Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-09-15
LOCAL NEWS.
anniversary of the Delaware Bible society

Anniversary of the Delaware Bible Society :
ELECTION OF oFFIcERs-NTEREsTrNa ADDRESSES.
The anniversary meeting of the Delaware
Bible Society was held on Thursday evening, in
Union NJ. L. Church, in this city, and, though not
largely attended, was of great interest. The
meeting was called to order at ~ o'clock by
Hon. Willard Hall, who presided on the occasion,
and half hour was spent in hearing reports
from committees, and the transaction of business.
The nominating committee reported their list of
officers for the ensuing year, when Hon. Willard
Hall was elected President, Hon. George W.
Sparks, Secretary, and Mr. Taylor, Treasurer,
with twenty-four directors, selected from differ
ent parts Of the State. From the reports read
we Judge that the Society is in very fourishing
condition. They have established a depository
for the sale of Bibles at the religious book store,
No. 6O7 Market street.
After singing by the choir Rev. Charles Hill
led the meeting in prayer, and appropriate
selections of the Holy Scriptures were read by
Rev. Frank M. Chatham, when Rev. George A.
I,atimer, of the Protestant Episcopal Church,
was introduced, and made an interesting address,
dwelling particularly upon the necessity Of this
organization, the work accomplished by them,
and the responsibility of the Christians of our
State in connection with its work. He was
Followed by Rev. J. r. Clymer, in an address of
marked ability, evincing much research and
careful thought.
and higher law of this Republic"
The Central fundamental law of this Nation is,
the eonality and brotherhood of man expressed
in the sentence "All men are created equal"
This sentiment is the soul of the Nation, without
it this body of states, now healthy and vigorous
would he a skeleton of confederacies, fit compa-
Mon for dust and worms Who were the men
that put this life-giving sentiment in the Decla-
ration of Independence And where did they
get It? We're they Psychologists met to discuss
the physical forces OF man. and to gauge man,
hood by the high quality and weight OF hesh and
Did thew declare that men were created physi-
cally equal? No! We're they metaphyscians
considering the mental powers OF man and the
laws of minds Did they say that all men were
created intellectually equalf No! We're they
moralists met to declare the moral equality of
man, we answer, No! They were politicians
politicians Of the noble sort. Philanthropists,
and yotaries of the Science of Government.
They met to declare not the equality OF condt-
tion but the equality of rights to all men. That
il one man had as much right to liberty and JUS
tice before the law, as another, no matter what
might be the differences in condition, race or
color. Indeed the more abject their condition,
the qredtet the need of equity and Justice.
Where did our Fathers get this principle From
TENS of the past? We answer, the Ancients never
dreamed of such principle, neither was it found
in the statue books. They got il from The Bible.
The voice Of Revelation declared centuries ago,
"Haye we not all one Father" and hath he not
| .made of one blood all nations Of men for to
dwell on all the face of the Earth" II this senti-
ment is the soul of onr nation, as our history
clearly shows. then are we indebted to the Bible
| for our National existence. The logic OF events
in days Of the past has shown that the blessings
| of a progressive civilization have been ours in 30
| far as we have been faithful to the teachmgs Oh
/ Gods Rook and no farther.
| Now there is another principle the outgrowth
| of this law of universal equality, which inheres
| in our system of government. refer 70 the
principle, That he greatest good o. ne e aageaud ,,
| The governments of the past made themselves
1 rich and strong by making people poor and weak
| They sought powersfn the subjugation OF theiI
| citizens. America sees power by the exaltatior
| of her citizens. America gives her lie Tor tiIe
prosperity and protection Of her citizens, and hel
| citizens give their lives for her again. Amercs
| interposes nothing between the humblest citizer
and the highest post of honor in the nation; aye
she helps him to honor by securing his right
and redressing his wrongs. Where, l ask dit
this feature in our government come from
From the Bible Hence is my Father glorinet
fiat va bear much fruit" The greatest possible
good that can come to man Is Goas Mghes
glory. ..He wills that all men shall be sayet
and come unto knowledge OF the truth.
doth not vet appear what we shall be, but wnei
Ike him God interposes nothing between tn
humblest of his creatures and the eternal throne
ave more He helps us to divine sonship.
But ho,p shall zoe maintain our national 4fe
By untinching allegiance to the book OF Hir
who is the :. fountain of all lfe.'
The Heavens and the earth may pass but nc
one lot or title of the laws shall fail. "Blesse
il the nation whose God is the Lord. But ther
are those who would take the Bible from US an
our children. Take the Bible from us and 20
take away the life of our nation. There is on
thing that the Romanist must know above a
others that the American people Will never SUI
: nit to the overthrow of our public school systel
: on the election Of the Bible from our school
/ am much in sympathy with the resolution th'
was passed in meeting in New York, years ae
when this question of the election OF the BID
from our public schools was first proposed, w
Resolved, That we will not give up the BIB
80 long as there is piece OF plymouth rock
I, enough to make gun flint Of !,
!, human family without the Bible. That is IL O
a of every 90 of our race are without Gods wor
J: The American Bible Society issue 4264 copl
daily AT this rate it will take 400 years to supp
: benighted ones, and their children to come aft
y them, wait SO long for Gods truth? Shall hu
II dreds in our own State of Delaware sit IN MOI
darkness without the Bible, while we have t
W light of life and the means of sending 1t then
ID God forbid.
" The excellent choir then sang a very beautil
10 piece, entitled g The Blessed Bible" when RI
ly MIR. Smith, of the West Presbyterian Chur'
10 addressed the audience.
He smoke of the object of the association
TO threefold-to scatter the Bible; to have I
Bible read and to get means to supply all {
citizens with copy Of this blessed book.
in other words, our great object is to get
saving truths out Of the Bible and into
or people. We want to give it wings to fly abro
nd and tongue to speak of its wondrous trut
He urged the necessity of an energetic, a
IL minister being employed to travel through
ps the State and hold public meetings in the
It, terest of this society, and to read the Blble
the ignorant and unearned, and to estaDl
,w schools for the education of such as could
" read, or in some way have the Word OF [
ha read to those who were not able to read it thu
,rt selves. He closed with an earnest appeal
greater faithfuness in labor for and contri
:, ton to the society.
oi Rev. Mr.. Sheldon, agent of the Amer
y, ~ Bible Society in New Jersey and Delaware,sp
is of the success attending the operations OF
ea society at large, and the interest felt in 1t IN
States especially assigned to his care--of
ace silent influence of the Bible in its very prese
ted in the home, and of the many who had |
lail convinced and converted simply through +
rri- ing its pages, without comment or personal
III struction from others.
The meeting closed by singing " The Old,
lat Story" and was dismissed with the benedlc
or. by Mr.. Clymer.
tNe | Innl Estnfe.