The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-08-03
Address bY j. G.. Klugh, Esq.

Of clrculating the Holy Scriptures was
not new one in 1916; it is as old as the
| history Of the church. The spreau of
christianity has in all ages carried with
it the recorded Word, and the seasons of
greatest growth Of the church have ever
been marked as periods when wider
| dissemination and closer study have
been bestowed upon Gods word. In
deed the history of christianity and Of
the Jewish faith before christianity had
had beginning. proves that the reading
and study Of the Bible itself is essential
to the maintenance of purity in the wor-
ship Of God. Humanity cannot hope
to preserve its religion incorrupt and at
the same time forget or ignore the
sources from which it derives the tenets
Of its faith. The best systems Of reli-
gion that have prevailed in the heather
world-and Of some them, in heir pur-
ity, are beautiful and simple and grand
enough to suggest the idea Of divine orr
gin-have degenerated into the lowest
forms Of paganism when their adhcrents
have consented to take their doctrines
at secondhand. A live christianity de-
md,'dS Il lively knowledge OF the foun-
dations on which its faith is built. And
SO we see with what eagerness in the
earlier days Of the church the written
account OF the Lords soourn and teach
ing among men together with the letters
Of advice and warning written by His
apostles were read and circulated. In
those days of "uncial" characters
laboriously Scrawlcd on parchment. it
was of course impossible to place copy
of the Bible in every mans hand, and
cot - f1,.,
teachings was felt, and to bring it in the
reach Of all, to learn its precepts and
blessed tenets was n labor Of love which
early found its way even in the imperial
hearts Of Rome. We are told that the
Emperor Constantine ordered ut one
time an edition Of fifty copies to be pre-
pared ut his own expense for use in the
churches Of his capitol.
1t would be instructive to follow the
history Of the English Bible for thous-
and years from Alfred the Great, through
the centuries when Wyckliife and Tyn-
dolls and Conerdalc and the Genevan
EXiles caused the light to shine in dark
places, and in giving the Bible to the
mass Of English people gave to English
literature itself beginning. 1t was res
served for the eighteenth century, how
ever, to witness the inauguration Of a
NOV enent SO bencticent in its character,
| so far reaching in it's aims. so beneticent
in its results, as 10 stamp the era in
which it exists with the name Of evan
gelical. We live in the midst Of that
era. That movement in its progress in
spired the design in English and Ameri-
can hearts to extend the circulation Of
the Holy Bible, and thus was origina-
ted the work which through its two
chief agencies, the British and Foreign
and the American Bible Societies, with
their enlarged plan Of putting the Bible
into the hand Of every man in his own
language, has become one Of the mar
vels Of our time.
With the opening year of the nine
tcenth century there appeared in Lon
don Welsh minister who came to So
li:it aid in obtaining supply of Bibles
for his own countrymen. He turned
naturally to the benevolent organiza-
tionS of the Of the metropolis. and soon
found the executive committee Of the
religious tract society. In response to
his appeal came the reply, IF for Wales
why not for the world ?" 1t was live
thought, great thought. In it's devel-
opernent came the organization in 1904 Of
the British and Foreign Bible Society.
The leaTen worked and soon found its
way across the ocean to the great English
speaking empire, then fairly equipped for
it's place in the march Of modern civili-
zation. In 1903, in Philadelphia, was
organized the first Bible Society on
American soil. Others followed in
quick succession throughout the United
80 H., - A.
organizations came the American Bible
Society. The sole object Of Its institution
was to encourage wider circulation OF
the Holy Scriptures without note or
/ comment. This object has been pursued
with a singleness Of aim that amounts
to principle. Rigidly unscctarian, the
Society invites and receives the earnest
support Of nearly every protestant de-
nomination. The record OF its life
thr ,ugh seventy years is one Of contin-
tinuous growth and glorious achieve
nent. In that time it has published A.
100000 volumes Of the Holy Scriptures.
Those have been distributed in every
quarter Of the globe. 1t has issued the
Bible whole or in part in more than
/ eighty languages. For the past thirty
years its expenditures have averaged
over $5OO,OOO yearly, and since its toun-
dation it has expended 1923 3,OOO,O in its
work Of publishing and circulating the
Scriptures. Its publications are sold at
the mere cost o; production, and are So
cheap that every person may own n
copy Of the Bible. Designed in its con.
ception for circulating the Scriptures
throughout the United States and the,,
tenitorics. this Society proclaimed in it,
organic law the intention to extend its
influence to other countries whethe,