Download The Jubilee Memorial of the Religious Tract Society Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. THE EARLY ADDRESSES OF THE COMMITTEE. The presentation of the claims of the Society to support?Nature of the agency employed? Doctrines contained in its publications?Its golden rule?Importance of maintaining a catholic principle in the publications?The harmony of the Society with kindred Institutions?Its fundamental principles tested by fifty years' experience. The founders of the Society having committed its management to a Committee of faithful men, no time was lost in presenting its objects to the public, and zealously pressing its claims for liberal support. In July, 1799, the Committee issued a well- prepared address, from which the following is an extract: ? Thousands who would have remained grossly illiterate, having through the medium of Sunday-schools been enabled to read, it is an object of growing importance widely to diffuse such publications as are calculated to make that ability an unquestionable privilege. The Bible, indeed, opens a fountain no less abundant than pure; nor can any human composition, in a religious view, claim our regard, but as it appears to be a stream from that sacred source. Unspeakably happy are all they who, by propagating, in whatever form, the sentiments of divine truth, awaken mankind to an impressive knowledge of their character, their duty, and their prospects. One is the donor of the Bible; a second presents the labours of a Banyan, a Hervey, or a Doddridge; a third dispenses hymns and catechisms, an affecting narrative, or an evangelical address. Let ns join ourselves to their goodly company; let us meet that enemy, who ceaseth not, laden with tares, to traverse the moral field; perhaps we may gather up much of the baneful seed when but just fallen from his hand. Let the fair picture of religion hang in public, ...