The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-11-25
THE BOOK OF BOOKS.
Celebration Of the Semi-Centennial Of
the Giles County Bible Society
Interesting Services and
Profitable Results.

: 1
, count of the death of a prominent
member of his congregation.
DR.. L. c. Garland, Chan
cellor Of Vanderbilt University,
delivered a mastery address at
the Methodist church in the morn
ing on What the Bible is to
Us, and Our Duty to the BIZ
ble." He held the large audience in
close and profound attention for
nearly an hour. He discussed the
Bible as an historical, literary, a
biographical, an ethical, and a SUI
peTnatural book-a revelation of
God, oil grace, of salvation and eter-
nal life to man. He spoke of its
value to man as an individual aud to
the nations and civilizations of the
earth and with the mastery sweep
of great mind. be drew a strik-
ing contrast between the pagan and
christian countries and portray ed
the higher civilization and the en-
lightened condition of the latter in
bold and vivid style. In speaking
of our duty to give the Bible to
every creature, he discussed the ma
ture of moral obligation, growing out
of our relations to God and to man,
as being above the mere conditions
of church-memhership. The sinner
is under equal moral obligations
with the saint TO give the Bible to
all men. His exegis of the Parable
OF the Good Samaritan and the de-
scription of the last Judgment, as
explain atory of the law OF moral OBJ
legation, furnished a clear and CO
gent exposition of christianity as a
principle of love, which will be long
remembered by his hearers. The
scholarship and wisdom of this
grand old man, who occupies, as
Chancellor of Vanderbilt University,
the very highest position of author
ity and usefulness possible to lay
man of the church, made profound
impression upon every person within
reach of his voice, and furnished an
intellectual and religious repast TO
our church goers which will not be
soon forgotten. We are glad to
learn that steps were taken to Sc
cure the publication of his address.
The union services at night, at
the Presbyterian church, were not so
largely attended, but were made yer,
interesting and profitable by the ad
dress of Rev. DIR. George S. Savage.
superintendent of the American Bi- !
BILE Society's work In the depart |
ments of Kentucky, Middle and |
East Tennessee. We CLEAN from
this able and admirable address the
following important facts, showing
the history and work OF this great
society:
The first Bible society was organ
lied in 1904, just rs years ago.
Now, there are 200 Bible Societies
IN the world engaged in translating,
printing and circulating the Holy
Scriptures. These societies have
published 10 three quarters OF a cen
fury l60,0O0,000 copies of the Bible,
in go languages and dialects. The
American Bible Society was organ
lzed in 1916, just Ga years ago. 1t
has published 38,OO0,000 copies OF
the Bible in SO languages and dia-
lects, without note or comment, thus
making the Woru of God accessible
to 800 100000 people. This society
sells all its publications, both in the
English and foreign tongues, at cost.
Its revenues, therefore, are not Ge-
rived from sales, but from voluntary
the rents of rooms
. 10 II
and legacies. The receipts the first
year of its existence were $37, 900
Last year they were $60S,342. 1t
issued the first year 5000 copies of
the Bible, and last year 1856 800
copies. II has published more
Bibles in the last fifteen years
than in all of the other 40 years
of it's existence. II is now turning
out eight complete copies of the
Scriptures every working minute
of time. This seems marvellous, We.
even at this rate the demand cannot
be supplied Think of Testaments
at five cents each and the entire BIZ
BILE for twenty five centsi rhe SO
ciety has Is publishing houses aad
a we'll organized system of colpor-
tage IN foreign countries. Last
year these colporteurs distributed
70, 500 Bibles in China alone. The
New Testament in Japanese has re
Gently been published by a company
of native christians. Special atten-
tion is now being given to the dis
tribution of the Bible in South
America and Mexico. The benevo-
lent work of the society the past
year amounted to S250,0O0 Speak
ing of this part OF the work, it
should never be forgotten that this
Society donated to the South during
the war 100000 Bibles, which were
TO Confederate soldiers.
Fhe Society, just the other dav,
made a grant of 1870 worth of Bi
hles to the Methodist Publishing
House. During the last four years
10000 BlbIes and Testaments we're
distributed in the State of Tennes-
All the counties in Middle and East
Tennessee have been thoroughly
canvassed in the last four years,
except Giles, Moore, Warren ami
Wilson, and these will be canvassed
by the close OF the present fiscal
year-March 81, 1881. This can
vass shows ove- S35 per cent. of the
population destitute of the Bible.
The congregations at the morn
ing and evening services contribu
ted $I05, to be expended in a sys-
tematic and thorough canvass OF
Giles county, aad the Executive
Committee, on Monday morning.
employed Mr.. William Kay for this
work. He has been in the employ
of the American Bible Society for
I3 years, and is now finishing up
the canvass in Maury county. He
will enter upon his work in Giles
about the middle of next month.
AT the meeting Sunday night the
folio wing officers OF the Giles Coun
" Bible Society were elected Tor
the ensuing year: John 5. Wilkes,
president; George I. Fiddle, vice
president; w. T. DuBose, score
tSry; Charles BuiOrtl, treasurer; Il