Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-12-21
Bible SOCIETY.

Jfr. Bdifor Permit me Though your
columns TO address a few facts to the
friends Of the Bible cause in Vermont.
The American Bible Society is now in
the tiftieth year of its operations, hav-
ing been organized on the I'd Wednesday
OF May, 1916. Just as the year has
opened upon US God in his Providence
has summoned US TO several new en-
deavors of great Importance and mag
nitude, thus crowning and houoring our
humble labors in the past.
We seem TO be thus called upong TO
celebrate our Jubilee Year by under
taking the following extraordinary en-
terpHscs
!. The re esupplYrol the South, where
vast proportion Of the people are
without Bibles and anxious to receive
them, and where measures are iuaugur-
ated lor circulating at least 100000
copies.
.. The supply OF such Freedmen as
are able 70 read, multitudeS of whom
are rapidly learning for the purpose of
perusing the inspired Word before they
die. To meet the wants of the aged
among them, an edition of the Gospel
Of John, in large print Is lust pre-
pared.
Having labored the past year as army
agent Of the Bible Society among the
soldiers, citizens and freedmen OF Vir-
ginia and North Carolina, the sub
scriber can testify to the interesting
character and vast Importance OF these
efforts.
g. The circulation of the Spanish
Scriptures in Mexico and South Ameri.
ca, where agents are at work and where
hundreds OF thousands of copies will
be gladly received and read by the peo-
pie.
4. The printing Of the new version
o. the Arabic Scriptures, the first edition
of which, together with the preparation
OF the electrotype plates, will cost the
society this year from seventy to Ieighty
thousand dollars. The Arabic is the
spoken language Of one hundred and
twenty millions Of people. If, after the
plates are finished, we can print two
hundred thousand copies annually for
one hundred and twenty years, we
should just put our Bible in each fami-
ly Provided the race remains numer-
icany the same, in six hundred years
we cnnld furnish Rihle IN nnoh indi-
Vidual
While called to these unusual efforts,
the ordinary work cannot safely be neg
lccted. The Bible has been wisely pro-
nounced the Charter Of Liberty to the
world, and our recent national expert
ence teaches us, in every possible way
TO develop and strengthen the elements
of free government. To do 1t we must
keep the Bible in the hands Oc the mas
Ses.
II is thought important that every
community should be canvassed and
supplied once in five years. 1t is much
more than that since this work has been
done throughout this State. At its
annual meeting the Vermont Bible So
ciety voted to rc.canvass the State.
Two agents are already in the field for
this purpose and others will be em-
ployed g. soon as suitable men can be
found
Sister States are responding aODIy to
the voice OF Providence calling US to en-
larged liberalities Massachusetts, Bible
Society has appropriated fivc thousand
for the Arabic Scriptures. Illinois IS
IHS " liuhN AiS4 sENNidt buDtACS
Offering fifty thousand dollars. Others
are making similar Efforts.
We trust Vermont will not oe behind
her sister states in this sublime effort.
A large increase OF funds seems indis-
pensable IL the discharge Of our ob(iga-
tions,
The agent eau visit comparatively
few of the churches May o. not rely
upon pastors Of every Damr 70 bring
the case faithfully before their people
And will not every lover Of the Bible,
however humble his means, steward
ship give as God hath prospered We
do not ask you to turn aside other benev-
olent objects which the Bible has devel-
oped, but do not forget this time-hon-
ored and Heaven. honored institution
in this most interesting crisis Of its his
tory.
Wm. II. GILBERT.
Agent Am. and vt. Bible Soc's-
Rrsttleboro. Dec. II, 1865.
TIE WAR DErARTNENr.-The New