The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-10
THE BIBLE.
II Is Popular Christmas Present
and the Best Selling Book.
From the New York Sun

@hS hhE oGSN SeIttnE HOOK.
From the New York Sun.
There's one thing in the way of a
Christmas gift that you don't hear
much about" said the busy bookstore
man, but whose sales at this time
reach tremendous proportions-the
Bible
You may talk about your multitu-
dinous editions of popular novels, but
the Bible leads them year in and year
out. 1t is probably issued in more edi-
tons and got up in more styles and
shapes than any other book in the
world
Every bookseller aims to keep as
large an assortment as his trade will
allow, and as the profits on them are
from % to so per cent. they're a de-
cidedly paying line of his business. In
most of the larger stores there is a
man who does nothing else but buy
and sell these books, and as there are
not many men who are up ON Bibles
they command a good salary.
You'd be surprised at the different
kinds of people who buy Bibles at
Christmas time. The boy who is away
from home is one typical customer.
HE is apt TO say that his mother
gave him one, but that he has read it
through many times and the print is
a little fine. 1t isn't improbable that
he'll buy another large. we'll bound
volume to send home, just to show the
old folks that he hasn't forgotten.
He may not be living up to the
teachings of the Book, but when one
is shown to him he always softens and
rarely goes out of the store without
it.
Young girls, whether working for
their living or the daughters of WE'LL
to-do or wealthy parents. are frequent
buyers of Bibles, either for themselves
or for some friend, most often girl
friend.
"Old women are perhaps the heav
lest buyers of all 1t is the grand
mother or the aged aunt you know. in
every well-regulated family. who con-
siders ii her duty to see that each child
of either sex has a copy of the book
1T is tho old women. too. who are
responsible for many of the Bibles to
be found in the prisons. Millions of
Bibles are bought and sent to prisons
throughout the country every year.
Tract and other religious societies
buy many of these, but it is fact that
the majority of them are sent by
kindly disposed old women.
Even the Chinese buy Bibles. II is
remarkable how easy the Celestias
learn 10 read English, and hundreds
OF them are learning every year in
the mission schools OF the city.
When they have mastered the alpha
bet they begin to read the Bible They
seem TO understand il, and whethe Or
they believe in ii or not it interests
them.
Next 10 Christmas, Easter is the
brlskest time OF the year in the Bible
! trade, and all the church holidays have
an effect upon il. But at Christmas
! people buy them in the most expensive
/ dress.
you would be amazed at the beauty
4 and richness of some of the editions il
| you're not up on the subject. We have
one, for instance, that is bound in seal.
full gilt, on India paper. that is a great
seller as a gift for women.
It's really a wonder In bookmaking.
/ There are several thousand pages
! printed on both sides. Il is unabridged
I in every particular and the type Is
/ legiblc. yet IL is not much larger than
a Columbian stamp.
4 From this the editions vary through
I every conceivable size. shape binding.
/ type TO the great family record Bibles
! IN one direction or the cheap, poorly
| printed board-bound editions in an
bther.
Here's one fual little REGULARITY ~
the trade mat ls AN open secret to
every Bible salesman 4 man may ob-
iort to tho prices ou all other books.
but ho VIII never question the prire
~ Bible. This b. not true Of women, b