Colporteurs
The twenty-ninth Annual Report of the American Baptist Publication society, which has just reached us, contains an encouraging and suggestive account of the usefulness of colporteurs, of whom it has in its service forty-five. The following is an abstract.
Colportage presents the most feasible and effective means of meeting the religious wants of multitudes in every part of the United States. The old world is pouring her teeming millions upon our shores. Many of them are the slaves of superstition, having no acquaintance with the spiritual truths of the gospel. Many of them are open unbelievers, drifted far away from all faith in a revelation, in a future life, or even in a God. The ministry and sabbath services do not reach them. They never enter the sanctuary; they never listen to the preacher; they never mingle with pious Christians. Entangled in the meshes of anti-christian influences, they go down to perdition under the very eaves of the sanctuary, and the ordinary means of grace and the established ordinances of the church are powerless to touch their hearts.
A subtle infidelity is also gradually undermining the foundation of the Christian faith among our native citizens. Perverts to a barren scepticism, both in the highest and lowest circles of American Society, are far more numerous than perverts to Romanism. Wealth and luxury are weakening the restraints of piety. The sabbath, in some quarters, is passing into a holiday, and public worship is neglected by many who call themselves reputable citizens. In the great cities of the Union, a rigid scrutiny would probably discover a large number of sabbath-breakers than of church-goers; while in the more sparsely settled districts on the fronteirs, habits of religious negligence are confirmed by the infrequency of public worship.
The established ministry of the word fails to correct these vils. The ordinary duties of pastors are too engrossing to admit of much extension of labour. They must give themselves to unremitting toil in the study to meet the claims of educated and thoughful hearers. The complicated machinery of religious benevolence is entrusted chiefly to their guidance, and the care of their own flocks forbids any diversion to other spheres of activity. They cannot search out the destitute and ignorant and instruct them; they cannot follow after the wavering and the skeptical and bring them back to the faith; they can not visit the superstitious at their homes, and by patient kindness and persuassion win them to th etruth. Much of this work, indeed, falls to the lot of every pastor; but the duties of the pastorate are too arduous, to make it other than incidental to his ordinary engagements.
In the apostolic age the preacher went in search of hearers. In our age he waits for the people to seek him. We mean not to draw an unfavourable contrast, but only to indicate that the changes in modern society, and the cares and labours inevitable in large congregations, prevent our pastors from entering upon missionary work. Their hands are already full. They are sinking under their heavy burdens. Unless osme other class is specially commissioned to look after those who neglect the sanctuary and have no interest in personal religion, they will have no gospel, but will live as pagans in the heart of a Christian nation. We are persuaded that the churches have hitherto overlooked this larming fact. Satisfied with the prosperity of our religious institutions; cheered by the rapid increase of Christian sanctuaries, dotting the surface of the netire Union; exulting in the intelligence and wealth and liberality of Christian congregations, they are unmindful of the thousnads who keep no sabbath, and attend no house of worship. In all our great cities and probably in every paret of the Union, multitudes may be found who are as ignorant of the funamental truths of the gospel as if born and reared in a heathn land. It is of little avail for this class, to erect beautiful and commodious houses of worship; to fill the pulputs with a learned and eloquent ministry; they are prejudiced against both churches and preachers, and hold themselves stubbornly aloof from all religious influences.
The colporteur is therefore an invaluable assistant and auxiliary to the pastor. He goes out into the highways and heges to compel those to come in who would otherwise receive no invitation to the feast. He explores the lanes and alleys of the citiy, and the frontier settlements of the western prairie, and carries the gospel to the doors of those who would never seek it. His gentle admonitions recall the lessons of childhood to the memories of many who have fallen insensibly into habits of religious indifference and neglect. He removes prejudices from the minds of candid opposers, and often drops a word, which, like the arrow shot at a venture, pierces the heart of the sceptic and the reprobate. The volumes that he leaves behind him, containing the very essence of gospel truth, often complete the work he has begun, and converts are preared for the themissionary and the pastor. So long as the regular ministry are inadequate to the wants of our growing population; so long as every community contains large numbers of errorists and sceptics, and habitual neglecters of an evangelical sanctuary; so long as numerous families can be found unsupplied with the bible and with religious works; so long will the colporteur be an indispensable auxiliary to the ordained ministry.
We hope the day is not far distant when city churches will feel that their organization is hardly complete unless a colporteur is supported in connection with the stated pastor. With an intelligent and holy ministry in the pulpits to unfold gospel truth with comprehensiveness and power and with a judicious and zealous band of colporteurs to visit from house to house among the habitual neglecters of the sanctuary the problem of evangelizing great cities may at length be solved and the chief danger to our republic taught by the stern lessons of past history may be perhaps averted.
The system of colportage is accomplishing some of its most valuable results among the emigrant population of our country. Seven colporteurs in the employ of the society have been labouring during the year among the German settlers and one for a few months devoted himself chiefly to the Swedish emigrants.
The German element in our population is worthy of special attention, and the great success which haa followed well directed labor in their behalf supplies abundant motives for increased diligence in the future. The first preaching among them advocating our denominational views was commenced by Rev Mr Fleischman now of Philadelphia in Newark New Jersey in the year 1839. His coadjutors have multiplied till the German baptists in this country now number twelve churches, seventeen ordained ministers and not far from a thousand members. They have united in a regular association and are expecting soon to establish a monthly paper as a substantial means of increasing the intelligence and strengthening the unity of their newly gathered membership.
