Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-12-28
EEAIGXOVS,


Sirtd .dnnaak Report Of The Niasou,
-duriiiary Bible Society, hreaeate.
NOV. %, 1924.
AT the close Of the sixth year OF thei,
labors The Directors oil the Missour
Auxiliary Bioe Society, presens thei,
report, with devout thankfuiness 10 III,
Parent OF mercies and with delightful
remembrance OF his kindness aud bles
sing
The origin, establishment and increas,
OF Bible Societies, form one of the mos
! delightful features OF the present age
reese institutions have opened a new
era IN the history of The church. Scat.
tered and individual efforts only, were
formerly directed 10 the circulation Of
the sacred volume. But little, however
could De done in the early ages of chris.
tlanity TO disseminate lhe word of God.
The tedious process of ranscribinc CO.
pies, rendered their increase s. low and
limited before the art OF printing was
discovered. Al that period the exor-
o't'at value Of a copy Of the scriptures,
put Ii waolly out of The power of persons
OF moderate fortunes 10 possess one. In
the year 1879, the pay Of laboring man
IN England was three half pence per
day. Al that time the price OF a Bible
written was thirty pounds sterling; it
would then have cost a saborcr more
than thirteen gears service. Now it
may be purchased for one ordinary DAVIS
labor. At tina. period the want of edu- :
cation would have presented a powerful
obstacle 10 It's REGULATION. But few were
able to read.
From these circumstances by far the
greatest part OF the population in Chris
iian countries were excluded by poverty
from possessing This treasure, and by ig-
n9rance lrot.i dfiuking at the fountain O..
wisdom.
II Is not strange, then, rat ths inf,u-
enee OF designing men operated uDon
The ignorance aud Superstition OF the
saass OF community, and they sunk down
INTO those errors, fo!lles and vices, with
which the annals OF history are stained.
Inc invention oil printing was like a sun
rising above the horizon OF the moral
world. Tie darkness that had long
brooded over chrls,endom was dispelled
as the mist of the morning rolls I'D the
mountain. side, by multiplying copies
and scattering abroad revealed truth.-
The holy scriptures, which the policy OF
corrupt priesthood had kept secluded
in languages little understood, were now
translated, and by aid OF the press CO.
pies were multiplied to vast extent,
and spread with rapidly through all
ranks of society. Still, however, in the
succeeding ages, the number Of copies
bore no proportion to the wants Of the
world. They were still too scarce to be
within the reach Of thousands who could
peruse them, and ignorance and poverty
still presented their melancholy obsta-
cles. Individual enlerprize had done
something in the business Of translating,
out most nations were without the Bible.
A new age was commencing, and that
was the age OF bible Societies. The
great want Of copies Of the WEIGH Bible
in he Sabbath Schools in Wales, led the
interchangeable Mr.. Charles, then engaged
in the establishment Of adul. sabbath
schools, to visit some of the principal
cities in England to solicit aid in print
ing an edition Of the WEIGH Bibie.
While pleading the cause Of the desti-
tute before the committee of tract socie-
ties in Liverpool, the mind Of the Rev.
Joseph Hughs became impressed with
the idea, that with little, more effort
than sufficient to supply Wales, with the
Bible, society might be formed, which
might go on increasing its means and en-
larging lis efforts, till the WHOLE WORLD
might be supplied with the word Of God.
The thought was cherished, improved,
suggested to others, and measures we're
finally adopted which resulted in the for
nation of the T" British and Foreign BIZ
BILE Society,"" on the 9TH March, 1904.
The next in course was the IS Philadei-
phia Bible Society,"" in the December
following.
The immediate effect of these institu-
tons, was, to arouse tho frien0s of the
Bible in every country to similar efforts.
The society in England soon adopted
the method Of employing agents, to ira
vol over Europe, and awaken spirit Of
emulation, ZEAL and enterprise amongst
the friends Of revealed truth. From the
rlabors Of such surprising evangelists as
Patterson, Henderson, and Pinkerton,
whose interchangeable siiarts scarcely have