Piha AAU RAR AAA 6S TUALARLRTRSEAA TRIAISIRLATIANA pineestetearerrerre 3 Serereereer ir AERRUTAPARLADIA SRD meee ad AMINA rer ; SAT Beebh . y cre Apeterrerrnttnrseneencaer Attpeescer ss; oo + SOTA Te aaa” Mattie s*enay oe RADAR UALR reeeemeerantret Manneaed Bubitrsic ass 5 “a RiRerReT Ree AN ete Sea ata SAS PRR ASPARRERS RAS RAN i Pooge SBASSSRoaLagtaad dean RAR Sans er aA ads an ctuseus sar cetsne yet ff fr nate A pe ot a7 PARAL OCC EEe ; eaters APPR PE PE RRPECPPeP PETE? bere n! : cre whit drethnanbenenrenrncar cone crrnrracnenrertere st RAN RRRL ARREST RAL ARABS AA DIAR A iMSRE GS TAREE EMBERS A : COOL canreanencatmoarrens feat oy STELLA MG RASRARTARRAEERARAERERRE EO at anaercrrenertemneernicreh ROAR UR IRSLIS ERSTE 4 Ropers Sy AUAERA RANA , SEIREERS iarroronc meee aera set ae cnc eer, mb ae pnp oy 7 ceeneenene sino Fei et Serremerreeree Prrerery: Neeere treet eenncenaceens! eee Ea oe arena ore ee et Re CORhaT reetde SaRthin esseeistge EREER RSE ERLES LARUEERAGABRRERACRL REET oe ateereasniamerrsarnet saree aae eT o SEARLE REREREAGTALERASEEARESE RCC ROREE fenuaiiennnemmnenanenne naanenennitesna LAAT TICS louirion nr eanecenn cece nceca anes wan sat PSSA AISSERE Retinnanie nian hanno moe notac ducer ate) tte aera erence oe Bm PALL PE nm ow ed, APP EARP AMARA P HD, ABP AADD LAD E> Mi wae, POUT Tre Ses ere ee woes ree Pee ct re eed samc de memwmomaans oh snes t ; Frases ow mere eee em ae a ae ee oe oo pe ee + oe peerry ee oe oe S y » Nov a7 Wal & “ay LOGICAL awe The FIRST HUNDRED YEARS of THE AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY BIRTHPLACE OF THE SOCIETY AND HOME OF “THE COLUMBIAN STAR” 923 and 925 E Srreet, N. W., Wasuincton, D. C. Zann OF PRINCES n> og ICAL See FIRST HUNDRED YEARS of THE AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY By 4 DANIEL GURDEN STEVENS, PH. D. PHILADELPHIA — THE AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY BOSTON ‘ CHICAGO KANSAS CITY LOS ANGELES SEATTLE TORONTO z “ r PRINTED] 4 ae : ‘ UNSs Aneta ahs a stank f Na . t ; ry ' Pat “a - a “, A ; “are PREFACE Tuts brief story of the first century of the Publication Society _ has a mission of its own. It is not put forth as a substitute for the larger history, “‘ Pioneers of Light,” prepared by Dr. and Mrs. Lemuel Call Barnes and Dr. E. M. Stephenson, nor yet as a summary of that volume. Necessarily the circulation of the larger work was limited ; the edition was relatively small, and was distributed within narrow circles. It was felt that a shorter history should be prepared, which could be more widely distributed, so that pastors and Sunday-school workers should have in their hands the story of the national organization which in a very peculiar sense is the pastors’ Society, the Sunday-school Society. For this reason the chapters of this little book were written. The author has availed himself, not only of the material presented in “ Pioneers of Light’ mentioned above and in the annals of the first fifty years of the Society assembled by J. Newton Brown, D. D., and published by the Society in 1856, but has searched the original records in his keeping as the Recording Secretary of the Board of Managers. The annals of the Society’s first century brought together by E. M. Stephen- son are incorporated here, together with the roster of names constructed by him, and published in “ Pioneers of Light.”’ The opportunity has been used to correct some errors that unfortunately existed in the lists as they were first printed. Naturally in the limited space at the writer’s disposal it has been impossible to develop all portions of the story as fully as Preface might be desired. Especially is this true of the biographical side of the Society’s history. The book could not be made a portrait-gallery of the century. With but few exceptions the illustrations show the Society's equipment and headquarters personnel of today. The text will carry the reader through the hundred years; the pictures will take him into the offices and the other workrooms in Philadelphia and show him the persons and the machinery in The Roger Williams and The Judson Press Buildings. To err is human, the author knows full well. To forgive is divine. If at any point he seems to do injustice, he begs forbearance, for the error is not of intent. - CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PRCT OCAN DAV SLON GiePr ike Milas Ci lnchs sain 252 I PIES BORGANIZATION: AND’A VLERGER S50 ots es es fs 19 TESA GENERATION UNDER GRIPFITH Mo. ee ae oe Cy, IV. THE CONSUMMATIONS OF A CENTURY ........... 57 Maat be ROSTER ORSTIHE(ENTURY: ic vi 244 cde Hanks eas SI VL eReMEL Er NIN ATO ORMPH Bate NP UR neater tig corre shee) ae se 95 VII. OrriciaL NAMES, HOMES, AND DOCUMENTS ..... 109 4 ; S465 on , LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PORE MUEC OAD fe LED OCIEE Vins a2 wel oie Eh vieas Step ond oa es Frontis piece Article in “ The Columbian Star” Showing the General Tract Society was Advocated in View of Unmet Needs ........ccccecceccncces Original Account of the Organization of the Baptist General Tract SSE Cet mer ences 20 et Pa Ma ert iae crate teicpis nue ts dane dais te ete Headquarters of the Society at 530 Arch Street, Philadelphia ........ TEE oC ES ee ete Na Poy 2 eS i Bek Ae pe Sean Se CMU OSEH DIT Ok ALAC CLDHIGe, sity uten ik Ge oon we do wo 0 Oe eaten as PELE PICO TAIT LC INSS DUN eas aed pee ck hea ore os hte n s Wh ed oe aap WEP IRE S OS LCOS SOL UTLGTAC Petty oe cima eiicig. 6 ota Fine SIS eM latte, bles ep Officers of the Society and Members of the Board, 1924-1925 ......... Members of the Board, 1924-1925 (continued) ........c. ccc cece eeees Members of the Board, 1924-1925 (continued) ..........c ecu e ee teees ‘Gilbert N. Brink, D.D., Corresponding Secretary of the Society and General Secretary of the Board, 1919-1925 1... ccc cece cece eece Waltham fH zMain, DD: Executive Secretary. cous hoc i. win oa be FIED EMSS COLES SIEM, « LU SINESS VLOG CP al alerece arabes cook «ie ate nn ee Pees Secretarial Office of the Executive Secretary and the Business Mana- ger; S. Mildred White, Elsie K. Walter, Clara J. Duttarer, Office NY ARTI RENS S LAE A O The RUM Sr AY ea ee eS eo Daniel Gurden Stevens, Ph. D., Book Editor; Dorothy R. Hormann, DACMEVIION a LIUKIN; PASSISIANISS 4 et em Sales oes beliSd niece eae ole sareys ets Owen C. Brown, D. D., Editor-in-Chief, Sunday School Publications. . J. Sherman Wallace, M.A., B.D., Editor, Young People’s Publica- Po Ris 9 Ti ae OAL rir ae Urs SERA PaO MNT A Fe nar E ae SR YM rh Ge SE RN eee Mitchell Bronk, Ph. D., Editor, Adult Publications ..........00. 0005. Nathana L. Clyde, Editor, Week-day Lesson Texts; Susanna G. Fisher, LOO ree OUI, SOVIET UL cee ee ee Cid hoe ne eS Anna Edith Meyers, Missionary Editor ...... Ree ecm ar dai sees J. Eugene Reed, Assistant Editor, Adult Publications ...........0.05 Emma L. Brown, Editor of “ Young People”; Frances Forman, Filing ES PLELEUIA Coictts Cae eM OR PRT Re eevee GS iin Ue se Ro Margaret Clemens and Eva Mae John, Editors of Children’s Publi- BLOT Rat, Baton tint NG eae at eRe AO, SEIN VE Tag Ol wc view ae aka vid eRe Elizabeth A. Shuff and Eleanor Sayre, Office Secretaries ...........5. Samuel G. Neil, D. D., Bible and Field Secretary; Linda DeArmond, Office Secretary; Margaret C. Guy and Varena B. Hill, Assistants. PAGE 50 List of Illustrations PAGE The First Colportage Automobile Equipment Sent Out by the Society— Colporter D. B. Ward carrying hs books in lis hand ............ BZ A Group of Converts in Connection with Chapel-Car Meetings at Petalunia, Calife. oii os oe cv ieee ace eT eee 54 Chapel Car Auto No. 1“ Crawford Memorial s\n... so ua aire cree 56 William E. Chalmers, D. D., Secretary of Religious Education; Eliza- beth M. Finn, Special Field Worker; Jennie C. Lind, Office Sec- VELAVY «hs oe Ck eh a Capa NE Ce eee ee ee ae Er EN Yr siete 58 Seldon L. Roberts, Director of Leadership Training; Mildred E. Adams, Librarian, Religious Education Department .............. 60 Thomas S. Young, D.D., Director of Vacation Church Schools and Week-day Church Schools; Mildred E. Adams, Office Secretary .. 62 Meme Brockway, General Director of Children’s Work; Marion Gray, Office SECrELOPY eer ee csihoe ote re ae es eae ee 64 Samuel Zane Batten, D.D., Social Education Secretary; Anme L. Maclaughtin, .OfictevS ecretary >. tos. sie eee ce eee ee ee 66 John W. Clinger, Advertising Manager; Dorothy H. Bowman, Office SOCTE LOATH os Shee Roa hw OS 4 ARETE bea OR a 68 H. Watson Barras, D.D., Superintendent Sales Promotion Depart- ment; John Bersch, Field Representative; Elizabeth Whitaker, Office: Sécretary en. s cao oe seis ook a nes Ce 70 Workers in the Sales Promotion Department ......0.0.0csccceccesees 72 Treasurer's Department; Elvin L. Ruth, Assistant Treasurer; A. R. Matthews, Accountant, General Field Department ............... 74 Headquarters Bookstore; Joseph P. Hughes, Manager .............. 76 Telephone Exchange, The Roger Williams Building; Edith L. Dewey, QO Peratorec cee cc Ses 1k Coa Chee ee CE ee 78 Office of Superintendent. The Judson Press Building; Hilmar Schneider, Superintendent; Fred C. Cook, Cost Accountant; A. D. Syckelmore, Assistant Superintendent ......ccccccceeecccs 82 Mail Order Depariment, Looking East, The Judson Press Building . fine Om Mail Order Department, Looking North, The Judson Press Building.. 86 Composing-room, The Judson Press Building ........ccccccceveevees 88 Composing-room, Battery of Linotype Machines, The Judson Press Buslding Horse nadertns ons oa oe Le ee Oe ee 90 Electrotype Foundry, The Judson Press Building ............0..e0e0s 92 Northeast Section of Press-room, The Judson Press Building ........ 96 Southwest Section of Press-room, The Judson Press Building ....... 98 Rotary Press for Printing “Young People,’ The Judson Press Building 100 Folding Machines in Bindery, The Judson Press Building ............ 102 Pamphlet Bindery, The Judson Press Building se ae on 104 Periodical Shipping: Department ..% 2.2. ..2. ee ee 106 Branch Managers 300 oa ee eee ee 110 TRACTS AND VISIONS 13824—1840 ““ How far that little candle throws his beams! ”— Shakespeare. ’ “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.’’