The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-09
THE FAMILY BIBLE.
1t is Ont of Date, and There Are Not
Many of Them Sold Now.
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
The family Bible. which at one time
played such an important part in most
families, and was almost as important a
part of the wedding as the ceremony, is
now very much out of date 1t is old
fashioned, and wherever 1t is seen as a
window ornament standing on a table
where it is In plain sight of all pas
sersby, it may be taken for granted that
the family which belongs to that house
and Bible hasn't the least bit of style
1t is 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 traveller along
the city streets. But going through the
more quiet resident streets of BROOKLYN
counting Bibles the statisGcian would be
surprised at the figures he would reach.
The exodus of the Bible does not reflect,
as some people might think, upon the
morals and manners of the city or the re-
ligious tendencies of the individuals 1t
denotes rather an era of common sense
for which this general ion is noted in MANY
ways. If there is anything more useless
than the big parlor table Bible 1t would be
hard to find. 1t is large, unwieldy, and
difficult to use. 1t Is too large and heavy
to hold in the lap, and reading from big
book on a table is neither comfortable nor
convenient. A large, handsomely bound
leather Bible, illustrated, is expensive. and
it ruins it TO throw open the big covers
and let them fan back upon the table A
big Bible bound in crimson Turkey NOR
Deco, and Without Illustrations costs s25.
1t as possible that in some houses these
ornaments have been used, but it is doubt
ful if in many families possessing them
they are ever opened.
generation or two ago the family Bible
was valuable because of its records. but
the records are seldom kept now. People
are living too fast TO stop and write down
the name when there Is 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
practice 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
the average duting the last ten years they
say, than before, and those that have been
bought have been taken by the grand
mothers, old aunties. and occasionally the
mothers who feel that they cannot let
the young people begin life without the
big Bible. Occasionally young people buy
a big Bible for the mother and father. bur
not often.
But instead of the big family Bible ihere
is a smaller size which has taken as place
and which is really useful This Is a good
sized book, bound in dark Turkey NOR
Deco, and with references and maps. II
has large, plain type (small pica), is not
too large to hold, and Is a serviceable book
1t costs S525, and really merits the appel
lation Of family Bible rather than the
other which has its place iR the company
room.
Women are the chief purchasers Of all
Bibles sold. and at the Bible Society
rooms they form, perhaps, two-thlrds Of
She purchasers.