APPENDIX. The following Letter, dated Oct. 11, 1816, is from the Rev. Daniel Smith, to whom, first in company with Rev. Samuel J. Mills, and afterwards alone, Tracts were delivered by the instrumentality of the Committee, for gratuitous distri bution in the Southern and Western parts of the United States. Through your instrumentality, and through the liberality of various original subscribers to your Institution, and other individuals, I have had the means of extensive usefulness placed in my hands. When Mr. Mills and myself performed a missionary tour through the western and southern States and Territories, we had near fifteen thousand of your Tracts for gratuitous distribution. We, at that time, widely dispersed these "winged messengers of salva tion," through the most destitute regions of the west and south. And during the last year, on my second missionary excursion, I have been enabled to distribute upwards of eight thousand more. Permit me to lay before you a brief account of the manner in which I have discharged my trust, and of some of the effects produced by these interesting charities. Many of the Tracts, I distributed with my own hands; but by far the greater part, I sent for distribution into various places in the southern and western states; confiding them to faithful and judicious men, with whom, for the most part, I am personally acquainted. While I remained in New Orleans, I saw the convent of the Ursuline nuns supplied with a variety of Tracts both in the English and French languages. (A number of French Tracts had been received by A. Hennen, Esq. from England.) Our intercourse on this subject was chiefly held with Miss J. an American lady who has lately taken the vail. When we placed them in her hands, she frankly said she would read them all; but if she found any thing in them hostile to her church, she should certainly burn them. When she had perused them, she found no fault with any of them, and expressed a high degree of satisfaction in some of them; particularly, in "The Dairyman's Daughter," "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain," and "The Negro Servant." She requested a number of each of these Tracts, for the use of the classes in a school of young ladies attached to the convent. The young ladies, she said, were quite delighted with them. Some of the French nuns likewise spoke of them in terms of the most decided approbation. Who can tell how much may be effected by your publications within the cloisters of a convent? At a meeting of the Mississippi Presbytery, I made that body a donation of one thousand Tracts, to be distributed in the congregations connected with it. The offer of them occasioned a burst of grateful feeling that was truly surprising. One elder said, he had distributed some before, and that nothing set the people to reading like them. A vote of thanks was immediately passed to the liberal donors of them. When the Amite and West Florida Bible Society was organized, I sent the Board of Trustees a number of copies of "The Bible above all Price," (No. 71.) to accompany their subscription papers. This was considered a very seasonable and very useful present. The Trustees passed a resolution of thanks for it. This resolution was communicated by the Vice President of the Society. From the same gentleman I afterwards received a still more pleasing testimonial of the usefulness of your Tracts. It was transmitted to me in a letter from a worthy clergyman, who says, "Accept, Reverend Brother, this my acknowledgment for the receipt of the Tracts and Pamphlets by the hand of Capt. D. I have examined a part, and have distributed some in my neighbourhood. I consider them well calculated to promote the cause of the Redeemer. I am authorized by a wealthy and respectable gentleman, (the Vice President,) to state to you, that 'in the good Providence of God he has shared bountifully in spiritual consolations through the reading of those pamphlets; while they have disclosed to him the numerous sinks of pollution in his heart which were unobserved before." " Another respectable clergyman in the Mississippi Territory, having spoken of the usefulness of Bibles, says, "Tracts also have frequently contained a word in season to the receivers. One instance I beg leave to mention. To a lady, a sister in our communion, who was in a distressed state of mind, I sent one by her husband. The next time I saw him, he said, 'You have done me an unspeakable kindness. Nothing could have been more seasonable than the book you sent her.' The next visit I made to the family, I found it had been blessed to her edification and comfort. Where I preached last Sunday, the people meet every Sabbath; and when destitute of preaching they profess to have been edified by the reading of the Tracts. On the whole, I am well satisfied that the circulation of the Scriptures and other books on religious subjects will be blessed to effect a happy change in the state of society. Those humbling doctrines of the Gospel, explained and supported in those books, are the only ones to reform mankind. Our worthy New England friends are doing a great work. I am happy