BIBLE SUNDAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 347, 7 May 1928, Page 16

BIBLE SUNDAY

AUCKLAND OBSERVANCE REFERENCE IN CHURCHES Bible Sunday was observed in Auckland churches yesterday when the inspiration of the Bible and the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society in its distribution was referred to in addresses given. Since its foundation in 1804, said Canon Percival James, preaching in St. Mary's Cathedral, the British and Foreign Bible Society had issued the complete Bible or some part of it in nearly 600 languages. It was one of the glories of modern English Christianity, he said. The fact that it translated the Scriptures into 84 of the languages of Oceania, should enlist increased financial support from countries such as New Zealand.

At St. James’s Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Evan R. Harries took for his subject “Everyman’s Book for Everyman.” The Bible, he said, was the book of universal experience, with a Divine and therefore universal message. He said that in the 123 years of its existence the society had issued over 376.000,000 copies of the Scriptures, more than 10,000,000 copies being published during the past year. MISSIONARY CO-OPERATION

“American, British, Continental ana Colonial missionary societies all cooperate in helping this great interdenominational agency,” said the Rev A. W. McMillan, of the Green Dane Congregational Church, in the course of his address. He stated that the society produced Bibles and Scripture portions at a remarkably low cost, and proved a great help to the missionary organisations.

An appeal to parents to teach their children the Bible was made by the Rev. E. Drake, of the Epsom Methodist Church.

In his address given at Devonport, Lieut.-Colonel Toomer, of the Salva-’ tion Army, said that it was the duty of parents to instruct their children in the knowledge of the Bible, and that could best be done by the setting up of the altar of family worship in the home. He considered it the first duty of the State to see that its educational system placed the Bible in the forefront of its curriculum.

In an address given by Major Hultquist, the vital importance of Biblical knowledge to the rising generation wasalso stressed.