MISS B. HARTNELL SPEAKS AT METHODIST GUILD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 173, 9 August 1937, Page 11

MISS B. HARTNELL SPEAKS AT METHODIST GUILD

The members of the Hastings Methodist Ladies' Guild met for their monthly meeting in the girls ' room at WesIley Hall. Bowls of wattle and pussywiUow gave the room a spring-like appearance. Mrs P. Loach, who presided welcomed the visitors and new members. An invitation was accepted by the Guild to give an afternoon in No- | vember at the Salvation Army Home I League. I Miss Beulah Hartnell, organising secretary for the British and Foreign Bible Society lot this district, was the speaker for the afternoon, and the pre sident, Mrs B. B. Gosnell, who extended to her a very hearty welcome to Hastings, present'ed to her a very handsome shoulder spray of spring flowers. Miss Hartnell suitably thanked the Guild for their dainty gift and in a very gracious and pleasing manner told those present the wonderful story of the Englisli Bible. She said that the theologians did not want the people to | aave it in their coinmon stongue, but William Tyndale said he would work till every ploughboy could read it. Much was done then, and much has been done since to prevent the free circularion of the Holy Scriptures. But today the Bible was being read in 1,000 different languages and dialects throughout the world; in New Zealand alone last year it was sold in 25 different languages. Miss Hartnell told the story of the 1 ' Talking Book," as the new record maehine was called which had been perfected to assist the blind to hear ihe scriptures. In the Braille syatem alone there were 40 different translations. The speaker said that these various translations were not the work of cloistered scholars, but of .men and women who had gone out to different countries as missionaries, aud had lirst to learn the language, and in some instances to redu-ce it when learn t to writing. As in the case of Miss Clara Waterstone, a New Zealander who made the 700th translation for the British and Foreign Bible Society. Miss • Hartnell went on to speak of the various methods of circulating the Scriptures, and told of the work of the colporteurs in many . lands. Among other meana qf transport used she told of the niotor launch, "Mary Jones," which works among the shipping at Fort Said. In conclusion the speaker said that without the co-operation of Christian people throughout tho world, without their prayers and sacriiice, mv.ch of this work could not be done. The stories told were not tales told to entertain, but were tales of real life, of very real people who had obeyed the command of the Lord (o take the Gospel of every creature. Mrs P. Loach and Mrs 0. T. Russell, on behalf of those present, thanked Miss Hartnell for her very interesting talk. Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mesdames Russell, BrOoks and Wilson, and the meeting closed yvitb ihe Benediction.