The San Francisco call., 1899-05-26

secretary, threw themselves heartily into the
field, and the list of the society's books and
tracts kept constantly enlarging. In lS43 The
Psalmist'' was published. In lS45 a charter
ciety has ever since been working, was Oh
tained. During this year also Carson IN Bap-
tism'' was issued, and the puolcatcl Of the
works of Andrew Fuller was begun.
DR.. Joseph II. Kennard became president OF
the society in 1874 and continued in that offce
for his chief coadjutor DIR. j. NJ. feck, VINO
was succeeded by Thomas S. Malcolm It was
during Mr. Malcom's secretaryship that the
letter dated September l. 1s47, reached the Sc
ton of Sunday school books The request was
gI9ited. and the books sent at once. They
arrived safely. and it Is believed formed the
first Sunday school library on the Pacific
Coast.
The year 1850 notable in the history of
the society for two things. The first Of these
was the purchase and occupancy Of the prop
erty known as $50 Arch street The second
was the employment OF DR.. j. Newton Brown
as the first book editor of the society. The
building at $50 Arch street was subsequently
enlarged and the society continued its oecu,
pancy for twenty-sE years, until the removal
to 1920 Chestnut street in 1876.
The year 1855 was also notable for two
things One OF these was an advance move
ment in the Sunday school work of the socie-
plates. engravings. copyrights, etc, belonging
to the New England Sabbath School Union
were purchased at an expense Of sS7l5. The
OF the society's work in Sweden.
A new era may be said to have begun in
1857, when Benjamin Griffith called to the
secretaryship. Doctor Griffith began his Ia
bors under circumstances which far
from propitious. Mr. Malcom had resigned the
secretaryship in 1852 and had been succeeded.
in 1853 by DR.. William Shadrack, who gave
up the work in 1856. The business of the So
ciety was seriously embarrassed and was feel
ing the effects of the financial panic under
which the country was then suffering. But
Doctor Griffith laid hold of the task set be-
fore him with the utmost vigor and faith.
Mainly by the aid of the Grocer and Bucknell
families sufficient funds were gathered to re-
lieVe the society of debts and to enlarge its
facilities for work New plans for administer
ing its affairs adopted and put into ex-
ecution. A spirit was infused into all
departments the effect of which speedily man
ifested itself in the increase of publications
and sales as we'll in benevolent and mis-
sionary operations. For three four years
matters went to the great encouragement
of the friends of the society. Then came the
Civil War. which during the first year or two
greatly affected the business of the society,
while, at the same time 1t brought new calls
and opportunities. The armies in the field and
the freedmen In the States where they could
be reached offered large fields for the circu-
lation of Bibles and religious literature. which
the society alert to seize. During the la
ter years of the war, hundreds of Baptist Sun
day schools and churches in the South. impov-
ershed by the war, were afforded help. Large
quantities of literature were sent to camps
and hospitals. and thousands of dollars were
expended in work among the colored people.
In 1869 the Chicago, St Louis and New York
branches were established, and in the follow
ing year the Boston branch Later. there were