National Republican., 1874-05-18
AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.
INNIVERSARY LAST
NIGHT At THE CAPITOL.

rLUENCE oC THE BIBLE Oh %lNlLlLA-
TON AND PROGRESS.
The American Bible Society celebrated Its 6sth
anniversary last night in the Hall OF the House Of
Representatives. An extended notice Of the or
ganization, history, plans, and purposes Of this
national benevolence was published ono week
since in THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, from which
It appeared that the society strictly unsectarlan
in its character and single in its purpose. The
manufacture and distribution of the Scriptures,
through the agency Of this society, OF course in
wolves large purchases as well as sales. But
while this fact gives q mercantile aspect to much
of the socety,s work, 1t is Important for an who
are interestedsin its operations 10 remember that
even in the matter OF buying and selling, its char
liable aims are always most prominent. 1t 10 not
the plan desire Of the society TO mouapolize the
trade IN Bibles, or run a competition with book
sellers 1t leaves the trade to meet all the popu-
lar demand for Bibles illustrated by prints, maps,
or notes. and confines it's issues TO the simple
Scriptures without note or comment" " and seeks
to throw the golden treasures Of Gods Word in
the way Of the masses, and TO circulate them
through families, Sabbath-scho0s, churches. and
other channels. Its sales are in large proportion,
to those who buy to give AWAY, thus making tho
Bible reach the poor gratuitously through tho
1t seemed highly appropriate that this American
Institution should hold its anniversary in this the
representative city of the Union and In the Hall
OF the Representatives, OF the people Of the land
that has grown to the first imaginable in rank OF
nations through the genius OF the teachings OF
that Bible which this society is organized to pro-
mulgate.
Tbirty-three years ago the society held its annL
versary in the Hall OF the old House OF Represent
a;ives under auspices similar to those Of last
night.
TIE ATTENDANCE
upon the anniversary exercises last night was in
keeping with the magnitude OF the society and
the distinguished character of the speakers en-
gagged for the occasion. Although The seats on
the floor of the Hall were filled with invited guests
among whom n generous representation of the
members and Senators with their families was
noticeable; the extensive galleries were ocenpIed
An abstract Of the firty-eishth annual report of
in THE RsPuBLIcAN,) giving glance at its euOr~
Nous operations during the past year, was circu-
lated throughout the audience. This showed an
increase in the number of auxiliary societies OF
81 during the year. The receipts have been 1884,
iSo.O6; the expenditures ell.72S.73, OF which
$40. .e44.50 was expended in gratuitous work.
The society issued during the year 990,5I2 Bibles
and Testaments in about forty different Ian
guages.
THE EXERCISES OF THE EVENING
were opened by the following neat address Of
welcome by Speaker Blaine:
The House OF Representatives permits the use
Of its Hall on secular days for no other purpose
than fits own deliberations. But by Il rule as old
rs its Organization the Speaker is empowered to
open it on Sunday for divine worship. The Hall
is thus devoted to two objects only: on seenlar
days To le yislatiOn Nr free people on the SAD
bath to the free worship OF Almighty God: l
think IL no stretch Of faith to believe that the rst
object will be more permanently and more purely
attained by dutIlul observance OF the second:
1t is with very great pleasure, therefore, that
carry out the wishes Of the House of Representa-
tiyes in welcoming to this Hall the American b.
bic Snciety-the representative OF all the Chris.
tian Churches Of America-for the celebration OF
its fifty-eighth anniversary, and have the honor
to call TO the chair its distinguished president,
William H. Allen.
DR.. W. H. Allen, LID, president OF the so;
pdnh tand rinur a n q
extended and for tho use OF the Hah
on have been pleased, sir, to refer to tho Amer
lean Bible Society as one Of good. II is such, sir
public i colleagues whom fsee here tonight, that
public men never stood on safer platform than
nscctfe. Pertuii one personal remark from me,
,Ir, as fnerabsf 6T y6df Ieglslative district.
What the State .of Pennsylvania has lost by q
hRRee S5 s. alrG
ind read the 18th Psalm; after which Rev. J. 6.
Butler, of the Lutheran church. offered a most
benefits Of the Bible as received in this country
through tho mighty hgency OF the society repre-
lented on this occasion.
President Allen addressed the audience as fol-
ows: Ladies' and gentlemen, it gives us pleasure
% celebrate the ffty-eiYhth anniversary Of the
Joeiety in the national metropolis, and in this
noble Hall. We rejoice to welcome so many Of its
friends tonight.
