In South Carolina. 593 



throughout the circuit would be readily informed when and where 

 to forward their subscriptions ; and these would come in at the most 

 convenient time to be forwarded by their treasurer to the treasurer 

 of the Conference society at the place of its annual session. Thus 

 would the circuit societies be brought into regular and easy corre- 

 spondence with that of the Conference, as the Conference society is 

 with the parent institution at New York. Might it not also be well 

 to require the treasurer of each circuit society, or other branch of 

 the Conference society, to furnish a list of the subscribers' names 

 and the names of donors, together with the sums severally sub- 

 scribed or given in his particular society, that the whole may be 

 published in a condensed form, accompanying the Conference min- 

 utes, or as the Conference society may direct. 



Bibles, Sunday-school Books, and Tracts. — We have al- 

 ready expressed our desire to have Sunday-schools established in 

 all our congregations. These require suitable books. The institu- 

 tion of the Bible Society of our Church was principally owing to 

 the want of Bibles and Testaments for our Sunday-schools — an ap- 

 plication to form a society in connection with that called American 

 having been refused. For as good a reason as can influence Calvin- 

 istic Churches, under the imposing names of American and Na- 

 tional Societies, to monopolize, as far as they can, the publication 

 of Sunday-school books and tracts, we feel it our duty to provide 

 for the wants of our own congregations from the press of our own 

 Church. We know no reason why the Methodist people ought to 

 be compelled to support Calvinistic institutions, however ingen- 

 iously conducted, or why they should oblige themselves to purchase 

 for their Sunday-schools and families such publications as are not 

 agreeable to their own belief. The revenue of the National Socie- 

 ties derived from numerous auxiliaries, patrons, agencies, etc., is 

 sufficient to enable them to publish Bibles, Sunday-school books, 

 and tracts at a price a little above the cost of the white paper on 

 which they are printed; while our own institutions, having no 

 hired agents, and paying back to the* auxiliary societies the whole 

 amount of their contributions, cannot possibly afford the books 

 which they publish at so low a rate. Some means, therefore, ought 

 to be devised to make up this deficiency. Bibles, Sunday-school 

 books, and tracts published by us must be afforded at as low prices as 

 those published by the National Societies, or we must presently suc- 

 cumb to them, and be content to purchase only such books and tracts 

 as they may please to publish. In order to meet this exigencv, it 

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