a 
 ‘he jor 
 
 AN APPEAL TO THE CHURCH, 
 
 FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT 
 
 OF 
 
 A sible, apvaper-Book, and Wract Society. 
 
 To the intent that now, 
 unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, 
 might be made known, 
 by the Church, 
 the manifold wisdom of God. 
 Epistie of St. Patil, the Apostle, to the Ephesians, iii, 10. 
 
 FEBRUARY, MDCCEXXXY, 
 
- ane Ge sae nee 
 
 as 
 
AN APPEAL TO THE CHURCH. 
 
 Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. 
 
 It will be admitted that it is the bounden duty of ‘all who pro- 
 
 > ‘to disseminate the Bible. 
 
 fess and call themselves Christians,’ 
 Churechmen agree, without dissenting voice, in the duty and wis- 
 dom of circulating the Book of Common Prayer. Itis now a set- 
 tled point of Christian economy, that 7Z’ract distribution is among 
 the most effectual auxiliaries in the work of the Gospel Ministry. 
 Is the Protestant Episcopal Church as active in the practical ex- 
 hibition of these first principles of Christian action, as she is agreed 
 in their theoretical allowance? Are her members as assiduous in 
 the exercise of these great means of usefulness, as others, their bre- 
 thren, who name the name of Christ? Have we done in these 
 respects what we ought to do? Are we doing what we can? 
 
 That individuals, and indeed portions of the Church, have not 
 been wholly negligent of these great claims, is cheerfully allowed; 
 and the blessing, which has waited on their partial and isolated en- 
 deavours, forms part of the argument which urges all to a combined 
 and concentrated effort. The Church has united in the cause of 
 Sunday Schools,—that so her children may be brought up ‘in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord;’’ and, being early taught to 
 think the same things, may thus preserve ‘‘ the unity of the Spirit 
 in the bond of peace.”” The Church has united in the General 
 Theological Seminary,—-that so the Christian education, which 
 had prepared her children to be intelligent and holy members of 
 the communion of saints, may be extended and completed, in their 
 
 preparation, whom the Lord shall call, to take upon themselves the 
 
4 
 
 ministry of the Gospel. ‘The Church has united in the Missionary 
 enterprize,-—that so the men, who are trained up as heralds of the 
 Cross, may be sent out to ‘‘preach the Gospel unto every crea- 
 ture,” and ‘‘make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’’ What 
 remains, but that the Church should now unite, to furnish forth her 
 ministers for their high embassy, by preparing, publishing and sup- 
 plying, in every language that is spoken under heaven, the Word 
 of Life,-—its best companion, the Book of Common Prayer,—and 
 those apt illustrations, cogent arguments, and irresistible persua- 
 sives, which, in the humble form, and by the modest name, of 
 Tracts, so admirably serve to go before, accompany, and follow 
 both the others? Why should not the outworks of our sacred cita- 
 del be made complete and perfect, and mighty, by the help of God, 
 to the ‘‘ breaking down of the kingdom of sin, Satan and death,” 
 by adding to our General Sunday School Union, our General The- 
 ological Seminary, and our General Missionary Society, a General 
 Biste, Prayer Book, ann Tract Society. 
 
 Are the diocesan interests objected, which engage respectively the 
 several portions of our widely spread community? But these sup- 
 ply the very reason why we should unite. And on what else can 
 we unite, if not in the distribution of the word of God? The very 
 act is fitted to bind our hearts in one, as the heart of one man; and 
 to concentrate all our power, as though ‘‘the sword of the Spirit, 
 which is the word of God,’’ were wielded by a single hand.—Are 
 the efforts which, from other quarters, and in other forms, are put 
 forth for this high and holy end, pleaded as our excuse from the 
 responsibilities and toils of such an enterprize? But who shall an- 
 swer for us inthe day of God? And were the concentrated light of 
 Christendom thrown at this moment upon earth’s dark places, how 
 dimly would its ineffectual ray fall on ‘*the palpable obscure !’>— 
 
