The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-24
BIBLES AT COST.
The American Bible Society of New
York Not in q Trust.

York Not in q Trust.
Savannah, Ga, May 22.-Editor
Morning News: In last Sundays edi-
ton of your valuable paper, there ap-
peared an editorial entitled The Bible
Trust" in which it was made to ap-
pear that even in the distribution of
Bread of Life the greedy hands of
the monster trust had appeared, and
a combination effected, whereby the
poor wayfarer seeking after truth,
would hereafter have to pay an ad-
vanced price of from 10 to 50 per cent.
for copy of the Holy Scriptures.
1t was further stated that no new
plates have been made of the English
Bible for many years, hence the low
price of the past had been made pos
sible.
Your criticism of those publishers
who have entered into this unhoy
combination for profit, is both timely
and just, and will be heartily Endorsed
by all right-thinking people.
Unfortunately, however, the writer
was not aware, or neglected to men
ton the fact, that by far the largest
Bible publishing house in this country
is not in any way connected with this
combination, and therefore, it is still
possible for anybody to purchase a
copy of the Bible at cost.
For the information of your readers
therefore, 1 desire to state that the
American Bible Society of New York,
both the Oldest, and largest Bible pub
fishing house in this country, has an
auxiliary society known as the Savan-
nah Bible Society, Differed and under
the direct control of Savannah citi-
zens.
This society has three repositories in
this city. One at DR.. Shuptrine's drug
store or Congress street, one at the
Thirty-ninth Street Pharmacy, and one
at the Y. M. c. A, under the direct
management of Secretary johnson, who
is also secretary of the Bible Society.
At either of these places Bibles and
Testaments in several languages can
be purchased at cost, with prices be-
ginning at 5 cents for Testaments, and
20 cents for the complete Scriptures.
and ranging upwards according to
style and binding.
Referring again to your editorial,
VIII you permit me to quote from
letter recently received from the
treasurer of the American Bible So
ciety, Mr.. William Foulke, addressed
to the writer, in which he makes d.
rect answer to your article. He writes
as follows:
within the last twenty years this
society has made eight sets of plates
of the entire English Bible, and five
sets In foreign languages, each set be-
Ing made from type newly set. Be
sides these. we have also made in the
same way not less than thirty-five sets
of plates for the New Testament, and
other portions of the Bible, besides
many portions in foreign languages
printed direct from the type.
Delieve there was such a meeting
as you refer to held, and that some
sort of a combination was entered into
between most all-if not all-the pub
hsners who manufacture Bibles for
profit, but as this society is not in
business to make money but to sup
ply the Bible at the lowest possible
price, we were not in any way inter-
ested in the meeting and had nothing
Whatever to do with 1t. Besides, these
various houses principally devote their
energy to the publication of the Bible
with helps" or additional matter by
way OF explanation, which this society
Is prevented from doing by it's charter.
whether or not the forming of the
combination you refer to has resulted
IN an advance of 10 per cent. to so per
cent. In the price of Bibles, I do not
know; but 1 do know that we have
not advanced our prices in the last
twenty years, and we have no inten-
ton OF so doing now. In fact, in many
cases our prices have been reduced
during that time"
May | ask that you give this COM
munlcation space in to-morrow's issue
OF your paper in order that the true
status of this matter NAV come before
your many readers in this section.
F. B. Shepard.
President Bible Society