Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-02
THE BOOK OF TRUTH.
ANNUAL MEETING SUNDAY OF THE
~ vsaGxxrA BIBLE SOCIETY.
HAWTHORNE is CALLED.
rendered the Passionate of Grove
-Avepse Church, which Hc Is Es-
pccsca to Accept-othcr News from
the Churches. -

First Baptist church OF t"iS ~''''
Rev. George Cooper, d. d., is pastor
The president Of the society, Rev. IA H.
Mason. presided, assisted by Rev. X r.
Kerr ID. ID. Besides these two, there
were I'm the pulpit and taking part In the
services Dr. w. r. Hatcher, Dr. George
Cooper. Rev. c. A. Marks, Rev. NJ. Ashby
Jones. and DR.. W. V. Tudor
A revision OF the constitution was pre-
sented by the Board OF Managers, and was
adopted.
The following report for the year end
ing March 81. 1899. was presented by the
Board OF Managers. and was approved:
The Board of Managers of the Bible
Society of Virginia. in presenting 10 lhe
society this their eighty-sixth annual re-
port, feel that they have continued cause
for thanksgiving FOR the manner IN W. "ili. ~.
God has Blessed the work ehtIusttu 70
them during the past year. IhOuSh tneIc
have been many obstacles 10 overcome
the work has advanced IN seVefdl par
lculars
The general plan OF the work has been
the same that has been IN operation 10,
many years Bible and Testaments ana
separate books of the Bible have DeSh
sold 10 all who wished 10 buy az tne
actual cost of manufacture. During the
past year the American Bible society. re
duced very greatly the prices OF many Oh
its Bibles which were already remark
ably cheap: and as We always sell at me
same price that they do. we maue inc
same reductions In our catalogue prices;
An idea Of the cheapness OF the printed
Scriptures may be had from the lact thdl
well-made Bible is now SOLD ior 10
cents and a good New Testament LOT
cents. Whenever persons nave p eeh
found In need of the Scriptures who were
unable 10 pay for them they nave Deeh
supplied free Of charge.
MANY WITHOUT THE WORD.
The board has done all II could with
the limited means at its disposal 10 meet
the great needs of this State, but mas
some very far short OF doing all that was
needed In some sections of the state
there are thousands of families without
the Word OF God in their homes. ana
there Is scarcely any section 1ere destl-
tuition Is not found. SPECIAL reason
why the destitute sections OF our state
should be promptly supplied with the
Word Of God is because OF the persistent
effort being made by the Mormons among
the people OF those communities 10 miro
duce their pernicious doctrines ana pro-
claim another gospel instead OF the pure
Gospel OF our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the almshol - of the state there
ere numbers of inmates without the Word
OF God. and in the prisons there are hum
dreds more In the same condition. There
are about 80 of each of these Institutions
in the State. and very few OF them are
supplied with the Scriptures. Oh course,
tho inmates cannot purchase them.
The convicts in the State Penitenuary
have recently been supplied. 1t required
the donation of thousand volumes TO
do this. A number of smaller donations
have been made to city and county jails:
Most gratifying reports come To us OF
the good accomplished in this way,
number of prisoners having been led TO
accept Christ by reading the Bible in their
cells
BIBLES FOR THE SOLDIERS.
The Spanisb-American war opened up
a new field of labor for the society, IN
which IL was enabled TO do good work.
When the volunteers were gathered IN
camps II was found that large majority
of them were without the scriptures. All
of the Virginia volunteers, both white and
colorod were supplied. as well as many
soldiers in other camps and In the hosp
tails More than six thousand Testaments
were used in this way. or these the 81;
Andrews Brotherhood OF Richmond paid
for 1900. The others were all donated by
the society.
The society has had sixty-fye represen-
tatives. each with a supply OF Bibles III
tixty-tWO counties in the State during the
past year. In almost every case these
agents have been located in cOmmuni-
ties where there would, have been no
Bibles for sale or donation but for the
work of the society. There are many
counties in the State and some towns,
where the only Bibles offered for sale
are these sent there by this society. ANA
there are many other counties IN the
State where Bible cannot be bought at
all
Almost all of these agents have done
their work without any financial cOmpen-
sation. Some have been allowed small
commission on their sales, and one man
for a few months was employed on
salary to canvass the city Of Charlottes-
vile Many others have applied Tor APP
pointment as agents, but we nave not hau
the means TO supply them with the neces-
sary stocks of Bibles. The supply in the
hands OF our agents has been much In
creased during the past year.
Through the various means employed
1912 copies Of the Sacred Scriptures have
been put into circulation I'm the bounds
of the state. of which 6,17S copies were
donated 10 the destitute
THE SECRETARY'S WORK.
The whole work Of the society has been
IN charge Of Rev. william >. Campbell,
secretary and general agent, under the
direction of this board. lie has performed
all the duties connected with the ONCE
and depository in Richmond, and has had
general superintendent OF the work
throughout the state.
During the year he visited IN the IN
terest of the society SO churches and 20
ecclesiastical bodies, and delivered 81 ser
mons and addresses on the society's work.
He also preached Al other sermons in
various churches in the state. 10 ac-
complish this he travelled 6.i52 miles. In
his office work he wrote 3.467 letters and
distributed 5000 copies of the last annual
report of the society and 1928 other Of
hial documents, giving information in
regard TO the society and its work
The Office and depository OF the society
has been moved, and is now located in
the rooms of the Presbyterian Commit
tee OF Publication, 1901 east Main street,
where the secretary and general agent
Will be glad TO see any one wishing 10
secure Bibles for himself or for others, or
10 correspond with any one who cannot
visit the office, giving any information
desired In regard TO Bibles or Bible So
ciety work.
Nv order OF the Board OF Managers.
I.ANDON II. MASON, President.
William S. Campbell,
Secretary and General Agent.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.