as much as a thousand Bibles would cost in the present day, and
which, besides, they could not carry home and read quietly to
themselves, as they were able to do with a simple tract.

At a later period, and chiefly for the last fifty years, this method
has been adopted in almost all countries where true Christian
churches and societies have been established; and even now, millions
of these tracts, adapted to all ages and conditions of men, are
published and distributed every year.

It is, however, but too true, that many tracts thus distributed are
not _religious tracts_; that is to say, the substance of them is
not in conformity with the truth of scripture. Many are published for
the purpose of upholding false religion and wicked principles, and
which, consequently, do great mischief to those who read them.

And if it be asked, "How can a good tract be distinguished from a
bad one?" we thus reply to this very natural question.

A _good tract_ is that which leads us to the Bible; which
speaks of the love of God in Christ; and which encourages the reader
to be holy from a motive of love to God.

A _bad tract_ is therefore that which does not speak of the
Bible; which tells us that salvation may be obtained by human merit,
and which consequently would persuade us to be religious from
interested motives: that is to say, to obtain pardon by means of our
own good works.

Those tracts, too, which speak of man's happiness as if it came from