American Tract Society

About the author

The American Tract Society (ATS) is a religious publishing organization that dates back to the early 19th century, established with the principal aim of distributing evangelical Christian literature across a nation rapidly expanding in population and geographic reach. Reflecting a wave of Protestant revivalism—often referred to as the Second Great Awakening—ATS harnessed emerging printing and distribution networks to convey messages of personal salvation, moral reformation, and community uplift. Over time, the Society evolved to produce and distribute a variety of short tracts, children’s books, and pamphlets, each pitched to a specific audience or addressing contemporary social concerns.

In the collection of titles such as Scenes in Switzerland, Select Temperance Tracts, and Step by Step; Or, Tidy's Way to Freedom, one sees how ATS didn’t confine itself to purely doctrinal or devotional subjects. While many publications indeed expounded scriptural commentary, the Society also wove moral lessons about daily life—temperance, honesty, industriousness—into narratively driven stories. For instance, temperance tracts made a pointed case against alcohol abuse, blending heart-rending anecdotes of families ruined by liquor with calls to covenant-based abstinence. By humanizing these social issues, the ATS aimed to persuade the public that faith-based commitments were essential for personal and civic welfare.

Children formed a major segment of the Society’s intended readership. Tales like Step by Step revolve around a young protagonist’s journey away from problematic habits or dangerous influences, illustrating how obedience, spiritual devotion, and perseverance might guide one to a more stable life. Meanwhile, books like Scenes in Switzerland catered to more general audiences, simultaneously arousing curiosity about distant lands and pointing to spiritual truths gleaned from the grandeur of nature. Such attempts to bridge worldly knowledge with a redemptive message typified the ATS approach, reflecting the Protestant conviction that God’s presence could be discerned in every corner of creation.

Beyond dissemination of text, the American Tract Society orchestrated revival campaigns, employed colporteurs, and collaborated with local churches in the U.S. and abroad, contributing to the era’s broader missionary outreach. Colporteurs traveled door-to-door, carrying a suitcase of printed material, ready to engage in conversation and prayer. The Society took advantage of new shipping routes and rail lines, ensuring remote settlements and immigrant communities received literature that reinforced the link between Christian beliefs and personal discipline. While some critics then (and now) might view such tracts as overly didactic, from the ATS perspective, these publications served as both spiritual lifelines and practical guides to upright living. Though modern forms of media have eclipsed the pamphlet in popularity, the Society’s enduring legacy persists in the shape of faith-based social advocacy, narrative-driven religious instruction, and the vast reach that strategic publishing can achieve in the shaping of public morals.