The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-08-04
Takes Up Duties as Secre-
tary Baptist Publica-
ton Society
BUSINESS AMOUNTS
TO MILLION YEARLY
Son of Mr.. and Mrs. c. B. Lamsou of
Brattleboro and Former Windham
County Boy-Society Has Assets of
Over S2,GOO,0OO

Some idea of the magnitude of the
task set for Rev. Guy C. Lamson D.
d., the general secretary of the Ameri-
can Baptist Publication society, may
be obtained from the knowledge that
the society has assets of over $1,000
000 and an annual turnover of money
of more than $1,000,000 Rev. Dr.
Lamson, who IS SON of Mr. and Mrs
c. B. Lamson of Brattlehoro and is a
native of Winlham county, began the
duties of his new office last Tuesday.
For three years previously he had been
missionary secretary of the Publication
society.
When Noah K Davis, yonng Bap-
tist preacher of Salisbury, Md, con
ceived the society in 1924. he had no
expectation that il would ever own
and occupy building worth half a
million dollars, and if he had been told
that it would ever find employment for
more than 6,000 missionaries he would
have laughed at the idea. Davis con
ceived only small society to print re-
ligious tracts. When it was organized
in Washington its name was the Bap-
tist General Tract Society.
The great growth of the society be-
gan after its removal to Philadelphia
in 1896. 1t first occupied a single
room for which an annual rental of
800 was paid. 1t now collects $4,000
a year in rent from tenants of its
building at the corner Of Chestnut aad
Seventeenth streets, for whom it finds
room after allowing ample space for its
own activities
The society is probably prouder of
| its c0lporteur work than of anv of its
other enterprises. This is under the
| direction of the missionary department.
| \ colporteur, it may be explained for
| the benefit of the uninitiated. is a man
who goes about the country where
there are no churches. He distributes
| tracts and other religious literature,
| holds meetings and organizes Sunday
schools. 1t was in 1914 that the work
| of the colporteurs began. 1t is said
that this society was the first to send
| out such religious workers and the first
| to apply this name to them.
| The earliest workers Of this kind
walked. Some of them still walk. But
the society lo1g ago began to supply
wagons to some of them. 1t now has
60 wagons in constant use CARRYING
tracts, Bibles, Testaments and other
matter into the ulchurched regions.
In 1890 the Rev. Wayland Hoyt who
had returned from visit to the north
west suggested that a chapel car be
| built in order that the people living in
regions where there were no churches
and no suitable room for holding re-
ligious services might have the gospel
| preached to them. The first car was
| put in service the next year Now the
society owns seven such cars. There
are only three others in the whole Unit
ed States. The society employs in adj
dition 16 automobiles in its missionary
work, and it has in commission three
cruisers, which ply the rivers
More than 62,00O,00O tracts have
been distributed besides 4000,0 900 Bi
bles and Testaments and 100000
other books It's missionaries have or.
ganized 10000 Sunday schools, or near
ly one-half of the Baptist Sunday
, schools i'll the country.
Besides the headquarters at Chestnut
and Seventeenth streets, the society
owns a large building at Lombard anC
Juniper streets, which houses its print
ing plant.
This is the kind of an enterprise DIR
Lamson is to direct.