—Revelation. “There is reason to believe that the Head of the Church designs that much shall be done by the instrumentality of tracts in converting the world.”— Report of 1829. It is unnecessary to use uny argument to prove the usefulness of Pract” Containing nothing sectarian, they convey in a cheap form and in a plain style, the great truths which are revealed in that gospel, ** worthy of all acceptation.” In the accounts of re- Vivals, we sce numerous instances, where a tract of six or eight pages was made the happy instrument of introducing the solemn realities of religion to some poor sinner. The most vicious and abandoned outcasts of society have frequently been led, by read- ing 2 tract, to think on their ways, and re- turn to God. If the circulation of Tracts, then, bean efficient means of doing good, who would refuse to engage in the work ? The eastern states can be amply supplied by their numerous societies,—but how shall the wants of the southern and western states he gratified? Where shall the work bein ? Who will go forward ? Let a Society be-soon formed in this city to make a commence- ment—-Let a few numbers of evangelical tracts be immediately published—Let agents be appointed in different places in the neigh- bouring states, who shall form auxiliary So- cieties and collect funds for publishing more tracts. The expense will be trifling com- pared with the probable good which must be the unavoidable result, if the concerns of the TENS SLAB WASHINGTON CITY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1824, ——— - ——- For the Columbian Star. BAPTIST TRACT SOCIETY, Mr. Epitor, My attention was seriously arrested by your suggestions in the last number of the Star, relative to the formation of a Baptist ‘Tract Society. The subject may be some - what novel to our denomination, but cannot fat tomeet the decided approbation of all who wish well to the interests of Christi- anity. society should be rightly conducted. ‘The American formerly the New-Eng-; If it be suggested that the formation of a land, Tract Society, has been signally blest | Socicty here will have a tendency to limit in its laudable efforts ; and its prospects of] and injure the influence of the American So- extended usefulness are highly encouraging.| ciety—-We may answer that the contrary The pious and devoted agent of that val-} will be the probable effect. The liberal and uable Institution is unwearied in his labours enlightened men who compose that large to increase its funds, and to give an exten- | Socicty, cannot look with a jealous eye on any sive circulation to the million heralds: of effort to extend the knowledge of Christ truth, which by these funds are furnished. ] among the destitute. If their {racts do not This Society has, according to the last Re- find their way into cur denomination, it is time port, 92 Dépositorics ; 67 of which arc] that we should do something to effect what east and north of Pennsylvania. The large | they do not. It is time for the, Baptists to snow states, Virginia, Kentucky and South Caro- themselves equal to other denominations in lina, in which the Baptists are excecdin gly evangelical effort. And, Sir, as numbers of numerous, contain but six Depositories, | espectavle gentlemen are ready to co-ope- The states, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, con- {| T#te Inthe good work, permit me to hope tain none. It may be truly Said, that nearly | tata Tract Society will soon be sct in op- ajl the Baptist population south of the Po-| ¢ration, under the direction of judicious tomac and west of New-York are wholly | men, and governed by such regulations as destitute of Evangelical Tracts. Many | shall foretoken good to thousands. have not heard that there is such an associ- oO. ation as a ‘lract Socicty-—others are pre- vented frum purchasing and circulating ‘Tracts, by theiy distance from the general or subordinate Depositories. ARTICLE IN “THE COLUMBIAN STAR” SHOWING THE GENERAL TRACT Soctery WAs ADVOCATED IN VIEW oF Unmet NEEDS ES The Society was born out of the life of the Baptist denom1- nation. An Era of Creative Impulse Creative impulse ran strong in the denomination’s life at the time of the Society’s birth. Three great national Societies still existing in strength were brought into being within two decades—the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society in 1814, The American Baptist Publication Society in-1824, and The American Baptist Home Mission Society in 1832. Evi- dently the first third of the nineteenth century was a period when Baptist thought issued into purpose and was both far- reaching in vision and practical in designing and shaping in- struments to the fulfilment of great plans. Baptists were not alone at that time in being so deeply stirred to think and plan and build. Other denominations also were getting the advantages of an atmosphere, and were feeling the touch of a spirit, that widened the outlook of the mind and the sympathies of the heart and inspired the forma- tion of agencies to perform the larger tasks of a progress, which was to make the century remarkable as the morning of the modern missionary era. Mental and Spiritual Ferments Enlivening influences came from the field of scientific study and from the world of politics, national and international. Already triumphs had been won, anticipations, first-fruits, of greater triumphs to come, for the era was to stand out above all the preceding ages as the century of science. In the United States education was being democratized; the system of com- [3] The First Hundred Years mon schools was becoming nation-wide. On the American continent, north and south, political power was passing into the hands of the people. It could not but be felt that there were goals ahead, and goals worth while for self and for humanity, which might be reached more quickly and surely if only plans and means could be found adapted to the great common cause. The mental stimulus from scientific progress and the spiritual quickening imparted by growing appreciation of the rights and possibilities of the common man, at home and in all countries, and by acceptance of the idea of education as necessary to enable men to find themselves and to use them- selves in wisdom and in strength, had their part in stirring Baptists and other Christians to the achievement of epoch- making advances. The Missionary Spirit But in the ferments that roused the religious world of the time chief place must be given to the missionary idea. This united in itself spiritual and mental elements of quickening; it enlarged the thoughts of Christians far beyond the confines of neighborhood and nation, and gave visions of the progress of all peoples into the light and liberty of citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Carey had gone to India two decades before; now Judson was in Burma, and new Acts of the Apostles were being written in chapters of life that appealed and challenged to larger and more adequate interpretation of Christ’s gospel of salvation and service. And not alone in Asia, but in the homeland, in growing cities and in the regions of the West where the possibilities of human ill or good were wide as the unfilled spaces and as deep as the hearts of men and women, the missionary spirit had its field of work that called for the finest of intelligence and of devotion. Therefore, as in England, so in the United States the churches were roused to grow hands and feet more adequate for the newly discov- ered and rapidly developing needs of service. [4] THE COLUMBIAN STAR. Mancu 6, 1824. BAPTIST GENERAL TRACT SOCIETY,’ On Wednesday evening, Feb. 25, a meet- ing was held, pursuant to notice, for tlie purpose of forming a Baptist Tract Society. After prayer, by the Rev, Luther Rice, the Rey. Dr, Staughton was appointed Chair- nian, and Mr, James D. Knowles, Secretary. It was thenresolved, Thata Tract Scocicty be formed. A Constitution was proposed, and after some amendments, was adopted, as follows; CONSTITUTION. Art. 1. The name of this Society shall be, “* Zhe Baptist General Tract Society.” Its sole object shall be to disseminate evan- gelical truth, and to inculcate sound morals, by the distribution of tracts. Arr. 2. Any person may become amem- der of this Socicty, by paying the sum of one dollar annually. The payment of ten collars at one time, shall constitute a per- son a member for life. Axt. 3. There shall be an annual meet- jng of the Society, on the last Wednesday in February, when the following officers shall be chosen, by ballot, viz.: A Presi- dent, Vice-President, Agent, Recording Sc- cretary, Treasurer, and a Board of Direc- tors, consisting of the President, Vice-Pre- sident, Agent, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer, who shall be Directors in conse- quence of their office, and seven members of the Society. Five Directors shall constitute a quorum for business. The Board shall have power to supply any vacancy that may vccur in its own body. Art. 4. The Directors shall superintend the publication and distribution of such tracts, as they shall approve; the appoint- ment of subordipate agents; the establish- ment of depes:tories, the formation of aux- iliary societies, &c. ‘They shall hold fre- quent meetings, under such regulations as they may adopt, in conformity with the ge- neral provisions of this Constitution. They shall appoint the place and the hour, forthe annual meeting of the Society ; aud may, if they think proper, make arrangements for an annual sermon, or public addresses, _and a collection for the bencfit of the So- ciety. The Directors and the Treasurer shall make an annual report of their pro- ceedings. Art. 5. The Agent shall conduct the correspondence of the Society, and shall carry into effect the measures adopted by the Board of Directors. A ArT. 6. