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valuable souls would be lost that
might otherwise be saved. This
determined him to make an effort
to create a fund, the main object of
which would be the free circula
tion of tracts in destitute fields. In
Dg c em h a r, 1 1 . an ap p a a l far.. thia.
purpose was made through our
papers, and in a short time money
enough was raised to print 15,000
tracts. They Wfcte printed on card
board, both sides, wete seven inches
long and th fee and One-fourth
‘‘**iu c! TWnUlldi>, each one cr mta i ii i ug
from one thousand to twelve hun
dred words, or more than eDough to
fill a column in either the Apostolic
Times, Old l^ath Guide, Christian
Standard or Review. He was thus
forced to print new tracts, because
the larger ones already in use were
too expensive, the Fund being too
weak to handle them, and the
smaller ones not containing enough,
and not being of the most desirable
kinds. He also determined to use
only card-board, as it presented ad
vantages for a small tract over
paper, because it was more attrac-
V
indestructible, and
would thus be the cheapest. A
card of the size indicated would
contain about as much as a busy
man would care to read, and yet
enough to arrest the attention. The
card-board being stiff, it would not
double up in the pocket nor re
quire to be unfolded, but would al
ways be open, and thus ready for a
talk with its possessor. A report
of the success of his appeal, and of
the supply of tracts obtained, was
then made through the papers, in
which an earnest request to the
brethren to put them to work was
made, those living in destitute
fields and unable to buy being as
sured that they' were free to them
if they would only circulate them,
and those able and willing to buy
beiDg urged to send for what they
wanted, as the purchasejwould not
only distribute those sold, but
would enable the Fund to print
others. Such was the beginning of
this, the pioneer Fund among us
for the gratuitous distribution of
tracts.
RESULT OF THE YEAR’S WORK.
Soon calls from poor and weak
churches and Sunday-schools, from
evangelists, and ethers not able to
buy tracts, as welt as orders from
those who were able,.came pouring
in. Often those who bought were
kind enough to add a contribution to
fidp send tracts among the poor and
needy. The work for the year hds
been very encouraging. The total
Systems of Theology.
audience, can in ttis way preach
the word.
There have bcefi iliore errors sei
(3.) By advertising the work,and forth in the name of religion, thafi
pressing its value and its claims in any other name. The greatest
upon the brethren.
errors are theoretical. From the
(4.) Many have the tact for cfis- time of the fathers, until now, men
j Xdbiiliug ntra cto^ L uLaje, nnt. abl a J k. Jiave invented innumerable theories,
Isaac Errett; the electrotyping of purchase them. The main object of ^r'^sRn^F^gi^“^;uKnew
seven tracts, and the printing from this fund is to supply such gratui apostle claimed to have a system
these plates of fifty thousand card tously.
Evangelists and other that would meet all the theological
tracts, about forty-one thousand of ministers should go well supplied. difficulties, that we meet with in
which have been disposed of in Call their attention to the work, Bible investigation. Yet each one
gifts and sales. Add to this four and urge them to send for them. in turfi is found wanting, and one
•hun dre d and si steen
about4ia4kfecti¥fcua.% anothi.fr>...
rious kinds which have been put to they will use; Having been sup can invent no system that will
work, and which are not included plied once is no reason why they meet the demands of the situation.
in the foregoing statement. Some should not have more.
In this the wisdom of God is mani
of these were written by Benjamin
These cardtractaj'iJl be fur fest. It would detract from the
Franklin, late editor of the Review^
nished to those who wish to buy, glory of the redemptive plan, had
some by F. M? Green, who kindly
at the following rates: Less than it been left to the ingenuity of man
donated one hundred copies of bis
five hundred, by mail, fifty cents to systematize it. The floodgates
excellent tract on the Gospel, two
per hundred ; more than five hun of endless strife would be opened
hundred were sent as a gift by
dred and less than a thousand, by and each theorist would have
Thos. Holman, of New York, who
express, at purchaser’s expense, (seemingly) divine authority. But
is known as an energetic distribu
thirty centi per hundred; by mail in spite of any authority men have
tor of tracts, and foremost in every
in this quantity forty cents per committed this great error. From
good work.. About nine thousand
the days of John the Baptist until
hundred. At this date, the Fund
card tracts, and a few of the other
owns seven kinds:—Names for now, religious teachers have theor
kinds yet remain on hand. At
God’s Children, Errors of. the ized, all to the detriment of spiritual
least one half of all disposed of.
