Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-13
THE PRESIDENT
Delivers An Address in
Grace Reform Church
At Washington Meeting Of the
American Track Society.
The General Work Of the Society,"
The Presidents Address.

Washington. March 1.-THE Wash
inton meeting of the American Tract
| Society WAS held. today, in the presi-
| dents church, the Grace Reformed
| Church. the Rev. Mr.. Schick, pastor.
Justice Brewer, Honorary vice presi-
| dent, presided, and made brief adj
dress, setting forth the important
work carried forward by the society.
President Roosevelt delivered the ad-
| dress. and the Rev. Judson Swift made
| a report.
| The report stated that the society
| will celebrate its SOth anniversary in
| May next; that emigrants are coming
| to the United States in increasing
| numbers and if the average of the past
| four months continues, the million
mark will be reached for the wear. The
tract society's colporters among the
immigrants are converted foreigners.
They meet them on arrival and fol-
low them to their homes and places of
employment, distributing Christian
literature in the language or dialects
which they speak The colporter at
ellis Island distributes Christian lit
erature in "a languages or dialects. The
total number of colporters laborine
| among the foreigners is So. The tract
socletys aid, the report says, is also
essential to the carrying forward of
mission work in the islands.
The last annual report shows that
the society has published the gospel
| message in 100 languages or dialects.
and that 80 new publications, includ-
| ing volumes. tracts and lefalets is
sued from the home office during the
history of the society. was S,5SS. and
the grand total of all publications
printed reached 150.SS1. 513 copies. The
total number of periodicals circulated
Tor the year amounted to 3,O36. 400
copies.
The call for the tract society's
special and unique work the repOrt
says. Is greater than ever before in its
history. and its resources are greatly
over taxed. The society is wholly de-
pendent on donations and legacies. and
says the report. some of its most i'm
portannt work of necessity will be cur
tailed unless there is u more generous
response on the part of evangelical
sources and individual donors. A
most earnest appeal is made for in
| creased gifts.
The President spoke in part as fol-
lows:
Il am glad to say Amen to the an
peal to that has been made by DR.
swirl on behalf of the great society
10 the account of whose work you have
'eeh listening. In the Book of all
DOCKS there is sentence, BE We
uo'fS OF the word and not hearers ONLY
Let us show ourselves today doers of
the word, upholders in fact of what
mas been preached to US by DR.. Swift
lie mas set forth the needs of the So
cietE ana he has set forth the great
held over which it works | wish to
'ouch only small portion of that
ieid' put after all. the portion that
most concerns us-the need here ~
rome. mere III this country. of further
ing IN every way the work of the So
Ciety. the work of all Kindred g.
cetles both among the native-born
ana among the thousands who come to
these shores from abroad.
The United States government does
eh1eaNnr to do its duty by the immi
grants who come to these shores. but
unless people have had some experience
with the dangers and difficulties SIR
rondlng the newly arrived Immigrant
'hey can hardly realize how great thew
are. The Immigrant is exposed to in
Vulnerable temptations, innulnerable
petty expressions, on almost every
mana. ana unless some one is on hand
10 help him. he literally has no idea
Where to turn. No greater work can be
zone by a phllanthropic or religious 50
ciety than to stretch out the helping
hand to the man and the woman who
cvone here to this country to become
citizens and the parents of citizens. and
therefore to do their part in making IN
for veal or for woe the future of our
land. If we do not take care of them;
if we do not try to uplift them, then
as sure us fate our own children will
pay the penalty. Therefore. it means
| much, not merely to the immigrant,
but to every good American. that there
should be at Ellis island the 'colpor-
| teurs of this society and the represent
ativeS of other religious and philan-
thrOpic societies tc try and care for
the immigrants body and above all to
try and care for the immigrants soul
zone of the best things done by this
society and by kindred religious and
| benevolent societies. is supplying in
| our American life of today the proper
| ideals. 1t is a good thing to have had
extraordinary material prosperity, if
| we use this material prosperity Alright.
IT is not good thing: it is bad thing
| if we treat it as the be-all and end-all
of our life. If we make it the only ideal
| before this nation. we are laying up
for ourselves not merely trouble but
| ruin. l, too, feel the faith and hope
| that have been expressed here today,
| by the vice president and the secre-
| tary of the society: but l SO feel be-
cause / believe that we shall not per-
nit mere material well-being to be-
| come the only ideal in this nation. be-
cause ! believe that more and more
we shall accustom ourselves to look
| Ing at the great fortunes accumulated
Continued on Page Three)