BIBLE SOCIETY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1940, Page 8

BIBLE SOCIETY

ITS SUPREME TASK. WORLD DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY WORD. To see that the Holy Scriptures are procurable by all men, wherever they are, and under whatever circumstances they may be living is the supreme task of the British and Foreign Bible Society. It believes that the heart of man is hungry for the Divine message of life, and it has set itself the task of meeting his need with an adequate supply of the Holy Scriptures. Its record shows that it has published at least one book of the Bible in seven hundred and forty languages, in a total issue of over five hundred millions of volumes. The Society first assures itself of the translational purity of each new version, then it publishes it in print and format that will please each people. Finally, it sells it to the native peoples at a price the poorer ones can afford to pay. it would give the Book of Books without charge, if that were wise; but experience has shown that the dignity and self-consciousness manhood of the people generally, and of natives partciularly, are preserved by having to pay even a little for what they feel they need and ought to have. It is a matter for sincere congratulation that in the 136 years of its operations the Society has retained the confidence of all Christian people who believe in its objective and subscribe to its methods. Practically every branch of the church, and Missionary Societies generally, have had confidence in the way the Society has discharged its obligations in the supply of translated Scriptures in many languages and in many lands. In all its history the Society has never had any definite promise of financial support from any particular communion, but has presentits work as a claim on Christian generosity; and the response to its appeal has been generous.

The world-wide circulation of the Bible is attended to through churches, missionary societies and friends, but principally through Bible Houses and depots and by a very gallant company of colporteurs or Bible salesmen —some 1000 men and women specially commissioned to the work. Scriptures are offered for sale to the various peoples without controversy as to their interpretation, or emphasis on any particular mode of explanation. Th present war is making its insistent calls on the London Central Committee of the Society. Within a few weeks of the commencement of hostilities 100,000 Testaments were sent for distribution to the soldiers of _ the French Army; while for the King’s Forces on land, sea, or in the air, one million copies of the special soldier issue of the New Testament have now been provided. Of this number 18.000 have been issued from the New Zealand Bible House in Wellington. It is an interesting fact that the basements of the London Bible House, which were used for storing most -valuable old Scripture Manuscripts and Biblical treasures, have now been cleared out and converted into an air raid shelter holding 400 people.