THE

CHRISTIAN HERALD.

VOL. I.]

Wednesday, May 8, 1816.

[No. 7.

in

THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

No. III.

In the inquiry we have commenced, a third subject for consideration is, What are our present means, and our future resources, for the establishment and support of the National Institution proposed to be formed? That there is a great mass of monied capital at present in the United States, no one will deny who is well informed on this subject. But a few years ago, within the memory of all who were adults during our revolutionary war, it will be recollected that, for a considerable period, but one bank was for some time in existence any State of the Union. This bank possessed a very moderate capital, and its operations were very limited. At present there exist in the United States nearly 100 banks, with capitals to the amount of 85 millions, and circulating a paper currency to the amount of two hundred and thirty millions of dollars. If it be objected that this is all a paper medium, and not an actual representation of property to that amount, it is answered, that it has the most solid foundation. It is secured by the real and personal property of the. merchants, mechanics, and farmers, who borrow the money of the banks, and put it into circulation. Our population is probably at this time not less than 8,000,000. This population is increasing very rapidly; and our wealth seems to increase in equal proportion. Our national revenue, which prior to the war was at no time higher than $ 16,000,000, is now estimated at $25,000,000. With means and resources, therefore, such as are now enjoyed by the citizens of America, what ground is there to apprehend any want of ability to support, in a manner worthy of a nation of Protestant Christians, a National Institution, on the plan now in contemplation. Nothing is wanted but a proper spirit. To awaken the energies, and to direct the efforts of the liberal and pious throughout our country, is now the grand desideratum. Nor can we doubt but that, by the adoption of a judicious plan, VOL. I.-No. 7.

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by a just selection of character, and a zealous prosecution of the means hereafter to be pointed out for procuring patronage, the blessing of Heaven will follow this attempt to do good on a more enlarged scale. In such a cause, the very effort would be honourable, whatever might be its result.

"In great attempts, 'tis glorious e'en to fail."

Our obligations to Heaven for the light which as Christians we enjoy, should strongly urge us to undertake this work on a larger scale than any yet attempted. From the general diffusion of knowledge throughout our country,---from the ample rewards which are given and secured by our laws to industry and enterprise,---and from possessing a government which protects the labouring class of the community from the oppression of the rich and powerful, it has happened, that among no people on earth have the Holy Scriptures been more generally possessed. These blessings are great, and demand our warmest thanks to Heaven. But our gratitude should not evaporate in mere acknowledgments: it should be operative and efficient. Like the vapour exhaled by the rays of the sun, it should return again like the dew of heaven on the parched plains, refreshing the plants ready to perish for lack of moisture, and scattering fragrance and fruitfulness around.

Nor need we extend our views very remotely, in order to discover subjects for Christian charity and beneficence. By means of the efforts of our numerous local Societies, the wants of our poor in the Atlantic States have, in a good degree, been already supplied. There is, however, still scope for further exertions, even here; but these may safely be left to the future efforts of the Societies already in existence. We are now invited and urged, by considerations the most imperative, to extend the hand of Christian benevolence to our fellow-citizens and Christian brethren, scattered along our widely extended frontier settlements. From authentic information recently communicated to the public by Messrs. Mills and Smith, who performed a Missionary tour in the years 1814 and 1815, through the Western and South-Western parts of the United States, we have a view of the deplorable state of ignorance,---of the destitute condition in regard to Bibles,---and of the predominance of gross vice and profiigacy, arising from these causes, which exist at this time among the inhabitants of our newly formed settlements.

These adventurous Missionaries, with a spirit truly apostolic, have encountered danger, toil, and privation, in order to supply the spiritual wants of their suffering fellow-chris

tians; and, by the exposition they have given of the state and circumstances of that portion of our land, have awakened the sympathies of thousands in these more favoured districts, who will gladly contribute their aid in the heavenly effort to scatter widely in those Western regions the precious seed of divine truth.

The information given by these Missionaries, is contained in a pamphlet of 64 octavo pages, printed last year at Andover. We shall extract from it a few of the many passages, which show the destitute condition of the country over which they passed, and which prove the necessity and probable usefulness of a National Bible Institution, such as that now in contemplation.

Writing from the Illinois Territory, on the 12th of January, 1815, they say: "We ascertained that there never had been any English Bibles or French Testaments sent into this Territory for gratuitous distribution, except in one instance. Some time since, the Directing Committee of the Philadelphia Bible Society sent to the care of Dr. Elliot, then residing at St. Genevieve, a number of English Bibles and French Testaments, to be distributed by him. The English Bibles were soon given out, and the French Testaments principally. This Territory presents a very important and interesting field for Missionary labours.

