The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-03
THE PULPIT AND THE PEW.
The Work Of tho American Tract Society
in Conversion.
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCHES.
Meeting in Washington of the Society and
Addresses nv justices Brewer and
Sirong-Notes.

The annual Washington meeting OF the
American Tract Society was held Sunday
night in the First Congregational church. >.
b. Newman, ID. ID. pastor. Ex-Justice Will
lam Strong. ILL., d.. president Of the so
ciety. presided. and addresses were made by
Justice David j. Brewer, Of the Supreme
Court. and the Rev. William a. Rice, secre-
tary Of the society.
The report Of the secretary showed that the
society had closed a successful year on April
!. It's receipts for the year from all sources,
Including both the business and the benevo-
lent departments. were, in round numbers
ESQ.,. 900. The society has issued IN the sixty
six wears of It's existence, 1888 distinct publ
CATIONS In this country and 1888 IN foreign
countries These publications are In l5S ian
euages and dialects. There have been added
during the past year 100 new permanent pub
licationS. not including periodicals II pub
fishes six periodicals. two OF which are ID
German II issues many publications IN Ger
man, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish,
Bohemian and Polish.
During the past year IL has employed Isl
solportours, who have labOred IN thirty-four
of the States and Territories and IN Ontano.
They have made 1868 family visits and put
into circulation about 81, 900 volumes OF Chris
who never offended church, 5,7l9 without tho
Bible and 1855 without religious reading
matter. The tract society has Just com
pleted fifty years of this coipOrteur WORK, the
sending Of the printed truth 70 tie homes or
fhe neglected multitudes by the band OF the
living speaker. The record Of these nifty
years is remarkable Volumes thus circulated,
80. 500 245: public meetings addressed. 400 IOO
families visited. 1860 90. of whom f4l .JO'
were Roman Catholics l3,35SIlZ froteS's H.c
Families found without the Bible G9l,ol0;
familns destitute of all religious reading ex-
cert the Kiblo l. 1853 1885, The cOlpOrteurs
conducted religious exercises IN I815,JG6 OF
the homes visited. Their work has been
mainly in the West in sparsely settled regions,
in the South. and among Immigrants through
out the entire country. Many OF the colpor-
feurs have been converted foreigners, who,
being able 10 speak foreign language and
having the truth printed IN the Same tongue,
were thus well fitted for reaching their own
people A very large number has thus been
reached and converted 10 Christ
II is estimated that there are to-day IN the
United States nj least 70. 600 600 ofpeople who
are not reached by the existing organized de-
norninatioual agencies II j. among these
outside masses Of population that the Amerl-
can Tract Society j. IN the main laDonuS.
This society Is an evangelical organization,
receiving its support ana encouragement
from all evangelical churches. 1t ~ undenom-
lluJOihl. Dul lHbiOuH sA1 N,hi l''4'sAs 80
dition 10 this general work it does special
work in the army and navy among seanen
and prisoners. IT'S appropriations. for work
in foreign fields have amounted, IN its his
tory. TO more than 100000.
Justice Brewer, in bis address, spoke or the
vast benefits that have accrued from the dis
tribution Of tracts and other religious pubica-
tions Of an educational character. IL was the
quality and not the quantity of the literature
distributed that counted. United States Sena;;
tors and lawyers We're the only, ones allowed
30 make long speeches these days, and long
dissertations on subjects were q thing OF the
past. Short. sharp, pithy utterances were the
ways now of reaching the people and educat-
ing them both politically and religiously;
The Tract Society, he said might be called
Gates. 1t was reaching men and calling atten-
ton to ITS appeals. and its record showed now
large was the amount of good II had accom-
plished both at home and abroad.