American Tract Society
Encyclopedia
The American Tract Society (ATS) is a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825 in New York City
for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature
. ATS 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. Over the years, ATS has produced and distributed many millions of pieces of literature.
ATS is theologically conservative
. It receives funding through a combination of private donations and tract sales. ATS accepts donations to fund tract and evangelistic resource distribution including start-up funding for foreign tract distribution in countries including Africa, Asia, India, South and Latin America, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Churches and other evangelistic groups in the United States can purchase ATS literature at nominal cost for use in their own evangelistic ministries.
ATS is board-governed and benefits from the visibility of its Council of Reference, an advisory board of evangelical notables from business, ministry, and other walks of life.
ATS is currently headquartered in Garland, Texas.
Contributions to ATS are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
(ECFA).
To make Jesus Christ known in His redeeming grace and to promote the interests of vital godliness and sound morality, by the circulation of Religious Tracts, calculated to receive the approbation of all Evangelical Christians (from the ATS Statement of Purpose, 1825).
American Tract's first home in 1825 was a four-story building at 87 Nassau Street in New York City.
Later, in 1894, American Tract built a 23-story headquarters near Broadway and Fifth Avenue in New York City, which still stands today. At the time of its construction it was one of the tallest buildings in NY City.
Three trends motivated the founders of American Tract, a diverse group of evangelical religious leaders from various denominations, to form the Society—a spiritual trend, a geographic trend, and a social trend.
First, the Second Great Awakening
of the late 18th century swept across much of America, giving many Christians a deeper interest in Christian missions and motivating many of them to more aggressively share their faith with others. This new exuberance resulted in many Bible societies and gospel tract ministries being founded from 1800 to 1825. By 1825, some Christians thought that consolidation of some of these various groups was needed.
Second, the United States was expanding rapidly geographically. After the Missouri Compromise
in 1820, Maine and Missouri were added to bring the total states to twenty-four. Florida was annexed in 1819. Oregon Country
was jointly occupied with Great Britain
. How could the gospel be taken across a land that was growing so quickly?
Third, the prospects of a new life in a new land brought millions of immigrants to America in the early 19th century. Between 1800 and 1820 alone, the population of the US swelled from 5,300,000 to 7,250,000. The new land act passed in 1820 reduced the price of land to $1.25 an acre. Ever increasing multitudes needed to know about Jesus Christ.
All of these factors combined to bring about the birth of the American Tract Society, an organization that could efficiently and effectively share the gospel message of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ with the many US citizens in our vast nation.
Many of the tracts that American Tract first published were picked up from other tract societies that had preceded it, but it also printed the writings of Christian preachers, writers, and leaders who were popular in that era. Its list of authors in the first few decades includes well-known Christians like Rev. Issac Watts, Rev. Richard Baxter, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, and Rev. John Bunyan.
Dr. Benjamin Rush was one of the youngest signers of the Declaration of Independence
. His letter, "A Defense of the Bible in Schools," was written in the late 1790s and was published by American Tract in the late 1820s. A reprint of this remarkable letter is now available from American Tract.
Within a few years after its founding, American Tract was producing millions of pieces of Gospel literature—tracts, booklets, books, and even magazines. But a distribution system was needed to put the literature into the hands of those for whom it was printed. Because America was expanding so rapidly, that would be no easy task.
A system of colporteurs--traveling Christian literature salesmen—were enlisted by the Society, and they took their literature into the streets, homes, and churches of America. In 1855 the Society had 659 colporteurs on its roles. An army of colporteurs traveled across America during the 19th century selling and distributing American Tract's literature, leading worship services, and counseling with those they met.
In 1978, ATS relocated its headquarters from New York to Garland, Texas. The move came about as a result of the growing number of churches and ministries purchasing ATS literature in Texas. The leaders of American Tract Society also discovered that it would be cost effective to have the ATS office in Texas.
The ever increasing advances in technology and social media present both challenges and opportunities for ATS in disseminating its message. Over the years ATS has developed a number of ways to present the gospel in a relevant and timely manner. ATS continues to develop new tools to reach the next generation for Jesus Christ.
