The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-01-18
From the Presbyterian and Index
A Few Facts and Queries on the Subject of
the Bible Among the People.
FACTS.

1. The aim of gospel ministers and of
Sabbath School teachers is to diffuse Bible
truth, believing that without it the preaching
of man is vain, and the faith of the people
also vain.
,. By noble industry, the families of
our land have been kept so thoroughly sup
piled with the Bible, that, in an important
sense, the whole population may be said to
have it.
3. In another sense, however, not less
important, the greater part hare 1t not; for
although holding the volume in their hands,
r Hever recer It's eonte -
their minds.
f. A vast majority cannot of themselves
read it satisfactorily-they need to hear it
read Most that they know of it is learned
from the pulpit and the Sabbath School.
5 Yet scarcely one-fOurth of them-in
some places not one-tenth-are habitual
church-goers; and those who are, go usually
expecting to hear sermon, not the Bible.
g. AS to general knowledge, our Sabbath
Schools are the hope of the country; yet, of
the scholars so faithfully instructed therein,
it is lamentably true that, within few years
after leaving schools, the greater part cannot
repeat correctly the Ten Commandments,
nor name the books of the New Testament.
QUERIES.
l. Ought this state of things to continue !?
2. Is there not reason to believe that the
great Head of the Church would be pleased
if measures were devised for correcting it?
3. What measures can be suggested?
BRIEF STATEMENT OF SOME OF THE PLANS
ALREADY THOUGHT OF.
1. Persons confined by sickness have some
times done much good by inviting others to
their sick room to hear the Bible read.
2. Others have gone stately to read it to
sick neighbOr, or to family group, or to
several families united in one group, or to a
neighborhood assembled in a house or even
under tree.
3. Ladies of industrial benevolent socie-
ties, while teaching poor workwomen the arts
of cutting out and making up garments,
have sometimes endeavored to benefit them
spiritually by reading the Bible to them as
they silently work.
4. Officers of Bible society have been
known to constitute themselves into board
of managers for Bible reading, as well as
for distribution; providing.however that the
expenses, if any, be paid from funds raised
for the purpose.
5. 1t has been thought that cities and
other districts too large for ordinary private
effort might be successfully supplied with
Bible readers if divided into wards, which
shall severally be committed to the care of
voluntary individuals, societies, or churches.
6. The question has been raised whether
it may not be possible to cover the land
with q network of union Bible reading as
sOciations, in the spirit of the American BIZ
bic Society, cOextensive with its affiliations,
which shall appoint readers and provide
means for bringing the Bible into contact
with the minds of the people.
READER please ponder what has been
said with view to Question Sd; then be SO
good as to embOdy your thoughts in letter
addressed to "Rev. F. R. Goulding, Roswell,
Georgia." or, what is better, publish them
first in some paper, and send him copy.
N. B.-Will editors friendly to the object
please copy, and send to the above address
all notices in consequence?