BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 9, 4 February 1909, Page 3

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Tbe annual meeting of tile Taranaki auxiliary of tile British and Foreign Bil.li! Society was held ill the Whiteley Ibill last night., ltev. ,j. A. Osborne presided over a good attendance. Alter tbe opening devotional exercises Miss Drew, tin- secretary, read the annual report, wha-h stated that the past tinancial year had been a record. Not only hail the subsciiplions, uoi.'U..i:is, etc.. exceeded the previous year's by. about C2O, bill the remittance of .L 13.") to the parent, society was the largest amount ever yet. sent. Though the -auxiliary s district supposedly extended to Patea, the committee regretted that Stratford, l-.'Jthaiu, Ngairc, and Inglewood had ceased to support the Society, but Opunake had added almost L.> to the fluids. The depot during the year had been supplied with Bibles, Testa incuts, and portions of the scriptures., from London, and was replenished from

time to time as occasion demanded. The balance-sheet was submitted by Mr. N. K. AlcDiannid, the lion, treasurer. Receipts included: Balance from previous year, C.72 -Is lOd; Bibles sold, CO 5s lid; collection ~f annual meeting at New Plymouth, .LI 12s 3d; lantern lecture at Xew Plymouth, C2 2s 3d;coutiibutious, Patea (two years) t'2U 12s, Manaia L's 7s (id, llawera .Cll 10s, Kltliani t'2 10s; Collections, Oliunake C 4 3s Bd, Opunake Preshterian Sabbath Ills. Awatuna lantern lecture C 4 Is, col-

lection 13s, W. D. teuton (Opimake) till;. 11. Enrolh (New Plymouth) CI Is, R. Gibson (Awatuna) .til, small donations 13s, interest Ss Id, contributions from Baptist Church C 5 7s lid, Church of England £t> 2s, Presbyterian Church C'.t 2s—total, £l(i'J lUs 10(1. Expenditure: Remitted to London, ,Ci3s; Bibles purchased, £7 8s 3d; advertising, .CI ltis 2d; and small items, bringing th,CL total outgoings to .C 145 lis 2il The treasurer submitted a statement showing the receipts in 1005 were ±'7l 8s lOd; in 1900, £B9. 0s 3d; in 1907. ,C 77 12s 3d; in 1008. CIJ7 os.

Mr. B. Enrotli moved'the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and said that although the attendances at the animal meetings of the society were not large, this was counterbalanced m a way by the adaptation of the old adage " money talks." He suggested that the auxiliary should obtain portions of the Chinese translation of the Bible and distribute them amongst the Chinese people in this district. liev. F. CJ. Evans seconded, and said, that more might be done in disseminating tile Scriptures amongst the Maoris. Very often distant objects were given a sort of halo, objects nearer at hand were allowed to become of a sombre hue.

| Hoy. 8. S. Osborne, replying to the two previous shakers, .said tJuit during the past two months there had been a splendid demand, lor the volumes. A iouturc of the sales was the number of Maori testaments sold. For Mr. Enroth* benclit he would mention that there were IS Chinese Testaments hi tlie depot, and six had been sold during tin; year. This work lrad to be undertaken with a good deal of tact, or else left# alone, lie hoped that in the next month or two the Rev. Mr. Don would he in New Plymouth, and the Chinese were looking forward with some gladness to the visit of the man whose name would be handed down to posterity in connection with the evangelisation of the Chinese. There were now in the depot 307 volumes.

The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Rev. F. G. Evans nominated "Rev. S. S. Osborne as president, and said that he considered it would be a great mistake to allow that gentleman to relinquish the position he had held so capably for so many years past. Ilev. Osborne pleaded too much pressure on his time, and asked lo be relieved, lie h;id had ten years of it. and thought the Society would be all the better for a change. Several speakers spoke in most eulogistic terms of the retiring president, anr he consented to hold ollk'e for another year. Miss Drew was again unanimously elected secretary: Mr. N. T\. MacDiarmid treasurer; Mr. .1, S. MelvWlar, auditor. Votes of thanks were accorded the cers, and the thanks of the society will be tendered to Mr. \V. Newman for assistance rendered in passing consignments of books through the Customs.