The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-31
THE UORH GOES ON.
The American Bible society is Not Going
Out of Rusiness.

Out of Business.
The statement has frequently been made
during the last few months I'm the pulpit
on the platform. and I'm the press horn
religious and secular that the American
EibIe Society which has it's headquarters
IN New YORK. has found itself to be a
failure that IL has about decided 10 sell
us valuable Bible house with all its cost
" equipment. and so ont Of the bust
ness Of publishing and circulating God s
Word. This statement Is entirely untrue
and. no doubt, n has usually been made
through ignorance. though there IS reason
10 believe that in some cases n has been
done maliCiOusly Because Of the falling
OFF Of the contributions Of churches and
christian people upon which the society
Us dependent for It's support II has been
found necessary 20 curtail the great work
II IS doing though the demands for the
circulation Of Gods Word are greater
tAan ever But because the society could
publish only 15N00l1 copies OF the Holy
Scriptures during tho past year. while
II published 10000 copies during the
previous year. IS no reason for saying
that II will not publish any during the
coming year.
The American Bible Society has always
shown itself in the conduct or o. bust
ness, ready TO take advantage OF any i'm
provemcnt I'm methods. And now that
such rapid strides are being made in the
art OF bOok-making, the Beard or Man
ayers show their business sense IN con-
sidering the question IS 10 how they can
best take advantage Of these changes
The following extract from the Bible
Society Record, the official organ o. the
society. states the matter very clearly:
The annual report Of the American
Bible Society, which was presented in May
last, mentioned among other things as
then under consideration in the Board or
Managers the possible sale OF the Bible
House which mas now FOR more tnan
forty years afforded ample room for It's
Offices. press room. and bindery, and
yielded a considerable revenue from It's
rentals after paying for the expense or
maintenance. For the Society's own pur-
poses the building was never more SER
Viceable than at the present time, but
the premises are larger than IL needs,
and as some OF its tenants have been at
tracted 10 more modern buildings nearer
20 Madison Square, the conviction has
gained cround that IL would be well Tor
the Society 10 sell its building. so ad-
Vantageously situated Tor certain kinds
or business whenever satisfactory ouer
shall be received. Accordingly. AT a spe-
Cial meeting OF the managers held on the
DIST Of October. IL was decided 10 sell the
property as soon as n can be done AZ
fair price. How soon that will be offered
no one ventures 10 predict. No urgency or
affairs compes the Society 10 take TINS
step. nor has any plan been considered
FOR purchasing or building elsewhere. or
course, the general work OF the Society
Will 20 on. and all its resources and er-
forts will be devoted IN the future as In
the past 10 the promotion Of the wider
circulation OF the Holy Scriptures IN our
own and foreign lands.
The sale OF the Bible House, whenever
Il may be accomplished, viii OF course
bring 70 a practical issue the question
whether II will be better TO set up new
printing establishment i'm some other part
OF the city or 10 rely upon procuring by
contract such editions as its work re-
quires. The conditions OF business ana or
manufacture nave materially charged IN
forty years. and possibly new light Will
be cast upon the problem as the months
go by. For the present, however. the
manufacture OF Bibles and Testaments
will be conducted as heretofore, and
probably n new printing press OF The
most approved pattern will be procured
TO facilitate the publication or certain
standard editions OF the English Bible.
The financial condition OF the Society
has not materially changed since It's .ast
Appeal" was sent out in April. Inc re-
ceipts from legacies and donations Tor
the seven months since April LIST are
larger .han those OF the corresponding
months of 1896, and have been fuzzy equal
to the expenditures thus Tar mace. but