5 
 
 Are we reminded how short we come of what we owe to the 
 great works on which we have already made an entrance—the Sun- 
 day School, the Education, and the Missionary enterprizes ? But 
 how shall negligence of one responsibility excuse us for the disre- 
 gard of others? And who can tell if union in behalf of God’s life- 
 giving Word, may not be that one thing which shall unite our hearts, 
 and give them, from the Lord, benevolence, devotion, restless and 
 resistless energy inall the rest?——Are the wants of the Church made 
 the excuse, the comparative smallness of her numbers, her poverty ? 
 The excuse is utterly without foundation. And, were it not, to 
 whom are we to look for increase and for strength but to the Lord 
 our God? And where have we his promise that we shall secure 
 them, but in doing what our hands find to do, in the extension of 
 his kingdom and glory? Butthere is no objection, not the shadow 
 even of a difficulty beforeus. A simple sense of duty to the souls of 
 men, and to Him who died to save them,—a simple trust in Him to 
 whom all power is given in heaven and earth, and who has prom- 
 ised to be with his Church always, even to the end of the world,—- 
 we want no more than these; for these will bring that blessing from 
 the Lord, which renders all things ‘* possible to him that believeth.” 
 
 The considerations which conspire to recommend the undertak- 
 ing are numerous and powerful. We owe it to our profession. As 
 a primitive Church, we have received from them to whom the Lord 
 entrusted it, the revelation of eternal life,—to be transmitted and 
 perpetuated, till He himself shall come again. As Protestants, we 
 stand upon the Bible,—holding and teaching nothing which may 
 not be **concluded and proved”’ thereby. As Protestant Episco- 
 palians, we claim a Scripture warrant for the ministry with which 
 we are entrusted; and, on the ground that itis eminently scriptural, 
 evangelic, spiritual, present to all who will receive it, those forms 
 
 of sound words, and that plan of godly worship, which place cur 
 
6 
 
 Liturgy, in the judgment of all Christians, first in the rank of un- 
 inspired productions. Honestly differing from the numerous fami- 
 lies about us, who bear with us the name of Christ, in points of 
 discipline and worship,—deeming them of high importance to the 
 preservation and extension of the truth,—and finding liberal provi- 
 sion made at other hands for circulating the Scriptures,—we have been 
 placed in an attitude, which may appear, to superficial observation, 
 neglectful of our duty to aid in their diffusion through the. world. 
 We owe it to our profession, therefore, as evangelical and apostolic 
 men, we owe it to our consistency as Christians, to supply this sin- 
 gle defect in our ecclesiastical organization, and to wipe off every 
 suspicion of inattention to the holy book of God.—The enterprize 
 proposed would be a powerful bond of union. All Churchmen 
 are agreed in regard to the duty of circulating the Scriptures. As 
 to the mode of doing it, they differ. Some,—deeming it an obliga- 
 tion immediately incumbent, which in conscience they cannot de- 
 fer,—though they would much rather discharge it in connection with 
 their fellow Churchmen, yet, finding no provision for so doing, 
 unite, in this particular charity, with those from whom, in many 
 points, they conscientiously dissent. Others,—equally desirous of 
 doing what they can, that the word of God may ‘have free course 
 and be glorified,’’ yet, opposed, on principle, to union in religious 
 efforts, with those with whom they are not wholly in agreement,— 
 withhold their efforts and their influence from this sacred cause, un- 
 til some door shall be opened to it, through the Church. A multitude, 
 more numerous than both of these, do nothing in the matter, be- 
 cause, under these circumstances, it is not brought directly home to 
 their consciences and hearts, ‘The proposed Society would unite 
 all who are now interested in the subject, and extend that interest 
 to many more; while the spirit of unity and love thus imparted, 
 
 hike the fragrant oil on Aaron’s head, would run over, and imbue, 
 
7 
 
 with its delightful perfume, all our institutions.—There lies on us, 
 if I may so speak, an ancestral obligation, a part of our inheritance 
 from the Church of England, to be active in the circulation of the 
 Scriptures, ‘lhrough her agency it was that the inspired volume 
 was made, to all who speak her language, a household book. Of 
 the forty-seven translators to whom Christendom is indebted for the 
 - English received version, all were divines, and six, in after times, 
 were Bishops of the Church of England. ‘ And now,” says 
 Thomas Fuller, ‘‘ after long expectation, and great desire, came 
 forth [1611] the new translation of the Bible (most beautifully 
 printed) by aselect and competent number of divines, appointed 
 for that purpose: not being too many, lest one should trouble 
 another ; and yet many, lest many things might haply escape them. 
 Who,—neither coveting praise for expedition, nor fearing reproach 
 for slacknesse, (seeing in a business of moment, none deserves 
 blame for convenient slownesse)—had expended almostthree years 
 in the work, not only examining the channels by the foun- 
 fainy—translations with the original, which was absolutely ne- 
 cessary,——but also comparing channels with channels, which was 
 abundantly useful,—in the Spanish, Italian, French and Dutch 
 languages. So that their industrie, skilfulnesse, piety and discre- 
 tion hath therein bound the Church unto them in a debt of special 
 remembrance and thankfulness. ‘These, with Jacob, rolled away 
 the stone from the mouth of the well of life: so that now even 
 Rachel’s weak women may freely come, both to drink themselves, 
 and water the flocks of their families at the same.”’....‘‘Of whom, 
 as also of that gracious King that employed them, we may say,— 
 wheresoever the Bible shall be preached or read in the whole 
 world, there shall also this that they have done be told in memo- 
 riall of them.’’—Immediately connected with this’ consideration is 
 
