Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-27
SCATTER THE TRUTH.
Annual xeetins Of the Virginia Bible
Society Last Night.
DR.. TYLER'S BRILLIANT ADDRESS,
secretsry Wajford Submits His Report and
Several Ministers Discuss the H.
uauces Of the Organization.

and intellectual programme was carried
out.
After nm opening selection by the choir
the invocation was offered by DR.. Tudor
who. I'm the absence Of the president
of the society, Rev. DR.. Kerr, presided
over the meeting The congregation sana
Hymn No 81, and Rev. Dr. Fair read
selections from the Scriptures. DR.. YOUNG
offered prayer, and after the singing OK
another hymn. Mr. 7. l.. ID. Waiford'
secretary OF the Board of Directors OF
the society. read the annual report OF the
society.
EXHIBIT FOR THE YEAR.
The report sets forth that u.6s2 Bibles
were distributed throughout the state du'
! ring the year. OF this number oil, at
net cost OF <ll2.JG. were given away 10
families and individuals Twenty-fouf
Sunday schools were supplied gratis ana
the books were sent free Into thirty-iour
| different counties and towns; the peniten'
tiary and tails not having been over
looked. II the II ,6S2 volumes distributed
by this society had been purchased else
where the cost TO the purchaser instead
OF being 81. i26i ~ would have been 5000 or
| 81 coo thereby showing the great benefit
| the society is to the public. The Virginia
organization is auxiliary to the American
| BiDle Society. and Is DESTROYS oil aldih6
| the parens society in supplying Bibles Ia
| the mission world The appropriation last
| year for this foreign work by that society
was SI55. ~. T'he Virginia society pur-
| nose doing It's part OF the work, and have
resolved 10 give one fourth OF the entire
amount OF donations it receives to this
|
and larger contributions is urged, and the
| society will this year endeayOr TO get con-
| tributions from all Of the churches in the
| state. The board having decided
that the society ought to have "a general
agent TO visit different parts OF the state
ana present the cause to the people. ana
by special efforts TO awaken deeper III
terest in the cause. have secured the ser
vices Of Rev. Dr W. A. Campbell, VINO
entered upon the duties of this Oihce on
the lat OF February. The totai value OF
sales for last year was S7lo-do. Inc totai
value of the books distributed was 81, i-5p
The amount donated by churches ana in
dlyiduals was yl.316.0S. The total received
for business purposes was s5,Jl.S. and
the balance on hand April LIST was NV55s
DIR. CAMPBELTIS REVIEW.
I-pon the conclusion OF the reading Of
an address. He spoke of the work OF the
society. it's condition. and the plans for
the future lie said there was one family
out of nine in this state without the
Word Of God I'm their homes.
After referring to the restitution which
pervaded some sections Of the state, h
said In order TO supply the needy with
Bibles Il becomes necessary for the
churches to assist the society in its good
work lie referred to the result OF the
appeal made "A few days ago by the
Young Mems Christian Association, and
hoped that the needs Of the virginia
Bible Society would be given considera-
ton. There exists. he said. a great me-
cesslty for stimulating the people to
work. and he asked the assistance of
those VINO were already Interested in the
work OF the society IN gaining the int
rest of others.
DIR. TYLER'S EXCELLENT ADDRESS.
The congregation standing sang SAL
walton. o. Salvation" and when this WAS
concluded Rev. DR. Tudor introduced
Rev. Dr. II. Il. Tyler who delivered the
annual address Dr. Tyler is member
OF the Board OF Directors of the Amerl-
can Bible Society. pastor of the west
I'ifty-sxthStree Christian church, and
brother OF the former gifted and popular
pastor Of the Seventh-Street church, this
city The address was Il beautiful one.
In the beginning, the speaker said:
"AIr. Charles A. Dana, the brilliant
editor of the New York Sun. affirmed
last autumn In n public address that for
the journalist there Is no book like the
Bible. At that moment he was address
ing candidates for the journalistic pro-
fession. and spoke OF the Holy Scriptures
not az strictly religious literature, but
as constituting a manual Of utility. In
a controversy the Bible contains the
right answer; IL always sets up the right
principle IT always pleads for the right
policy.
Mr.. William r. Stead. editor OF the
Review of Reviews, declares that he con-
siders himself successful just as far as
he is able to incorporate the Bible In
his journal The newspaper he says
is Il very poor substitute for the Bible,
even in our attempt to solve the pro-
blems OF the day
when Dir. Dana testified to the unique
character OF the Bible and its peerless
value to journalists he was delivering
an exhortation to young men concerning
authors 10 he read. lie named In this
| connection Claiming. Hawthorne, Milton,
Matthew Arnold, Thomas Carlyle. and
Shakespeare. lie cited as piece OF writ
ing TO be studied the Constitution OF the
United States. but he did not hesitate 10
place Moses, and Isaiah. and Paul. above
the literary celebrities whom he named.
Merely as a piece OF literary work, the
Sermon on the Mount stands Infinitely
above the Constitution OF the United
States.
HAS NO EQUAL.
THE Bible, as n whole, outranks as lite-
nature any volume OF literature Known
In the world. AS literature. the Bible Is
absolutely unique. Its history, Its poetry.
its prophecy, its parallels, its aphorisms.
its ethical codes, are unriyalled In the
literature of the ages.
Charles Reade atfirms that the charac-
ters In Scripture are a literary marvel
Run ,oyer the list OF Bible characters
and see il this be not true. Consider, II
YOU please, righteous Abel, patient Moab.
spiritus& Abraham self-conscious Lot.
peaceful Isaac, bargaining Jacob, talent
ed Joseph, meek Moses. eloquent Aaron.
persistent Joshua, energetic Calep, SEX
seeking Gideon, playful Sampson, undls-
ciplined Saul. friendly Jonathan. pious
David, willy Joab, wilful Absalom, self
satisfied Solomon. lonely Elijah. homely
Elisha. fretful Jonah, hopeful Isaiah, and
faithful Daniel
Run over the names of some OF the chief
women OF the Bible. In the Old Tesla
ment we have Sarah, the mother OF the
faithful; Rebecca. who may be charac-
terized as the beautiful but deceptive
wife; Rachel. the affectionate and devoted
wife OF Jacob; Miriam, the patriotic old
maid; Ruth the young widow OF Moab;
Deborah, the strong minded woman; Je-
zebel, the heather queen OF an Israelitish
king, and Esther. the Israelltish queen
OF heather king, not TO mention others.
"In the New Testament there are Eliza
beth, the mother of John the Baptist;
Mary, the mother of the Christ child:
Anna, the last prophecies of the old dis
pensation Herodias. the mother Of the
dancing girl. Joanna. the wife of Herods
steward; the woman of Canaan. who be-
came of her persistent intercession for
her daughter. may well be characterized
as heroine OF faith: the woman OF Sa-
maria whom the Master met at Jacobs
well; the daughter Of Jairus. whom Jesus
restored TO life: Dorcas, the woman full
of good works and aims deeds; Sapphire.
the woman who lied. the wife OF Anna
Mas, and without attempting to exhaust
etx h,taf