WORLD’S FAVOURITE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 827, 22 November 1929, Page 9

WORLD’S FAVOURITE

BIBLE STILL THE BEST SELLER 25 YEARS’ WORK BY SOCIETY Addressing members of the Auckland auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society at the annual meeting last evening, two speakers—the chairman, Mr. Robert A. Laidlaw, and the secretary tc the New Zealand Council, the Rev David Calder—instanced the tremendous work of the organisation. “There can be no limits to the use of contributions received by the society,” Mr. Laidlaw said. “It was the aim of our late secretary. Miss Kttio Ilarvey, to have the annual contributions reach £ 3,000. That figure for the Auckland district has been nearly attained, but there is no doubt that the work of the society could absorb contributions to any extent. The service has not yet reached saturation point: the demand for the work has not been satisfied. The service of sending God’s message to the darkest corners of the earth is manifestly His own.” Mr. Calder. speaking from the point of view of the New Zealand Council, said £8.120 in contributions had been the figure touched. The churches of New Zealand annually sent from the country £IOO,OOO for foreign missions and tho work of the society, it was considered, should claim £IO,OOO. 'The wonder today is the deep affection of the peoples of old and new countries for Jesus Christ.” Mr. Calder said. “In New Zealand the greatness of His personality is reflected. An equally great wonder is j the reverence for the Bibb-. It is still ! the world’s best-seller. To it we owe ! our enlightenment and its spirit shines . through all the clouds of scorn and ridicule. ' 600,000,000 SCRIPTURES “For 125 years the mother Bible ! Society has made the Book speak to • the nations. At a cost of £22.000.000. Scriptures numbering 397.000.000 have j been issued in that period. The total I issue of Scriptures, including the ; figures of organisations sprung from j the mother society, has been 600,000.000. j Tho first issue was at the rate of nine i volumes an hour: now it is 1.301. “Kadi human being of every nation | should have a Bible at hand. We con- ; template a magnificent future and j nothing can stop us from doing this 1 splendid thing. "A campaign to read a chapter of the Bible- each day was begun in the United States. Soon, the newspapers i published the chapters. Could not j such a campaign be opened in New 1 Zealand? On the Pacific Coast, passI ages from the Bible arc broadcast by | radio at noon.” j 3,750 BIBLES IN HOTELS Air. Calder referred to the success I of the movement to supply Bibles in hotel rooms f r the travelling public. There were- actually 3,750 Bibles placed today in New Zealand hotels. At the j beginning of the year the New ZeaI land Council called for funds for 5,000 i volumes and it now had money to supply an extra 6/»00. “Hotel proprietors have welcomed the proposal,” . Mr. Calder said. The annual report said the soviet y now printed the Bible in 61S languages, 10 having b( en added during* the yes r. In that time 11.399.540 copies were cirj eulated. Hymns, psalms and prayers were heard by the meeting and anthems were sung by tlic Tabernacle Choir.