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proccedings of the Board vf Directors and of the Society. He shall receive all monies, keep a record of them, and pay them over to the Treasurcr. ArT. 7. Every member shall be enutled to receive three-fourths of the amount of his subscription in tracts at cost. Auxiliary Societies shall be entitled to the same privi- lege. Art. 8. Any person, by paying twenty- five dollars, at one time, shall be a Direc- tor for life.. ‘The Presidents of Auxiliary Societies shall be, ex officio, member's of the Board of Directors. Art. 9. The President shall call a meef- ing of the Society, at the request of a ma- jority of the Board of Directors. i Art. 10. Any alterations of this Consti- tution may be mace at an annual meeting, by the concurrence of two-thirds ox. the members present, The following officers were then chosen: Rev. O. B. Brown, President. Rev. John Bryce, Vice-President. Mr. George Wood, -4gent. Mr. Isaac.G. Hutton, Aecording Sec’y. Rev. Luther Rice, Zreasurer. Rev. Dr. Staughton, Samuel W. Lynd, Messrs. Joseph Gibson, Joseph Thaw, Directors. Enoch Reynolds, Reuben Johnson, James D. Knowles, J Ordered, That the proceedings of this mectivg be published in the Srar. Adjourned. Prayer by Dr, Staughton. BAPTIST GENERAL TRACT SOCIETY. A letter to the Editor of the Star, from a gentleman in Providence, Rhode-Island, Says? “T have noticed, in the last Columbian Star, an article on the subject of a Baptist Tract Society. It occurred to me at once that such an association would prove im- portant to our denomination, and to the cause of religion in general ; for, however we may wish mento become #ufitists, we wish all to become evangelical Christians-—The American Tract Society has been long in operation, and has done immense good to the cause. Another Society in Bosten, more immediately under the control of our Bap- tist friends, has lately been chartered. But these should not prevent the establishment of the one proposed in your paper, to be more central, and to extend its operations more particularly to the southern and west- ern parts of the Unicon. I think that some assistance may be expected from this quar- ters ORIGINAL ACCOUNT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BAPTIST GENERAL TRACT SOCIETY a 4; i Tracts and Visions Organization a Practical Outcome Thus organization was a conspicuous feature in the field of religion in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Mis- sionary activities of Christians in England and America made necessary the development of institutions as machinery to accomplish missionary purposes. The Baptists in the United _ States had their own noble share in this movement. Not only their response to Adoniram Judson in Burma, but also their practical answer to home needs in the home country—an answer already in progress before Judson sailed, but made - much more willing and vigorous and well planned under the power of his call for support in the world-wide enterprise— brought to pass a multiplicity of organizations, local, State, and national, many of which remain as effective and honored in- strumentalities of the churches today. Among these came into being the Society which, having had a continuous history of a century, has borne for eighty years, with some slight varia- tions, the name “‘ The American Baptist Publication Society.” Other Denominations Responsive Several prominent denominational publishing houses had their origin in the movement just described. Baptists came to feel the need for such an agency of their own. To be sure, works by Baptists for Baptists were issued by some presses. Books appeared. Tracts were issued. But there was no Bap- tist house to take the Baptist publishing business in hand. More and more it came to be recognized that such an institu- tion should be had if the Baptist part in Christian work was to be done in any adequate way. Baptists believed their part was real and important. Denominational consciousness, de- nominational purpose, interpreting itself in terms of earnest loyalty to Christ and the truth, as the legend on the Society’s seal affirms to this day, called the Society into being and gave it a growing commission. [5] The First Hundred Years A Work of Men of Vision There was no concerted movement on the part of a multi- tude that bore this fruit. In this case, as in so many others, ‘““Where there is no vision, the people perish.” ‘There were men of vision, who saw farther and more clearly than their fellows, who dreamed and planned, singly at first, and then in small groups, men who brought the creation of their dreams and visions and practical plans before the multitude and sup- ported it by their prayerful labors till the multitude at last saw the worth of what was before them and gave it their own approval and an opportunity to serve them and their cause. The Parable of Samuel Cornelius To do perfect justice to all who had part in inventing and inaugurating the new thing of good is not easy. Some men, and not a few women too, whose names have been preserved, and others of whom record has been lost, helped to shape the proposal and to give it weight. No man who writes with dis- criminating justice the story of the great movement we call the Protestant Reformation, would leave out Martin Luther; but no man who writes that story with just discrimination, would picture Martin Luther as the all in all of human origin and driving force and consummation of that movemient. Doubtless every one who now thinks of the beginnings of the Publication Society brings to mind Samuel Cornelius and his bell-crowned hat, out of which accidentally fell a number of tracts when he removed the head-covering at a little meeting called to consider the formation of a Baptist Tract Society. A suggestive figure, that man! A prophetic picture! A kind of perambulating tract depository, a forerunner of the Baptist missionary colporter distributing Baptist literature, and by conversation, sermon, and Bible teaching winning converts, organizing groups of believers, and establishing new centers of Christian life in town and country! Mr. Cornelius is to us [6] wl ial eee tal ui yi A ial Ht Ai: ii Ta i i (i om: a pln: gn Am ao, ca a ay iy ll 7 | a Seal Hl Pets mu mT ni i HN i Lee \ | , I ne = | usr sa ln u io M anti Sa H Teeeesseeriiistar iil LT Pe ithe oe ll mmr 1! ay m NH Fer aren nmi BHAA Hh: AeANl 4 Miele HTT \) | LHI i Tita WH} yl HW|\\) Ih MATE WL || vill We! aH | nt | il MUU Wit i Wty 7 Atiliifl. © | AL A ma), aly Wii ve H } | Wh | AFNTTUTT WAiHitit ! HAW i ' Hh I Hi Hh Hit), i | ‘ i HTH wil nine ard | h Ng \ Wi LO a | NY | | | aH P| as ||| jl ALA (cy) Dig inthe IEKAESATAV UN UUEADELALEAEEEL Cert no join =. i x i) c I SEEEACACLETATEASESEEXEAID (UT WL TTI OTT ral i zl qy lh ns PS BE SERB REEBEERBRSEBHEHE SETI BAP.-T. IST. il i Tea Hu a | a INIT 2 : rere neRere AM TT MT ake t HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOCIETY AT 530 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA 1850-1876 Tracts and Visions a parable. Small wonder that an artist’s eye has seen coming out of that tall hat the whole history of the Society’s work of publication and distribution as it has been unfolded in the processes of a century’s developments, and that the author of the pageant celebrating attainment of the one hundred years of service placed Mr. Cornelius and his hat in the forefront of conspicuousness in the first episode. Honor, large honor to Mr. Cornelius, sensible, practical, doing determinedly in his limited way what he wanted done in a big, grand way. But the idea was not his sole possession; he was not the single source. He was a type, a picturesque, appealing type, of those with whom he shared the conception and with whom he wrought to bring it to pass. The Birthplace of the Idea The Society was organized on February 25, 1824. Back of the deed of the few men who met to take this action there was conversation, correspondence, and the slow upbuilding of conviction and purpose during a period of years. A writer in The Columbian Star of February 21, 1824, might say with truth that the idea of such a Society “‘ may be somewhat novel to our denomination,” but it was not at all novel to members of a group who were interested in promoting religious intelli- gence in the churches and in ensuring Baptist advance at home and abroad. The Society was born in Washington, but has had its home in Philadelphia for ninety-eight years, and it is worth while to note that in Philadelphia originated the idea which had fruition in the organization. The origins of the Society were most intimately connected with the educational work in the denomination which was quickened to vigor by the return of Luther Rice, the com- panion of Adoniram Judson, “to try to engage American Baptists in missionary undertakings.” Rice conceived his God-given commission in the largest possible terms. He [ea] The First Hundred Years aimed, not merely to secure funds to support Judson and other workers, but to develop a trained leadership and to diffuse missionary intelligence. ‘Lo this end educational institutions were necessary. Therefore, one of the first projects of the General Convention of the Baptist Denomination was to estab- lish a “‘ Classical and Theological Seminary.” Philadelphia, in 1818, became the temporary location of this school, which in 1820 was removed to Washington and became a department of the newly established Columbian College. 