MILLIONS OF BIBLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 975, 19 May 1930, Page 14

MILLIONS OF BIBLES

BOOK WHICH HAS WIDEST CIRCULATION WORK OF THE SOCIETY At both the morning and evening services held in the Northcote Presbyterian Church yesterday, the Rev. F. A. Thompson, moderator of the Auckland Presbyterian Assembly, preached on the aims and achievements of the British and Foreign Bible Society, which was founded in ISO 4. The society, the preacher said, had two characteristics not found in any other Christian organisation. It encouraged the widest circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment and in the execution of this plan it embraced tbe common support of Christians of all churches. It had pursued this policy for a quarter of a century and had become a vast international league In an effort to make the Scriptures the common possession of mankind. During this period the Christian public had entrusted to the society the magnificent sum of £5,000,000, while the proceeds of sales added to that sum brought the society’s expenditure to £7,912,000 for the production and circulation of the Scriptures. New Zealand’s quota had increased in 25 years from £I,OOO to £7,385. The committee of the society aimed at raising the income to £450,000 a year, which was £33,000 more than was raised last year. On one occasion Dr. Joseph Parker, of City Temple fame, received a postcard containing the question “What is the best defence of the Bible?” This great preacher wrote one word as his answer to the question, “Circulation.” The society, said the preacher, appealed to our generosity and gratitude to give the income necessary for an ever-increas-ing circulation of the Book that brought eternal life and perpetual edification.