BIBLE SOCIETY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 182, 19 August 1937, Page 9

BIBLE SOCIETY

Annual Meeting of Hastings ' Branch INTERESTING ADDRESS The anuual meeting of the Hastings branch of the British and Eoreign Bible Society was hcld in the St. Andrew's Hall on Wednesday last, the Rev. R. B. Gosnell presiding. The meeting opened with prayer and praise, a short programme of songs and recitations being contributed. Joy Rogers and Claire Thompson gave a «hort dialogue entitled "Listening-In," Then three girle, dressed in Ohinese, Indian and Maori costume, sang iu the respective tongues, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know," which gave a missionary touch to the item. Recitations .were also given by Shirley O 'Neill, "Your Money," Dorothy Anderson, "The Best She Knew," and Gary Wilson, "Little Jack Horner%" eaeh of these items dealing with the work of the society. Mr. H. Linyard sang the solo "Not Understood, " and Mrs. H. W. C. Baird recited Sir Jamea Barrie 's ' ' The Einding of Ezra. ' ' Sister Gladys then took the chair and the report and balance-shcets vva:'e presented by the secretary and treasurer respectively. The receipts for tbe year were £74 12/10, being an increase of £11 11/- oter last year. Tho report stated that during the early part of the year the president, Mr. A. B. Harper, left for England and he was i'arewelled. In April Miss B. Hartnell was appointed to the position of organiser, Miss Faweett having boen transferred to the> Wellington and Nels.'jn districts. Miss Hartnell ha-d been in Hastings for two weeks and had been suecessful in securing several new workers, L-at still more wero needed. Mr. T. C. Jackson was elected president, wth the resident clergy and Salvation Army officers as vice-presidents. Mr C. Griffiths was appointed treasurer and Mrs J. Wilson as secretary. The committoe were re-elected and tho names of the area presidents, Mrs C. Gardinef, - Mrs M. Hudson, Mrs L. Baumgarti and Mrs E. V. Simpson were added. Miss Hartnell was tiresent and ad-

dressed the meeting, presenting the claims of the society in an interesting manner. "Every man," she said, "haa a right to hear the Gospel onee more than any man has a right to hear tha Gospel twice. To-day only threequarters of the Euman race have tho Gospel in their own language. At the beginning of the present century the Bible was printed in 300 different forms of speech. Now it is presented in over a thousand different lailguages and dialects. One hundred years ago there was no Bible for the blind; now 40 different nationalities have the Braile Bible, wliile the latest to come to New Zealand is the "Talking Book," which gives all the Gospels and Ihe Acts in half-hour records. "In Africa alone 258 languages are catered for, and requests come constantly to hand for more. Out of .13 new* translations made last year, 11 were for Africa. "Among the 90 millions of Japaneso less than one per ceht. are Christian, and Dr. Kagawa, the 'St. Paul oi Japan,' said that 'Christ the revealer of eternal love will never cease to wroo Japan till He wins her. J "In Germany there have been increased saies for the Bible, while in Spain 11,000 towns and villages are visited by the eolporteurs. The Bible ■House. there has been open all through the present dreadf ul struggle/ notwith•standing • the f act that the man in churge has lost two out of his three sons in the- war. "In Russia there is a famino of Bibles, beeause thp Bible is a barred book, but at all the trade routes- leading into tho country eolporteurs are busy selling their wares. Xn the Bibloi House in London packed. ready for transit are the Seripturos in Russian, awaiting tho lifting of the ban. "In Abyssinia, South America, India, the borders of -Tibet, A.rabia and in China, the eolporteurs carry on their' faithful servic'e. In China alone last year three - million copies of the Scriptures were sold. ' ' We - liv-o in security," said . Miss Hartnell- in .her conclu'ding , remarks, "and , liave onr Bibles eo easily, but these men need. our prayers, for their iife is oue of difficulty ..aud hazard from day' to day. . We are the people of -'The Word,' and how often ;we negiect it. • '"'In England to-day a returned missionary and his wife have a caravan and travel into the villages selling copies of the Scriptures and endeavouring to bring back the reading of the Bible to the people. As we ponder these things we must remeraber the words of Isaiah the prophet, 'My word shall not return unto me void, but shall aecomplish that which I please.' " A vote of thanks was accorded Miss Hartnell, also the collectors, and Sister Gladys. Supper was served and the meeting closed with the Benediction.