7 But before the removal, the possibility of establishing a Baptist tract society in Philadelphia was a subject of lively dis- cussion by Luther Rice, Principal William Staughton, Pro- fessor Irah Chase, and students in the Seminary, who later became active in organizing and conducting the Society formed in Washington. This discussion arose, it seems, out of a very practical consideration. John S. Meehan was the printer for the Triennial Convention; he was also the teacher of a class in the Sansom Street Sunday School, “and almost every month had a difficulty in dealing out tracts to the children, on account of their anti-Baptist tendencies. No Baptist tracts were then printed.” A practical man, dealing with print, he determined to propose the establishment of a Baptist Tract Society in Philadelphia, with the intention of. making it a General Society. In com- pliance with this design, I had two tracts set in type, as the first publica- tions to be submitted to the Society when formed. .. The young brethren at the Theological Institution in Philadelphia, under the care of Doctor Staughton and the Rev. Mr. Chase, knew of the design, and gave it their sanction. . . The subject was not matured in Philadelphia, owing to the determination of the Baptist Convention (in April, 1820) to found a Col- lege and Theological Seminary in Washington, and to remove the publica- tions of the Board of Missions and the Board itself to Washington. When we arrived in Washington, I proposed to found the General Tract Society here. But it was not deemed advisable at the time to do so, as all the effective Baptist force here was engaged energetically in advancing the prosperity of the College, and the publication of The Columbian Star, a weekly religious paper, and the Latter Day Luminary, a magazine which was originated in Philadelphia in the year 1818, as the official publication of the Board of Missions under the authority of the General Convention. [8 ] Md i ) eee | | ‘| q 1 c an? TPIT TIC eae : , ( WA, ii ht Th 4 i TI - = = a Vf fi hi © em anal said bet ; N ‘ i fie iM II i ? - ] A SS tas ih Vik ae — aly” = a ——\5 = Nae — ——-—\ 1 a Tm ATMEL i ¢ T MW We —= : ——<———S SSS SSC SS a a ee THE OLD “1420” Tue Sociery’s First BumLpiInG at 1420 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA Tracts and Visions Although the establishment of a Baptist Tract Society was not matured in Philadelphia, it was originated there in its design, and founded on the necessity existing for such an institution. The Society Organized When the Seminary was removed to Washington there were many interests, which, as Mr. Meehan intimates in his letter, demanded one’s utmost energies. But the idea of a tract society would not die. There was always some one who felt the pressure of the need, and who spoke out. Finally, Samuel Cornelius, with his bell-crowned hat as a depository of tracts, accidentally fired the imagination of the Rev. Noah Davis, and in February, 1824, that highly gifted young minister, who had been ordained only two months, wrote a letter to James D. Knowles, Editor of The Columbian Star, proposing that a tract society be got up in Washington, “ to hold the same place among Baptists that the American Tract Society [of Boston] does among the Congregationalists.” Mr. Knowles and Mr. George Wood had “much conversation.” A practical diffi- culty was seen. Who would be general agent to bear the burden of the undertaking? Everybody the two friends could think of was too busy already—except Mr. Wood himself; and he had dyspepsia. So there was a delay of a week. Then Wood consented, and Mr. Knowles put a notice in the Star, calling a meeting of those interested in the project, and on Wednesday evening, February 25, 1824, the Baptist General Tract Society came into existence. A constitution already drawn up by Mr. Knowles was offered, amended, and accepted, and officers were elected for the ensuing year. Removal to Philadelphia When news of this action had spread, approval was quick to come, especially from the South. A large part of the early contributions to the Society’s work came from Soutktern sources. But the North also was responsive with welcome and aid. And the stern requirements of business success, not lack [9 ] The First Hundred Years of hospitality, soon forced the new organization to make its headquarters where the great idea was first formed and nursed against the hour of its embodiment. Luther Rice had wanted “to make Washington a Baptist center of influence.” The Baptist General Tract Society was a part of a scheme of cen- tralization fostered by him and many others. Questions of finance were troublesome, however. In ten months 86,500 copies of nineteen tracts were printed. But these tracts were not stereotyped. The editions were soon exhausted. It was determined to make plates of all tracts. for this the tracts must be sent to Philadelphia; then the plates were shipped to Washington, where the printing was done, after which nearly one-half of the output of the press had to be sent to Philadel- phia for shipment to Southern centers. Obviously Washington hampered the Society's usefulness. Mr. Wood, wise man of business, at the end of the first year proposed removal to Phila- delphia. Luther Rice successfully opposed him. Another year of embarrassing circumstances followed. Rice still held firm. But at last the persistence and self-sacrifice of George Wood (who, as a last resort, resigned as General Agent to force the issue) and the persuasive wisdom of Noah Davis prevailed, and on November 14, 1826, the Society voted that the seat of operations should be in Philadelphia. Early Homes The day of small things was not immediately over, however ; it proved to be a long, trying day. Headquarters were estab- lished in a second-story room fifteen feet square on Front Street, a few doors below Market Street. If that first home in Philadelphia, which cost the Society $100 a year and was retained for eight months, seems humble, what shall be thought of the second—merely a few shelves in the bookstore of David Clark, No. 118 North Fourth Street? Then, slowly, came more generous room. After a year and a half a store on the northwest corner of Fifth and North Streets was occupied, at [ 10] THE CROZER BUILDING At 1420 CHESTNUT STREET PHILADELPHIA 9 Tracts and Visions a rental of $200. Four years later, a longer stay, of eleven years, was begun in a store at No. 31 South Fourth Street, rental $380. Again a larger rental, $550, was assumed when in 1844 a house at No. 31 North Sixth Street was taken as a depository. This served for six years, when the insufficient accommodations could no longer be endured. Then, for the first time the Society, in April, 1850, entered a home of its own, at 118 Arch Street. This little chapter of stays and removals is given to suggest a story of years of struggle against poverty and weakness and into enlarging strength and usefulness. Means of Support and of Service Pains were taken to keep in direct touch with the churches. Business reasons and considerations of service would demand this. But the result was also to feel the pulse and know the mind of the denomination. Means of communication with the Society's constituency, feeders of its treasury, and promoters of tract distribution were: 1. Branch societies, composed of both men and women. From the first the wisdom of enlisting the aid of the women was recognized and was vindicated in loyalty which steadily gave material aid and came to the fore with welcome generosity in some severe crises. Of the twenty-five persons who re- sponded to the general call to organize the Society in 1824, seven were women. The contribution of a woman, Mrs. Gil- lison, of Philadelphia, who afterward became Mrs. Heman Lincoln, secured the conditional gift of $500 offered by Na- thaniel R. Cobb, of Boston, soon after the removal of the Society's headquarters to Philadelphia. One of the first lega- cies, of $20, was from a woman in Connecticut who wished “to constitute her minister and her physician life-members.” In 1829, it was recorded that nearly all of the newly organ- ized auxiliary Societies “ give one-half, or more properly two- fifths, of their funds as a donation to aid in the support and [ 11 ] The First Hundred Years enlargement of the General Society.” These organizations were then regarded as of first-class importance; to them it was felt the Society must look for the needed support. In 1830 there were 322 of these auxiliaries. But the hope of their serviceableness proved vain for the most part. Many of them had a very brief existence—never even reached their second summer. Very few were really efficient. Time proved that it was better to approach the denomination through the churches, the Associations, and the State Conventions. 2. Depositories, at points near and remote in the Society's territory, sometimes owned and supported by the Society, sometimes wholly maintained by individuals or by auxiliary societies; often simply deposits of tracts in churches. Doubt- less these were a necessary institution in those early days, but most frequently they were an occasion of expense rather than a source of income, and hence the maintenance of them was often a question sorely debated, and not less so in later years when for the many depositories (39 in 1833, 53 in 1836) the Society adopted a system of a few branch houses. 3. A paper; at first The Baptist Tract Magazine, first issued in 1837 as a monthly, to contain 24 pages, at fifty cents a year. Projected for profit, it was often run at a loss. In 1837, it was replaced by a folio monthly, called simply our Monthly Paper, which gave way a year later to The Baptist Record published semimonthly. These changes were not indicative of desperate seeking to find a way of making the paper pay, | although in 1839 that result was actually achieved, for a time at least; they rather showed an enlargement of the ideas of service which the Society was coming to adopt, as will be shown in a later chapter. 