 another, which, though subordinate, has much importance. A large 
 
8 
 
 portion of the Bibles in common circulation are mutilated, by the 
 omission of the marginal readings. ‘That these form an integral 
 part of the Authorized Version, and are absolutely necessary for 
 correctly understanding it, is sufficiently evident from the language 
 employed (in their Preface,) by the venerable Translators them- 
 selves. As Trustees of their invaluable legacy, it would be the 
 solemn, and surely the recognized, duty of an Episcopal Society, 
 to see that in every respect their will be executed. 
 
 Of the considerations which recommend the enterprize, in its re- 
 lation to the Prayer Book, and to Tracts, it is necessary to say but 
 little. The former duty, to circulate the Scriptures, is common to 
 us with all Christians. The latter is exclusively ourown. ‘These 
 we ought to do, and not to leave the other undone. It is a gratify- 
 ing circumstance, and yet one most imperative in summoning us to 
 duty, that with all the increased facilities for the production and dis- 
 tribution of the Book of Common Prayer, the demand is still be- 
 yond the supply ; and distant portions of our country, as things are 
 now administered, must long remain comparatively destitute. An 
 organized arrangement, by which the number of copies should not 
 only be very much increased, but by which the distribution should 
 be wider and less partial,—which should supply not only those 
 who ask for it, but send it out to places where it never has been 
 
 heard of, or heard of in the language of prejudice or of perversion,— 
 would so increase the appetite for its sound, wholesome, and de- 
 lightful nutriment, as to keep the demand still in advance of the ut- 
 most efforts, not of the Society alone, but of local associations, and 
 of individuals.—Closely connected with these,—and absolutely es- 
 sential, as all experience shows, to the occupation of the widest 
 field, and the production of the best and most abundant fruit,—is the 
 dispersion, on the wings of every wind, of plain, pertinent, practi- 
 
 eal and devotional Tracts. Fitted to every place, to every time, to 
 
i) 
 
 every taste, they should be made so numerous as to rescue from op- 
 probrium, and consecrate, the expressive name of *‘ Legion.’’ They 
 should go every where, as common as the air, to arrest the thought- 
 less, to confirm the wavering, to encourage the faithful,—pointing 
 to the Bible, leading on the Prayer Book,——the pioneers, the com- 
 _ panions, the coadjutors of the ministers of the Gospel. ‘To their 
 supply, in such quantities as will be necessary for carrying these 
 views into effect, no common resources, nor any thing short of 
 the concentrated energies of the Church, would, it is obvious, be 
 adequate. Nor, were the quantity supplied, could the peculiar 
 wants of the several portions of the Church be met, the variant 
 views and interests and exigencies be satisfied, and the general con- 
 fidence of the whole communion secured, by any organization less 
 extensive than the aggregate jurisdiction of all the dioceses. 
 
 For the enterprize, to which no objections can be offered, and 
 which so many powerful considerations conspire’ to recommend, 
 the present is peculiarly the proper time. It is the only time of 
 which we have assurance. ‘‘ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, 
 do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor know- 
 ledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”’-—The mer- 
 ciful providence of God still preserves tous the venerable Patriarch 
 of our household of the faith, as if to put his hand to this one thing. 
 At the organization of our Church, and of all its institutions, he has 
 assisted, and he presides over them all. Is it not pardonable to 
 desire for the Bible, Prayer Book, and Tract Society of the Church, 
 the influence of his prayers, the consecration of his presence ?--In 
 our communion there now exists,—by the blessing of Him who 
 maketh men to be of one mindd a house,—-a harmony, a cordiality, 
 and an engagedness in the best things, which promise, with the 
 continuance of that blessing, great success to such an enterprize. 
 