Through its international division (International Tract Society) ATS has approximately 136 print partners in 70 countries who print and distribute tracts in over 100 languages. The goal is to provide ATS print partners with the necessary resources and funding to print and distribute evangelism tools among disadvantaged churches and evangelists worldwide.
based on 2007 financial data. Using data from ATS’s 2007 federal income tax return, Charity Navigator reported that administrative and management expenses comprised 68% of total expenses and assigned ATS their lowest efficiency rating.
While MainStreet.com recognized that ATS receives income from other sources than contributions (i.e. tract sales), their analysis counted the production cost of the tracts as "administrative and management" expenses. Tract sales are ATS’ primary source of revenue and including these production costs in the calculation of total expenses improves ATS’s organization efficiency as measured by Charity Navigator and more closely aligns ATS with other charities performing similar types of work.
While ATS’ ratio of Management and Administrative expenses to Total Expenses was unusually high in 2007, it should be noted that 2007 was a year in which ATS incurred unusual management expenses related to reorganization. ATS emerged from the reorganization a much leaner and more effective operation as evidenced by the 2008 and 2009 financial data presented in the Organizational Efficiency Table included below.
In December 2010, The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) announced their accreditation of ATS based on the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible StewardshipTM, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fund raising.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature
Christian literature
Christian Literature is writing that deals with Christian themes and incorporates the Christian world view. This constitutes a huge body of extremely varied writing.-Scripture:...
. ATS traces its lineage back through the New York Tract Society (1812) and the New England Tract Society (1814) to the Religious Tract Society
Religious Tract Society
The Religious Tract Society, founded 1799, 56 Paternoster Row and 65 St. Paul's Chuchyard, was the original name of a major British publisher of Christian literature intended initially for evangelism, and including literature aimed at children, women, and the poor.The RTS is also notable for being...
of London, begun in 1799. Over the years, ATS has produced and distributed many millions of pieces of literature.
ATS is theologically conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
. It receives funding through a combination of private donations and tract sales. ATS accepts donations to fund tract and evangelistic resource distribution including start-up funding for foreign tract distribution in countries including Africa, Asia, India, South and Latin America, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Churches and other evangelistic groups in the United States can purchase ATS literature at nominal cost for use in their own evangelistic ministries.
ATS is board-governed and benefits from the visibility of its Council of Reference, an advisory board of evangelical notables from business, ministry, and other walks of life.
ATS is currently headquartered in Garland, Texas.
Contributions to ATS are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
(ECFA).
Vision of American Tract Society
Every Christian effectively sharing the life-changing gospel in their world.American Tract Society Statement of Faith
- The Bible is the only inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:15-17.’’
- That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6; John 1:1; Genesis 1:26.’’
- In the deity of ChristChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. John 1:1-4; Matthew 1:23; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-4; 4:15; Acts 1:11; 2:22-24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. - That the salvation of lost mankind is based solely on the finished work of Christ through regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:4-7; Luke 24:46-47; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12.
- In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 8:9-11; Luke 24:49.
- In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
- In the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13,27; Romans 10:12.
- The chief purpose of the Society is to reach the world with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
- We believe this to be the obligation of every Christian. Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15.
Early history of the American Tract Society
American Tract was founded on May 11, 1825 for a specific purpose:To make Jesus Christ known in His redeeming grace and to promote the interests of vital godliness and sound morality, by the circulation of Religious Tracts, calculated to receive the approbation of all Evangelical Christians (from the ATS Statement of Purpose, 1825).
American Tract's first home in 1825 was a four-story building at 87 Nassau Street in New York City.
Later, in 1894, American Tract built a 23-story headquarters near Broadway and Fifth Avenue in New York City, which still stands today. At the time of its construction it was one of the tallest buildings in NY City.
Three trends motivated the founders of American Tract, a diverse group of evangelical religious leaders from various denominations, to form the Society—a spiritual trend, a geographic trend, and a social trend.
First, the Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
of the late 18th century swept across much of America, giving many Christians a deeper interest in Christian missions and motivating many of them to more aggressively share their faith with others. This new exuberance resulted in many Bible societies and gospel tract ministries being founded from 1800 to 1825. By 1825, some Christians thought that consolidation of some of these various groups was needed.
Second, the United States was expanding rapidly geographically. After the Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30'...
in 1820, Maine and Missouri were added to bring the total states to twenty-four. Florida was annexed in 1819. Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
was jointly occupied with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. How could the gospel be taken across a land that was growing so quickly?
