The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-12
THE BIBLE NOT DECADENT.
Its Circulation Is Vast and Increasing,
Say the British Authorities.
London Telegraph.

say the British Authortttes-
London Telegraph
Certain alarmists at the present time
seem TO be deriving a melancholy sstisfac-
ton from attempting to show a falling on
in the religious spiri. of the country. They
began by talking of decreased attendances
at the Sunday schools. though the hearth
ness with which "Children's Sunday" and
yesterdays teachers meetings and con-
ferences We're distinguished goes far to
show that there is little ground for their
statements. Now, it seems. according 20
these croakers. that the English-speaking
people are beginning To neglect their BIZ
bles, and American publishers and book
sellers are cited as having said, with YAM
kee directness, that there is no money IN
the Scriptures" Even across the Atlantic
IL would seem that this is a much exag-
gerated statement OF the case, while here
the facts are the absolute reverse. Under
any circumstances while the British char
acter remains what IL is Ii would be dif-
fcult TO imagine any alteration I'm its at
titude of respect and reverence toward the
book on which so much of what is best and
highest in the national and individual life
has been reared, but against the vague al
legations that have been made can be set
the unanswerable evidence Of figures. show
liB lndl WIFI the spread OF euucauOn the
demand for the Bible has steadily risen.
OF course, on this question there could
be no higher authority than the British
and Foreign Bible Society, where. with
readiest courtesy, all information was
promptly afforded This wonderful organi-
cation. which prints the Scriptures ia over
400 languages, representing the speech OK
seven-tenths of the world. Is careful at
first to point out that its enormous issues
in English are of the cheaper and. conse-
quently, most popular order. In the
twelve months terminating March 81 last
its output reached the amazing total or
5.047.000 copies of Holy Writ, bulk abso-
lutely without precedent, and considerably
more than half million i'm excess Of the
corresponding period previously. OF that
huge mass over 30 per cent, or l,ozlVD
copies. were in English or Welsh.
In themselves those figures sufficient
ly significant, but even more striking Is
the record privately compiled. and not yet
published, OF the growth during the last
decade. In 1890 the number of complete
English Bibles sent out was 534,sSs Each
year showed a consistent steady rise up TO
last year, when IL was 6lS.215. Ten years
ago the New Testaments were $50. 6l3 and
last year 614,719. the intervening figures
having somewhat fuctuated with a general
tendency to increase OF portions OF the
Scriptures, such as the Psalter or the Cos
pels, 5000 were issued In 1880. and last
year they numbered 467, 482. not little OF
that great increase being due 10 the fact
that 10000 copies were distributed TO the
troops as they left these shores for South
Africa. II may here be incidentally men
toned, from a military source OF informa-
ton, that these little books. neatly and
appropriately bound. were received with
gratitude by the men, and in a very diff
ferent spirit from that shown 10 the WELL
meant, but often most indiscreetly chosen.
gifts of tracts.
Thus I'm all its forms the increase is un-
mistakatly marked. The society spends
annually e10.0o0 at home in supplying
IL
schools with complete Bibles or portions.
and many of the plainly bound editions
| that may be purchased across the counters
of the great building In Queen Victoria
street are sold below cost price i'm order
to meet the wants of the most needy. The
| penny English New Testament is a notable
case in point. Since IL was first brought
| out, I'm 1854, over 100000 copies have been
issued at a loss of e25,0o0. as IL cannot pos
| sibly be produced at it's selling price. A
curious little point IN comparative statistics
| is that for every two complete Bibles sold
| three Testaments and seven portions are
sent out. Even yet IL would appear that
| this country is not fully supplied with the
Scriptures, as a member of the society .
committee. while recently conducting some
examinations in religious knowledge i'm the
back country, was surprised at the per-
centage Of children in whose homes neither
Bible nor Testament was to be found and
| some exhaustive inquiries are now on foot
| as to how far the same state OF things
| is in contemplation to revive a system OF
| colportage ard house-to-housc visitation
that was successful some years ago. and
which would bring the Book TO the notice
| of all.
Nor is this sustained emand confined TO
| the less costly editions. At he oxford
and Cambridge University presses. which.
| together with the Queens printers, alone
| have the right OF printing the Bible I'm this
country, the finest Typography, the choicest
| paper, and most artistic OF bindings are
there is not the slightest dimInution TO be
observed in the demand for sumptu0us
/ copies. The output OF the oxford press In
@ for @ aas sSS
| than 10000 I'm excess OF the previous year.
| A talk at Mr.. Henry Provides on this sub
;ect ellei ,t very interest, M, survey or
| hat the American Bible Society has been
| compelled TO move TO less expensive prem
| ises. and that its money receipts have been
/ largely reduced. But these facts are not
! the result of any falling on I'm the popu-
4 larity of the Bible I'm America The ex-
! rlanation is that the societys means OF
| production have become obsolete and In
| capable OF competing with the newer ard
/ more economical machinery possessed by
ether publishers OF the Bible. Never was
! lea as ar present: three times as many OK
ford Bibles have been sold this year as in
| any previous year
What this means can be Imagined when
Il Is mentioned that the total annual out
| nut of oxford Bibles for some years past
| has been upward OF 100000 copies, and
| even before there was an American branch
| Of the oxford University Press the weekly
| shipment OF Bibles TO the United States
/ often exceeded five tons In weight The
| Americans take tho keenest interest I'm
| Bibles and Biblical matters. shown
very clearly az the time of the publication
| of the Revised Testaments. Not only the
| authorized Bible holds It's own. bat also
| the revised version In slowly hut steadily
! increasing in popularity. And Il may b
! interesting 10 add that no fewer than six
| different pirated editions or Oxford Bibles
/ issued by American firms. are to be seen in
! that great Office The rumors which have
HaDpearets are traceabie 10 the exageerafed
and misleading statement made IN a New
York paper. which II referred 20 above
| The increasing sales Of the Bibles are