The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-08
FOR YOU.
THE LARGEST CIRCULATION.
In 3o4 Languages the Bible is Found
All Over the World.

From the New York Advertiser
The British and Foreign Bible Society
of London which is the Oldest and larg-
est society of the kind, reports that it
has since its formation distributed 1871
S44, 79S copies of the Bible, the New
Testament, and of portions Of the script
ure. The American Bible societies (of
which there are fiye) have distributed
over 60,O00,O0O, and kindred societies
elsewhere more than 81 00O. 900, SO that
through these channels alone there have
been more than 1900, GOO copies placed
In circulation. AS was said, there are no
means of estimating the numbers of
copies that have been printed and sold or
given away by other publishers or
agencies. The copies of scripture circu-
lated in heather lands in the present
century exceed in numbers all that were
in the world from Moses to Martin
Luther, and are more than double the
entire production of the press from the
printing of the first Bible in 1850 to the
era of Bible societies in 1904
The Bible, or considerable portions of
it, is printed in 304 different languages or
dialects, so that there is hardly any por-
ton of the entire globe which is not sup
piled with printed copies of the gospel in
the language read by the inhabitants.
This printing and placing have involved
the expenditure of many millions of dol
lars and the entire life work of many men
Of learning and of business ability, but
the result is beyond comparison with any
other achievement of mankind, even con-
Sidered as a business matter alone. One
striking fact illustrates this II is cited
by DR.. PluIner in u tract which he wrote
on GLOW TO Use the Bible" He SAYS
that in the thirteenth century two arches
Of London bridge cost eos, and at the
same time a copy of the Bible with a few
explanatory notes, cost $50. The real
value Of the money or its purchasing
power is seen by the comparison. In
those days laborer's wages were only
ninepence a week. 50 that the Bible cost
the entire wages in money of laboring
man for fifteen years.
In other words, the Bible was then the
most expensive book in the world, and
one reason was that it was the largest
book then known, and existed in only
manuscript form. The fabulous prices it
formerly commanded continued to rule
long after the invention Of printing, but
it is to-day the cheapest book in the
world The entire scriptures can be
bought for % cents in America, and for a
siXpence in England, and the New Testa-
ment for 5 cents In England the book of
St John is printed and sold for penny
No one, however, need be without a
Bible, even if he has not penny to spend
for it. Any one of the Bible societies will
furnish a copy TO any one who can read,
no matter whether he can pay for it or
not-in fact, great and special efforts have
been made repeatedly to place copy in
each family in tide United States, and in
sixteen years the American Bible society
alone caused nearly 9,0O0,00 families to
be visited, and gave away more than
900 900 copies to those who prOfessed TO
be unable to buy one, and perhaps in or
der to demonstrate that no distinction
was proposed, the society some years ago
presented handsome copy to each of the
reigning monarchs and other chief magis-
trates of the world
A particularly interesting branch of
the work of the Bible societies has been
the notification Of comics DrnDa red for. the