to assist in succeeding their views. I feel we are much their debtors." From an elder in the Presbyterian church at Pine Ridge, Mississippi Territory, I received a letter in substance as follows: Pine Ridge, June 11, 1816. ،، Rev. Sir,I wish to address you a few lines respecting the Tracts and other books you were pleased to put into my hands for circulation. The reception they met was truly gratifying. The Tracts in particular had a great effect on all classes of people. They are generally looked upon by the youth, as a divine message sent for their conviction. I have been much gratified in distributing them, having seen and heard the praise and thanks returned on receiving them. Many instances I could give you in detail. I shall confine myself to two or three that I cannot pass by unnoticed. Riding into Natchez, one day, I heard the sound of a voice in the woods. I followed it, and found a negro man kneeling behind a tree at prayer. When he approached me, I inquired what he was doing there. He replied with diffidence, "I was saying my prayers." What, do negroes pray? "Yes, master, some few do; but it is to be lamented that so few of them pray," How long have you been in the habit of praying? "Not more than three or four years." What was the means of your having a desire to pray? "It was the will of God. The Scripture tells us we always should pray and make our requests known to God." Can you read? "Yes, Sir." I had some Tracts in my pocket, and required him to show that he could read. He took one and read distinctly. It was "The Negro Servant." I gave it to him, with "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain." He received them with uplifted hands and eyes giving thanks to God for the kind gift. On inquiry I find it is his business every Sabbath day to read them to wicked negroes, and to exhort them to turn from sin and serve God. Another negro, who had received a couple of Tracts from me, carries them in his bosom, calling them, the gift of heaven. Being asked by one of his fellow servants, if he would sell him the gift of heaven, his reply was, "The gift of God is not to be purchased with money. Your money perishes with you, and you (I fear) are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and have neither part nor lot in this matter. I would not take fifty dollars for them, if there were no more of them." One of my neighbours, a very moral and well informed man, and a friend of religion, received a few Tracts for the use of his children. But on reading them himself, as his wife informed me, he was quite overcome by them. He was so deeply affected that he could not read without stopping. And in another instance, I have every reason to believe a good work is begun. A little boy of genteel and moral parents received a couple of Tracts, and read them with so much interest, and discovered so much gravity of deportment afterwards, that his mother desired to see the little books herself. And when she had commenced, she could not stop until she had read them through. The little boy tells me that the reading of them makes his mother cry. He often inquires of me, "When will you return with more good books? Other books," he says, “are very useful for information, but do no good in dying." I have frequent opportunities of observing him and he is very sedate in his behaviour." Wishing you success in your useful labours, I subscribe myself, Your obliged friend, DANIEL SMITH. OFFICERS, ELECTED MAY 26, 1817. HON. WILLIAM REED, Marblehead, President. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. REV. JEDIDIAH MORSE, D. D. REV. JUSTIN EDWARDS, of Andover, STATE OF THE SOCIETY'S FUNDS. BALANCE due from the Society, May 27, 1816 EXPENSE for paper, printing, &c. from May 27, 1816, to May 26, 1817 RECEIVED from May 27, 1816, to May 26, 1817. Donations. 1816, $624.52 2,127.58 $2,752.10 $7.62 1,110.16 $1,117.78 Balance due from he Society May 26, 1817. 1,634.32 JEREMIAH EVARTS, Treasurer. FOURTH REPORT. MAY 27, 1818. THE Executive Committee present their Fourth Annual Report, deeply impressed with the importance of the establishment which has been committed to their charge. And they would not fail to offer their tribute of thanksgiv ing to the Father of mercies, for his blessing which has so manifestly attended their humble endeavours. They have added, the past year, four new Tracts to the Series, viz. No. 86. The Mother's Catechism VOL. V. 87. Conversation in a Boat between Two Seamen Pages. 28 24 8 24 They have also printed new editions of fifty nine of the Tracts previously published. All were editions of 6,000 except those of Nos. 13 and 88, which were 10,000, making the whole number of Tracts published the last year 386,000 1,613,000 Your Committee have also, the past year, established seven new Depositories: viz. These, with those reported the last year, make 40 Depositories now depending on this Society for a constant supply of Tracts. These are stationed in fourteen different States, besides the one in Mississippi Territory. Thus the benefits of this Society are extending to multitudes whom its patrons will probably never see, till they |