The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-11-20

selling of books, even good books, as mat
ter of business or FIR pecuniary profit, church
courts ought to have nothing to do with it.
That is not church business. Aud if this
plan of colportsge was devised simply to
build up business for the Publishing House
in Richmond, the case is no better. Its sole
design is the preaching of the Gospel by
means of the Press; and this is the only
ground upon which the management of the
business by the Church can be justified. 1t
is not to make money, or to furnish employ
ment to numerous agents. but to do good by
furnishing the people with supply of pure
and sound Christian literature. Aud as the
minister or the missionary breaches the gos-
pei to his congregation, so the colporteur, by
his books, breaches the same gospel to the
people at their homes. And in thus doing
his work he is often TIE pioneer of the min
lister, preparing the way for him, and always
his valuable auxiliary.
ii. Importance of the Work Its impor
tance might be iaferred frop the fact, that
so much prominence has been given to it by
all the leading Bible and Religious Publish
ing Societies in the world, and by its having
place in every scheme of missionary work
both in our own and in foreign lands. Only
in the cities, and in our larger towns, are
bookstores established, or books, other than
for schools, kept on sale; so that the produc
tions of the press, and especially of the reli-
giOus press, are practically inaccessible to the
majority of the people. Advertising in the
papers, whileit accomplishes muchi in securing
the sale of books of a certain class, and which
treat of topics of special interest, will always
fail to secure general circulation Of sound
religious reading; because to the most of the
people book that is not seen is book un-
known. And newspapers, valuable as they
may be, cannot take the place of books
And even if it be known that book is OBJ
tainable at the bookstore, or through the
mail, yet there is not the same inducement
to purchase it that there is when it is brought
to the door. Practically, if the people are to
be supplied with a Christian literature it
must be by carrying it to their homes.
But aoV the question is not shall the peo-
pie be supplied but with what shall they
be supplied? The press is teeming with its
issues, and all over the land active and per-
sistent efforts are made, not only to supply
secular literature, much of which is vicious
and hurtful in it's character, but also So
called religious literature that is worthless,
if it be not positively injurious and heretical.
And against this hood-t tide of corrupt and
corruptiug literature, the Church, if she
would be safe, must not only oppose faith
ful ministry, but bringlto their aid the labors
of the colporteur in supplying the wants of
a reading people With nj food.
But again: Our se5ars-s existence as
Church implies something distinctive in our
principles or order, which we are bound to
contend for and maintain. The defence of
the truth as we hold it is therefore committed
to US; and for the dissemination of that
truth among our people, the colportage work
furnishes most important agency.
(To BE CONTINUED.