4. Traveling agents. From the first, there were, of course, agents in charge of the depositories, and in addition a number of district agents; doubtless, these men did not depend upon any income from such sources for their living. To be sure, provision was made in 1828 that agents of depositories should [ 12 | THE ROGER WILLIAMS BUILDING 1701-1703 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA Tracts and Visions have reasonable compensation as the Board might decide. But in 1830, previous to the death of Noah Davis, the Society employed traveling agents “ for the purpose of forming new Auxiliaries, establishing Depositories, collecting funds, and of promoting in every laudable way the interest of the Society.” Six men were listed in such positions in 1833. But most of them gave only part time to the work. In 1836 the statement was made that six agents were employed in different districts for a time equivalent to the steady service of one man for two years. The service of such representatives visiting churches and denominational gatherings proved then and later indis- pensable. Obviously the Society was feeling its way, not only to develop its work, but to present the claims of that work with ereatest effectiveness to the churches. Response to the Denomination’s Needs Born out of the denomination’s life, it has ever been respon- sive to the denomination’s needs. For the first sixteen years the Society was an agency for the publication and distribution of tracts. In that period it issued over 3,500,000 copies of 162 different titles. And in the years since it has continued this work, so that now it has at command a great body of tract literature in English, and has published numerous tracts to meet the needs of foreign-speaking peoples in America, eighteen different foreign tongues being repre- sented on these lists. Visions of Larger Usefulness The denomination, having grown an arm, became desirous that it should come to larger usefulness. The Tract Society had to be shaped into something more. Individuals of course first saw the possibilities. Who first perceived and described them no one can now say. There remain evidences that there were visions of wide service and that the willing servant chafed [13 ] The First Hundred Years against the restrictions of lack of means to do all that might be done. The Tract Magazine, projected as a medium of communi- cation with the constituency of the Society, is a witness to ideas in the germ which came to a noble maturity in later decades when capital had been put into the Society’s hands. This periodical was more than a means of procuring interest and funds for tracts. It furnished news and helped promote de- nominational consciousness and unity. It showed a develop- ing conception of the Society’s possible service. A “ Table of Baptist Associations in the United States and British Prov- inces ’ was printed annually, for several years, showing among other items the number of churches, ministers, baptisms, and church-members in each Association, and the date of the annual meeting, and giving also the name and address of the correspondent who furnished the statistics. ‘The service ren- dered by such information was invaluable, and we cannot wonder that it led to the conception of much more detailed annual statement of the growth and organization of the de- nomination, and that in 1833 the Society put forth the first issue of a publication which was projected first as an annual, then as a triennial register (1836), but which was abandoned for lack of support. Not many months had passed before a Youth’s Department was added to the Tract Magazine, and presently the paper bore the title Tract and Youth's Magazine. This was the Society’s first publication for young people in the churches and Sunday schools, the forerunner of the finely organized series of periodicals and papers issued today. ‘That the thought was not simply to interest the young folks in the circulation of tracts is clear from the nature of the material and also from the thoughts that were brooding in the minds of the Society’s leaders. | For instance, in a number of the Magazine, containing the Society’s report for 1830, appears this sentence, probably [ 14 | Ti Geahae THE JUDSON PRESS BUILDING PHILADELPHIA ? LOMBARD AND JUNIPER STREETS Tracts and Visions written by Noah Davis, the practical, far-seeing, great-hearted man who was then the General Agent, “ The time may come when the number of schools in our denomination will be so great as to require the Tract Society to publish a series of Sabbath-school books suited to their wants.” Of course he did not foresee all that modern Sunday-school psychologists and students of pedagogy see; nor would they, had they lived in his times. But his sentence shows a mind at work in its day for the morrow that was to be. The successor of Mr. Davis, Ira M. Allen, had the same thought. A letter written by Mr. Allen, in April, 1833, to J. L. Holman, in Aurora, Indiana, speaks in warm advocacy of the need of a general Sunday-school agency which should issue distinctively denominational literature for young people and for others. A New Commission from the Denomination The editorial word in the Tract Magazine and the letter of Mr. Allen are representative of correspondence and discussions which finally passed into the formal councils of the denomina- tion, and presently, in 1835, had issue in resolutions adopted at the meeting of the Triennial Baptist Convention at Rich- mond, Va., stating that it was expedient and timely to have a Society to publish and circulate valuable books, particularly of a denominational character, for Sunday school and family use, and requesting the Baptist General Tract Society so to alter its constitution as to include such publications, and that the publications of the Society ... be confined chiefly to such as set forth the peculiar and, as they are believed to be, Scriptural principles of the denomination. In the Missionary Business From the beginning the Society was more than a business. It was in business for the churches and the Kingdom of Christ. The missionary spirit possessed it. There is no need to won- [15] The First Hundred Years der at this when we know that it was born out of the thoughts of Luther Rice and the men around him. In its weakness it strove to reach out an arm of help to Adoniram Judson. In 1829 it was reported that a beginning had been made toward collecting funds for the publication of tracts in Burma, in the Burmese language. “There is reason to believe,” says the Report, “ that the Head of the church designs that much shall be done by the instrumentality of tracts in converting the world.” It was hoped that the Tract Magazine would yield profits from subscriptions which might be devoted to Judson’s work, especially the publication of Scriptures in Burma; this hope was vain. But in 1832 two hundred and forty-five dol- lars received in donations was sent to Burma for the printing of tracts in Burmese, besides a gift of 55,000 pages of tracts for circulation among the English in that country. Yet more important was a foreign mission in Germany, where Captain Tubbs had put a few of the Society’s tracts into the hand of J. G. Oncken, in Hamburg. Oncken, already con- verted, and leaning to the Baptist position, but as yet unbap- tized, was greatly impressed by the message of the tracts to his own mind and heart, saw their great possible usefulness to others, and appealed to the Society for help, which was given. - Thus the Society, by God’s providence, was called to have an exceedingly important part in the initiation and development of a work of Baptist evangelization in Germany which spread past national boundaries, into Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Austria, and other countries of Europe. Lacking funds, the Society appealed to its friends and Christ’s friends, and money was provided for the translation and publication of material in German to be forwarded to Oncken, and money was sent to him for use by him in the work of publication. The kingdom mind was in the Society’s leaders. Their organization was poor in money, but rich in outlook and in spirit. By 1838 work had been begun in Africa, Nova Scotia, Canada, Texas, Mexico, and South America. [ 16 ] AMBROSE M. Battey, D.D. Cares N. ArBucktr, D.D. Joun W. Graves, D. D. President Vice-president Vice-president Washington Massachusetts West Virginia Gerorce L, Estasproox Treasurer J. P. Crozer GrirFitH, M.D. JosepH E. SAGEBEER, Ph. D. HARRY BAINBRIDGE Chairman of the Board General Counsel Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Cot tet pe ee ne enema ete te ve. cee Ke ee Med Tracts and Visions Bricks Made and Laid, Without Straw and Scanty Clay There were not lacking, therefore, in those early years of the Society’s life a broadening vision of possible usefulness and actual authorization by the denomination to embark upon the larger service which the men to whose care the Society’s work was committed were eager to develop. Yet five years elapsed before the Society was reorganized in accord with the request of the Triennial Convention. A grave hindrance was in the way—the lack of funds. Men of brains and heart and faith were at the head of the Society’s business. But they were asked to make bricks without straw, without so much as clay. Already in 1825 the annual report told the agony and the hope- fulness: “ Must then the want of funds remain an insuperable obstacle to the circulation of Baptist tracts in the United States? We trust not.” Able general agent succeeded able general agent, each worn down by the constant strain of trying to make one dollar do what two would not have sufficed to accomplish! To be sure the recognized business competency of Noah Davis, and much more his attractive personality, and his con- tagious enthusiasm, availed to procure an increasing measure of support during the few years of his official connection with the Society’s affairs. (1826-1830.) But, on his greatly la- mented death, at an early age, there was an immediate and alarming decline in receipts—nearly one-half of the reasonable anticipations (instead of $5,830 only $3,094.09). His successor, Mr. Allen, found an empty treasury, a grow- ing debt, and a despondent Board. Unflinchingly accepting the burden, he did not narrow the field of the Society’s en- deavor, but enlarged it, calling attention to needs in the Mis- sissippi Valley, where workers of the Home Mission Society might become effective distributors of tract literature, and in mission fields abroad. His appeals roused the Board and fired the generosity of the churches, but of a hoped-for $20,000 for [17] The First Hundred Years the advance work he was able to procure only $6,000, after a diligent canvass of a year. The terms of Mr. Davis and Mr. Allen covered the period from the removal of the Society to Philadelphia in 1826 almost to the time of its reorganization in 1840. Benjamin R. Loxley succeeded Mr. Allen, and served during the period of reorganization, distinguishing himself as “ the patient man of business.” Not simply the enlargement of the Society’s field of work, but also provision of more ade- quate physical equipment was part of the vision of the new day in the minds of the ieaders. In January, 1834, a circular had been issued addressed especially to the women friendly to the Society, asking contributions toward a fund for a tract house. It was thought that a suitable building, with proper equipment, would cost not less than $15,000 or $20,000. The results of the appeal were not very encouraging. In 1840 the Tract House Fund, both principal and interest, amounted to $938.49. Another fund which had been in mind since the Society’s coming to Philadelphia was capital with which to do business. There was no permanent investment yielding interest that could be applied to expense or to advance work. But the men at headquarters had business sense and planned and hoped and waited for the long-deferred day when the denomination would supply these needs. ; [ 18 | Joun W. CLEGG Henry E. Core E. B. CoLuMER Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania E. Leroy Daxin, D. D. H. BoarpMAN Hopper Harry L. JENKINS New York Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Gove G. Jounson, D. D. ALBERT G, Lawson, D. D. H. Kine MAcFarLANneE District of Columbia New York Pennsylvania II REORGANIZATION AND A MERGER 1841-1856 “To effect the object of its organization, a con- siderable amount of capital is required . . . once liberally establish it, and it will perpetuate itself.”