 It is a part of Christian wisdom to be watchful of opportunities. 
 
10 
 
 The lapse of three years more, if we omit the improvement of the 
 present favourable conjuncture, may find us torn, for our sinful in- 
 difference, by divisions, which the institution contemplated might, 
 under God, have prevented._-The Church is just becoming sensi- 
 ble of her Missionary obligations. The labour of love in classic 
 Greece, in spite of difficulties, is gaining ground, and eiving prom- 
 ise of good fruit. A mission to dull and sluggish China is resolved 
 on, and the men are ready. Our solemn pledges to benighted 
 Africa stand recorded, but, alas! stand unfulfilled. Wauthin our own 
 territory, and in its direct vicinity, there are heathen, and worse 
 than heathen, to be instructed and converted to the Lord that bought 
 them. For these great sis ytd the Missionary spirit, which now, in 
 answer to our prayers, animates the General Theological Seminary, 
 and will soon, we trust, pervade the Church, will raise the men. 
 But, were they now ready, where should the Bibles, the Prayer 
 Books and the Tracts, be found? Could we supply the hundredth 
 part that should be needed, even in the English language ? What 
 could we do for the tribes of our own Indians, for the hordes of 
 Central and Southern America, forthe Chinese, for the African? 
 How could we enter on that ‘ field,” “‘the world,’’——so that, of our 
 heralds of the Cross, as of them who first went forth, it might be 
 said, ‘* Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in 
 Mesopotamia and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 
 Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Lybia about 
 Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and 
 Arabians, we do hear them speak in cue tongues, the wonderful 
 works of God?”? What they were enabled to do by the miraculous 
 gift of tongues, God has enabled us to do, by that almost miraculous 
 gift, the art of Printing. Our negligence to use it, our niggardli- 
 ness in using it for the salvation of immortal souls, will as little 
 
 excuse us before God, as the wilful silence of an Apostle would 
 
pia 
 
 have excused him in withholding, from the use for which God gave 
 it, the power to ‘speak with tongues.” _ It is in vain—it is more 
 than that, it is unmanly and unfair—to speak of our reliance for 
 these things upon other sources. ‘The British and Foreign Bible 
 Society, the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, 
 are indeed noble institutions, —nobly conceived, nobly endowed, 
 nobly conducted; and whatever may be thought by any, of the 
 principles on which they have been founded, none can deny that 
 we have received at their hands noble expressions of Christian mu- 
 nificence. But why should we rely on the former to print our 
 Bibles, or on the latter to print our Tracts, any more than to sup; 
 port our Missionaries? On which of them shall we depend for 
 our supply of Prayer Books? Or how can we expect a Society, 
 not in the Church, to produce tracts which shall accomplish our 
 purposes, as Churchmen. The very thought is unworthy of us, as 
 Christians, and as men. It is unjust towards them. ‘They have 
 ‘‘the world”’ before them, as wellas we. For all they are enabled, 
 and desire to do, for its conversion to the Lord of grace and glory, 
 let us give Him ‘the praise. But for us, let us never speak nor 
 think of ourselves, as an independent Church, until we have within 
 ourselves the means of supplying Bibles, Prayer Books and Tracts, 
 in every language which we seek to sanctify to the pure worship 
 of Jehovah,——-not only to the utmost extent of our own demands, but 
 enough besides, ‘*to give to him that needeth.”’ Let us be prompt 
 and cheerful in bearing the burthens of others, but let us lay our 
 own onno man. Let us labour with our own hands ‘to support 
 the weak ;’’ and let us always ‘‘ remember the words of the Lord 
 Jesus, how he said, It 1s MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.” 
 
 Of the plan, in its details, by which so great a work is to be ac- 
 complished,—so that the purpose be but formed, and the prayer for 
 
 its success poured out,—I am not careful to speak. All I have aimed 
 
12 
 
 at is, to bring the matter plainly before the Church,—so that the dio- 
 cesan Conventions, if they approve the object, may instruct their 
 delegates to the General Convention to that effect. For full and 
 free discussion, there will thus be time enough; and, if the project 
 shall be suitably entertained by the Church, its representatives, as- 
 sembled at Philadelphia, in August next, may organize the Society, 
 and commit it to the zeal and fidelity of their brethren, and to the 
 loving favour of the Lord. As outlines, merely, and themes of 
 
 discussion, the following hints are respectfully suggested. 
 