The society knows no section or sect. North,
outh, east, and west are only geographical terms
n its vocabulary; IL greets all as lovers OF the
Bible. Its namc is American" but
ITS FIELD is THE WORLD,
ind It sows seed for q worldwide harvert. The
Bibles Of this society read in the language Of
very nation. In China, and japan and Siberia,
Ound Its way. Wherever soul is found, "What-
,ver the hue OF its mortal envelope IT finds in
his society friend willing to impart the Word of
Iaved by moral forces. The Bible is the strongest
able to which the ship of state is moored; cut
hat and she drifts away on q sunless and star
ess sea.
1t is false to promulgate the pernicIous ca
lard that "every man has his price, With an
,pen Bible in every house, We will not despair Of
te uS smboat and eyery hotel room. Wherever W men men
ire found there let US place the Bible and conn
Iently hope that the decay Of virtue, now SO
OF the American people the society
will work out its grand mission.
REV. ALEXANDER M'LEAN.
ecretary Of the society, was then introduced, and
aid that he desired TO transport the audience for
while TO another and more illustrious city, and
more noble hall than that occupied here to-
liXht-to Jerusalem of old, and to the scene OF
he feast OF the tabernacle, when Christ put forth
he solemn declaration, ~ am tho light oh the
which was to shine on to the end Of the world;
mo It is this that has called this crowd together
o-night.
L
,rehend the grace and truth which shope in Il.
Iany In this day are rejecting Christ, but Chrsts
declaration is being more gloriously verified that
In this day there are two great candlesticks,
which some hold are at rivalry with that Of the
3Ible namely, those Of
SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY. o.. .F
But truly viewed this is not so. Every ray that
hey generate only adds efrulgencs to the Light
f Christ, while there are many hidden facts that
hese lesser lights cannot penetrate, These
htngs have made this. grand institution, this
BSS Sod sSss Sas sss
Eorld. In Its work Christians are everywhere
hitting. In New York last fall there was grand
GRGS ToIa sass Ias de SS RsSs
sse & e5h sEB B sniy eh ses .Ss. e. o, n
But IT is my duty tonight to give you an Idea OF
. work done by the society during the pas.
ear. =. :: ,sii5:s ,:si15::Fss, f+:FyE
NdTnbeFs are only to assist the mind TO grasp
.he idea which underlies them. 1t seems IKE
lures have been put in circulation during tne past
year, simply because you fail to comprehend y.
We in the United States are only i9rty Hiiltons l
the Bible to one in forty Of this grand nauop
during the past year. The population Is much
neath the shadow Of the great Bible house in
New York. and doubtless beneath the shadow Of
this Capitol, and 1t Is no small work 70 distribute
Bibles to these. Our agents meet the emigrants
and place the word Of God in their hands ia their
OE1 language numbering 9ysT f9Ety They go
Of the hunter and the hut q the miner to tell Of
the %haRI %fhaRpE Ia. a0Ps Ss. III fs2H of all this aO
Much money has been expended and much more
must be spent. Has God owned 1t and blessed y
to the conversion OF souls? How interesting II
one could trace every Bible which has been issued
by this society2 The widow In her poverty has
read It to her comfort. The ayaricious man
has learned from 1t to lay up treasures In
heaven. Many minds have been illumined by
light from its sacred pages. But God calls to Ia
ment seat Of Christ and count the now countless
multitude which have been saved through its
The speaker said that he had
stood on the summit Of q mountain peak before
day and seen the stars one by one as they
began to disappear before the coming God
of day, and peaks began TO ap-
pear as the light began TO play from one TO
another. Tthen the light Hooded the valley below,
and the lakes sleeping in the embrace OF the
were abiaze with light, and this be thought was
no faint emblem Of the shining OF this light Of
God. At first only q few stars appeared. Since
then the brightness, increasing, has sent rays 70
pierce the darkness In many lands and IL VIII
pierce the darkness IN other lands, for the mouth
Of the Lord has spoken 1t.
HON. HORACE MAYNARD
was introduced, and said, that the basis Of his
remarks he would submit the following resolution
that tho reading Of the Sacred Scripture should
be encourag ed and promoted He said that to
utter this Is but TO speak tfuism, but By II he
meant the reading OF the Scripture should be