— Report of 1841. “The paramount object of the Society ... . is to make our denomination, and all others over whom we have influence, a reading, thinking, working, and devotedly religious people.”—J. M. Peck, in Circular of 1843. “The right arm of home missions.”—B. M. Hill, Corresponding Secretary of The American Baptist Home Mission Society, in an address on the impor- tance of the Publication Society, in Brooklyn, N. Y., May 18, 1846. ROsTe tis PIERCE. D271), CHARLES H. RANNELS, D. D. JoHn D. RHOADES New York New Jersey Ohio ROMEYN RIvENBURG, A. M. FraNK H. ROBINSON W. Quay RossELLeE, Ph. D. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Massachusetts Levi L. Rue R. W. Swetranp, LL, D. Epwarp L, Taytor Pennsylvania New Jersey Pennsylvania fg he aah wate {I Action by the Tract Society at the request of the Triennial Convention that the Society modify its constitution to enlarge its work, was delayed for five years; first, because the com- mittee appointed by the Convention to obtain the concurrence of the Board of the Society, owing to the appointment of its chairman, Rev. Howard Malcom, as ‘‘a deputation’’ to Burma, was never called together; and secondly—something of more weighty importance—the Board was struggling with grave financial difficulties that imperiled the very existence of the Society. ~ Reorganization Effected New pressure and a fresh opportunity for effective appeal to the churches came when the Hudson River Association, meeting in 1839, brought home to the denomination the urgent need of a Baptist Sunday-school union to furnish a juvenile literature corresponding to Baptist convictions. The Board, thus encouraged, issued a circular which denominational jour- nals gave wide publicity, presenting a plan to modify the Tract Society so that it should be empowered to issue Sunday-school publications and any others which the good of the churches might require. A Sunday-school convention, called by the Hudson River Association, met in New York City in 1840, and appointed a committee to draft a constitution for a Sunday School Union. At the annual meeting of the Tract Society in the same city, in 1840, this constitution was read, and re- markable agreement was found between what the convention’s committee proposed and what the Society’s Board had in mind. Action was taken amending the constitution of the Society as proposed. ‘The Society thus reorganized was called The [ 21 | The First Hundred Years American Baptist Publication and Sunday School Society; this title proved too cumbrous, and five years later, when a charter was granted by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, it was shortened to read The American Baptist Publication Society, which was practically the title originally suggested in the circu- lar sent out by the Board on March 25, 1840. By error the Society was at first regarded, even at headquarters, as a new organization, and it was not until 1853 that the annual report corrected the notion and indicated full consciousness of a con- tinuous history from 1824. Oddly enough also, the first report under the new name, in 1841, was published as “ The Second Annual Report of the Publication Society”! Somebody was evidently badly mixed. The Objects of the Reorganized Society The objects of the Publication Society, as set forth in the new constitution, were, “to publish such books as are needed by the Baptist denomination, and to promote Sunday schools by such measures as experience may prove expedient.” The Society would learn to do by doing. A wide field was contem- plated. The term “books” was intended to be construed inclusively—* tracts, Sabbath-school books, also biographical, doctrinal, historical, and other valuable religious works as shall be required,” “chiefly publications of a denominational character.” The antecedent discussions and the practise of the Society agree in showing this understanding must be taken. : Amicable arrangements were proposed whereby publications of the American Tract Society and of the American Sunday School Union could be handled by the Society and its agents on the best possible terms. It was planned that measures be adopted to put into exten- sive circulation, in each State of the Union, the publications of the Society and of the other organizations just named, by establishment of depositories, and by appointment of traveling [ 22 | GILBERT N. BRINK, D. D. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY AND GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE BOARD 1919-1925 Reorganization and a Merger ‘££ » lllllll—l_l_——_——————EEE agents who were to be well equipped with denominational tracts and books. Superintendence of the Society’s business was to be effected by appointment of one or more General Agents, a Depository Agent, and an Editor of the Society’s publications, “ men of business habits, of experience and talents.” _ An arrangement was to be sought whereby the New England Sabbath School Union should either be amalgamated, or enter into advantageous agreement to supply “a large and very general assortment of their publications.” Here was a program of moment. It contained much that should give shape to the Society’s work during the remainder of its first century. A Working Capital Onrnired The first thing, however, was not a big accomplishment of aims proposed, but a struggle to obtain means. Working capital was sorely needed. The liberality of the denomination must be the spring. But it proved a rock which, though touched with appeal and struck with reiterated earnestness of beseeching, was slow to respond. Once establish the Society on the basis of an adequate capital, and this servant of the denomination would care for itself by its own operations. So the Board said plainly in 1841, and, again in 1842: unless our operations are enlarged, it is almost useless to attempt any- thing. .. But must we then let the Society die? By no means. In 1843, it appeared that an attempt to obtain a capital of $60,000 or $70,000 by an average contribution of ten cents from each member of the denomination, had utterly failed; only $1,550.95 had been received for this purpose, the receipts from all sources being only $9,906.04. The appeal was re- newed. In 1844, an effort was begun to obtain $50,000 in five years, at the rate of $10,000 a year. At the meeting of the Society warm interest was shown in this project, and $725 [ 23 ] The First Hundred Years ‘was pledged ina few moments. But the plan failed. It must not be supposed that the Society’s work was decreasing during these years. It was enlarging. Annual receipts were showing a gratifying change. Legacies were becoming an important service of aid. In 1846 it was recorded that during the years of service of J. M. Peck as Corresponding Secretary, 1843- 1845, the Society’s capital had been augmented by $9,000. A most important undertaking was proposed at the anniver- sary in 1846, when Thomas Watson, of the Committee on I‘inance, advocated raising by subscription a fund of $10,000 for the use of the Society, the interest of which shall be appropriated ex- clusively to the gratuitous distribution of its books and tracts among the destitute, at the discretion of the Board of Managers. The motion was carried, and pledges were at once received from five persons to the amount of $2,000, Mr. Watson giving $500. The plan met with favor, and in a single year $5,000 had been subscribed. It was reported in 1847 that the Building Fund had reached $1,659.97, paid in, and on interest, and that the total assets of the Society were $15,789.33 with no liabili- ties. In 1849 the $10,000 Fund was at last reported fully subscribed, this being the first fund of any size concerning which such a fact could be stated. In 1853, the last payment on subscriptions was made, and the full annual interest became available, the Society putting the capital into its business, and making grants in accord with the provisions of the fund. This annual devotion of interest on the fund has continued all through the years, and up to 1924 over $43,000 had been paid out in grants of the Society's publications. The day of encouragement had arrived. Capital and phys- ical equipment were now available. In 1850, the Society’s Phil- adelphia Depository was moved from the small rented building, 31 N. Sixth Street, which had been occupied for six years, to quarters at 118 Arch Street, secured and prepared for the So- ciety’s use—‘‘a spacious and beautiful edifice” by contrast cer- tainly. A Building Fund of $25,000 was begun to pay for the [ 24 | AUVLAYIAS FAAILNOAXY ‘d ‘d NIVW ‘H WVITIHA Reorganization and a Merger headquarters and to erect additional