The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-04
FURNISH SOLDIERS
WITH GODS WORD
Eighty-Fifth Anniversary of the Bible
Society of Virginia.
THE REPORT OF THE SECRE TARY.
4 Splendid Work is Being Done To
wards Furnishing the Bible Free
of Charge TO those who are I'M
able 60 Pay--Ohiccrs Elected.
THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY,

| society. UrtSlufQs anu Nan sAH'i"hNN 80 49,
| devotional exercises by Rev. J. X. Car
lick ID. d.. Rev. J. A. Morehead, Bishop
| & &. Penick Rev. -. b. Beauchamp,
Rev. l. NJ Omer and Rev r. y. Kerr.
ID. u.
The excellent choir OF the church, in
addition TO leading the singing OF the
! hymns. rendered four voluntaries. when
were most highly appreciated by the con-
| gregation.
The secretary Of the Society Rev. VIM.
S Campbell. read tho report of Board or
| Managers for the past year. when was
most encouraging. .-,.,
REPORT OF BOARD OF MANAGERS.
The Board Of Managers Of the Bible
Society Of Virginia in presenting TO the
society this their eighty-iifth, annual re-
port feel that they have great cause Tor
thanksgiving in the manner in which
| God has blessed the work entrusted 10
| them during the past year
Tho work Of the society is more thor
oughly organized than 10 has been for
some years. and the interest manifested
in il by the Christian people Of the state
is greater than ever before. The work
has been conducted along the usual lines
! OF Bible society work. Under an ar
| rangement with the American Bible So
ciety the Bible Society OF Virginia mas
undertaken 10 do the whole work Tor
the larger society in It's great work OF
circulating Gods Word throughout the
world. The specific object which tins So
cietv has before K now Is 70 put n Bible
into every home and into the hands or
every individual In this state who VIII
receive it. This is done in one OF two
general ways--by sale or by GIT.
The Bibles are sold from the deposlto-
ries and by agents and colporteurs' at the
prime cost OF manufacturing the books,
and are given without charge to those
who cannot buy. There is no pront 20 help
even in the support Of the secretary
agents and cOlpOrteurs necessary IN lui-
nisaing the Bible to the people. All these
expenses must be borne by the glits OF
the friends OF the cause. Therefore the
larger the business the larger the oe'
mand for contributions.
In addition to this. the society tur-
nishes TO the colportage agencies OF all
churches supporting it in its work all
the Bibles they need for their colportage
at % per cent. below cost of manulac-
ture.
SENDING THE WORD.
| II IS the desire of your board TO aid the
! American Bible Society in its great Worh
| I'm foreign lands as well in this coun-
try. but for several years 1t has Deen uh-
able 10 do anything in this direction as
the means at our disposal have not been
I sufficient for our own special work we
hope that during the coming year there
may be a sufficient increase IN contrDu-
| lions TO enable us to take some part Ill
| rectly i'm the great work Of sending the
Scriptures to the heather. We WOulu can
| especial attention to the work OF lhe
American Bible Society i'm this particu-
| lar Tbfs societv furnishes the Bible as
a gratunity TO the American foreign ms
A,uarles of all denominations in the lam
| a,uage OF the countries in which MISSIONS
| are opened. IL supports 52 superihteh-
dents and colpOrteurs 70 distribute the
Scriptures without cost TO the missionary
agencies. II. through want of FUNDS, lt
| should have 20 cut of this free supply
the foreign missionary work OF all our
! churches would be greatly embarrassed
or curtailed In a work so vast IAo 50
important every Christian should nave
share.
me reed Tor the distribution OF the
word of God in this State IS very great.
In the LAST general re-supply or the
United states with the Bible, 60 was
found that about one family in nine was
without the Scriptures. The restitution
! lu virginia may be less. though reported
as much greater i'm some sections; but
from want OF funds there has not been
FOR some years past. Il systematic cam
vass OF the state TO ascertain and supply
tho destiution. The restitution IS spec
tally great in the prisons and aims
houses and other charitable institutions.
There are about one hundred and ttty
prisons IN the STATE, and nearly an equal
number OF almshouses. and scarcely one
Of them is supplied with the Holy Scrip
lures Great good has already come from
the work done I'm this department.
CONTRIBUTIONS IN VIRGINIA.
The contributions 10 the Bible Society
OF Virginia from the churches of all de-
nominations and from individuals, Tor
the year ending March 81, 1897, amounted
20 S2.9O2.jl
This shows the gratifying increase OF
Sc per cent over the contributions report
ed last year And yet this is only about
three-fourth Of a cent for each member
of the Protestant Christian churches OF
the state. That the receipts are not
larger is 10 be attributed chiefly TO the
fact that most OF the churches fail 70
take an annual collection for this cause.
The higher ecclesiastical bodies on the
Disciple the Episcopal. the Methodist
the Presbyterian. and the Lutheran de-
nominations of the State have either di-
rected or requested that an annual col
| lection for the Bible cause be taken in
each church: but less than one-siNth or
the white churches have made contribu-
! tions
| And another cause or the smallness OF
the contributions is. that when collec-
tons are taken. the extent OF the desti-
tuition 10 be supplied AZ home, and the
vastness and Importance Of the foreign
work. are not clearly laid before the peo-
pie.
| Resides the depository In Richmond, az
500 east Broad street where a large stock
Of RIFLES is kept on hand, the society has
during the smaller stocks in the hands or
sixty-four cOlporteurs and agents IN
fftv-fve different counties OF the state.
The Christian men and women have aid
ed the society very greatly In It's work.
and in most cases at no cost 10 the So
ciety. Only sll366 has been paid In COM
missions TO the few who receive any COM
pensation. This SHOWS that the-0gents
and colporteurs of the society are doing
their work not TO make money, but 10
aid in advancing the cause OF Christ by
circulating his word in the communities
in which they have worked.
Through the various means employed
u. 229 copies of the Holy Scriptures have
been put into circulation in the bounds
| OF the State, OF which 1.l52 copies were
donated. And by this means 4Oi FAMILIES
| and 69S other individuals who were entlre-
| " destitute Of Gods word have been sup
| piled.
THE SECRETARY'S WORK.
Rev VIM. s. Campbell. the secretary
and general agent, has given his whole
time 10 the work during the past year
attending TO the duties OF the office and
depository IN Richmond and as opportu-