"One man whom we saw in this Territory, informed us, that for ten or fifteen years he had been using exertions to obtain the sacred Scriptures, but without success. Notwithstanding there are many ready and able to purchase the Scriptures, still there are others who cannot with convenience supply themselves, and must for many years, perhaps as long as they live, be destitute of the Bible in their families; unless their wants are relieved by others, who have ability and a disposition to supply them."

"We did not find any place in this Territory, where a copy of the Scriptures could be obtained. Merchants occasionally bring into the Territory books of this description. The common school Bible is not unfrequently sold for two dollars."

"From the best estimate we could make, with respect to the proportionate number of destitute families in the three Territories, we are led to believe, that 10 or 12,000 Bibles are necessary for the supply of every destitute family."--"You will readily perceive, Sir, that living, as most of the people of these Territories do, 1000 or 1500 miles distant from any place where the Bible is printed, very many of them, 864435

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for a long time, must remain destitute; unless their necessities can be relieved, at least in a considerable degree, by the Managers of the Bible Societies in the different States. Do, Sir, intercede with the Managers of Bible Societies in your vicinity, to aid in supplying the destitute poor in this portion of our country."

Writing from Tennessee on the 1st of February, 1815, they say: "The want of Bibles and other religious books, in this State, is probably as great as in Kentucky. A respectable clergyman says, Perhaps one fourth of our population has not a Bible." According to this estimate, which we think is too favourable, more than 10,000 Bibles are here wanted, to give a copy to each destitute family."

We had many applications for the sacred Scriptures, with which we could not comply. Some of the people asserted, that they never had an opportunity to purchase the Bible at any price, though they had long been anxious to possess it. Others were evidently too poor to furnish themselves, without much inconvenience. The Bible was received by many to whom it was presented, with an eargerness which induced us to believe that it would prove a lamp to their feet and a light to their path.""

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At Natchez, on the river Mississippi, they say: "Five thousand copies of the Scriptures, we believe, would not more than supply the destitute. Unless, therefore, some more efficient means are used to enlighten that benighted portion of our country, the day of glory will dawn on the rest of the world, long before the darkness will be dispelled from these regions."

On the 6th of April, 1815, they write thus from New-Orleans "In West-Florida, the attention of some of the inhabitants was not long since turned to the subject of religion. Many of them solicit Bibles whenever there is a prospect that they can be supplied, which is very rare. There are some American families in this part of our country, who never saw a Bible, nor heard of Jesus Christ. There are some hopefully pious persons, who cannnot obtain a Bible or a Testament."

"It is a fact that ought not to be forgotten, that so late as last March, a Bible in any language could not be found for sale or to be given away in New-Orleans. And yet eight thousand Bibles would not supply the destitute in this State."

On this statement, these zealous heralds of the cross ground

the following impressive "Appeal to the Christian Public."

"What, then, is to be done? Shall we leave one of our fairest cities to be overwhelmed with vice and folly? The dreaded inundation of the Mississippi would not be half so ruinous. Now, by divine assistance, an effectual barrier may be opposed to the flood of iniquity. And is the liberality of the Christian community exhausted? Have you no Bibles to give? no Missionaries to send? Are there no men of apostolic spirit, who desire not another man's line of things made ready to their hands?" Then is this city wretched and hopeless indeed. But surely the cry of some of its citizens must be heard: it is earnest and importunate. It is continually sounding in our ears, Send us some one to break to us the bread of life."

From the view presented by Messrs. Mills and Smith, of the deplorable want of Bibles among our Western brethren, who does not feel an ardent. desire to supply this want? Who does not perceive the importance and necessity of a National Institution, whose expanded charity shall send the word of life to the destitute poor in the remotest district of United America?

The blessings we should confer, by a wider circulation of the Bible, on multitudes now living in vice and ignorance, and on many who once lived in a land of Bibles, but have since removed to regions where the Holy Scriptures are not to be obtained on any terms,---are great beyond calculation. Those, and those only, can justly estimate the value of the sacred records, who know the true value of the human soul, and the importance of eternity.

Of the benefits which we ourselves might derive from the establishment of a National Bible Society, we may form some conception; but we cannot minutely describe, nor sufficiently appreciate them. That such an Institution would have a tendency to secure the gratitude and affections of those to whom its bounty would be extended: that it would be calculated more firmly to cement together the members of our widely extended community: that it would tend to awaken pious zeal, and unite the various denominations of Christians among us, by ties of mutual charity and esteem: but above all, that it would draw down the blessing of Heaven on us as a Christian community,---are advantages which may be justly expected to result from the contemplated establishment.

Let us, then, invoking the blessing of God on the effort, make the attempt to lay the foundation of an Institution,