The Cumulative and Progressive Character of the Good done through a Tract or a Book!
The Rev. Mr. Kincaid, of Burmah, favourably known to many in Madras, at a late meeting of the American Tract Society held up a little tract, which he said cost one cent, but which had been the means of converting the son of a Karen Chief; and he asked who gave that cent? No doubt it was given with many others that were lost. It was the one shot of a thousand which alone took effect. But in the great day of account, its value will be fully known, and all who contribute to the blessing will rejoice together.
A tract or book, thrown into the dead sea of heathenism, may cause a movement which shall spread to its remotest shores. We cannot expect to see as manifest results here as in Christian lands, but the principle is the same. There a Baxter wrote in thoughts that breathe and words that burn — and a spark from his writings, which have lighted multitudes on their way to heaven, fell on the conscience of Doddridge, and urged him, smarting under his sins, to the Saviour. Doddridge, in turn, among other books, wrote the Rise and Progress of Religion, and this was the means of converting Wilberforce as well as thousands of others. Wilberforce wrote his Practical Christianity, so much blessed to many in different parts of the world, and among them to Legh Richmond, whose charming and convincing writings have done and are doing so much in many languages and many climes.
Instance the manner in which these have been scattered. Soon after the first downfall of Napoleon, the Emperor Alexander of Russia visited England. As he was standing one day on one of the towers near Plymouth dock-yard, viewing the shipping, he was accosted very courteously by a gentleman in black, who offered his telescope and pointed out intelligently the various objects worthy of the Emperor's notice. This was Legh Richmond, and he took occasion from the interview to send the Emperor his little tract, the Dairyman's Daughter. The Emperor received it kindly, and after his return home, sent the author a diamond ring in return. The tract was translated into Russian by a pious Princess, who had previously been acquainted with Dr. Pinkerton, and who entered into a correspondence with the author, and obtained from him his other tracts, which she also translated, and scattered far and wide, in that destitute land.
An instance in which Doddridge's Rise and Progress had been made particularly useful. More than forty years ago a clergyman, travelling into the Western part of the State of New York, in America, took with him a few books, among which was the Rise and Progress. In a part of the country then almost a wilderness, with only here and there a rising village, he found at an inn a young woman busy at intervals, as she waited upon him. reading a book; and as he noticed, making' also extracts from it. He inquired what book it was, and learned that it was the Rise and Progress, and that, as it was borrowed and must soon be returned, she was selecting from it such parts as she thought would be particularly useful to her. The clergyman was so much gratified by her earnestness, that he gave her, from those which he had with him, the volume which she seemed to prize so much.
Thirty-seven years after this clergyman was passing through the same section of the country, and came to this place, then a large and flourishing village. As he had taken the name and address of the young woman, to whom he had given the book, he inquired for her, and was directed to an elegant mansion, of which he was told she was the mistress. He called, and introduced himself, mentioning the circumstance of giving the little volume at the inn, and had the happiness of learning that it had been lent, and read extensively in private and in social meetings; that several had in consequence been converted; a religious society, of which there was previously none, had been formed, and a minister settled. All this had apparently, as the moving cause, been effected by a single book.
In heathen countries, too, good may be done, which for a long time is unobserved. Recently in Africa the Rev. Dr. Philip in a tour into the interior had discovered several scattered little settlements of Christians, where it was not known there were any in existence. On inquiry it was found that the seed was springing up after many years. Mr. Read had laboured several years at Lattakoo, and after him the indefatigable Moffat and both had left with the impression that labour there, and in the vicinity, was nearly hopeless. Yet after more than sixteen years, a man who had been under instruction at Lattakoo when a boy, and had left it young, had been brought to consider on his ways, and turn to the Lord, while far away from any missionary and destitute of the means of grace; and he had set himself to convince others of the truth. Thus these little Christian settlements had commenced, in the beginning, unknown to the missionaries.
- Remarks of Rev. M. WINSLOW, A. M., on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of The Madras Tract and Book Society held in the Davidson Street Chapel on Wednesday Evening, the 7th February 1844.
