CHRISTIANITY MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 51, 1 July 1965, Page 3

CHRISTIANITY MADE IT ALL

POSSIBLE

Christianity has made many groups such as Red Cross, St. John's and Corso possible, says Mr F. N. Mercer in this week's Voice of the Churches. The Bible says: "Be ready to every good work." Titus 3.1. The Christian does and should obey this command. Recently, Taupo has had canvassers for St. John's Ambulance, Red Cross and Corso. All these are noble works for the sick and suffering and under-nourished. Now, the British and Foreign Bible Society of London will hold their Annual collection this Saturday in Taupo, July 3rd, in which all Churches are uniting. How many people today realise that it is Christianity alone, that has made all these other humanitarian ventures possible, and that the Bible Society's concern is for the emancipation of the soul, bringing joy, peace and salvation to mankind throughout the world, through God's Love Gift to the world of His Beloved Son. How few realise, that the Bible (God's Word) is still the world's best selling book, that it is printed in more languages than any other book in the world, preparing a new translation every new moon. At present this Bible Society, prepares translations, prints, and publishes the Scriptures in 1216 languages. It pays the transpdrt, production, distribution and translator's salaries and offers them around the world, to even the poorest at a price possible for them to pay, selling them at one third their cost. The Society provides these through the voluntary and generous giving of its supporters who provide the money needed to subsidise all costs. Remember the Bible belongs to the whole world, which is God's World. It is loved and longed for by every race. Everyone needs it — each family, nation and generation in the whole world. It was C. T. Studd, the famous English cricketer, who gave away his fortune, and went out to Africa to preach Christ by faith, who said: "No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice until everyone has heard it once." It was the Mission founded by hini, now known as the Worldwide Evangelical Crusade which had a number of missionaries martyred in the Congo recently. Remember too, that because of the World population explosion, increased distribution is urgent, because of increased new adult literates, estimated at over one million new readers weekly. The Bible Society in New Zealand alone stocks scriptures in 100 languages, last year selling 131,868 in New Zealand in 52 different languages. It is responsible for helping to supply scriptures in Indonesia, Pacific Islands and Malaysia. It unites

with 22 other Bible Societies in supplying scriptures for the world and has pledged itself to treble distribution in three years, depending on the public generally, giving freely and liberally, for as the Apostle Paul says: "God loveth the cheerful giver." II Cor. 9:7. In conclusion, the Bible is God's Book, living, dynamic, transforming, and as the President for the Society this year in Taupo, I would say, you and I are its stewards. We can give to the world by supporting the British and Foreign Bible Society, liberally on Saturday, July 3. Remember, Jesus said, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward." Matt. 10:42.