Gift Tappan Prest, Ass 1-23-1932 ADDRESS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Young Men's Tract Society beg the attention of the Christian public, and especially the attention of the young men who desire to advance the Redeemer's kingdom by the dissemination of religious truth among the destitute in our own State, whilst they explain the cause of the formation and the existence of this Society. In the month of January 1827, a meeting of the friends of the Tract cause was held, in this city, to take into consideration the practicability of establishing a branch of the Parent Society in our State; when, in view of its spiritual wants and moral wastes, a Society was constituted, entitled, "The Pennsylvania Branch of the American Tract Society." The Branch then had for its object the establishment of auxiliaries throughout the State; believing in that way the feelings and energies of the friends of the cause would be most effectually engaged and most beneficially employed. Through the favour of a kind Providence they succeeded in establishing a large number of auxiliaries, the Society prospered, the cause of Tracts was considered the cause of Christ, many came up to its help, and it bade fair to continue one of the most flourishing of any of the benevolent institutions in this State. Within a few years the sun of its prosperity has been obscured by a dark cloud of careless indifference. All the causes which have produced the present state of its affairs are not known, nor is it important that they should be known. We hesitate not to say, however, that one great reason of this sad decline is a loss of interest in the Tract cause, owing to the condition and engagements of those who once felt and laboured much for its success. Acquainted with the above facts, impressed with the im 1 portance of using some means for the resuscitation of this blessed Institution, and feeling that different energies from those heretofore employed, must now be used to ef fect this desirable end, some young men of this city held a meeting in January last for the purpose of considering the expediency of adopting such measures as would have a tendency to enlist the feelings and energies of young men throughout the State, in the dissemination of religi ous truth through the medium of Tracts. At this meet. ing a society was formed, which has for its object "the promotion of evangelical religion and sound morality, by the establishment of auxiliary associations of young men for the circulation of religious Tracts throughout the State of Pennsylvania." It will be seen from the foregoing statement, that it is not our object to supplant any other sister society which may at present be in existence, but on the contrary, we desire to adopt such measures as will give a more beneficial direction to the efforts which are already made to advance the general interests of the Tract cause in our State, as well as to insure the success and continuance of any which may in future be employed. We do not intend at present to make appeals for the alms of our Christian friends, but solely desire to engage the feelings and energies of the young men in promoting the interests of the general cause throughout this State. Young men! Christian young men! Beloved in the Lord! give ear to our appeal in behalf of this noble cause. Although much has been done in past ages to benefit mankind by the general diffusion of knowledge, and the inculcation of correct moral principles; yet in no age of the world has so much been done to render man happy, in no age has the car of salvation made such an onward progress as in the present. The throne of the arch-demon of iniquity already is beginning to totter, and the sceptre of King Immanuel soon will be elevated on its ruins. The signs of the times indicate that this age is to be one, upon which, after ages will look back, not with regret, but with heartfelt pleasure, as being the harbinger of exalted happiness to them and their posterity. Improvement is its noble characteristic, not merely the improvement of a state or a kingdom, but |