The Rev. Mr. Kincaid, of Burmah, favourably known to many in Madras, at a late meeting of the American Tract Society held up a little tract, which he said cost one cent, but which had been the means of converting the son of a Karen Chief; and he asked who gave that cent? No doubt it was given with many others that were lost. It was the one shot of a thousand which alone took effect. But in the great day of account, its value will be fully known, and all who contribute to the blessing will rejoice together.
A tract or book, thrown into the dead sea of heathenism, may cause a movement which shall spread to its remotest shores. We cannot expect to see as manifest results here as in Christian lands, but the principle is the same. There a Baxter wrote in thoughts that breathe and words that burn — and a spark from his writings, which have lighted multitudes on their way to heaven, fell on the conscience of Doddridge, and urged him, smarting under his sins, to the Saviour. Doddridge, in turn, among other books, wrote the Rise and Progress of Religion, and this was the means of converting Wilberforce as well as thousands of others. Wilberforce wrote his Practical Christianity, so much blessed to many in different parts of the world, and among them to Legh Richmond, whose charming and convincing writings have done and are doing so much in many languages and many climes.
Instance the manner in which these have been scattered. Soon after the first downfall of Napoleon, the Emperor Alexander of Russia visited England. As he was standing one day on one of the towers near Plymouth dock-yard, viewing the shipping, he was accosted very courteously by a gentleman in black, who offered his telescope and pointed out intelligently the various objects worthy of the Emperor's notice. This was Legh Richmond, and he took occasion from the interview to send the Emperor his little tract, the Dairyman's Daughter. The Emperor received it kindly, and after his return home, sent the author a diamond ring in return. The tract was translated into Russian by a pious Princess, who had previously been acquainted with Dr. Pinkerton, and who entered into a correspondence with the author, and obtained from him his other tracts, which she also translated, and scattered far and wide, in that destitute land.
An instance in which Doddridge's Rise and Progress had been made particularly useful. More than forty years ago a clergyman, travelling into the Western part of the State of New York, in America, took with him a few books, among which was the Rise and Progress. In a part of the country then almost a wilderness, with only here and there a rising village, he found at an inn a young woman busy at intervals, as she waited upon him. reading a book; and as he noticed, making' also extracts from it. He inquired what book it was, and learned that it was the Rise and Progress, and that, as it was borrowed and must soon be returned, she was selecting from it such parts as she thought would be particularly useful to her. The clergyman was so much gratified by her earnestness, that he gave her, from those which he had with him, the volume which she seemed to prize so much.
Thirty-seven years after this clergyman was passing through the same section of the country, and came to this place, then a large and flourishing village. As he had taken the name and address of the young woman, to whom he had given the book, he inquired for her, and was directed to an elegant mansion, of which he was told she was the mistress. He called, and introduced himself, mentioning the circumstance of giving the little volume at the inn, and had the happiness of learning that it had been lent, and read extensively in private and in social meetings; that several had in consequence been converted; a religious society, of which there was previously none, had been formed, and a minister settled. All this had apparently, as the moving cause, been effected by a single book.
In heathen countries, too, good may be done, which for a long time is unobserved. Recently in Africa the Rev. Dr. Philip in a tour into the interior had discovered several scattered little settlements of Christians, where it was not known there were any in existence. On inquiry it was found that the seed was springing up after many years. Mr. Read had laboured several years at Lattakoo, and after him the indefatigable Moffat and both had left with the impression that labour there, and in the vicinity, was nearly hopeless. Yet after more than sixteen years, a man who had been under instruction at Lattakoo when a boy, and had left it young, had been brought to consider on his ways, and turn to the Lord, while far away from any missionary and destitute of the means of grace; and he had set himself to convince others of the truth. Thus these little Christian settlements had commenced, in the beginning, unknown to the missionaries.
- Remarks of Rev. M. WINSLOW, A. M., on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of The Madras Tract and Book Society held in the Davidson Street Chapel on Wednesday Evening, the 7th February 1844.