If our churches rejoice over the remarkable success of the apostolic Oncken and his noble band
of labourers in the father land and contribute freely to sustain him in his arduous toils and
pray with an unfaltering faith for the continued success of his labours, why should we not
equally rejoice at the numerous German converts gathered on our own shores and multiply our
charities that the three millions of German emigrants who have found a home among us may be
supplied with gospel truth and be won to the cordial embrace of a spiritual Christianity,
uncorrupted by the traditions of men and the superstitious rites of an apostate church.
A large increase of German colporteurs will prepare the way for numerous churches in the
next generation.
The labours of the colporteurs during the year have met with general success. The sales of
books have largely increased owing in part no doubt to an increase in the number and an
improvement in the character of the society's publications. A large number of volumes and
tracts almost without number have been distributed gratuitously to families unable to
purchase.
One colporteur has baptized twenty five converts. Another reports twenty eight baptisms
another 109 and another sixty five consequent upon his labours. Another has reported conversions
almost every month in connection with his visits and the distribution of tracts. Others have been
instrumental in the formation of new churches have assisted in precious revivals and have
scattered seed whose harvestings will be gathered for a century to come.
The board continue to regard with favour the colporteur labours of students during their vacations
from study. It furnishes an admirable practical discipline introduces them to an acquaintance with
men as well аз books and saves them from many mortifying experiences which fall to the lot of others
who enter directly from the cloistered study upon the duties of pastoral life. One of the most
pleasing features in the colporteur operations of the year is the disposition manifested by
benevolent Christians to sustain colporteurs at their individual expense.
A brother in New Hampshire has assumed the support of a labourer in Iowa and has increased his
donation by a liberal sum to furnish books for gratuitous distribution among the destitute.
A pious lady in Boston is also responsible for a German colporteur in Ohio and several brethren in
Massachusets, New York and Pennsylvania, are completing their arrangements for the same praiseworthy object.
The sum required is so trifling 150 dollars per annum that many business men of limited resources and other
persons with slender incomes find this noble charity brought within their reach. The merchant burdened with
worldly cures in the counting room the mechanic toiling arduously in the workshop and the widow cumbered with
domestic solicitudes may all preach the gospel by the lips of the colporteur and bring upon their heads the
blessing of many ready to perish. Мaу the good woik so auspiciously commenced gain in favour with the churches
till the number individual supporters of colporteur labourera is increased a hundredfold.
Associations are also learning the value of colportage within their own limits and are appointing suitable men for this department of labour under the general control of the society. The work has commenced in all the New England states except Rhode Island and as its good influences are felt in the diffusion of a healthful religious literature among the churches in the growing intelligence of the membership and the conversion of sabbath breakers and errorists and confirmed sceptics the example will be commended to general imitation. There is not an association in the land in which the immediate benefits of colporteurs would not be felt in the enlarged piety and activity of the churches.
In former years the board have found it difficult to obtain suitable labourers. The smallness of the compensation compared with the toil and sacrifices incident to the service have deterred many from enlisting in the band of colporteurs. But within a few month a new impulse has been given to this department of labour. Alike from the north and the south the east and the west applications for appointment have flowed in a steady stream. From a multitude of pious hearts sorrowing over the desolations of Zion has gone forth the cry "Here am I send me." Since the first of January nearly fifty applications have been received from brethren highly recommended by pastors and brethren as suitable men to enter upon colporteur labour.
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It has appeared to the desirable to try in Ireland the colporteur system which has been productive of so much good on the continent of Europe and in America. Two agents have been engaged and we hope that before this meets the eye of the reader they will be in possession of bibles testaments tracts and other religious books for sale among their countrymen.
Page 350 - Report of a Hamburgh Baptist Colporteur
It was in the year 1837 that I first heard the gospel preached which the Lord blessed to my conversion and on the 12th of April 1838 I was received into the church by baptism. Soon afterwards I began distributing tracts in which many brethren here are engaged every alternate Sunday. A gracious God increased my zeal continually in this blessed work and we circulated tracts in Hamburgh and for many miles round in its environs. Certainly we were persecuted at times but the Lord of Lords has been on our side. In the course of the next year my dear heavenly Father was pleased through the Bible Society to call me to the work of a colporteur.
Many opportunities to be active in the spread of God's kingdom have occurred to me especially during the wars of these years when different armies have occupied our town. I have been able to distribute of tracta and portions of holy and even many bibles and testaments among the stranger soldiers. I hope the great day will disclose much good in consequence of these weak efforts.
Among these warriors were many catholics, Austrians, Italians, Gallicians, Bohemians, Hungarians, etc., to whom it was very difficult to gain access at first they esteeming me as a heretic. As however they became acquainted with our opinions they willingly took extracts and detached portions from the word of God. Many bought bibles and testaments in their own tongue and promised to read them in their own country. Many acknowledged that they had been in the dark by their priests and in proof of the sincerity of their professions some gave me their letters of indulgence which they had obtained at considerable expense.
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