This year, one of the oldest faith-based organisations still operating today will mark 180 years. Instituted in 1825, the American Tract Society traces its lineage back through the New York Tract Society (1812) and the New England Tract Society (1814) to the Religious Tract Society of London, begun in 1799.

"Throughout our history, we've helped Christians spread the gospel on the battlefields and in the business place," according to Dan Southern, president of the American Tract Society (ATS) and former Crusade Director for the Rev. Billy Graham.

According to ATS, the organisation entered the 20th century with a cumulative publishing history of 10 billion pages of tracts, books and Bibles printed in more than 188 languages, used by almost every denomination of Christianity, and circulated in almost every country on the globe.

By 2004, ATS—in partnership with 55 international print partners—was providing print-ready art and funds necessary to help print 7.8 million tracts in 88 languages with distribution to 50 countries.

"Today, we present Bibles to members of the Senate, Congress and West Point cadets," Southern said. "Our palm-sized pamphlets—Christians know as gospel tracts—equip rescue groups at Tsunami relief sites across the sea, comfort US troops in the Middle East, and inform movie-goers about faith in mid-America. "

According to Mark A. Brown, ATS Vice President, the all-time ATS best-selling gospel tract with has been the Rev. Billy Graham's "Steps to Peace With God," which estimates in the tens of millions of tract sales. Meanwhile the most popular ATS movie tract has been the "Passion of the Christ" tracts, with a print run of more than four million.

Currently, ATS maintains an interactive website (www.atstracts.org) on which tracts can be viewed, sent via email and ordered online, and produces Radio Trax, a CD of 60-second daily radio programs available to broadcast media across the country.




Kenneth Chan
Ecumenical Press