 Let it be the declared object of the Society, to supply, gratuitous- 
 ly, or at reasonable prices, as the case may require, Bibles, Prayer 
 Books and Tracts, in every language that may be ealled for, and 
 in every form; first to the whole Church in these United Siates, as 
 now, or hereafter to be organized,—next to our foreign Missionary 
 Stations, and then to all mankind—by whomsoever they may be 
 needed, and will be received. | % 
 
 Let the Society be organized with a view to the comprehension 
 of the whole Church, and placed on the same footing, as a gene- 
 ral Institution, with the General Sunday School Union, the Gene- 
 ral Theological Seminary, and the General Missionary Society. 
 
 Let the annual payment of one dollar constitute membership ; 
 with provision for constituting Life Members, Governors for life, 
 and Patrons, by the payment of larger sums. And let every en- 
 couragement be given to the payment of subscriptions, and con- 
 tributions, in weekly, monthly and quarterly sums. 
 
 Let the Presiding Bishop be, ex officio, President; and the other 
 Bishops, in the order of seniority, Vice-Presidents. 
 
 Let the seat of the Society’s operations be established at some 
 central place, of convenient access to libraries and learned men, 
 
 and with facilities of transportation, in all seasons, to Be various 
 
13 
 
 parts of the country. Let as many of the Directors as will consti- 
 tute an effective Executive Committee, reside in, or near it; of which 
 the Bishop, in whose diocese it is, shall be, ex officio, Chairman. 
 
 Let there be connected with this Committee, an efficient Secre- 
 taryship and Agency; having in charge the publication of monthly 
 or quarterly papers, to contain the proceedings of the Society, and 
 whatever else may tend to promote its interests. Under the direc- 
 tion of this Committee, with the approbation of at least two Bish- 
 ops, besides the Chairman, let translations be made, and editions 
 prepared andissued, by suitable persons,—appointed by the Com- 
 mittee, (with the consent of at least three Bishops,) to superin- 
 tend respectively the Bible, the Prayer Book, and the ‘Tract de- 
 pariments. 
 
 In the selection of the Tracts, let it be the privilege of the Bish- 
 ops, in the order of their seniority, to select and recommend them 
 for publication,—the recommendation of each Bishop, in his turn, 
 being final, as to the Tract which he proposes. 
 
 Let the appropriation of the books, to the several dioceses be in 
 proportion to the amount coniributed, in every form, by each; the 
 quota appertaining to each diocese being at the disposal of the Bish- 
 op, or, where there is no Bishop, of the President of the Standing 
 Committee—-one third of each edition being always reserved for 
 sale or gratuitous distribution, and two thirds being apportioned as 
 above, at cost prices. 
 
 Let it be recommended to every diocese to organize an auxiliary, 
 —to every parish to form an association,--and to every clergyman 
 to volunteer as agent, in aid of the Society, under the direction of 
 the Executive Committee, and for the love of Christ, and of souls, 
 
 Let the Bishop of each diocese, or where there is no Bishop, the 
 
 _ Standing Committee, be requested to appoint an Agent, to visit 
 
14 
 
 each congregation in the diocese, as soon as may be, after the or- 
 ganization of the Society, to explain and to promote its objects. 
 
 Let the Bishops be requested, in addition to the regular sub- 
 scriptions and contributions, and occasional donations, to appoint, 
 annually, some Sunday, on which it shall be recommended to the 
 parochial Clergy to preach a sermon in behalf of the Society, and 
 ask a collection in aid of its funds. 
 
 Finally, let every member of the Church make it his daily prayer 
 to Almighty God, that he may direct, approve and bless this effort 
 for his service, and glory,——‘‘ granting us in this world knowledge 
 
 of’’ his ‘ truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting.” 
 
Shall we, whose souls are lighted 
 
 With wisdom from on high, 
 Shall we, to men benighted 
 
 The lamp of life deny ? 
 Salvation! Oh, Salvation! 
 
 The joyful sound proclaim 
 Till each remotest nation 
 
 Has learnt Messiah’s name! 
 
 Waft, waft, ye winds his story, 
 And you, ye waters, roll, 
 Till, like a sea of glory, 
 It spreads from pole to pole: 
 Till o’er our ransomed nature 
 The Lamb for sinners slain, 
 Redeemer, King, Creator, 
 
 In bliss returns to reign.