BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. Lecture at Cambridge.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1844, 1 May 1884, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Lecture at Cambridge.

A lecture upon "The Bible in India " in connection with the above society was delivered in S. Andrew's Church school1 oom by the Rev. W. G. Baker, deputation from the society, on Tuesday evening last. There was a very large attendance, consisting of members of all denominations, and the chair was occupied by Mr Joseph Gane. In opening the proceedings Mr F. J. Brooks lead the following report and balance-sheet of the local branch of the •society, which were adopted on the motion of Mr Gane. Report of the Cambridge branch of the Auckland Auxiliary of the Biitish anal Foreign Bible Society for the year and a-half ending 29th April, 1884.— The meeting for which this report is prepared is the third ereneral meeting which has been held in Cambridge for promoting the objects of the society. The first meeting was held about three years ago, when the branch was established. The only other meeting held since then was about eighteen months ago, and since that meeting until the present rather more than eighteen months have again elapsed. Since the last meeting the following operations have to be noted : There has been collected for the objects of the society, by the kind agency of a few lady friends in certain portions of Cambridge, Pukerimu, Ohaupo and Taotaoroa, the sum of £14 9s. There have been sold from the dep6t some 80 books of various si/.es and desci iptions, ranging in price from Sd to 17s, including 1G copies of the sciiptures in the Maori language. An experiment has recently been made by the Auckland Auxiliary of furthering the distnbution of bibles by sending a colporteur throughout the Waikato district, but with only paitial success. In regard to this matter the committee think that unless in the lcmoter settlements, and in the distant camps of surveyors, miners, navvies, and otheis, there is no legitimate field for a colporteur's operations. The committee are of opinion, how ever, that theie is a wide field open all over this country for the dissemination of selections from the valuable apologetic, evidential, and other literature beai ing upon the great truths of Christianity, which recent years have supplied, and they would gladly see action taken in the matter. A separate and independent oiganisation would of course be indispensable for the carrying out of this work. With regard to the funds that shall in future be raised in connection with this blanch, the committee think that they should be collected for purely missionary purposes, namely, to help the parent society in its woik of publishing the bible in the langnrges of the many people*, of the eaith, and in sending it forth amongst them. The waim thanks of the society aiedvetothe ladies who collected in its behalf, and to Mr Hughes for his caie for and interest in the depot.— Wm. N. deL. WILLI.s. british and foreign blble society, Cambridge Branch, Balance-sheet. — Receipts : Balance from last statement, £3 13s i)d ; subscriptions — collected by Mrs Caley £4 9% by Mis Alford and Miss Young £8 9s Od, by Mrs Ellis and Mrs Evans £110-, (id, £14 9s; collection at public meeting, £1 Gs (3d ; receipts on depot account, £1G Is f>d ; total, £35 10* Sd. Expenditure : By payments on depot account, £19 lGs lid ; insurance, rent of hall, advertising, &c, £4 0s (id ; balance in hand, £11 13s 3d ; total, £35 10s Bd.— Audited. (Signed)— W. N. deL. Willis. The lectuiev was then called upon to delher his address. The rev. gentleman m coming forward was greeted with applause, and dehveied a most inteiestmg and instructive lectuie, which was copiously illustrated by diagrams. He stated that the Bible had been translated into no less than si\ty-one languages in India, and remarked that there were still 150 languages of that vast territory into which the Bible had not been translated. This was one instance of the necessity for further exertion on the part of the society. The lecturer referred at some length to the British rule in India, which he chaiacteiised as most beneficent, and had been productive of an immense- amount of good to the whole of the Indian population. Reference was also made to the system of missionary reading, which the lecturer stated differed very much from the style of services which the people of England and the colonies weie accustomed to. He stated that sermons were raiely deliveicd to the native population, and such was not at all an effecti\e mode of instructing these people in the truths of Christianity. More was to be done by conversations with the people, and by the system of question and answer than any other fashion. He also paid a high tribute to the native colporteurs who were employed by the Bible Society ; speaking of them as men of fir^t-class attainments and high character, and who woiked for comparatively trifling i enumeration. At the conclusion of the lectuie, which was one of great interest, the lecturer was greeted with much applause. A committee foi the ensuing year, and lady collector weie appointed to canvass the distnct for contiibutors in aid of the society. On the motion of the Rev. Mr Evans a vote of thanks was accorded to the outgoing committee, and to Mr A. G. Hughes, the manager of the local depot. Mi Alfoid proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was carried with acclamation. A collection was taken up during the evening, which realised a considerable sun 1 . The Rev Mr Baker repeated the lectuie at tho Public Hall, Hamilton West, last evening. There was a fair attendance, and the chair was occupied by the Rev Mi Biggs, incumbent ot S. Petei's, Hamilton. The Rev Mr Dukes, Wesleyau ministei, also had a seat on the platfoim. The lecture was listened to with much attention, and at the clo^e a collection was taken up, amounting to £1 lGs 9d, in aid of the objects of the society. The Re\ Mr Baker lectures on the same subject to night at Te Awamutu.