buildings upon the lot; the “spaciousness ”’ already seemed cramped! Within three years the fund was complete, but a committee declared the lot and building inadequate and recommended removal, some $30,000 more being declared necessary, of which $12,000 was offered by two brethren if the remainder could be secured; and in 1856, endeavor was begun to obtain $100,000, of which $30,000 should be for building and $70,000 for publishing purposes, the two subscriptions to be blended in one under the heading of Enlargement of Permanent Capital. For the want felt in the years of Noah Davis was still with the Society— adequate capital. With the exception of the Ten Thousand Dollar Fund and the Twenty-five Thousand Dollar Fund, for _ building, together with a few liberal legacies, little had been done in thirty-two years to give the Society needed strength and efficiency. Some comparisons show a remarkable progress: In 1840, after sixteen years, the entire property of the Society, in stock, funds, and cash, was $4,121.70. In 1855, after deducting all liabilities, it was $63,667.03—a gain of nearly $60,000 in fif- teen years. Not all this was working capital. Making all necessary deductions there was available for publication pur- poses only $39,300. ‘This, after thirty-two years! But better things were to come. Of them another chapter must speak. The Break Between Northern and Southern Baptists The Society was organized as a national Society, and has always functioned as such in all the changes of the century. Its support, however, for the first few years came almost ex- clusively from Southern Baptists. At the close of the second year of its history, of the twenty-six persons enrolled as life- members, twenty-one were living south of the Mason and Dixon’s Line. Of the $1,010.33 received during the first two years all but $133.73 came from Southern States. Men of the North rallied with interest and gifts of money to the Society’s [ 25 ] The First Hundred Years aid a little later. Later still, the questions centering around the institution of slavery divided the nation into opposing sections, and drove a wedge of differing opinions and senti- ments between Baptists of the country at a time when the Society was in critical need, for in 1845 feeling reached such a pitch that the Southern Baptist Convention was formed, and from that year to the present the division has been maintained. But sectional feeling did not avail utterly to destroy the prac- tical appreciation of Southern Baptists for the Publication Society, and the Society, as will be seen, did not at all forget the South, but come to its aid in years of grave trouble. Let it not be supposed that all or most thought and energy were given to obtaining capital. The writer has purposely elected to speak of this lack of means in order that against this as a background may be projected some noteworthy achievements. The Beginnings of the Society's Books and Periodicals The Society was reorganized in 1840 to do a larger work of publication. The work was done, and well done. There is no space here to give a catalog; the list would weary many readers if it were inserted. But some illustrative facts may be given. The first books published by the Society when as yet it was merely a tract society were manuals containing tracts of proved value, especially of denominational interest. Endeavor was made, beginning in 1835, to place a copy of such a Baptist Manual in the home of every family in the Mississippi Valley. The real “ volume enterprise” was begun in 1839 by the pub- lication of a single book in each of three departments: Booth’s “Reign of Grace,” doctrinal; Backus’ “Church History,” historical, and “‘ Memoirs of Distinguished Christians,” bio- graphical. There followed in 1840 two books on baptism (de- nominational controversy was very much alive), one on “ Modern Infidelity,” two Sunday-school books, and “ Pilgrim’s Progress.” A Baptist Family Library, and a Baptist Sunday- [ 26 ] HARVEY E. CRESSMAN, Business MANAGER ay i fASr » Fa? aay, 4 + ‘ . Reorganization and a Merger school Library were projected in 1842, and volumes in these two series began to appear the next year. At this time also arrangements were made with Gould, Kendall and Lincoln for the preparation and joint issue of a Baptist hymn-book, “The Psalmist,’ which appeared in 1844, the Society owning two sets of plates and paying a royalty. Six thousand copies were quickly sold by the Society, and 25,000 by the Boston publishers, the book being received as the standard Baptist hymnal. A summary of publishing work in the years 1840- 1844 showed a total of bound volumes, 34,750; of pamphlets, 5,000; of tracts, 266,573 copies. The Society put into circula- tion in that time 102,000 bound volumes, of which 25,000 were of its own publications. Beginnings of Publications for Foreign-speaking Peoples Demands for books had become so pressing that the Board borrowed $2,400 as capital to enable more adequate response. Not only theological and controversial writings but also stories for Sunday schools were put forth. An “Indian Hymn- book,” in the Tuscarora language, was issued in 1846. The Society had already aided Baptist missionary work abroad—in Burma (1829), Germany (1832), and other countries in Europe—by gifts of money directly from its own funds or solicited from friends, and now renewed its interest in the labors of J. G. Oncken, of Germany, by acting as agent to col- lect and transmit funds for his publishing work, some of the Society's own publications seeming peculiarly valuable, after translation, for the purposes of Baptist evangelization. But this Indian hymnal was the first instance of a kind of work which grew in magnitude and variety—the issuing of books and tracts in languages other than English for the use of popu- lations on American soil. It was followed by publications in French and German in 1849, when the second hymnal, “ The Baptist Harp,” also appeared. Works in Dutch and Swedish were added in 1854. ‘The occasions for publications in these [ 27 | The First Hundred Years Oona OO \)D:> 1854, 1855, 1862-1871. Hansell, W. S., 1827-1834, 1837-1842, 1853, 1856, 1864. Harrison, John C., D. D., 1845-1848. Haslam, J. H., D. D., 1904-1913. Hayhurst, Rev. I. W., 1840-1841. Henson, P. S., D. D., 1861-1882. Hewson, John, 1841-1842. Higgins, Rev. George, 1845-1848. Hillegas, J. K., 1830. Hinman, D. B., 1833-1837, 1854. Hires, W. D., 1849. Hiscox, E. T., D. D., 1896-1902. Hopper, Boardman, 1922-. Hopper, H. S., 1885-1918. Pernihergete tek 1). 01.3 1884. Horr, G. C., D. D., 1894-1898. Hoskinson, J. B., 1873-1895. Hoskinson, T. J., 1873-1884. Hoyt, Col. James A., 1890-1893. Hoyt, Wayland, D. D., 1883-1889, 1896-1911. Huggens, Rev. Samuel, 1837. Hucheseb7Gs 1D. DY 1901. Hutten, Isaac G., 1825-1826. 1840-1842, 1871- [ 89 | The First Hundred Years Ide, G. B., D. D., 1842-1849. Irving, James, 1879, 1886. Jacob, Robert U., 1893-1894. James, Israel E., 1835-1836. Jarman, Reuben, 1828-1829. Jayne, David, M. D., 1841-1849. Jeffrey, R., D. D., 1858-1860, 1862- 1865. Jenkins, Harry L., 1922-. Jewell, Wilson, M. D., 1830, 18306, 1838-1840. Johnson, .G/G, D. Dy 192i Johnson, G. J., D. D., 1878-1885. Johnson, James, 1824-1820. Johnson, Reuben, 1824. Jones, Rev. David, 1827-1833. Jones, Hon. Horatio Gates, 1860- 1892. Jones, John, 1837-1841. Keen, C. B., 1878-1886. Keen, W. W., 1866-1871. Keen, W. W., M. D., 1872-1883. Keller, Luther, 1909-1910, 1917-1918. Kempton, George, D. D., 1845-1852. Kennard, Jos. H., D. D., 1827-1828, 1832-1836, 1866. Kennard, Rey. J. S., 1867-1871. Ketcham, Rev. F. W., 1842, 1848. Keyes, Rev. C. B., 1838-1840. Keyser, Charles, D. D., 1870-1872. Kitts, Rev. Thomas, Jr., 1827-1828, 1830-1832. Knowles, J. D., D. D., 1824-1825. Knowles, L., 1838-1842. Lawson, A. G., D. D., 1893-1895, 1919-. Leas, D. P., 1887-1913. Lee, Franklin, 1836, 1843-1844, 1846- 1853, 1857-1858. Lee, George, 1841-1842. Lee, W. T., 1916. Levering, Joshua, 1885-1909. Levy, E. M., D. D., 1850-1858. Levy, John P., 1859-1867. Lewis, S. G., 1869. Lincoln, Heman, D. D., 1850-1852. Lincoln, H. E., 1862-1863. Lincoln, T. O., D. D. 1842-1844. Linnard, James M., 1836, 1839-1843, 1846. Lisk, Rev. G. James, 1913-1918. Loud, Philologus, 1829. Loxley, Rev. B. R., 1839. Lyle, J: W., D. -D., 1906-1922. Lynd, Samuel W., 1824-18206. MacArthur, Robert S., D. D., 1883. MacFarlane, H. K., 1918-. MacKay, R. M., 1912-1918. Main, W. H., D. D., 1908-. Malcom, Howard, D. D., 1827, 1850. Mann, William, 1864-1866. Mauck, J. W.,°LL_D., 1912-1914: Maylin, Jos., 1827-1833. McCloud, George, 1850. McKean, Rev. J. A., 1849-1853, 1856- 1859. McKinney, H. N., 1897-1899. Meehan, John S., 1825-1826. Miles, Rev. George I., 1847-1853. Milford, H. J., 1867-1885. Miller, E. W., 1857. Morgan, Ebenezer, 1883-1887. Morgan, Rev. C. T., 1893-1895. Moss, Lemuel, D. D., 1873-1874. Muir, J. J., D. D,, 1889, 1913-1918. Mulford, H. J., 1867-1884. Mulford, John, 1830-1838. _ Mustin, John, 1850. Myers, Thomas A., 1844. Norton Ge C8) S00: Nugent, George, 1861-1883. Outlaw, George, 1825. Palmateer, C. A., 1921. Parmley, W. H., D. D., 1892-1894. Patton, W., 1859. Peacock, J. L., 1915-1918. Peddie, John, D. D., 1871-1878. Peltz, G. A., D. D., 1867-1870. Pendleton, J. M., D. D., 1866-1884. Perkins, D. W., 1903-1916. [ 90 | COMPOSING-ROOM BATTERY OF LINOTYPE MACHINES THE Jupson Press BUILDING The Roster of a Century Perry, Rev. G. B., 1831-1832. Peters, Rev. L. E., 1857-1859. Pettit, W. V., 1852-1858. Philips» J.C... Ph. D3 1919. Pidge, J. M. B., D. D., 1887-1888. Pierce, Robert F. Y:, D. D., 1912-. Poteat, E. M., D. D., 1899-1903. Price, O. J., Ph. D., 1912-1914. Randolph, Warren, 1859-1862, 1871- 1877. Rannels, Rev. C. H., 1914. Reed, Enoch S., 1843. Reed, G. W., 1849. Reed, Isaac, 1833-1854. Reed, Jacob, 1835-1840, 1844. Rees, G. E., D. D., 1884-1909. Remington, Rev. S., 1852-1853. Reynolds, Enoch, 1824-1825. Reynolds, Jos., 1831-1838. Rhees, Morgan J., D. D., 1831. Rhoades, J. D., Esq., 1916-. Rice, Rev. Luther, 1826. Richards, William H., 1828-1837. Riley, W. B., D. D., 1915-1918. Robinson, Rev. W. H., 1884-1887. Robinson, Frank, 1917-. Roe, C. M., 1907. TLOSS len) ee) 0). a1 O22. Rosselle, W. Q., Ph. D., 1910-. Rowlattters osreb). 