The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-04-12
Annual Report of the Virginia Bible Society.

In presenting the 63rd Annual Report of this So
ciety it is a positive pleasure to know that the
friends of the Bible in all lands are laborDg to send
it 10 the home and heart OF every dweler on the
earth. They do this work because they wonld
carry to others the peace and hope which the BIZ
BILE has brought to them. Freely ye have re-
ceived, freely give" They do this work because,
they are sure that the Bible is the secret of ma
tional virtue and greatness to all people who re.
oeive and practice its precepts No man can reject
the Bible and live. No nation Gao re cot the Blbe
and live. 1.-The nation and kingdom that will not
serve thee shall perish yea these nations shall be
utterly wasted In darkness, despair and ruin
men and nations that re ,ct the Bible must perish.
When the boy king Edward the Sixth of England,
was brought forth to be crowned and saw the three
swords used on such OCCASIONS he asked where the
fourth was. His attendants in surprise, asked
what he meant The young king replied in ever
memorable words, THE Bible that book is the
Sword of the Spirit and is to be preferred before
these swords: without that We are nothing, we
can do nothing, we have no power. The noble
answer of Queen Victoria to the African Prince
who sent an embassage with costly gifts of " bar
barc pearls and gold and asked 10 return for the
secret OF England greatness Is worthy to be writ
ten in letters of solid gold The Queen handed the
ambassador beautiful copy OF tho Bible, and said,
Tell the Prince that this is the secret of Fog
our own government knew the value of the Word
of God as the sure basis of national greatness aud
stability. In the dark and trying days of the Rev
dictionary struggle, Congress provided for the i'm
portation of Bibles as we'll as weapons of war, be.
eving that the circulation Of this blessed book
would promote alike the growth of patriotism and
religion. In the light of this fact we may we'll be.
eve the legend, that the first liberty pole raised
by our patriot. fathers was surrounded with pile
R,hl Ont of lc1i ord
for men and tor nations. AS the Bible makes its
way into the dark places OF the word its inherent
excellency draws eulogies even from the heather
themselves. 10 Bengal a heather editor declared
in his paper, 1.-THE Bible is the best and most ex-
ceent of all English books and there is not its like
in the English language. 1t person studies the
English language with a view to gain wisdom, there
Is not book more worthy Of being read than the
Bible" In common with all who thus believe,
this Society has for more than three-score years
worked with varying fortunes to scatter the leaves
of the Tree of Life among people OF all classes in
this State. During the year just passed. our work
has been done in the midst OF hard times and un
der many hindrances and Heterogeneous. but it
has not ceased for day nor an hour. We have
kept in view the commendation OF our Lord to the
woman who broke the alabsster-bOx and poured
the precious ointment on his head She hath
done what she could" We have done what we
could to give the people the Word OF Lite
In the years work Is 446 volumes have been is
sued at cost for collecting, distributing, 60, of
81 264 averaging per volume u cents for
placing the Scriptures in the hands OF the people
Fen thousand four hundred and ninety one fami
lies have been visited by our missionaries during
the year, many of them conversed with on Bible
truth prayed with and comforted-2 l49 of the
above number were found destitute of the Bible
,480 were furnished with the same, besides 343
;,,J nh; ID
ored have been supplied with the Bible or Tesla
ment gratuitously 3007 volumes have been dis
tributed by the Society at Richmond; ,7l9 Vo'-
umes by its colporteurs; l,725 volumes by auXil-
iaries; Al addresses have been made in the inter-
ests of the Society and about l6 QUO miles tray-
eled in the great work of disseminating the Bible
If we take for comparison the cost Of distribution
in the earlier years of the Society, We shall find
that the work has been done at less cost doubtless
than at any former period. ln the 18th year OF
the Society the cost of collecting, distributing, &c.
4, $50 volumes was 81, 932 2S-averaging 65 cents
per volume to distribute, independent of the pur-
chase price of the books During the last four
years and halt there have been issued rs 495
volumes of Scripture, at the value of about $2S,
600. Total number of families visited during this
period 65, BAT, constituting population of about
36O. 600. Total number of families found destitute,
10, 062 Total supplied, 6467, and individuals, l.,
97S. Allowing six to family, it will be seen the
ciety through its agencies, has carried the Word
Of Life to the homes OF not less than 40 900 OF our
destitute people. This summary does not include
ali the work done by the auxiiaries. Many of them
do not report what they have done. 1t may be
safe to say that large number Of families have
re ceved the Word of God through these agencies,
and that if the facts could all be gathered up they
would greatly increase the number of families re-
ported as supplied.
Pr 7aas,5a,as ~ ips Fspsrts gf tue early history
of tie Society, It appears that about as many vol
lmes have been put in circulation during this pc.
rOd Of four and halt yeaTs ss were jssgea Aurias
he first twenty years ct ts9 SO G TIKI 2gs9s
earnestly Il has been carried on By the executive