FROM

"THE BIBLE, I SAY THE BIBLE, ONLY, IS THE RELIGION OF PROTESTANTS."--CHILLINGWORTH.
VOL. I.	PITTSBURGH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1844.	NO. 2.

      A new class of missionaries, called Colporteurs, has of late years appeared on the field of missionary enterprise. They are scattered over Ireland, France, and other Catholic countries in Europe, and are sustained by societies, and benevolent institutions. They are generally men of humble literary acquirements, but possessed of good, practical sense, courage, zeal and piety, to fit them for their perilous and difficult duties.--Their business is to carry about Bibles, like peddlars; to sell or give them away, and where the people cannot read, or it would be unsafe to leave the Bible with them, lest the priests should burn it to read it to them. They enter the houses of the poor and if they will listen, read to them portions of the Scriptures; often several families are assembled at night to hear the Word of God together, and thus in many instances, despite the vigilance of the Romish priests, the people are enlightened and turned from the superstitions of Popery by the simple reading of the Bible. So intrepid and persevering are these men that they battle all the attempts of their enemies to oppose them, and by their labors, many Romanists in different countries in Europe have been already delivered from the thraldom of the Pope. This is truly a novel and efficient instrumentality, to communicate Bible truths to those from whom the Bible has been withheld, and presents an admirable opportunity of doing good, to the benevolent and enterprising, and especially those who are wealthy, by sustaining those useful and devoted Colporteurs. We have heard of a lady in Baltimore, by whose liberality one of those missionaries in France is chiefly supported. The Romanists in Europe have manifested extraordinary interest in our spiritual welfare, having formed societies and poured out their money like water, to send hundreds of priests and nuns to our country to proselyte to the descendants of the Puritans to Popery. Surely then it is due from us to exhibit equal interest in their spiritual welfare, to reciprocate their benevolence towards us, by equal zeal and liberality in sending hundreds of Colporteurs to enlighten their benighted millions by circulating among them the Bible.

["Colportage." The Protestant Unionist, 1 (November 6, 1844): 6.]

      Walter Scott's "Colportage" was first published in The Protestant Unionist, Vol. 1, No. 2, November 6, 1844. The electronic version of the essay has been produced from microfilm of the newspaper.

      Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
e_stefanik@email.msn.com

Created 11 February 2002.