The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-11-22

| avenue EleVhteu trainS rum
q ming close behind it stands,
at the corner of Fourth avenue and
Astor place, one of the most famous
buildings in this country, il not in the
world. Nothing in its architectural
appearance, its history or its cost con-
tribute to its fame, for il is modestly
constructed of red brick, has been the
scene of no great event, and, as build
ings are considered now, was built
very cheap. Nevertheless, its name is
known in every land beneath the sun
! and spoken in nearly hundred dia-
lects and languages. It may be said
to be the American home of the Bible.
From it issue each working day in the
year 1000 Bibles and Testaments, more
than 2, 200, 900 year, that go into the
four corners OF the earth through the
distributive agency of the American
Bible Society. For nearly eighty
years this famous organization has
carried on the work of spreading the
word of God among men. The Ameri.
can Bible Society was founded on the
9Th of May, 1916. at a convention held
in this city for the purpose, and at
tended by delegates from thirty-fve
local societies, with tho same object,
in various parts of the country. Hon.
Elias Boudinot, OF New Jersey, a son
of signcr of the Declaration
OF Independence, was the first
President. He was succeeded in that
Office by the Hon. John Jay, and in
the eighty years of the society's life
| thara bo ca haen m a,cooaa;on ~ ,ac 80
National reputation Mt the head Of the
organization. The President now is
the Hon. L. L. Fancher, who has held
the Office nearly thirty years. The
society is benevolent institution.
Those who founded it, and their sue
cessors, have even aimed by all wise
methods to place the Holy Scriptures
within the reach of all. The publica-
tions of the society are in no case sold
at profit. Those who are able to
purchase them can do so Mt the mere
cost Of their manufacture, while those
whose circumstances call for such con-
sideration are supplied without price.
The society is also strictly unsec-
terian. It's Board of Managers repre-
sents seven different denominations of
Christians. 1t labors to circulate the
Scriptures among all classes impartial
ly, and its affairs are managed with
out denominational bias or control.
The government of the society is
intrusted to Board of Managers, con-
sistlng of thirty-six laymen, one-fourth
of whom so out of Office each year,
but are re-eligible. The number of
I aioc!s2 is.auegJTs- -siIf, sd,e' organiza.
tion of the society is t ->,shundred and
twenty-eight
Since the society's organization,
about six thousand persons have
sustained toward it the relation of life
directors or life members. Many of
these have already passed away to
their heavenly reward. There are
still living, however, so far as the
officers can ascertain, more than 40, 600
OF this honored company.
The society has had on its register
for considerable time about 1000
auXiliaries, and these have moro thar
5000 branch organizations; so that
1t is probable there are not less than
1000 Bible societies in this country
which, directly or indirectly, center
in this institution.
The working force in the Bible
House is divided into two branches
the executive and manufacturing. The
former comprises the departments Of
the corresponding secretaries, the
treasurer and the general agent. The
litter includes the printing, electro.
tipping, proof'reading and binding de.
partments, and those of the depositary
and engineer. In the printing de.
partment and the bindery many of
the employees are women.
The aggregate number of persons
engaged in the service of the society
in the Bible House does not vary
much from $50.
- The society owns 1875 sets of stero-
type and electrotype plates of the
Bible, or portions OF it, comprising
50, 900 words.
Since the society was organized its
receipts have been over S!6, 900, 900,
including legacies amounting to Si,-
000, 900.
The total number OF volumes issued
by the society, from its organization,
is So, ,926, III.
The work of the society in distribu-
tion is really marvellous. It's agents
are in every part of the United States
and in every heather land. Among
the soldiers during the war, and be-
fore and since, nearly 5000, 900 Bibles
We're distributed. In 1866, to celebrate
the first half century of the society's
history, an organized attempt was
made to place the Bible in every house
not possessing one. This is the third
time such task had been attempted,
and the reports OF 1882 showed that
nearly 5000, 900 families were visited,
and OF these over 1000, 900 had no
Bible and We're supplied. In 1882 the
managers began fourth supply which
was finished in 1890, and showed that
Bibles were keeping pace with the