BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2425, 26 January 1888, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

.— Meeting at Cambridge. Thk annual meeting of the Cambridge branch of the Auckland auxiliary portion of the above society was held in the Public Hall on Monday evening, Mr Thus. Wells presiding. Them was a fair attendance, about 100 bf.i.i o ' present, many of whom came from the outlying districts. The iilatform was occupied by the Rev. Mr Robjohns (agent of the society), Archdeacon Willis, Revs. Griffiths (Baptist), Evans (Presbyterian), Rishworth (Wesleyan), and Mr Priestley (local secretary). Mrs Griffiths kindly officiated at the organ. The meeting was opened l>y the singing of a hymn, after which Archdeacon Willis read a portion of Hi) Psalm, and Rev. Ilishworth offered up a prayer. The Chairman then gave a short address, in which he impressed upon the audience the necessity of Bible study at borne. The Secretary read the local report, which stated there had been a steady sale of Bibles during the year, and that the committee intended laying in a further stock, although they hand on hand at the present time over £20 worth. It concluded by thanking Mr E. Ward for taking charge of the stock and conducting the sales gratis. The Treasurer (Mr F. J. Brooks) read the balance-sheet, which showed a cash balance of £14 (is 4d, the previous ono having been £13 osld. Both report and balance-sheet were adopted, on the motion of Rev. W. Evans, seconded by Rev Griffiths. Mr Robjohns then addressed the meeting, and said he was glad to come among them again. When ho camo last year he felt as a stranger, but he had found many friends —some of whom he had met mauy years ago in the Old Country— and he now felt like a child at home. He then proceeded : There are two things that I want you to do. One is to do Bible work on your own ground, and see that everyone has a copy of the grand book. I do not mean Bibles like I have seen in some of the shop windows, 2ft. by ISin., with big brass clasps; price, £2 Via cash, or time payment, £4 10s. No one over needs that sort; they are put on a chest of drawers, under a tea-caddy, or with the flowers off the wedding-cake, and are dusted occasionally, but never read. What you want is a little one like this (holding one up) and then you can read it with pleasure, and if needs be put in your pocket. Another part of your work is to send something to the parent society in London. During tlio past year—l like to have matters plain and above board—you have literally not done anything. You started the year with £13 0s Id, and ended with £11 (is Id, but you have not sent anything to London. If you feel disposed to send a contribution, it will still be in time, as the financial year does not close until March 31st. I know the times are bad with you, but they are also bad with the Society, so don't lorget, and do what you can. You will find distributed abinit the hall small subscription sheets, on which we wish you to put down a certain amount that you will undertake to raise during the ensuing year. If you will try that method, i.e., of setting aside a small sum weekly or monthly as thecasomay be, I do not think yon will miss it, and I am sure you will not be any poorer. I have here a small book with a brown cover that [ want to tell you about. It was shown to me by a gentleman "it Ashburton, and I immediately olfered him £5 for it, but he shook his head, so I borrowed it, and when coming a'vay purposely forgot to return it. You will no doubt wonder what this little book is that the owner and I prize so much. It was published in I.SOB and is an original account of the first four years doings of the Bible Society. Just think of the changes that have taken phce since then. At that time Napoleon was at the zenith of his greatus'ss, but we have still one Sovereign who has throughout his life been a staunch supporter of the Society. I refer to the grand old Kaiser who at that time was a boy of eleven. On the outside of the cover of this little book is printed, "To be had of Mr Seeley, Fleot-streot, London." Now mark the progress that has been niado since that time; the Society has now two grand buildings in which the business is conducted, and they are on the very spot where a Blackfriars Monastery stood, in which in the year 1378 a council was held to adopt measures to suppress Wicklitfe. The funds for these buildings were supplied by Sunday School children. This (holding up a small book) is a Jubilee Testament and represents fifty years of national progress. Let us compare the present with the time when Her Majesty ascended the throno in 1837. In that year we sent 120,000 Bibles into France ; last year wo sent 130,000. You will naturally say that the increase is very small, but 1 can assure yon in that country we are glad to be able to hold our own. Now mark the difference with Italy. In 1837 we sent nothing ; last year we sent 13i),000, and our agent tells us that there is no other book has anything like the circulation. The march of Christian civilisation in that country has been .narvellous. The Bible is used in public schools and the inspector sent a letter to the schoolmasters impressing upon them the advisability of using the Bible as a reading book, as he considered it an eminently educative one. Think of that m what one would suppose to be the most priest-ridden country in the world and right under the very walls of the Vatican. In 1837 Russia received 7,500 Bibles and last year 450,000. To commemorate the J übilee of Her Majesty the society is publishing a history of its work for the last fifty years, and also a Bible for aged people whose eyesight is defective. The jubilee testaments are sold at one penny eaoh. I must here plain a little matter, over which the society felt rather sore, but which I believe has now been amicably settled. When the Victorians heard of the penny Jubilee Testaments they made up their minds to give one to every child—that would accept it— in the State schools, and sent an order to London for 240,000. Now, these Testaments oost the society a little over twopence each, so they intimated to the Victorians that they thought it would only be fair for them to pay cost price. I hear they are now going to do so, and are raising £1200 to pay the bill. In South Australia Mr John Angus Mill paid tor 10,000 copies himself. Queensland followed suit, and I believe is going to pay cost price. The society have issued 3,000,000 of tli-we Testaments, and have lost £12,500 on the nioveinent. 