The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-14

shoulders and frankly admitted that 1t
had been a puzzle to him for years. And
he was a man OF ripe experience, too.
At the offices OF the American Bible
Society l was only bewildered by fig-
ures without having any light thrown
upon the real question OF what becomes
Of all the Bibles--the Bibles that are
not sent to the heather. The figures
as to production were stupendous in
themselves. i was told that the var
ious Bible societies alone had distrib-
uted more than SO,oOO,00O Bibles since
the year 1904, and this number did not
include the output of individual pub
fishing houses, of which there are about
a dozen in New York alone, which
issue Bibles.
The British and Foreign Bible So
ciety of London operates on even a
larger scale than our own American
Bible Society. Last year 4,479, ,439 copies
were printed and distributed, and since
1904, when the society was organized
1t has issued no less than 100, ,O09, ,393
Bibles.
When one comes to consider the
achievements of the American Bible
Society abroad the result is astound-
ing. The society publishes, and now
has for sale, copies of the Bible print
ed in German, French, Welsh. Spanish,
Portuguese, Danish, Norwegian, Swed-
ish, italian, Dutch, Hebrew, Greek,
Lettish, Arabic, Icelandic Syriac, Rus
sian. Hungarian, Bohemian, Polish,
Gaelic, Finnish, Armenian, Malay,
Arabo-Turkish, Slavonian, Slavic, Bull
garian, Chinese and Japanese. For
Africa the Scriptures are printed in
eight different languages, while for the
sandwich Islands there are seven diff
ferent editions in as many different
languages. The North American In
dams have Bibles printed in Cherokee,
Choctaw, Mohawk, Dakota, Arrawack,
Ojibwa, Muskokee and Seneca.
The distribution of Bibles in foreign
lands is not accomplished without Sc
we're hardships and often danger to life.
The colporteurs, as the travelling
agents are called, are quite heroic in
their devotion to the work, especially
in lands where fanaticism holds sway.
China is just at present the theater of
the most interesting activity.
It will come as a great surprise to
the public at large to learn that the
Emperor of China is, as far as his per-
sonal convictions are concerned, a con-
vert to Christianity The statement
is made on the authority of the Bible
Society's agent in China, the Rev. John
r. Hykes, d. d.
DIR. Hykes, in a recent communication
bearing upon the tragic check placed
upon the reform party by the empress
doWager, says that in addition to other
imperial edicts of a reactionary nature
the emperor went so far as to discuss
with his advisers the desirabiity of
adopting Christianity as the national
religion.
He spent much time in the daily
study of the Bible" says DR.. Hykes,
land it was no secret in the palace
that he frequently retired to quiet
place to pray to the true God. When
thus engaged the eunuchs had orders
that he must not be disturbed or in
terrupted The emperor and some of
the chief reformers were convinced of
the truth of Christianity. and they
We're almost. if not altogether per-
shaded to accept it.
THE bright hopes were crushed by
the empress dowager, who, acting
upon the misrepresentation of the con-
servative party beheaded six of the
reformers without trial, imprisoned
some for life, cashiered others from
the public service. suppressed all news
papers, and, by her manifestly anti
progressive policy, created a bitter an
, ti-foreign feeling all over the country
which has eliminated in massacre and
rebellion"
The world has been told of the EN-
press dOwager's opposition to the re.