Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-03-08
TIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
Celebrated by the Shelby County
Bible Society.

The large aud commodious Cumber.
land Presbyterian church, on Court
street, was we'll filled last night by an
audience which represented all the
protestant congregations IN the city.
The occasion was the fitch ami
versary of the Shelby county Bible
society. Colonel Ethel H.. Porter who
has been the president for thirty-fyc
consecutive years, and for thirty.
seven years altogether, presided.
On the platform, to his right,
and left, sat six ofthe pastors Of diff
ferent churches, while several others
occupied seats in the body Of the
audience.
The exercises opened at half past
seven o'clock with a well -performed
voluntary by the choir. The hymn
beginning "O'er the gloomy hills of
darkness" was then sung By the choir,
in which the congregation joined,
standing. Rev. 7. j. Rowan read the
forty-sixth psalm, and Rev. W. W,
Houston offered prayer. After
another hymn By the choir, the
report Of the executive committee
was read by the secretary, Mr.. T. H..
Rice. From this it appears that the
work during the year just ended,
though not 50 large as that of some
previous years, has been prosecuted
continuously and with a good degree
of success. The work of distribution
was continued in the country during
the prevalence Of yellow fever here.
The counties Of Alcorn, Tishomingo
and Pamela, Mississippi, were can.
vassed entire within the year, and other
counties in that state were
finished. The counties of
Upton, Tennessee, Calhoun, Bolivar.
Tallahatchie, Monroe aud Lafayette
in Mississippi were canvassed in part.
In addition to supplying local needs,
wagons, steamboats, and railroad trains
are visited and supplied, Messrs. T..
j. Foster, E. W. Harris, jill. Jacobs.
j. U. Green, J.. D. Leslie, John L.
Cant, Thomas D. Walton, A. J..
Maddox and james 9. Shaw, are
engaged in this work in the country,
and Mr.. VIM. Mcdonnell in the city.
These persons have visited 1896
white, and 1914 colored families.
Books sold Bibles, 1887 tesla
ments, Aba; portions, 700, Of
the value Of $2,4l2.46. Books
have been donated to the value of
AO9.28; total volumes distributed
95O5 value $2S2l.74. The society is
in good financial condition, having
something to its credit in bank. The
~liberality of the parent society, in
various donations, is acknowledged.
A review Of the work done by the
society since it was organized, in 1890,
is submitted. In hat time the sum
Of $l3,237 has been paid fer bibles
donated by the American Biblesociety
$1,000; value of works distributed
$65 ,2l8; cost of distribution 500, 229
number Of families visited, 296, SO6;
number of persons reached, 1915 89;
total cost of the work, $1O4,447. The
field Of operation embraces fifty cou
ties in West Tennessee and North
Mississippi and Arkansas, within q
radius of one hundred miles from
Memphis. The most of this territory
has been thoroughly canvasscd.
The report of the auditing commit.
tee was read by Col. NJ. 2.
Jarnagin. After music by the choir
Rev. H. A. Jones, pastor o
the church delivered a very able anG
eloquent address upon the bible as ar
INSPIRED book, and its influence upor
r the nations of the earth.
Rev. r. H. Mahon read a report in
memory of deceased members Of the
society-Rev. Jonathon D. Stewart
acting pastor Of the Georgia stree
church, K. 7. Keel, Of the Cumbcr
! land Presbyterian church, and Messrs
4 Henry Wade and VIM. H. Thomas
{ who died within the past year.
On motion Of Judge R. j. Morgan
o Colonel K. II. Porter was re-electe,
s president 7. H. Rice, secretary, AM
). james H. McDavitt, treasurer.
a An executive committee, consistin.
Of the pastors Of nineteen churchc
in the city aud two laymen from each
was, also, on motion ofJudge Morgan
unanimously elected. The pastors ar.
ex-Oficio vice presidents Of the societ,
,fl After a doxolgy by the chair an.
" congregation, the benedictiou wa
It pronounced by Rev. ]. NJ. Trimble.