The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-21
TRACT SOCIETY HOLDS
ITS ANNUAL MEETING
Justice Brewer Addresses Relig-
ious Workers Assembled at
Washington.
TAFT TELLS OF ISLANDS
Secretary of War Speaks OF the
Progress Made in the
Philippines.
TAFT TELLS OF ISLANDS

WASHINGTON, March 20.-The Wash
ington annual meeting of the American
Tract Society was held this afternoon in
the Church of the Covenant Justice
Brewer presided and made a brief address,
setting forth the general work of the
Tract Society both in the home and for
eign field. He emphasized the necessity of
this work. as we'll as showing that there
was no other agency we'll equipped To
furnish Christian literature in the many
languages and dialects. The Rev. Judson
Swift. field secretary, reported the years
work. and William III. Taft, secretary of
war; delivered an address. which gave
most accurate account of progress in the
Philippines, relating particularly to educa-
ton and Christianity.
The secretary of the society said that
eighty-nine new publications had been pub
lished during the year. These were IN
English, Polish, Bohemian, German, Hun
garian, Spanish, Swedish and Italian and
the total number of distinct periodicals
added was $50, making the grand total OF
publications issued since the organization
of the society, including volumes, tracts
and periodicals. 749.S15.572.
The number of periodicals printed and
distributed within the last twelve months
reaches IBIS, 800 and the total number of
languages and dialects in which the So
ciety has published is 15S
Union missionary colportage is a house.
toulouse visitation carrying. the gospel mes
sage to those who would not otherwise re-
ceive ii.
MANY FAMILY VISITS.
The number of family visits made by
the colporters during the year was 1875
Prayer has been offered in the majority of
these visits. Sixty-one thousand five hun
dred and eighty-one volumes have been
left in the homes. The total number of
colportage is 10, 500. and the total num-
Der of volumes left in the families is TO-
495. 1885,
With the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903,
$4,000 immigrants landed in the United
States.
ihe Tract Society at much expense pro-
yideS the necessary literature in the lam
guages of these foreigners, and thirty-six
of its colporters are laboring among them.
BY means of their personal work, whole
families are in many instances transformed
and in others one or more members con-
verted. Ii is really, 1t was stated, the only
sensible way of reaching these people.
WORK IN THE ISLANDS.
Work in the islands is of great interest
The Tract Society furnishes all or nearly
all of the Christian literature in the Span
ish language and during the year has dis
| tributed in the American colonies upward
of one million pages. and the total for the
| year in the Spanish-speaking countries is
| $4,000 pages Six colporters are laboring
| I'm Cuba and Porto Rico. The house-to-
house visitation of colporters has had much
| to do with the gathering and establishing
| OF mission churches. The new Sunday
| school paper in Spanish Is accomplishing
much good. both among the children and
their parents
The work among the Mormons in Utah
| Is OF Intense interest. The distribution of
christian literature by colporter wagon and
coiporters reaches thousands of homes,
placing wholesome reading in the hands
| of the youth
The society has expended total of three
| quarters OF million dollars in creating and
circulating Christian vernacular literature
at the foreign mission stations. The great
need oil the foreign field at the present
time Is a large Increase of Christian liter
AZURE Many CT the missionaries state that
| the education of the youth at the mission
| schools will be largely i'm vain unless a suf-
| ficient amount of Christian and wholesome
| literature is provided for them upon their
| graduation This is particularly true of
| India and Japan The need of the hour is
additional funds to supply literature in the
language or dialect which the peope speak.