The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-19
The American Bible Society and the
American Board.


The American Bible Society. like the Arno.
rican Board. was established by Christian
people who held different views of church
order' but were agreed in the Importance of
prociaimng the gospel throughout the world
zach organization was I'm itsslf an ilustias
tion OF Christian unity In endeavor and work.
IL came about in the providence Of God that
some OF the constituents Of the Board thought
it better ON the whole that the oversight Of
foreign missions should bs controlled by
church boards and not by voluntary societies,
and their withdrawal left the direction of
unairs almost entirely in the han ds OF Con-
| gregationalists. The Bible Society. on the
other hand, remains as IL was 80 years ago, a
union OF all who are agreed i'm the one pur-
| pose to promote the wider circulation Of tho
Scriptures at home and abroad. II is to be
hoped that the time will meyer como when one
set OF its members will withdraw 10 form a
| Presbyterian Bible society, another set to
form DutchBble Society and so ON leaving to
the Congregationalists in the same and ira
ditions of the organization formed in 1916.
IL was the avowcd design Of the founders
| OF tho Board 10 propagate the gospel in
| heathen lands by supporting missionaries
and diffusins knowledge OF the Holy Scrip.
| lures, and for this secondary object It was
accustomed TO receive large gifts OF money
from tho Bible Society which werc expended
In the printing 0nd distribution of the Scrip
lures But tho society in 1895, by formal ac.
tion, announced It's hope 'of receiving intolli-
gonce whenever the Old Testament or the
New or any one entire Gospel, or other book
OF the Bible, is correctly translated and ready
for the press and that the missionaries bs
encouraged TO expect that, on Giving such in-
telligoEce they shall receive the aid reansite
FOR the publication of the same" The eifts |
OF the society to the Board that year in funds
and books amounted to s24, 800. and from that |
time to this no request Of the Board for help |
IN printing and circulating the Scriptures has |
been denied.
The Bible Society is practically the only |
organization by which the Congregational
churches can do anything 20 promote the |
printing and circulation OF the Scriptures
within the field of tho American Board. Its
heip is rendered, sometimes in the form Of !.
funds put at the disposal Of the missionaries
in Spain. Austria. and India Though not
acknowledged as part Of the receipts i'm Bos-
tonl' and expended for the purchase of Scrip.
lures for the use of schools and churches. or
for employment Of Bible colporteurs: and
sometimes In tho form of books printed in
New York and shipped to Micronesia or Afri-
ca But the greatest aid, especially in latter
years has been through the established agen-
cies OF the society, whose intimate relations
10 the Missions in China, Japan, Mexico and
Turkey, can only be hintcd at. SO IL has
come To pass that such works as the Hawaiian
Bible, the Armenian Bible, the Bohemian
Bible the Zulu Bible, the Glbertese Bible, as |
wen as testaments and portions in many other
at /
Bible Society, are used almost exclusively In
the missions started by the American Board.
Apart from the books OF which II alone has !
need, 1t has also shared unrestrictedly /, the | ,
Dakota Bible. the Arabic Bible, the Spanish |
Bible, and the like; and of the s2CO, COO ex-
pendel iy the Bible Society last year in for
eign lands, no small part was called for in |
those parts OF the world where the work of |
'he American Board has been most prospered
lt Is happy exemplifcaton of Christian |
unity and brotherly love that other churches |
than the Congregational have allowed their ,
gifts to be thus expended without misciyne
Or hesitation.
The Bible Society therefore occupies n
unique position, akin to that Of generous in.
iividuals outside Of the Congregational fold.
Who give OF their substance by thousands and |
ems OF thousands to replenish the treasury d
II the board. II Is well entitled TO the recog. q
'ition given to it by the National Council Z
more than 20 years ago. which characterized !,
as holding the foremost place among the !,
Institutions with which they cooperate with
christians OF every name to fill the world
Sith the light of,the knowledge of the Glory a
Il God in Christ" and recorded its confident II
Expectation that the churches would continue d
o support it In the common interests of 4
,hristendom.
Ihat support was never more needed than n
the present time-Rev. Edward W. Gilman :,
n Congregational Work. 81
a