Third, the prospects of a new life in a new land brought millions of immigrants to America in the early 19th century. Between 1800 and 1820 alone, the population of the US swelled from 5,300,000 to 7,250,000. The new land act passed in 1820 reduced the price of land to $1.25 an acre. Ever increasing multitudes needed to know about Jesus Christ.
All of these factors combined to bring about the birth of the American Tract Society, an organization that could efficiently and effectively share the gospel message of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ with the many US citizens in our vast nation.
Many of the tracts that American Tract first published were picked up from other tract societies that had preceded it, but it also printed the writings of Christian preachers, writers, and leaders who were popular in that era. Its list of authors in the first few decades includes well-known Christians like Rev. Issac Watts, Rev. Richard Baxter, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, and Rev. John Bunyan.
Dr. Benjamin Rush was one of the youngest signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. His letter, "A Defense of the Bible in Schools," was written in the late 1790s and was published by American Tract in the late 1820s. A reprint of this remarkable letter is now available from American Tract.
Within a few years after its founding, American Tract was producing millions of pieces of Gospel literature—tracts, booklets, books, and even magazines. But a distribution system was needed to put the literature into the hands of those for whom it was printed. Because America was expanding so rapidly, that would be no easy task.
A system of colporteurs--traveling Christian literature salesmen—were enlisted by the Society, and they took their literature into the streets, homes, and churches of America. In 1855 the Society had 659 colporteurs on its roles. An army of colporteurs traveled across America during the 19th century selling and distributing American Tract's literature, leading worship services, and counseling with those they met.
American Tract Society today
From these origins, American Tract Society has continued to proclaim their message of salvation in Jesus Christ for over 185 years and ATS believes its mission and message are as relevant today as when it was formed in 1825.In 1978, ATS relocated its headquarters from New York to Garland, Texas. The move came about as a result of the growing number of churches and ministries purchasing ATS literature in Texas. The leaders of American Tract Society also discovered that it would be cost effective to have the ATS office in Texas.
The ever increasing advances in technology and social media present both challenges and opportunities for ATS in disseminating its message. Over the years ATS has developed a number of ways to present the gospel in a relevant and timely manner. ATS continues to develop new tools to reach the next generation for Jesus Christ.
Through its international division (International Tract Society) ATS has approximately 136 print partners in 70 countries who print and distribute tracts in over 100 languages. The goal is to provide ATS print partners with the necessary resources and funding to print and distribute evangelism tools among disadvantaged churches and evangelists worldwide.
American Tract Society in the news
In 2010, MainStreet.com and the Dallas Morning News reported American Tract Society as the least efficient charity in America citing a rating from Charity NavigatorCharity Navigator
Charity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...
based on 2007 financial data. Using data from ATS’s 2007 federal income tax return, Charity Navigator reported that administrative and management expenses comprised 68% of total expenses and assigned ATS their lowest efficiency rating.
While MainStreet.com recognized that ATS receives income from other sources than contributions (i.e. tract sales), their analysis counted the production cost of the tracts as "administrative and management" expenses. Tract sales are ATS’ primary source of revenue and including these production costs in the calculation of total expenses improves ATS’s organization efficiency as measured by Charity Navigator and more closely aligns ATS with other charities performing similar types of work.
While ATS’ ratio of Management and Administrative expenses to Total Expenses was unusually high in 2007, it should be noted that 2007 was a year in which ATS incurred unusual management expenses related to reorganization. ATS emerged from the reorganization a much leaner and more effective operation as evidenced by the 2008 and 2009 financial data presented in the Organizational Efficiency Table included below.
In December 2010, The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) announced their accreditation of ATS based on the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible StewardshipTM, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fund raising.
Further reading
- Elizabeth Twaddell. The American Tract Society, 1814-1860. Church History, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Jun., 1946), pp. 116–132
External links
- American Tract Society home page
- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
- Books by American Tract Society at Project Gutenberg
- American Antiquarian Society. Dating American Tract Society Publications Through 1876 from External Evidences: A Series of Tables. By S.J. Wolfe, 2001.
- Timeline of American Tract Society
- Ministrywatch.com
- Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
- American Tract Society Building in New York
- Charity Navigator
- Mainstreet.com