BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1219, 22 April 1880, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

A fairly attended meeting in connection with this society was held in the Public Hall. Cambridge, on Thursday. Theim* mediate object of the meeting was to listen to an address upon the operations of therßible Society, and also ,to take steps, for the formation of an auxiliary for the Waikato. On the motion of the Rev H. Bull, F. T. Brooks Esq. was called to the Chair. The Chairman then called upon the Rev W. N. de L Willis, who opened the meeting by- reading? the XIX Psalm, and offered on appropriate prayer for the Divine blessing. „ % ' The Chairman delivered an appropriate, and pointed address upon the claims of the Bible Society. He appreciated the honor shown in placing him in the posi- _ tion he held that evening, and he trusted the meeting would be successful iii promoting the grand object contemplated by the British and Foreign Bible Society. The Rev H. Bull spoke in support of the Society, on the .ground of the broad, Catholic foundation on which it was built. It presented a platform on, which all Christian ministers could stand, for there was nothing sectarian in the. great work it sought to do, He then urged the cjavns of the Bible, the doctrines of which assured' tr. uth, , were suited to the varied wants of man, and were the most powerful preventative. or immorality' and scepticism. ' ' ' '' ' The Rey J.s. Eva,ns, M.A., the travel!: ■ ing agent of the Society. yf or Australasia, l^ext addressed the meeting in an eloquent and telliiig speech, Veplete 4 )vrth facts of an interesting and ' instructive character. The Society had ' circulated 45 million . copies of the Bible ' in r EnglancL ' the Pans Exhibition ' 4h()jOQ(r copies were either sold or given ' away. During the' past few years as many as five million copies have been- circulated in- France. The Emperor of Germany was a wai'in ij supporter of, and regular contributor to the Bible Society. Interesting incidents were related of Bible work among the French, Canadians, also among the peasant population of the Russian Empire. The Society rendered great assistance to" the Foreign Missionary Societies. The Bible had been now printed in 236 langur ages, or mere than three fourths of the languages of the entire globe. The Bible Sociejty.its.etf had printed aud., published 5 ; 8(f miUioncOpie* of the[ Bible P Aid al--ttfgdtlrefr abtfut'2o6 milhWcojJids Had been printed during the last 70 years. And yet to show the need, of continued effort, there were ! 8?)Q millibiis of people tyho had not at present received a Vopy oflthe Holy Scriptures. The rev. gentleman concluded with a telling anecdote and, resumed his seat amid loud applause. , 1# Rev. W. Evans ihbii ( nitfv&l that ah auxiliary society for Canibri<fc&be formed" and that the following gentlemen with the ministers of each denomination bejth£ coinmitee -. — Meslrs Colonel Lyon, E. B." Walker, J6hn' F'ilher, and J. S. Brookes (secretary). > . Rev r W. Willis, secpn#ed th^motio^ wliioh jyas civnied,' /, ([ , . During the evening several musical selections were rendered by a union choir, under the direction of W. A. Evans, Mrs Chitty presiding on the hannoniun. , Ay vote of thanks having been carried to the chairman, the Rev. JV F. Evans pronounced the Benediction. A meeting of the 'committee was subsequently held. Mr. Brookes was elected trea£ursr. Is'*\vas resojved ;to establish a Bible depository, Rev. W. Willis and Mr i Brookes, being j appointed a committee, to arrange tins. Several ladies were nominated by the ministers present to assist as collectors for the Society, and it was agreed for the committee again to meet on Thursday next.

The little girl who, aa the representative of Buttercup with the Children's "Pinafore" Troupe in England, is now attracting attention, is"'a near relative of the late Charles Mathews, comedian It is stated on good authority that there are 380 theatres in the United States. The subscrif tions and benefit performance at the Lyceum Theatre in' aid of Mr. William Bedford, an old Lmdon actor, who has been seriou-ly ill for f»ome time, realised the very handijomo amount of l^Od,