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‘ [162] of Virginia to appeal to the Christians of the South for means to publish and circulate Testaments and tracts. These appeals, made through secular and religious papers, were liberally responded to by men of all denominations. The board intrusted with the management of this immense work is composed of men of intelligence. They have sought distinction neither for themselves nor the society they represent. It has a history that will survive the present revolution—a place in the affections and a claim to the esteem of the public that time cannot shake. All of its numerous publications are said to be highly evangelical, and commend themselves to members of all denominations. We have no means at present of estimating the number of pages this society has printed and circulated. It has done much—and much remains to be done. The army is large and is daily growing larger. The demand for the Scriptures and tracts continues to be as great, if not greater than at any former period.’

Rev. A. E. Dickinson, the general superintendent of this board, gives the following incidents illustrating the feeling of our people generally at the beginning of this work:

When in Augusta, Georgia, some months ago, I made a public appeal in behalf of the soldiers then in Virginia. After the services were concluded a bright and beautiful little girl of four summers came up with a dime, and said, “Tell my brother Johnnie howdie, and buy him some good little tracts with this.” She thought, of course, everybody knew her brother, and that there would not be any difficulty in finding him. With a glad heart she went away smiling at the thought that she had given her all. The next morning an old negro man came through the drenching rain to my place of abode, and made the following remark: “My heart was so sorry when I heard you tell of dem poor soldiers in Virginia—how dey starving for de Gospel; and to think dat here I hab de preached word all de time, and there dey is fighting for me. My heart is monstrous 'licted when I think of my young massa out in de army, and I wants to send him de Gospel.” So saying, he placed a gold dollar in my hand and expressed his regret that it was “so little.” Several persons gave large sums; but of all the hundreds thrown into the treasury it seemed to me that this little girl and this gray-haired African were the most liberal—they gave of their


Richmond VA, 1887.

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