The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-04-17
rMr RInLR CAUsE.
Meeting In the Fourth street Church
Last Observation-Disclosures Ttme-Faets
Anu Figures,

Last Night-Au InteFssting Ttme-Faet
And Figures.
The celebration Of the eighteenth anniyer.
sary Of the establishment OF the Wheeling
and Ohio County Bible Association, held in
the Fourth Street NJ. Z. Church last evening,
was an immense success, and must have been
more than gratifying to tue friends Of the
Bible cause in this city. The large aud
handsome edltCe was filled almost to over.
lowing. Every. seat was filled, chairs were
placedon the Aisies, the spaces about the
aoots were crowded and the audience even
poured over into the altar space.
Nearly all the churches In the city held no
evening service, In order TO allow The mem.
bers 70 attend this meeting, and they turned
out In full force. On the pulpit platform
were seated the ministers Of the various
churches, and In the organ loft was an i'm.
menSe choir, under the direction OF DR., 7. II,
Logan's baton, composed Of tiO following:
Sopranos-Mrs. Z. W. EoiF, Misses Mamie
Brith Anna Carson, Ella Lewis, Kate Land,
Aggie Murine and Sophie Logan,
Altos-Misses 7. Philips, s. Logan, D. For.
sythe and Mrs, +. FarFis.
Tenors-Prot. II, Thompson, Messrs. W. B.
Day, ]. Mendei, l.. Goodwin and s. Buliard,
Basos-MessEs o. seeley, ]. Hall, N. Car
son and ]. n. Kelley.
Miss Annie Logan at o'clock took the
organ bench and executed In line style an
organ voluntary, after which the 2lOth
hymn was given out and sung admira.
bly, by the large congregation. Rev. ].
b. Milford, OF the First Baptist church, fol.
lowed with an eloquent prayer In which he
made strong appeals for the work, and de.
youtly poured forth on bChalfof the Chris
tian people OF this county, thanks for the
kindly grace that had been extended in the
years past, and under which the aSsocia-
ton had tlourished and became firmly
established. Following this Dr.. Masden,
OF the Fourth street church, reads
a portion OF the 10th Psalm
Prof. Thomps0n's tenor voice was then
heard to good advantage as he sang that
beautiful solo from Handels grand compoH-
ton, the Messiah Comfort ye My Peo-
pie" AS he closed the organ changed and
ran into the Prelude OF the "IIallelu.
tah ChoruS," from the same oratoriH, the or
ganist In the meantime pulling stops until
all the grand organ was on, suddenly the
cent chorus was given with soul inspiring
effect.
DR., Cunningham, OF the Fint Presbyterian
church, who acted us chairman OF the even.
ing, then introduced the familiar face OF
Rev. W. Il. Long, District Superintendent OF
the American Bible Society for West
Virginia. This gentleman made q terse
statement OF his work in West Virginia for
Ave and one-half years that was very inter
esting and was listened to attentively. He
has canYAssed in person almost every place
OF importance in the State and had found
more than one family in six that was desti-
tute OF Bible. He reported that forty
counties had been canvaSsed by the help Of
colporteurs who had reported even greater
restitution than the superintendent had
found himself.
Last year, closing March 81, 1882, six col.
porteurs travelled upwards OF 1900 miles,
spending l,4O0 days in their work, visiting
nearly 5000 persons and 5000 families
and finding upwards Of $500 OF these desti-
about 2,400 persons and 500 families bad
been supplied at a cost OF 1851; In return $50
had been received in donations, thus about
81 worth OF Bibles were given away where
81 was received in return. This shows the
magnitude Of the free gifts OF the A. B. s, to
the poor in West Virginia. At the COM
mencement OF the canvass there were at
least 90 600 persons found in the State with.
out the Word OF God. In year the work
will be completed and the exact figures OF
restitution and supply will then be given to
the public, II is impossible in 80 brief
space TO do justice to Rev. Longs humane
and charitable work in the State.
Rev. VIM. H. Cooke of the Second Pres.
byterian church, followed with stirring
talk, that was generally spoken Of, as being a
splendid effort.
Mrs. G. W. Eetrs sweet, pur soprano, was
now heard in Come unto Me-" which she
sang with feeling and expression.
S. B. Barniiz was then called on, and de.
liyered very interesting talk. 1t was
friendly encouraging address and one that
must have been heard to be appreciated. In
closing he referred to 1854 when not Bible
could be purchased in the city and a gentle.
man had donated 81 900 which was placed in
the New York depository and soon after one
was established in this city.
In 1871 the repositories OF the State were
s, $50 in debt; now they are free with more
than $500 worth Of books on hand. Then
there were but sixteen auxiliaries In the
printed catalogue, nov fifty, and the work
promises well for the future.
The choir sang Zion, Awake" while
the collection was being taken, which, by
the way, was large one. That grand old
hymn, "All Hail the Power OF Jesus Name,n
was then sung by the congregation, and it
was dismissed with the benediCtion pro-
nounced by Rev. Mcclure, OF the q. P,
church. Mr.. G. w. EoiF played in his usual
Ill Ala l.. II, Il.