The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-13
MAINE BIBLE SOCIETY.
Address By the Supe rintendent, Rev.
GOWan C. Wilson.

At the Woodfords Congregational Cburcb
neutrality-suspicious. statistics-The
Young Man who Never Heard of Jesus
| Story of the Lumberman and Why
He Didn't Swear,
At the Woodfords congregational
church yesterday, the pulpit was ocou-
pied by lev. Gowan C.Wilson of Deer
ing. who was introduced by his brother
the pastor OF the church, Rev. Edwin P.
wilson, as the superintendent of the
Maine Bible Society. He would speak
of the work of the society during the
past. A year ago the Woodfords church
had made very liberal contribution to
the society.
Rev. Gowan G. Wilson took for his
text the sentence: "The Seed is the Word
OF Cod" He commented upon the ire
mendous significance of this text as in
volvlng the object of the Christian church
to spread the word of God among all
nations.
In this work the Bible societies are q
very Important factor. They constitute
an immense system that embraces the
whole world.
his sermon would be in the nature of
O report of the work of the Maine Bible
Society during the past year, which was
the hrst full year that he had been su-
perintendent. Their work is of course
largely in the outlying districts in the
sparely settled portions of the state
During the past year his agents had visit
ed IS, $50 homes in ITO town and rs plan
tatlons. In 16 of the towns and the rs
plantations there was no stated preach
ing. In no of the homes there was no
Bible or any Christian influences.
In the 10, $50 homes there were 5000
children who never attended Sunday
school and most of them had no oppor-
tunity to do SO.
| His agents had sold during the past
year 1890 Bibles and had given away 400,
making total of $500 distributed. The
entire absence of Christian work in some
OF these remote regions is illustrated by
the fact that at one little settlement
where one OF tine Bible agents preached
there was young man who told him
that his was the first prayer he had ever
| heard; also that he had never before
heard of Jesus Christ and wanted to
know who He was. This WAS of course
an extreme case, but it was significant.
The Bibles were never left in these
| tha volo %hc ~ N
be read. And they are read in the great
majority of cases. The following illus
tration shows how the Good Book is
| welcomed. In one little town where there
| was no church, Bible agent called upon
an invalid widow. whose only compan-
ion was little son, about 10 years old.
He had to wash the dishes and do most
Of the housework. He was bright little
fellow. The agent read passages from
the Bible to him and the boy showed
an extraordinary interest in it. 1t was
aHl new and wonderful to him. Besides
there was nothing in the house to read !;
no newspaper, no books, no Youths Com
panion. The agent gave the little fellow
a Bible, and his poor mother noticing
his eager interest. said that now he could
have something to do besides looking
out of the window when the work was
DONE
Mr.. Wilson commented with much
force and feeling upon the great oppor-
tunity for starting such children in the
right path by Bible influence, since
these minds are virgin soil and good seed
Is as sure TO grow in them as are the
| weeds.
Moody the great evangelist, has a good
idea. 1t Is to supply ali the conviots In
the country with Bibles. He will do it
too, since he always does things whom
he says he will. But if the $50, 900 chill
dren in the country who are not crimi-
mails could be suppliedswith Bibles more
criminals would be prevented than there
are now to reform.
Mr.. Wilson urged that even where
the Bible is not read the influence of it's
presence is still potent for good. To
| illustrate this, he told the following
striking incident. During the past win
ter, while in Bangor, he called upon
prominent lumber dealer there, Mr..
Eben Coe, who had Away shown much
interest in the work of the Bible Socie-
ty. Mr.. Coe told him that recently while
visiting his lumber camps up in the
woods rough lumberman came to him
with Bible IN his hand. The man said
that ID Bible agent had been through
and he had bought 1t of him. He was
going to send 1t to his wife. He knew
she'd like 1t. Then he added in a low
tone: "There's whole box of Bibles
over there in the corner of the camp. He
left 'em there to call for when he comes
back. I used to swear, but somehow 1
can't swear with them Bibles there in
that corner"
Mr.. Wilson said that the annual report
of the Maine Bible Society would be
printed next month.
His novel sermon was listened to by
the large congregation with very great