1 must now tell y»n something of the financial position of the society. People think our revenue is something awful. In round numbers, it is £240,000. After all it is nothing. A single, iron-clad costs four times as much ; and in two years the society lias lost 231,300, so you see the depression has affected it. Duringthe year the society published live new translations of the Bible-, vi?,, for the Ajno trjbe of Japanese; for the Budaga tvitje and Uo-go people, both of India, the Loganda peoplo of Central Africa, and the inhabitants of Duke of York Island. On the 30th of Juno they finished the last translation of the great languages of the nations of the world ; bnt they have still more than 3,000 minor languages to cope with." The lecturer then briefly referred to Mr Jones having been expelled from the loyalty Islands by the French, after which he took his seat. The officers for tho ensuing year wore then appointed as folloyvs : President, Archdeacon Willis; Treasurer, Mr F-. J. Brooks; Secretary, Mr Priestly: Conimittee, Revs. ISvans, Griffiths, Rishworth, Ajpssrs. )i'e\h, £{ougl)tou, 'Ward, Ijiissell, j,'l;'isher, and ({aim. The luual vofce of thanks to the cfiaip was passed, when Mr Russell asked Mr Robjohns if the society would supply New Zealand with Jubilee Testaments, if full price was paid for them. Mr Robjohns answered that they would, and that probably her Majesty would allow her autograph to be put in them as had been done for the other colonies, but which had been refused t'o fl]e inhabitants of j,ho Old Country. Mr Russell ' then moved and Mr Brooks seconded "that the incoming committee take steps to provide Jubilee Testaments for presentation to all children who will accept them at the public school." Carried unanimously. Mr Robjohns thought it was the beginning of a mighty movement that would spread throughout the laud. Mr Jno. Bull offered to pay for JOQ, Mr Brooks iqq," Mr Russell 2Q, Mr J3right 10, and if ten of his fellow-work--11701 'syoijld.follovy' suit, Iβ. Several othe'is iflsi) gave, in thejr names as subscribers to the fund smd nearly tho whole amount yequired must liavu been guaranteed. A hymn was then sung and the meeting closed. Meeting at Hamilton. Th,e Rev. Mr Robjohus addressed a wellattended meeting in the Public Hall, Hilmillton, last night, the Rev. K. O'C. Biggs in the Chair, : the Rev, Mr Dellow, Wiisleyan Minister, being also on the platform. ■ The 'proceedings opened witli the shifting ■ oj the 'Old Hundredth' hymn, Mr IT, Conneli presiding at the

pi.iiui. Rev. -Mr IMlow then read tlio 1!) th Psalm, which was followed l>y tins Heber's hymn " I'vnu Greenland's icy mountains." Rev. .Mi- JJigirs tlip.n referred l,<i tlio object of the meeting and the deep debt of gratitude, the world owes to the British and Foreign Bible Society fur tlie di.-tribulion of the scriptures, God's own word, and tlio civilizing influence tlmy have produced on mankind. Ho dnscribed the origin of the society from the strong desire of a little Welsh peasant girl, who strove to possess a bible of hot' own. Mr Robjohns (who was received with applause) said he would have to alter his programme. He was announced to deliver a lecture on a certain .subject, of which h» hud all his notes with him, and which h-. wished to give. But he was told it would be an unsuitable mie, though he thought it would bn most interesting, as he wished to show the scientific progress ofthe Bible and the difficulties it had overcome, how it had become the heart of the literature of the diy, and how the Lord had worked through the hearts of His people till it had become the King of the literature of the world of sciences. He would speak of the broad history of the Bible Society. He paid Hamilton and the beauty of its surroundings a nice compliment and said it was a place he would like to live in. He alluded to his visits to the various colonies, and his brief visit to this district last year. He was p'eased to see so large a meeting , , and would like to see a resolution passed to form a branch society in Hamilton, with proper officers, &c, to do Bible work on their own ground. The Society does not Rive away Bibles, but produces them cheaply and sells them cheaply. He wanted a committee to help in the great missionary work and to collect subscriptions for the great work he would presently describe. The people of Cambridge and Te Awaiuutu had displayed much enthusiasm, and he looked upon it as a great movement that was to grow in New Zealand. Referring to the story of the little Welsh girl, ho said it was owing to the accident of a snow storm that prevented her going to tlio farm house two miles away, where she went for Bible lessons, that made her story known, and led to a few gentlemen in London forming themselves into a Society to provide the poor in England with cheap Bibles. It was first proposed to supply Wales only, but a gentleman present said, " No, let us supply the whole world." The lecturer then proceeded with great eloquence and lire to speak of the mighty work of the society from its inception, _ the same as he is reported to have said at Cainbridge, and was warmly applauded as lie sat down. After the hymn, "Rock of Agos " was sung, Col. Forbes moved that a branch be formed in Hamilton to further the work of the British and Foreign Biblo Society. Seconded by Mr Seddon, and carried. Mr Cowper moved that a provisional committee for the above purpose be formed, to consist of the Revs. Mr Dellow, Biggs, Comrie, Col. Forbes, Messrs Cox and H. Steele, with power to add to their number. Seconded by Rev. Mr Dellow and carried. Rev. Mr Dellow moved a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer, who had told them many facts worthy of their close attention. Mr Robjnline proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, and the meeting closed with the Doxologv.