Afixldus Seat, Salvatibn from Sin, growtKandXffiristian unity. Think
have been given away to destitute
What is Baptism ? Design of Bap ing men are just now learning to
fields, or to evangelists and others,
tism, Helps to Bible Sttfdy and Ad recognize the fact; hence the
who, though being eager to work
vantages of being a Christian. True general inquiry for Bible facts.
thus, for the Lord, were unable to
We have not escaped this detri
there is a few cents profit made on
buy them. Of this number one
each hundred sold at these rates, mental influence. We could not be
was blind, one had lost an arm, and
but this is only because they are expected to wholly avoid such a
one was disabled through some se
pi inted from electrotype plates, and wide-spread error.
affliction,
though
all
were
anx
vere
Our Bible schools are falling
in large quantities. Every cent re
ious to do even a little work for the
ceived will be used in this work. into the ruts of the old theological
Master, and thus sow the good
We say this not in
But the profits will not keep the schools.
seed of the kingdom. Applications
fund up, because there is not near malice, but with due regard for,
have been made from England,
enough made to pay for those that and appreciation of our schools, and
Scotland, Jamaica and Canada, and
are given away. Unless sufflcient the work they are doing. The
from nearly every State in the
Contributions are received the work universal fact that every religious
Union. This work will grow till
movement, however simple, faithful
will cease.
it becomes a mighty power in the
and correct in its incipiency, has
It
is
but
jast
to
say
that
the
land.
degenerated, and departed, to some
services of the Trustee have been
HOW YOU CAN HELP IN THIS GOOD
extent, from the designs of its
and will be given entirely free.* He
WORK.
originators, must dot be ignored by
is sustained by the churches for
us. We are liable to this human
(I.) By making a contribution to
which he labors regularly. An ac
weakness, and will go fully into
it. You are not asked for much.
curate account is kept of all re
this error.
You may not feel able to give a
ceived and disbursed, and this is
“ Our plea,” so called, is as much
dollar, a fraction of one will help.
always open to inspection. Less
a human system, as rnaiiy other re
If gifts of thousands of dollars could
than one dollar can be sent in
ligious pleas. We here refer to
be obtained, the sum could be
postage stamps. This subject is
the system, and not to the facts
profitably spent in this work. The
worth your immediate and earnest
set forth therein. We do not wish
secti spend hundreds of thousands
attention, and it is confidently ex
to be misunderstood in this. There
every year through the American
pected that this appeal will not
is a wide difference between a sys
and Foreign Tract Societies.
have been made in vain.
tem, or theory, and the facts of
(2.) By buying these card tracts
In the Lord,
said system. To illustrate, our
and seeing that they are distribut
J. W. IIlGBEE, Trustee.
Baptist brethren teach about the
ed. They are easily carried about Madisonville, Ky., Deo., 1882.
same facts that we do; but they
with you, and can be given out on
have a different system. Each
boats and cars, and streets, or,
Missionary Board.
teach faith, baptism, repentance,
around the fireside. They will
< hiireh of Christ In Oregon.
communion and godly life, tec., but
help you much in your city mission
Presidili
W4H'k-, for they will -go and flatent -SL JL. Adwxuu. E irtinjiduMX«.«. Prnakteifti their system differs from ours.
Henry Sliiille, I* >rtlau<l... ; Vxue Preeideniy"
ly preach where you can not. J.- U. Davidson, Prrtland...........TreMtirar. ri This comparison might be made
8. M.' Hubbard, Amity....... Rec. Secretary
(Concluded! on page 7.)
Many who can not address an B. Wolverton, Corvallis... ..Cor. Secretai)
amount received from all sources is
$223.33. This has been used in
the purchase of suitable books, rub-,
ber stamps, &c., to help in the work;
for the purchase and distribution of
fourteen hundred Copies of Our Po-