The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-10-31

Throughout the vast Russian Empire. inhab
tied by Az millions of nominal christians, it i.
supposed, that, not more than COCO copies q
OF the Sculptures had been put in circulation
since the Bible was first printed, and then in
languages unintelhgible to the great body oftha
people, And it has been calculated, that if
during this long period of 300 years, not one
copy had been lost or worn out, the COCO cop
les divided among the ten generations which
have passed away, since the commencement Of
that period, would give but one Bible TO every
62,OO0 people, which would be at the rate OF
not much more than one Bible to the whole
population of Worcester County Since the
establishment of Bible Societies, and througI,
their influence, this awful deficiency has been
IN good measure supplied
Through the aid and encouragement furnish
cd by Bible Societies, the Holy Scriptures have
! been translated into the Turkish and Modern
/ Greek, aud by this means made accessible and
nteillgible to the numerous population. inhab
ting the islands and coasts of the Mcdnerrane-
I an Sea
| by the immense labors of Morrison. and 9TH
! ers, these writings now exist in the language
spoken by the countless mullitudes of China.
Inc Bible has moreover been translated into
almost every dialect of India so that the va
rious tribes OF that interesting country, embrace
ing population of 100 millions of souls may
. --SHAhs
the agondcJaL aoorks OF God
In France, only % years ago, it is said, that
the Bible could hardly be found in any book
store. Now, a large and fourishing Bible So
ciety, with many auxiliaries exists in that
country, and is dihusing, far and wide, its hap
Ply influence.
IN Denmark, 10000 copies Of the Holy
Scriptures and more than 290,000-in Sweden.
have been put in circulation within very few
years.
Half million of the sacred writings have
been distributed in Germany by the Jealous
and indciatigable labors Of single individual
and he Roman Catholic priest. DIR. Lean
der Van esq
Along the coasts of Greece, at the island Of
Malta, in Palestine, and Asia Minor. aud even
at Constantinope, the capital of the Turkish
Empire, numerous copies Of the sacred writ
ings, IN various languages, have been dstrib-
uted through the influence of Bible Associa-
lions.
It is less then one quarter of century since
the British and Foreign Bible Saciety com
menced its operations and it has already
printed, or aided TO print, the scriptures in no
less than 142 different languages; and has
distributed, at home and abroad, more than four
millions of Bibles and Testaments having ex-
pended for that object, more than six millions
of dollars
Nor has the American Bible Society been
slow to follow the steps of the parent institu-
ton. With an income, which amounted tie last
year to more than 60,000 dollars the Saeietv
at their last anniversary in May, had caused to
be printed, during the year, 76,734 Bibles and
Testaments, which, added to the number print
ed or purchased by the Society, since its forna-
ton, makes an aggregate of 609,636 copies.
From facts gathered from every quarter of
the globe, it would appear, that as many as six
of ho
been put in circulation, in nearly $50 languag-
es, since the institution of Bible Societies. aud
through their influence.
Who can calculate the whole amount of
good, which has resulted from this wide circu-
lation of the Inspired Volume What tongue
can tell of all the victories which this mighty
warrior, 'ohoSe name rs called the Word Of God
seen in vision by the prophet of Patmos, has
achieved of all the rebellious hearts which
have been pierced and subdued by the SHARP
S1C0rd that g0eth oat Of his mouth, and brought
into ooptigify to tie obedience Of Christ
Still, after all that has been done, there ex-
lists at this moment an alarming deficiency OF
Bibles i'll foreign countries and in our own
land deficiency, which must be supplied if
supplied at all, by the contributions of the be-
nevolent and pious in the more highly favored
communities
What are six millions Of Bibles among the
eight or nine hundred millions of our species,
supposed to be living at one time on our globe :
Admitting that every copy of the six millions
distributed by Bible Societies since their for
nation, were now in good preservation, and
that four times that number had been furnished
by other means, and were still in circulation,
and that mo individual possessed duplicate
copy,-what are 30 millions Of Bibles among
goo millions of souls
Tho following facts, collected from tho pub
locations of the American Bible Society, and
relating solely to this western continent, may
give us some faint conception Of the dearth
which still exists.
In the rising Republics of South America
and in Mexico the Bible is just beginning to
be known, and is eagerly sought after BY a
people Just emancipated from colonial subiec-
ton and just emerging from the darkness in
which they had so long been enYelopad
A gentleman who recently visited that inter-
osting region, (Mr. J. c. Bl+rhaml thus writes .
" am confident, that had possessed them, /
might, in Peru, Colombia, and Mexico, have
sold, instead of four Or five hundred (Biblcs) as
many thousands" He expresses it as his
opinion that not more than 2000 Bibles have
erer been distributed in Mexico comprchend-
ing a population Of seven millions of souls :
and that the same destitution prevails in all
the sister republics.
An alarming deficiency of Bibles exists
nearer home. In the State of New York, eight
hundred families, IN a Siagio county, have re-
Gently boon found destitute A deficiency
nearly as great exists in several other counties
of the same State and the same remark will
apply to the whole State of Delaware In
North Carolina ton thousand families are said
to be destitute; and we are informed that a
dearth equally alarming prevails throughout
most, if not all of the Southern and Western
States
In view of these facts, the Board'of Direct
ors ask leave to suggest the enquiry, whether
tho inhabitants of this highly favored region
have hitherto engaged in the Bible cause with
that warmth of zeal and earnestness of effort,
which Christian sympathy and honevolence
and the love of country ought to inspire
It is fact which ought not to be concealed,
I that, by large proportion of the towns in this
county, nothing scarcely has been contributed
TO the funds Of this Society: and, vet il is the