DEMAND FOR BIBLES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 94, 14 February 1947, Page 3

DEMAND FOR BIBLES

REPLENISHING WORLD’S SUPPLY WIDER INTEREST SHOWN To replenish the world’s Bible supply, heavily depleted by the devastation of war, the American | Bible Society and similar organisations in other countries are bending every effort to provide adequate numbers of the scriptures to the Bible-hungry everywhere, states an American newspaper. ' The huge presses printing Bibles frequently run 20 hours a«»day for three months at a stretch to meet the heavy demand. In addition to the destructive effect of the war on Bible supplies, the horrors of the conflict have caused wider interest in the Scriptures, according to Dr. Eric M. North, A.B.S. General Secretary in Charge of Overseas Work. The nation in greatest need for

the Scriptures at present is Germany, Dr. North reported. Destruc-

tion by b'ombings and the fact that the Nazis permitted practically no paper to'be used for religious printing combined to deplete Germany’s supply. \

According to reports received by

the B'ible Society, Germany is short about 4,000,000 Bibles and 6,000,000 Testaments. After these emergency needs are met, requirements will be about.. 1,000,000 Bibles and Testaments a year.

Since 'the end of the war, the A.B.S. has sent 186,988 Germanlanguage Bibles, 503,047 Testaments and 824,410 scriptural portions to Germany. In addition, it distributed 49,733 Bibles, 587,527 Testaments and 1,262,739 portions to Axis prisoners—most of whom were Germans—during the conflict. While the shortage of Bibles in other parts of Europe is not as critical as in Germany, the need is great, Dr. North said. To help meet this situation, the American and British Bible Societies have jointly I produced in Sweden 95,000 Bibles and 240,000 Testaments in eight different languages. * These are being sent to France, Rumania, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Deliveries have been made to all these countries except to Rumania and Serbia. The societies have encountered difficulty trying to get the Scriptures into the two countries in the Russian sphere of influence. Dr. North reported a “tremendous demand” for Scriptures in Japan. The A.B.S. has been asked to supply more than 2,000,000 Testaments and 300,000 Bibles to v that country.' Explaining rising Japanese interest in the Bible, Dr. North held that the Japanese people were searching for “a new moral basis for the nation.”

The situation in other parts of the world, according to the A. 8.5., is as follows:

Great Britain and Dominions— Estimated to be short 5,009,000 Bibles. They eventually will produce them on their own. In the meantime, the A.B.S. is providing some 50,000 for Canada.

Korea—Estimated requirements 250,000 Testaments, of which 50,000 have already been sent. China Requirements: 10,000 Bibles and 200,000 Testaments. The Testaments have already been sent and half the Bibles are en route. Philippines—The Society has undertaken printing of several vernacular Bibles and Testaments. To co-ordinate the activities of all the National Bible Societies, a world wide organisation to be known as United Bible Societies is in the process of formation. First meeting of the Executive Committee of the new organisation will be. held in Amsterdam, June 19, 1947. The work of the American Bible Society is entirely dependent on public subscription and donations from churches, individuals and denominational agencies.