The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-04
THE BIBLE FOR THE WORLD.
A LIVELY CHRISTIANITY DEMANDS A
LIVELY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FoUN-
DATIoNs UPON WHICH
IT IS BUILT.

IT IS BUILT.
Annual Address Before the AbbeviIIt
Bible Society, Delivered by J. C
KIugh, Esq, July 2s, 1856.
Tho American Bible Society has been al it,
work for seventy years. The idea of circula
ting the Holy Scriptures was not q new one In
1916; it Is as old as the history of the Church
The spread OF Christianity has in all ages car
sons Of the greatest growth Of the Church
have ever been marked as periods when wilder
dissemination and closer study have been he
slowed upon Gods word. Indeed the history
Christianity had beginning, proves that thu
reading and study Of the Bible itself is essential
to the maintenance of purity in the worship
of God. Humanity cannot hope to preserve
its religion uncorrupt and at the same time
forget or ignore the sources from which 1t de
rives the tenets of its faith. The best systems
of religion that have prevailed in the heather
world-and some OF them, IN their purity, are
beautiful, simple and grand enough to suggest
the idea of vine origin-have degencratcd
into the lowest forms of paganism when theil
adherents have consented to take their doc
trines at second hand: live christianity dc
mands a lively knowledge of the foundations
on which its faith is built. And SO we see
with what eagerneSs In the earliest days o
the Church. the written accounts OF oul
Lords snjourn and teaching among men to
gether with the letters of advice and warning
written by his apostles, were read and circu-
lated. In those days of "crucial" characters
laboriously scrawlcd on parchment, 1t was o
course impossible to place q copy of the Bible
in every mans hand, and yet the need of the
masses for its teachings was felt, and to bring
it in the reach of all to learn its precepts and
blessed truths was labor OF love which early
found place even in the imperial heart o.
Rome. We are told that the Emperor Con
stantine ordered at one time an edition of f1f
ty copies 10 be prepared at his own expense
for the use In the Churches of his capital.
It would be instructive TO follow the history
Of the English Bible for thousand years
from Alfred the Great, through the centuries
when Wycklitie ald Tyndale and Conerdale
and the Gcnevan exiies caused the light io
shine in dark places, and in giving the Bible
to the mass of the English people gave tu
English literature itself n beginning. 1t was
reserved for the eighteenth century, howeverto to
witness the inauguration, ofa movement so oc
ncvolent in its character, so fai-reaching In Its
aims, so bcncf1cient in its results, as 10 stamp
the era in which it exists with the name
Evangelical. We live In the midst Of that era
That movement In its progress inspired the
design in English and American hearts to ex;
tend the circulation OF the Holy Bible, and
Thus was originated the work which through
Its two chief agencies, the British ana Foreign
and the American Bible Societies, with their
enlarged plan OF putting the Bible into the
become one Of the marvels of our time.
With the opening year of the nineteentn
minister who came to solicit aid in obtaining
q supply of Bibles for his destitute country.
men. He turned naturally to the benevolent
organizations of the metropolis, and soon
gious tract society. In response to his appeal
came the reply, "If for Wales why not for the
world 2" 1t was a live thought, a great
thought. In Its development came the organ
l.Nr Ds-tt tch nitrn
bile Society. Tho leaven worked and soon
found its way across the ocean to the great
English speaking empire then fairly equipped
for Its place in the march OF modern civillZa-
the first Bible Society on American soil. 9th
crs followed in quick succession throughout
the United States. Out OF the union OF 1neSe
local organizations came the American BiD!c
Society. The sole object of Its institution was
TO encourage wider circulation Of the HOLY
Scriptures, without noie or comment. This
object has been pursued with q singleness Oh
aim that amounts to principle. Mgldly un.
