The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-24

urged the help and encouragement Of
all toward an additional success along
these lines during the coming year.
A collection was taken during which
the choir sang Father Help Us in Thy
Care" After the singing of a hymn by
the congregation the benedlction was
pronounced and the services came to
close. The report of Mr.. Kennedy,
the agent of the society, was In part as
| follows:
| Thirty-eght years ago the venerable
| Charles Fuller, of percious memory, en-
| ployed me as agent of the Lackawanna
Bible society. l had already labored
four years in four other counties, thus
! making forty-two years given to the work
| of Bible circulation. During those years
| / had the pleasure of canvassing my ma
| tive state from the New York state line
| on the north to the Delaware state line
| on the south, and as far west as Sum
| bury, embracing the following fifteen
| counties, namely: Bradford Susquehan-
| ma, Wayne, Carbon, sullivan. wyoming,
Lackawanna, Luzerne Schuylkill, Berks,
| Northampton, Columbia, Montour, North
| umberland and Snyder.
| Various horses and vehicles were worn
| out and left by the way by conveying
| many tons of Bibles over the mountains
| and through the vallies, from house TO
house, and from door to door, that ev-
cry destitute family might be supplied
| with copy of the word of God.
LARGEST AMOUNT OF WORK.
In Luzerne and Lackawanna counties
the largest amount of this benevolent
| work was done among the continually
changing population, and at every new
! exploration l found a large percentage
of families without the Bible.
During the last summer / had three
4v, NWuy.N
| counties; and as specimens of Bible cir
| culation, done with neatness and dis
| patch l present the work of these three
copartners l ordered their Bibles from
the Bible house, directed their work, col
lected the money to pay their expenses
and salary, wrote them numerous en-
| couraging letters and infused into their
minds an enthusiasism for their work,
and received and tabulated their reports.
| w. d. Lathrop, q student of Wyoming
seminary, canvassed Forty Fort, Dor
ranceton, Pringleville, Edwardsville,
Kingston, Larksville, Plainsville, Carver
ton, Glen Lyon, Luzerne, Trucksvile,
Shavertown, Huntsville and Dallas. This
is largely a farming district, in parts
of which he disposed of a copy of the
Scriptures in every third house he visit
ed. He said he never before spent a va
cation with so much religious profit,
nor felt so usefully employed; and would
John Wallace, of Pittston, canvassed
Pittston Junction, Duryea, Pleasant VAL
ley, Avoca, Browns Patch, Stark's Patch,
Iatesville, Latin, 1nkerman, oregon, Port
Griffith and part of Plainsvile. He
speaks English, Polish and Bohemian.
This is a mining district, and he car
ried Bibles in these languages into the
| crowded homes and boarding houses of
| these foreign people; and some he sold,
some he left on approval, and may he
gave away. On repeating his visits, some
of the miners removed their pipes and
took off their hats and respectfully bowed
their heads; and told him they were
spending their Sundays very differently
now from the way in which they used
to spend them before he gave them the
Bibles. They have put away the beer
and the cards, and now spend nearly
the entire Sunday reading the Bible or
hearing it read. He says this. to him, is
much more than a secular calling, and
he would like to devote to it more OF
his time.
JOY IN THE MASTERS SERVICE.
Judson N. Bailey, of Chinchilla, can.
vassed Archibald, Gouldsboro, Daleville
Yostville, Spring Brook, Madisonville
Turnersville, Freytown, Moscow, Elm.
hurst, PeckVille and Dunmore. This
district lies mostly in Drinkers Beech
| and the roads are rough and hilly. Dur.
ing the hot days in August he Travelled
, some days fifteen miles on foot and car
ried a heavy satchel filled with Bibles
but he did 1t joyfully, that he might
serve his Divine Master and bring be-
nighted souls to the light of the gos
pei. He presented the cause in variou:
meeting houses and school houses, ant
received small contributions, as did alsC
the other two brethren; and they hat
the sympathy and cooperation of the
preachers of the different denominations
which was of much service in recon-
mending them to the people.
They went forth as they were directed
and did their work according to the rule!
! of the Bible society, and the following
statistics will show with what generou.
handfulls they scattered the good seet
of the kingdom:
Destitute families supplied ............ "a
Families visited .........................522
| Families found destitute of the Bible. "a
Destitute families which refused to
| accept '.,''.'''''''''' ''''''''''''''
, | Bibles and Testaments sold ...........2 2 65
, Bibles and Testaments given .....,.... SO
: Total copies distributed the past
year ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. is
2 | "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bear
ing precious seed, shall doubtless COM
again with rejoicing, bringing his sheave
, with him."
CASH ACCOUNT.
To subscriptions collected ...........$ .$349 G
To cash received from Bibles........ 236
e Total ...............................s5S .s5S5 9
Y. RENTED to w. II. Richmond, treas
;. urer, S5s597
- ASSETS.
= Bibles in depository with NJ. Nor
ton .......................... .$l96 0
4 | Bibles in Carbondale depository
with Mary C. Hoysradt, 5S Salem
avenue .............'.....'..''.. "a
i Bibles with James p Sampson,
0 Jermyn .......................... 81 G
,. Bibles in depository with S. S. Ken
= nedy, Waverly, Pa................. 12l Q
Total ......................... .S4i4
! s. S. Kennedy, agent.
4 | L,