BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 55, 25 February 1902, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Biitish and Foreign Bible Socioty was hold in St. Andrew's Pr#sbyterian Hall last evening. There wan a good attendance, the Rev. S. S. Osborne, tho Pmideao of the Society, in tha chair. After singing and prayer, the President said the large attendance was very gratifying, and the increasing interest taken in the Society in New Plymouth was very encouraging. A few yearn ago the annual revenue only amounted to from £6 ♦o £7, while last year it was nearly .£4O. Ho did iiofc moan to say this was enough, but it was an improvement which he hoped would continue. Before tha business portion of the meeting began, he would I call upon tho Rav. Spencer, tho agent lof the Society, who was to give them a rlecsure on Sourh Africa and the work of the Society there.

The Rev. F. H, Spancsr said no doubt the progress made was very gratifying, | but he hoped to see more progress till New Plymouth was]uiaileuc»nueinciuding the whole of Taranaki. The object of this being to enable the Society to take up the work of holding meetings in all the various townships throughout the province. Ignoiance of the aims and objects of the Society was their great difficulty. One great good, besides their main object to put a Bible into every hand, was the fact that tho Society provided a common platform on which all denominations could meet. In his own experience he had made many dear friends outside the church to which he himself belonged. Mr. Spencer then'gave a very interesting lecture on the work of the Society inSouth Africa beautifully illustrated with limelight views, ttn ciaimad the greatly improved condition of tho once savage races of Africa was largely due to the distribution of the Bible amongst them in their native tongue. Although New Zealand had largely increased her contributions, the total sum only amounted to |d per head of tha Protestant population, and he did not think if it were doubled it would be asking too much. In fact he thought it could be made one shilling per head without being a burden. After singing a hymn the President called upon Miss Drew, the hon. secretary, to read the report, which was as follows : - I

THE SECRETARY'S REPORT. It is with much pleasure that the committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society present their report for the year ending December 31st, 1901. Greater interest has been shown in the work of the Society, as evidenced in a practical manner by a small increase both in the number of and in the amount subscribed. Th'is last year the subscribers have numbered 135, and the amount of subicriptions has been £27 17s, and from this sum a draft of £2O was forwarded last December to the parent society as a free offering.

During the year the Bible Depot, of which Miss Cottier is the agent, has been re-organised; a new and much larger case for tho Bibles has been bought, and £2O worth of Biblss and Testaments have been obtained from the London depot. These can be purchased at the same price at which they are to be procured in London, and this is a considerable reduction on the price of any ether Bibles published. The committee therefore trust that sub-, fcribers and the public generally will show their intsrest in ths Society's! woik by purchasing their Bibles at th» depot and recommending them to their i friends. j

The oommitt«9 has supplied ths New Plymouth and Hawera hospitals gratuitously with 70 Testaments and Psalms, and Maori Bibles p./ul pott lots have bean supplied to the order of the Maori Miision for the use of the native* connected with thai mission. . During the year six committee meot- , inga have been held with an average , atwsidaoce of haven only, and it igi much to be hoped that during thej coming year committee members will | make a special effert to bn present whenever possible. \ Although our work eeewa but a drop in tke ocean, yet it should encourage ] us so feel that we are fellow-workers; < with sa macy other Christians all over j the world, f-*r thev« &re in connection > I with the .society 780 Colporteur* atd ■ 580 Native Biblo women xnd during j I the pef, yen' there has bean overj j £130,000 collected, and sold orgivunj aw:»y over 800,000 Bibles, 1,250,000 j Testament# and two and a half million portion*, Then when we look back) and remember from what a tiuiiill bo-: ginning in 1804 the Society ha* grown,] we may indeed rejdico to have even a j i humble share ia bringing about that i, time when the word of the Lord shall! 1 have frite course and be glorified arid all j jmeu fiom tba l.'ast unv;> rh<t greatest .shall know our Oou nud ilit> greas sal- j | vatioa.

Mrs Cepeland, the bon. fenrotary, also read tbe balanue-tkaet, of whiun the following is a summary : Balonee-sheet for 1902 of New Plymouth Branch of British and Foreign Biblo Society. RECEIPTS.

£ s. d. To balance .. .. ?0 5 1 Subscriptions .. •• 27 17 0 Subscriptions from Stratford through Mr Spencer 2 4 0 Collection at public meeting 212 2 r Total .. .. 62 18 3 JtXPINDITURE. By stationer/ . • ..016 i Advertising ~ •• 17 6 Drafts to London .. .36 0 0 Expense of above draft .. QlO 4 I Bookcase for depot .. 7 ® 'Balance in P.O. Savings Bank 17 6 * Total .. .. 62 18 3 Mr W. H. Skinner moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and in doing so said he thought the secretary and treasurer were to be congratulated on the satisfactory position of tne auxiliary. The Rev. Nizen seconded, and asked if the Society iud placed Bibl«s in the prisons.

The Rev. OsWue said hehadspaken to Mr O'Brien about this, and he said tho Government had a Bible pluCrd ic every cell.

The motion was then carried unanimously. The Rev. Serpel proposed thut Mr Osborne be re-elected President. Mr Skinner seconded. After some demur on the pirt of Mr Osborne, who proposed both Rev. Serpel and Mr Skinner, Mr Oaborca accepted re-eliciion. Revs. Evans, Serpell, Nixon, aad W. R. Wooloy were elected vice-presidents. The committee was elected as follows: Mesdames Rawson, Devinish, Copsland, Misses Drew, Nixon, Messrs 1. R. Hodder, Skinner, Anderson, A, Anbury and Buttimore.

Aftsr some remarks by the President calling attention to the depot at Miss Cottiers, the Rev. Nixon re Bibles for Sunday Schools, and Mr Skiuner suggeiting that in future the business meeting should pricede the leoture, ths Rev F. H. Spenoer proposed a l.earty vote of thanks to the officers aad oommittee, and Rev. Serpell proponed a similar compliment to the Rev Spencer for his interesting lecture. Both motions were seconded by Mr H. Goodacre and carried amid applause. The Benediction was then pronounced and an interesting meeting brought 'o a close.