BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12644, 3 November 1905, Page 5

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Wanganui auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society was held in St. PauPs Hall on Wednesday evening. Mr. Gilbert Carson, president of the Society, occupied the chair. The annual report, which was as follows, was read by the secretary, Rev. A. Morton :—Your committee have to report that the usual meetings of the Society have been held regularly throughout the year. The collectors have the heartiest thanks of the committee for their unselfish labours. The amount collected this year was £74 8s Id. They regret to say, however, that the greatest difficulty is experienced in filling the places of those collectors who have left the district or who may feel unable to continue their good work. Mrs. Kersley, a very energetic worker and a faithful collector, left the district during the year, and it has been found a hard matter to have her place filled. The committee would iike to see greater energy thrown into the work of the Society by the various churches, especially when it is remembered that the Society helps very materially almost every missionary effort of these churches. Your committee has to record, the lamented death of Mr. W. J. York, a very active memter of the committee. The event of the year was a visit from Mr. C. E. G. Tisdale, agent in Persia and Turkish Arabia for the British and Foreign Society. Mr. Tisdale delivered an interesting and instructive address on his work in Persia, illustrated by splendid limelight. pictures. St. Paul's Hall was generously lent for the occasion. In this way, and by addressing the jrapils of the Girls' College, Mr TiscFaTo sought to stir up interest in the work of the Society. In closing their report, your committee desire to express their gratitude to God for the gift of His Word, and trust that all Christians will do all ,in their power to help the work of the Society, and try to give the best, of books to those who are still without it, <

On the motion of the secretary, seconded by Mr. Peter Bell, the, motion was "put and carried. In the course of his .remarks."., the Chairman said that, considering- the

pop^tatidfi'i^F^rew "Zealand and its "re* sources^ no country in .the world had sent more liberal gifts to the Centen-ary-Fund; "He also mentioned the fact that in Vienna, lying at the heart .of modern Europe, it was a crime if one of the Society's colporteurs offered to sell a man a copy of the Scriptures. In every principal street of that capital vice flaunted itself. This was an illustration of the difficulties which were ltiet by colporteurs. Mr. Carson pointed out that the expenditure of the Society had exceeded the revenue by £12,000. The Rev. Ryburn addressed the meeting. He regretted to state that the Society had decided to reduce its staff of workers, and was actually withdrawing from France and Germany. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. G. Carson (re-elected): committee, Mesdames B. Taylor, C. Burnet, A. O. Williams, J. Ross Miss Towgood, and Messrs. J. L. Stevenson, J. Stevenson, J. C. Brechin, C. .W. Babbage, P. Bell, T. 0. Taylor, and the Protestant ministers of th« town; secretary, Rev. A. Morton (reelected) ; treasurer, Mr. J. L. Stevenson (re-elected).