For example, Massachusetts and Missouri excepted book peddlers from laws imposing penalties on unlicensed hawkers.
This activity played an important role in preservation of the Lithuanian culture, and in modern Lithuania knygnešiai are commemorated in museums, monuments, street names, and their remembrance day.
[4] In addition to the initial goal of peddling the Christian literature, they started to arrange religious discussion meetings.
Eventually the activities of the society were frowned upon by the administration of the Russian Church for their independence and liberalism and closeness to the Tolstoyans.
After various restrictions put forth by the infamous Ober-Procurator of the Holy Synod Konstantin Pobedonostsev, the activity of the society dwindled.