The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-27
i HE , , ,
SUNDAY SPY.
THE FAMILY BIBLE.
1t Is out of Date and There Are Not
Many of Them Sold Now.

The family Bible, which at one time
played such an important part in most
families, and was almost as important
part of the wedding as the, ceremony,
is now very much out of date 1t is old
fashioned, and wherever it is seen as a
window ornament standing on a table
where 1t is in plain sight of all passers-
by, 1t may be taken for granted that
the family which belongs to that house
and Bible hasn't the least bit of style.
1t is d good many years now since the
family Bible figured so prominently at
weddings, and it is rather surprising
to find that there are still so many of
them to be seen by the observant trav-
eler along the city streets. But going
through the more quiet resident streets
of Brooklyn counting Bibles, the sta
tfstician would be surprised at the fig
ures he would reach.
The exodus Of the Bible does not re-
fleet, as some people might think upon
the morals and manners of the city or
the religious tendencies of the individ-
uals 1t denotes rather an era of COM
mon sense for which this generation is
noted in many ways. If there is any
thing more useless than the big parlor
table Bible it would be hard to find. It
is large, unwieldy, and difficult to use.
1t. is too large and heavy to hold in the
lap. and reading from a big book on a
table is neither comfortable nor con-
Ven1ent. large, handsomely bound
leather Bible, illustrated, is expensive.
and it ruins it to throw open the big
covers and let them fall back upon the
table A big Bible bound in crimson
Turkey morocco and without illustra.
tons costs S25. 1t is possible that in
-fa1~, ,Eft h,
been used, but it is doubtful if in many
families possessing them they are ever
opened.
A generation or two ago the family
Bible was valuable because of its rec
ords, but the records are seldom kept
now. People are living too fast to stop
and write down the name when there is
a. birth or death in the family, and
such records are not always agreeable
to the younger members of the family,
as they grow to be the older members,
and in one way and another the prac-
tice has been given up.
In the American Bible Society rooms
where an enormous number of Bibles
are disposed of in the course of a year.
the fact is borne out that large family
Bibles are not in demand as they have
been. There have been 20 per cent less
sold on an average during the last ter
YEARS. lHcy say, lud0 DelOFe, anu those
that have been bought have been taken
by the grandrnothers, old aunties and
occasionally the mothers, who feel that
they cannot let the young people begin
life without the big Bible. Occasional
ly young people buy big Bible for the
mother and father, but not often.
But instead of the big family Bible
there is smaller size which has taken
its place and which is really useful
This is a goodsized book, bound in
dark Turkey morocco, and with refer
ences and maps. 1t has large plain
type (small pica), is not too large ia
hold, and is a serviceable book II
costs $5225 and really merits the appel
lation of family Bible rather than the
other which has it's place IN the COM
pany room.
Women are the chief purchasers of all
Bibles sold, and at the Bible Society
rooms they form perhaps two-thirds of
the purchasers.-New York Times.