The Cumulative and Progressive Character of the Good done through a Tract or a Book!
The Rev. Mr. Kincaid, of Burmah, favourably known to many in Madras, at a late meeting of the American Tract Society held up a little tract, which he said cost one cent, but which had been the means of converting the son of a Karen Chief; and he asked who gave that cent? No doubt it was given with many others that were lost. It was the one shot of a thousand which alone took effect. But in the great day of account, its value will be fully known, and all who contribute to the blessing will rejoice together.
A tract or book, thrown into the dead sea of heathenism, may cause a movement which shall spread to its remotest shores. We cannot expect to see as manifest results here as in Christian lands, but the principle is the same. There a Baxter wrote in thoughts that breathe and words that burn — and a spark from his writings, which have lighted multitudes on their way to heaven, fell on the conscience of Doddridge, and urged him, smarting under his sins, to the Saviour. Doddridge, in turn, among other books, wrote the Rise and Progress of Religion, and this was the means of converting Wilberforce as well as thousands of others. Wilberforce wrote his Practical Christianity, so much blessed to many in different parts of the world, and among them to Legh Richmond, whose charming and convincing writings have done and are doing so much in many languages and many climes.
Instance the manner in which these have been scattered. Soon after the first downfall of Napoleon, the Emperor Alexander of Russia visited England. As he was standing one day on one of the towers near Plymouth dock-yard, viewing the shipping, he was accosted very courteously by a gentleman in black, who offered his telescope and pointed out intelligently the various objects worthy of the Emperor's notice. This was Legh Richmond, and he took occasion from the interview to send the Emperor his little tract, the Dairyman's Daughter. The Emperor received it kindly, and after his return home, sent the author a diamond ring in return. The tract was translated into Russian by a pious Princess, who had previously been acquainted with Dr. Pinkerton, and who entered into a correspondence with the author, and obtained from him his other tracts, which she also translated, and scattered far and wide, in that destitute land.
An instance in which Doddridge's Rise and Progress had been made particularly useful. More than forty years ago a clergyman, travelling into the Western part of the State of New York, in America, took with him a few books, among which was the Rise and Progress. In a part of the country then almost a wilderness, with only here and there a rising village, he found at an inn a young woman busy at intervals, as she waited upon him. reading a book; and as he noticed, making' also extracts from it. He inquired what book it was, and learned that it was the Rise and Progress, and that, as it was borrowed and must soon be returned, she was selecting from it such parts as she thought would be particularly useful to her. The clergyman was so much gratified by her earnestness, that he gave her, from those which he had with him, the volume which she seemed to prize so much.
Thirty-seven years after this clergyman was passing through the same section of the country, and came to this place, then a large and flourishing village. As he had taken the name and address of the young woman, to whom he had given the book, he inquired for her, and was directed to an elegant mansion, of which he was told she was the mistress. He called, and introduced himself, mentioning the circumstance of giving the little volume at the inn, and had the happiness of learning that it had been lent, and read extensively in private and in social meetings; that several had in consequence been converted; a religious society, of which there was previously none, had been formed, and a minister settled. All this had apparently, as the moving cause, been effected by a single book.
In heathen countries, too, good may be done, which for a long time is unobserved. Recently in Africa the Rev. Dr. Philip in a tour into the interior had discovered several scattered little settlements of Christians, where it was not known there were any in existence. On inquiry it was found that the seed was springing up after many years. Mr. Read had laboured several years at Lattakoo, and after him the indefatigable Moffat and both had left with the impression that labour there, and in the vicinity, was nearly hopeless. Yet after more than sixteen years, a man who had been under instruction at Lattakoo when a boy, and had left it young, had been brought to consider on his ways, and turn to the Lord, while far away from any missionary and destitute of the means of grace; and he had set himself to convince others of the truth. Thus these little Christian settlements had commenced, in the beginning, unknown to the missionaries.
- Remarks of Rev. M. WINSLOW, A. M., on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of The Madras Tract and Book Society held in the Davidson Street Chapel on Wednesday Evening, the 7th February 1844.
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