sectarian, the society yet invites and receives
the earnest support of nearly every protestant
denomination. The record Of its life through
seventy years Is one Of contiruo growth
and glorious achievement. In that time 81 IL
Scriptures. These have been distributed ip
every quarter Of the globe. 1t has Issued the
Bible in whole or In part in more than eighty
languages. For the past thirty years It's ex-
pcnditurcs have averaged over 5000 yearly,
and since It's foundation 1t has expended S23.-
100000 in its work of publishing and circuln;;
at the mere cost Of production, and are so
cheap that every person may own copy oi
the Bible. Designed in its conception for cir.
culating the Scriptures throughout the United
States and their territories, this Society pro
claimed ia Its organic law the Intention to
extend its influence to other countries wheth-
er Christian, Mohammedan or Pagan. In
carrying out these principles 1t has sought out
4, lio md
It's own creation, the homes OF our land ana
cndeavours to leave no family OF Individual
without freest access to the fountain OF God
truth. The homes of the poor and the lowly
are the objects OF Its special attention. Into
the businesses of the mountains, through the
the Swamps and Sickly regions of the South
west. among the wilds Of the Western border,
into the hut of the African, to the "heathen
Chinee" of the Pacific slope, amongst the
fierce and war-llke tribes of native Indians,
again and again the Society has sent its COL
porteurs marching forward In hundreds. ever
pei of peace to bless with It's sweet Influences
all the homes and families of our land. In
the past four years 1t has visited four million
homes OF this country and has carried the 81
bic to over half million families and indi-
viduals who lad it not before. And his great
work shall go forward under its auspices. with
the help Of good men and women everywhere
till no person willing to receive and know the
truth shall be found without 1t.
In foreign fields, whether Christian, Mohaln-
medan or pagan, the Society processes 10 be
"Simply sower OF seed. 1t baptiZes no con-
verts, it builds no churches, 1t fOundS no
schools, it teaches no industrial arts 1t main
tains 20 hospitals, it publishes no comments
and trcatiseS, 1T edits no newspapers" Its
work Is preparatory for all these. 1t has es.
tablishcd and maintains agencies for general
superintendent in Mexico, Cuba. Brazil, La
Plata, in the Levant, Persia. China and Japan.
In the past year it has employed nearly four
hundred persons in the work Of distributing
a., III, in fNr ui
aid Of its money and It's Bibles to missionary
organizations in many fields. BY these and
other agencies at its command 1t Is now aid
ing In circulating the Holy Bible France.
Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, Norway, Swe-
den, Russia, Siberia, and the Amoor, GREECE,
Turkey, Syria, Persia, India, Siam, China, Ja-
pan, Mexico, and Central America, brazil,
Uruguay. the Argentine Rcpublic, Chilli, Bo-
livia, Peru, Africa, the West and the islands
of the Northern Pacific" These all receive
the Word at the Soccty's hands In their sew
eral tongues and dialects, without note o.. or
American Bible Society knows no rivalry but
with the apostles of error. 1t gladly RECEIVES
aid from every helpful source and as willing
tions. 1t is Il labor Of love which it Is engaged
In ard it halls with Joy the successes Of other
Bible Societies whether in Its chosen fle!ds or
in those to which it is unable as yet to extend
its labors. Thus IL joins hands with its great
cungemer the British and Foreign Bible Socie-
ty, and these two lend willing hands TO help
along nearly q hundred others of later or less
vigorous growth. The result of the com bined
efforts of these societies since the year lSOi,
amount to 200000,000 volumes OF the scrip
lures which hayc been carried to over SC0,OO0,-
900 people, more than half the entire popula'
tion of the globe, and yet this statement, STU
pendous though its figures be, conveys scarce
iy the f,intest suggestions Of the actual work
done 1t speaks but little of tho labor and
perils which have been met by the faithful
and Jealous colporteurs. and missionaries
,rorlxI n np fbntr wny through all lands, through
every form of ignorance, and prejudice, and
bigotry. II accounts in an ample manner for
the millions OF money which have been con-
trIbuted TO the cause. But what can liSures