Il Christian
and u gentleman. Mr. Sprlgg bad been u
member Of the Society for twenty-five years
aud had always manifested great Interest 10 1t.
! The proper way tnr the Society TO do would he
to send abroad both >tstcm4nts, aud the pc pile
would be able TO see how they stood, and What
| was the real state OF affairs.
COL J j.. Preston, of Lexington. next de-
livercd al, admirable aud Wei written address,
in which he stated that while MIR Spri-g had
| committed Il great error, yet he believed that
| he had been ln>icd by the first report which
| had ialicu iuio his hands, aud which was 10
| doubt Improperly executed.
Gen. f. II. Smith being next called upon
said it was not his intention to make I'LL aid
dress. but as he was the representative OF the
| Bible Society at Rockbrldse, Of which Robert
L. Lee was president uhliI the time OF has
DEATH he could not rettaiu from giving some
pal ticulars of its operations. liz gave glowing
| accounts of the progress At R"ckbrluse ami
many interesting facts.
Dr. Edwards said that he could not let the
| occasion pass without replying 10 what Nlr.
| Wall had said concerning Mr.. Sprlgg aud The
statements published 10 the Churchnau. lie
grew quite warm on the subject, aud said that
Mr.. Sprigg had been kindly admnnl>hed not
to make the attack upon the Society tie had
gone in company with Dr. Read to Alexandria,
and there given Mr.. Sprigg every opportunity
| 10 meet him and repIy; but he had failed to do
so though invited. He felt ashamed TO have
| to yiudicate the Board, composed a. II was OF
such well kuowu ministers; that there was no
excuse for the publication, anu nc thought II
| outrageous.
Colonel Preston replied by saying that the
report published by the Board was such that
a man with no bad motives might even mis-
take. There was genlcmao IN the Rpck'
bridge society who had made tic saulc mis-
take. and it would have been published there
but for the fact that there were gcntlemeU
present who could explain it. He could not
think, although he did not know him. that the
editor of the Churchman would a>sa!l or stab
apy organization or society working Tor The
cause of Christ.
DR.. Minuegerode denied that there was any
thing assaillug 10 the report. Ii dIl b!anc
Mr.. Sprigg, aud he thought that was right aud
proper; but throughout 1t all 1t was written 10
courteous spirit. go
Mr.. Pcterkiu said that preachers, like every
BODY else, were liable to err, ald sometimes
did not make clear statements. La this case
he thought that the statement as published Dy
the Board last year had not been very clear
He hoped, however, that there would Dc no
further discussion of the subj"ct.
DR.. Wall gained the f or, aud peltcd what |
he had said before. lie reiterated that he |
stood there to defend man who was abscnt, |
and who couldn't say one word Tor himself. |
The Board had made their report obscure, aud |
that was the reason. he felt sure, why Mr..
Snriyg, as public man, had criticised public
corporatun
Dir. Edwards also said that he desired to rct-
crate the statement he had previously made,
and remarked that Mr.. Sprsg could have cor
reeted what he said if he wauted to. He did
blame him greatly.
Bishop Doggett cama to the snppor: of the
Board. lie said that DR.. Minncgerode had not
announccd his owo opinion, but II was the re-
bort of the Board which he lad read The
origin of the difficulty and discussion Was
criticism upon the report OF the Board. lie
thought, however. that DR.. Edwards was right
in all that he had said.
DR., G. ". Jones said that he had cores
nondsd with Mr.. Sprigg, and that he had writ
rem his articles purely and solely upon what the
R,hl. board had put out themselves. Hc knew
Mr Sprigg we'll, aud he tr.t sure that he was
.hnve anv such act as had been imputed 10
him. He could not conceive how the convlc-
ton could rest 90 any ones mind that Nlr.
Sprieg could be guilty Of an act wbich would
s.ah a sncietr il which be bad Surh n grcnt ln