18752 1917. Rue, L. L., 1903-1905, 1915-. Sage, A. J., D. D., 1869. Sagebeer, J. E., Ph. D., 1898-. Sanford, Rev. E. T., 1910-1912. Schulz, Rev. Henry, 1888-1891. Search, Henry, D. D., 1889-1898. Searles, J. W., D. D., 1888-1899. Sexton, J. W., 1859-1860. Sexton, Silas W., 1827. snadrach William, D:D. 1841, 1845-1847. Sheppard, Joseph, 1837. Sherborne, F. P., 1835-1838. Shoemaker, Robert, 1857. 1838, Shoemaker, W. M., 1875-1877. Simmons, J. B., D. D., 1866. Smith, John H., 1829. Smith, Rev. J. Hyatt, 1825, 1860- 1866. Smith, J. Wheaton, D. D., 1854-1881. Snyder, W. F., 1875-1887. Staughton, James M., D. D., 1825- 1826. Staughton, William, D. D., 1824- 1826. Steinmetz, Adam, 1856. stelle, ‘Rev: D: B., 1913-1920. Stevens, John S., 1878-1905. Stewart, David T., 1839. Stout, J. W., 1870-1877. Stow, Baron, D. D., 1826. Strong, Frank, LL. D., 1910-1911. Swartz, James, 1891-1903. Swetland, Roger W., LL. D., 1922-. Swope, George, 1835, 1839, 1840- 1843. Taylor, E. L., 1919-. Taylor, Joseph, 1836. Taylor, Rev. R. T;, 1850-1853. Thaw, Joseph, 1824. Lhomass Ba Do Ds.D. 1873-1891, Thomas, Erasmus, M. D., 1827-1832. Thomas, Rev. Jesse B., D. D., 1883- 1889. Tolman, Thomas, 1858-1865. Trevor, John B., 1834-1838, 1842. Tucker, Rev. C., 1850. PUCKCLs bette) ul cls, Din LOO le 1889. Tucker, Levi, D. D., 1834-1835. Tupper, Kerr B., D. D., 1896-1905. sPastings 1one Pl: 1.81 896- 1921. Ustick, Stephen, 1825-18206. Wait, Samuel, 1825-1826. Walkers iceG.D: D, .1885-1887, 1891-1914. (Editor “ American Baptist Year-Book,’ 1872-1884, 1897-1915.) [91] The First Hundred Years ee —————————————————————————————eeeoeaeaewews=$=0=0$~$~<~<~<—0OSSS»$“—M—m—m—=—=waom'— Walton, Charles S., 1900-1915. Walton, J., 1848. Warne, J. A., D. D. 1838-1839. Wattson, T., 1843-1844, 1855-1856, 1866-1871. Webb, G.»S., D. D., 1845-1846. Webster, P., 1833-1834. Welch, J. E., D. D., 1847-1848. Weston, H. G., D. D., LL. D., 1868- 1908. Wheat, Rev. A. C., 1855-1856. White, Thomas, 1844. Whitman, B. L., D.-D., 1903-1907. Wilder, Rev. William, 1855-1868. Williams, Rev. C. C., 1843-1844. Williamson, W. J., D. D., 1913- 1914. Wilmarth, J. W., D. D., 1890-1903. Wilson, C. A., 1845. Winter, Rev. Thomas, D. D., 1850- 1851. Wood, Byron, D. D., 1893-1907. Woolsey, Rev. J. -J., 1836-1837. Wynn, Isaac C., D. D., 1881-1888. Young, Smith G., 1914-1924. BIBLE AND MISSIONARY SECRETARIES C. C. Bitting, D. D., 1883-1895. Robert G. Seymour, D. D., 1896- 1912. Guy C. Lamson, D. D., 1913-1915. Samuel Graham Neil, D. D., 1918-. DISTRICT SECRETARIES Rev. Francis Smith, 1864-1865. Rey. Silas Illsley, 1864-1870. Rev. Sidney Dyer, Ph. D., 1864-1880. A. J. Johnson, D. D., 1864-1876. Rev. J. W. Stone, 1865-1868. Rev. J. N. Sykes, 1866. C. R. Blackall, M. D., 1867-1869. Rev. W. C. Van Meter, 1869. Rev. H. Daniels, 1869. Rev. W. C. Child, 1870-1872. Rev. F. G. Thearle, 1870-1880. Rufus Babcock, D. D., 1871-1872. Rev. D. C. Litchfield, 1873-1874. Andrew Pollard, D. D., 1874-1886. Rey. S. T. Levermore, 1874. Rey. James Waters, 1874-1876. Rev. H. K. Stimson, 1875. J. S. Backbees, D. D., 1876. Rev. D. T. Morrill, 1876-1877. Rey. Frank Remington, 1879-1882. M. T. Sumner, D. D., 1879-1880. G. M. Vanderlip, D. D., 1880-1883. Rev. A. H. Lung, 1882-1885. James Lisk, D. D., 1883-1884. Charles H. Spalding, D. D., 1885- 1914, James B. Simmons, D. D., 1886-1904. S. T. Clanton, D. D., 1891-1896. E. M. Brawley, D. D., 1892-1896. J. W. Harris, D. D.; 1893-1896. O. F. Flippo, D. D., 1895-1904. W. C. Luther, D. D., 1896-1900. S. N. Vass, D. D., 1896-1918. Rev. E. S. Stucker, 1897-1900. Rev. Harvey Hatcher, 1897-1904. E. M. Stephenson, D. D., 1900- 1902. T. J. Walne, D. D., 1901-1904. Rey. T. L. Ketman, 1903-1919. Rev. C. H. Rust, 1906. S. G. Neil, D. D., 1906-1917. W. W. Pratt, D. D., 1907-1915. Rey. J. M. Robertson, 1907-1908. Rev. J. P. Jacobs, 1907-1915. Rev. Guy C. Lamson, 1912. Rev. G. L. White, 1913-1919. Rev. J. C. Robbins, 1913. Rev. P. H. J. Lerrigo, 1914-1916. [92] ELECTROTYPE FOUNDRY THE JupsoNn Press BuILpING The Roster of a Century MANAGERS H. V. Meyer, 1917-1920. H. E. Cressman, 1921-. BOOK EDITORS J. N. Brown, D. D., 1850-1859. P. L. Jones, D. D., 1894-1913. G. W. Anderson, D. D., 1864-1892. Daniel G. Stevens, Ph. D., 1913-. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SUNDAY SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS C. R. Blackall, D. D., 1883-1916. W. E. Raffety, Ph. D., 1916-1924. O. C. Brown, D. D., 1924-. SECRETARY OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION YOUNG PEOPLE AND TEACHER-TRAINING -~W. E. Chalmers, D. D., 1912-. SECRETARY OF SOCIAL EDUCATION Samuel Zane Batten, D. D.,. 1912-. DIRECTOR OF VACATION AND WEEK-DAY SCHOOLS Thomas S. Young, D. D., 1921-. DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY WORK Meme Brockway, 1916-. [ 93 ] ener ci CF airs 1S a Ra Seek VI THE ANNALS OF THE CENTURY Prepared by E. M. STEPHENSON When there crept into the charter of this Society those famous words, “ The object of this Corporation shall be to promote evangelical religion by means of the Bible, the Printing Press, Colportage, Sunday- schools and other appropriate ways,” there was given to it a sort of undying prophecy of the great work it was destined to do and the large place it was destined to fill. .. But the formal engrafting of these words upon the charter was no new inoculation. It was simply the coming to the surface of a life which had been flowing through the veins of the Society during all its history——Address of C. H. Spalding, D.D, at Detroit, Michigan, in 1900. NORTHEAST SECTION OF PRESS-ROOM THE Jupson Press BUILDING VI 1824-1834 1824.—“ The Columbian Star” of February 21, 1824, contained a call for a meeting in the home of George Wood, to consider the formation of a Baptist Tract Society, Wednesday evening, February 25. Pursuant to the call twenty-five persons, eighteen men and seven women, met, and selected as chairman Dr. Wm. Staughton, the president of Colum- bian College. By unanimous action the Baptist General Tract Society was organ- ized, a constitution adopted with a full list of officers. 1824-1825.—Mr. J. D. Knowles reported the publication of 85,500 pages of nineteen tracts. 1825-1826.—Mr. George Wood and Mr. Noah Davis made a special appeal for the removal of the Headquarters of the Society to Philadelphia so as to facilitate transportation and save expense. 1826-1827.—Noah Davis being persuaded to accept the agency of the Society at a special meeting of the Managers, the transfer to Philadelphia was ordered, November 26, 1827. Mr. Simmes, an apothecary on Chestnut Street, received boxes, pack- ages, and letters at Philadelphia dock, reshipping to their destinations for two years without compensation. 1827-1828.—The first periodical issued was “ The Baptist Tract Magazine,” July, 1827. Receipts for the year, $3,158.04. Tracts issued, 1,346,024 royal octavo pages. Mr. N. R. Cobb, of Boston, proposed to give $500 on condition that the Philadelphia brethren give a like sum. This was done, and $1,000 added. 1828-1829.—Population of the U. S. 11,000,000 souls. One in 46 a Baptist. Inquiries come in for “ Sunday-school statistics” occasioned by quite a number of adventurous churches having sent in full accounts of their schools and teaching activities to their Associations in the church letters. 1829-1830.—*“ Youth’s Magazine,” a section of “Tract Magazine,” issued separately for 25 cents a year. The Society’s first legacy $20 from a “Sister in the Lord” in Connecticut. ‘The time may come when the number of schools in our denomination will be so great as to require the Society to publish a series of Sabbath-school books suited to their needs.” From last report of Noah Davis. 1830-1831.—The President of the Board, Dr. W. T. Brantly, served as Agent the first half of the year until the arrival of a successor to Noah Davis, Rev. Ira M. Allen. [97 | The First Hundred Years 1831-1832.—Doctor Judson, of Burma, made a strong plea for tracts as the new press of Doctor Bennett, of Rangoon, could not supply the de- mand. It was proposed that the Society raise “$10,000 for tracts here and $10,000 for there.” 1832-1833.—Captain Tubbs of Philadelphia placed some of our tracts in the hands of Mr. J. G. Oncken, Hamburg, Germany, which led to Baptist work in five European countries. J. M. Peck called for tracts for his large field in the West. A missionary in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, Rev. E. Cameron, read one of our tracts and became con- vinced, and was baptized according to the New Testament with three of his Indians. 1833-1834.—The Rev. Levi Tucker and Mr. John B. Trevor were added to ’ the Board. Dr. Nathaniel Colver and R. W. Cushman from New York spoke to the report of the Board. 1834-1844 1834-1835.—The Board received a strong appeal for a library for Sunday schools and for a Sunday School Union to issue literature suitable to our convictions. A bound volume of our own tracts under the title of “ Baptist Manual” proved a great power in explaining our position. A fund was opened to give the Baptist Manual to every family in the Mississippi Valley. 1835-1836.— The Tract Magazine” was superseded by the ‘“ Monthly Folio.” Reports speak of great interest in Germany. Doctor Judson wrote of the popularity of American Baptist tracts in Burma and made a plea for another grant. Triennial Convention urged the Society to enlarge its work and issue bound volumes. 1836-1837.—Joseph Kennard, Jacob Reed, and W. W. Keen were added to the Board. 1837-1838.—Dr. Barnas Sears urged advanced work among Germans in America. €- > ie. See , ce Bs ae Up ea ; , j rc } ; oe ’ ¥ “ : ~ 4 _ a nae r “= » + 5 ih Oe hip As ‘ pare >, $e : : < a a y La « « 7 ap 5 . aim | > 2, Li he ’ * os ae fu ity, g hel] 7 — 4 . v “a ; p 4, ee) ideas ie. ‘ee i eee * ig ; ‘ ; pe ar ' \ Pal oi 4 My 1 fe Sur y po ioe" ¥ j \ - Pe we tity Ne a oe We “cow «= it eta ie. ill eae oe 7 a si Sinaee Ate ee Te, Re ll el a Fee) A en tila OO hardy neat, en et iy s alae) a fo ae > BX6205 .A4S8 The first hundred years of the American bint a ile 1 1012 00004 0578