THE BIBLE AND ITS WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 306, 4 February 1910, Page 3

THE BIBLE AND ITS WORK.

ADDRESSES BY LOCAL CLERGY- ■ MEN. At the annual meeting of the local branch of the Bible Society on Wednesday night addresses were given by the Rev. J. Wilkinson and the Rev. J. Laird. The Rev. J. Wilkinson said he would divide his address into two parts, "What the Bible does; for us," and '"What the Bible does as a missionary book." The Bible, he said, was the greatest book in the world. It dealt with the greatest subject of all in a manner that no other l>ook did. *lt was the only book in the World in which one could find a portrait or picture of the one perfect life, the life of Jesus Christ himself. There were other works by saints which would help' and stimulate, but no other book could speak to his heart as the Bible speaks. No other books were inspired books as' this one was, but at best only the echo of inspiration. The Bible was God's' Book, which brought us straight into the presence of God himself. When he feaid this he did not mean that it possessed no human element, for that was not so. But it was Divine. It was the 1 key to tlie human heart in all climes' and of all nations. As to its' missionary Value, the question was sometimes' asked as to whether the Bible was not' doino- a greater missionary work than the missionaries themselves. The question, however, was' one that should not be asked, for they were co-operating 'forces, both divinely inspired. The Bible, of course, could go where missionaries could not be sent, but at the same time the missionary would feel at a loss without his Bible. Referring to the work of the society, lie said that the Bible, or parts of it, was' now translated into no less than 440 tongues, and of these 412 were due directly to the work of the society. The British and Foreign Bible Society was the greatest of all missionary organisations, for all others were in a great measure dependent on it. It was doing a vast work, and he asked the question. What are we doing to help it? He urged his hearers, when asked to contribute to the society's funds, to measure their contribution by the value of the Bible to themselves, and, in giving, to feel that they were' giving to God, and giving to carry on Christ's work.

The Rev. J. Laird contrasted the rc;iic»ious state of this country, with its , lopen Bible, gospel privileges and ling, with those nine hundred millions |of°'heatlien men, women and children Vwho were in darkness. "With every blessing came responsibility," and it was our duty to ? e ! ld - the gospel to the heathen.''The late Queen 'Victoria had (said that the Bible, as' ttie foundation &nd teacher of morality and righteousness, was the pillar of British greatness; and it was a fact that wherever prosperity and happiness was to be found there also would be found the Bible. This, he said, was an age of progress, when men were being uplifted as men had never been uplitted before. They were beginning to realise that man was of greater worth than money, and that if they could lift him morally and spiritually they were doing the work of all works. In the Bible they had a mighty and almost irresistible power to transform men. Unlike many of the 1 great books, the Bible could be trans-' latetl into any language without marrin« its beauty, its meaning, and its power. There was a command laid upon (as to go into all the world and teach' the gospel, telling to all the Story of Christ's redeeming love—that story so perfectly told in the Book we called the Bible.