THE BIBLE SOCIETY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1939, Page 6

THE BIBLE SOCIETY

GREAT AND EXPANDING ENTERPRISE REFERENCES IN CHURCHES. SOME NOTEWORTHY DETAILS. (Contributed.) New Zealand children of today, on the average, know facts of which most of their parents are unaware. Last week, for example, to illustrate the lesson in a Masterton school, the name "Mary Jones” was chosen at random. In a moment, a persistent hand was raised and left up till opportunity was given and the owner said: "Please, Mary Jones worked and saved for six years to buy a Bible.” While readers may view this information from varied angles it remains a fact that Mary Jones did save for six years to buy a Bible, and walked alone 25 miles each way to make the purchase of what became her greatest possession. That was about 1800 A.D., and because these and other facts became known, the British and Foreign Bible Society was founded in 1804. The work of this great society has never looked back, but, like the loaves and fishes in the Master's hand, it multiplies. This year yesterday was Bible Sunday in many Christian countries, a day bn which people rejoice in pur great heritage. In the forthcoming weeks in Masterton and district friends will be asked to subscribe to the British and, Foreign Bible Society's funds. Among the many reasons why we should assist in this international enterprise are the following: Through the society’s assistance the Ministers’ Association is able to provide hundreds of Gospels that are read and studied by the children in the public schools of this town week by week.. Bibles are placed free of cost in most of the hotel bedrooms in New Zealand. In the Foreign Mission work of all Protestant churches, the whole supply of Scriptures in the native languages is supplied, nearly always at a price below cost, through the society. At the annual meeting in 1937, when it was announced that the Bible was now published in 1000 languages the oft repeated prayer was fulfilled: — “O for a thousand tongues to sing . My great Redeemer’s praise!”

SENSE OF GOD } GOSPEL OF TRUE WELL-BEING. * NEED FOR BIBLE STUDIES. ' ’ (By the Rev T. V. Pearson.) “Our work is just .as great as we . are ourselves; it is great in proportion • to our sense of God.” —So said the . great Bilek, one of the masters' of the I Czechoslovakian empire. And right down the ages we see the sense of . God, and the power and joyous vitality emanating from that sense, shown , forth in the lives of those who have ' measured their stature to the Bible — ' the Word of God for air meh. -The builders of our Empire have been, with hardly an exception, men and women who staked their lives on the Truth ' as it is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. And in all ages all men —poet and peasant, king and counsellor, rich and poor, small and great, fedant and dunce —find in the Bible the one thing which can make of men “a happy band of brothers”; they find the perfect law of liberty. We have been called “the people of a book and that book the Bible.” In 1382 the first version of the whole of the Bible in English appeared. It was known as “.Wycliffe’s Bjble.” William Tindale holds a foremost place in the long line of great men who have assisted in the translation of the Bible, He began to print his New Testament in English at Cologne in 1525 and finished it at Worms. Nile Coverdale had already published the first English printed Bible. In 1537 he issued a revision of this Bible and it received the king’s .licence. In 1538 a royal injunction was issued that the Bible should be set up in all parish churches. This fact more than any other has been responsible for the formation of the English character. The Authorised Version, which is the standard for most English readers today, appeared in 1611. Then in 1881 the New Testament was revised and in 1885 the Old Testament. This translation, the Revised Version, is reputed to be the most accurate that has as yet appeared. It is possible to procure today many excellent modernised versions of the Bible. Those of Moffatt and Weymouth are easily procurable and most worthy of our study. In spite of the fact that many nominal Christians seldom read their Bible . it is still the “world’s best seller.” Many Bible societies do marvellous work in spreading the good news contained in the written Word'of Godin fact the British and Foreign Bible Society since its inception in 1804 has printed and circulated the Bible in nearly a thousand languages and dialects. Such work is of supreme importance and deserves every encouragement because the one thing which must be the salvation of the world is the missionary endeavour of the church and the building up in all lands of the brotherhood of man in the Fatherhood of God. Those who read their Bibles appreciate more every day the truth which radiates from the Word and must go forth spreading abroad the love through service which is the message of God for us. If we would " break down the barriers between man and man and nation and nation then we must return to God—the God of the Bible —He who has shown us in Jesus Christ the law of perfect liberty—the gospel of true well-being. Men neglect their Bible studies at their peril and indulge in them to their undying profit.