BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 2799, 6 February 1872, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Last evening a public meeting of. tlie Otago branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society, was held in trinity Wesleyan Church. Taking into consideration that the evening was inclined to be stormy, the attendance was large, Mr E. B. Cargill was in the chair. After a few introductory observations by the Chairman, the Secretary, Mr H. P. Morse, read a short report showing the connection between the Otago Bible Society and the parent society at Home. The llev. D. M. Stuart then proposed a resolution, giving a hearty welcome to the iiev B. Backhouse, the representative of the parent society, which was seconded by Mr Strode. The llev B. Backhouse, the representative of the British and Foreign Bible Society, then came forward, and gave a very long address, replete with interesting matter, which was listened to with deep interest. The chief features were statistical. He gave an account of the rise and progress of the society during the seventy years of its operations. When first organised it was estimated that there were only 4,000,000 copies of the Bible in the world, although the number of human beings was calculated to be 1,200,000,000, of whom 500,000,000 were nominally Christians. In sixty-eight years the Society had issued (14,000,000 copies, which, added to those pudished by other societies, made the number 124,000,000. When the Society’s operations lirst began, tho Bible was published in only fifty languages, whereas now it was translated into two hundred and twenty. Before the time of Dr Morrison great difficulty was experienced m printing the Bible m the (Jh ucso characters. After ma .y yea is of labor, that able man so thoroughly maiterod the language as to translate the Bible into it. But although that diuicalty was overcome, and the translation printed in London, it was an expensive process. Instead of printing by means of moveable type, tlie text had to be cut on blocks, and tilled six large volumes, the cost of which was six guineas. As a matter of course, this high price interfered with its distribution ; but since that time a practical printer went out to e hina, and having mastered the language, ho with his assistants invented suitable type, eo that now a copy of the Scriptures in Chinese can be sold for two shillings. The number cf languages into which the Bible was now being translated was continually increasing. Alluding to the diffusion of the Bible amongst Europeans, Mr Backhouse said that, as soon as it became certain there would be war between France li n4 Prussia, the British and Foreign Bible Society, in anticipation of it, printed within twenty-four hours 200,000 copies of the Scriptures. They called together their colporteurs from France and Germany, and supplied them with copies for distribution before tno war actually commenced ; and by this means both armies were abundantly supplied with Bibles in their own languages, air Backhouse alluded to the obstruction thrown in tho way of distribution oi the Bible m Spain and Italy by the lioman Catholic priesthoo l, dillieiilties which happily were now being rapidly overcome through the comparative political freedom now enjoyed. After Mr Backhouse’s address, the Llev, Mr Uosoby proposed a resolution pledging the meeting to do its utmost to support the British and Foreign Bible Society in its Catholic and world-wide operations. The i evolution was seconded by Mr Bathgate. Mr K. Gillies proposed an amendment, which was however ruled out of order by the chairman. Tlie ilev. Mr Williams proposed that, with a view to further tlie interests of the Society, a committee of ladies should be formed to coliect subscriptions, &c. Both resolutions were carried, and a committee of ladies was nominated. A collection was made in the church, which amounted to LlO IDs lid. The collection in aid of this Society at the Baptist Church in Hanover streoi. on Sunday evening amounted to LID 10s 4rl.