Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-07
.EUL0CY or THE BIBLE
Handredth Anniversary Of
British Society Celebrated.
PRESIDENT ATTENDS
A DISTINGUISHED AUDIENCE
GREETs TILE SPEAKERS.
Mr.. Justice Brewer and Senator Dol
liver Address Large congrega-
ton at st. Johns.

distinguished congregation filled st.
Johns Church. corner Of 10th and H
streets northwest, yesterday afternoon,
when services were held in commemoration
OF the one hundredth anniversary of the
British and Foreign Bible Society, under
the auspices of the American Bible Society.
President Roosevelt and Mrs. Roosevelt
were present, together with the British
ambassador and Lady Durand, and many
others prominent in official, diplomatic and
social circles. The addresses were made by
Mr.. Justice Brewer of the United States
supreme Court and Senator Dolliver of
Iowa. Daniel Colt Gilman, presiden. of
the American Bible Society, made the
opening remarks and presided over the
part of the exercises directly relating to
the centennial
The President and Mrs. Roosevelt oc-
clpied front pew, and in that next be-
WIFE A number Of pews in the front Of
the church were reserved for other espe-
cially invited persons. The remainder of
the ed1fce was crowded to overlooking.
After the usual service of song and
prayer from the ritual of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. DR.. Gilman stepped to
the lectern and spoke of the Bible societies
and their work, in part, as follows:
To Spread the Scriptures.
"A hundred years ago band of British
men formed society to spread the sacred
Scriptures in English and In all other
tongues, without note or comment, through
every quarter of the world. Today the one
hundredth anniversary of the society Is
being celebrated in St. Paurs Cathedral.
London, in the presence of the king and
queen and a distinguished company. the
American society is twelve years younger
than her sister. but they are alike in the
work they are doing and the good they
have accomplished.
During their lifetime they have circu-
lated 27O,OOO,O0O copies of the Bible and
parts OF the Bible to the nations, In every
language and dialect, and thus sent the
truths of Scripture to the peoples just
emerging from barbarism."
DR.. Gilman said that modern civilization
Is founded on the Bible, and that in Eng
land and this country ideals of govern
ment were obtained from the Bible Con-
tinuing he said: sit is proper, them that we
should, with admiration and quietude, cele-
brate the anniversary of this venerable So
cfety that has through this long period
made for righteousness, justice peace and
truth among men of every race and every
tongue"
Deeds, Not Years.
Mr.. Justice Brewer said the poorest way
to estimate the value of life. whether of
an individual or an organization, is by
numbering the years. We should count by
deeds, not years. &c. he said, we celebrate
the anniversary of the British Bible So
ciety not SO much because it had endured
for century as because Of the gigantic
good 1t had accomplished
1T Is scarcely necessary before this au-
dience," continued Justice Brewer, ito en-
ter upon a eulogy or defense of the great
book of books. But this is the age of the
iconoclast when destructive criticism runs
rampant. Some criticism, indeed. is
erent and useful-that which seeks sim
ply by correcting wrong translations and
arranging in chronological order the match
less truths of Scripture. 1t is striving TO
remove from the sacred volume the dust
that careless centuries have strewn upon
it.
But there are other critics without such
lofty aims, who strive to destroy the faith
of other men simply because it is held The
iconoclast is popular man today. To him
the Bible appears merely as a sort of crazy
quilt Of untrue history, distorted science,
weak poetry, impracticable morality, and
vague foreshadowings of the unknown and
unknowable Yet we who believe, know
there are passages in the Bible unsurpasse
in solemn beauty in the literature of the
world; that its ideals of morality are those
to which the best within us is always as
piring; that its promises are the tweetest
and most comforting that have ever come
to the tired hearts Of man."
Justice Brewer declared that the greatest
glory of this nation lies in the fact that
ever and always she has striven to trans
late into the vernacular of international
law the parable of the good Samaritan and
the golden rule.
Eulogy of the Bible.
Senator Delivers address was a strong
defense and eulogy of the Bible In opening
he said:
zone of the grandest enterprises / ever
heard of any organization was the offer of
this society to make a language for a bar
barous people, whose speech had not even
attained to the dignity of an alphabet The
society undertook to make first an alphabet,
then a translation of the Bible, and finally
a literature Certainly the brain of man
never conceived a grander philanthropic
purpose.
Continuing, he said that all skeptical crfti-
cism of the divine inspiration and purpose
of the Bible was but a repetition of old at
tacks, made over and over again, and each
time proving futile He said it was strange
that whenever these We're renewed some
people greeted them as new and advanced
thought.
In conclusion Senator Dolliver said:
IT count this good, old book as the chief
possession of the American people because
1t embraces the law of equal rights vital in
all lands, and because il stands for the adj
vancement of the truth of the gospel, which
is our heritage"
The benediction was pronounced by Bishop
Satterlee of the diocese of Washington.
At the conclusion of the service the Presi-
dent left the building by the III street exit,
and. after seeing Mrs. Roosevelt in her car
rage set out at his customary brisk gait
for walk down II and up Vermont avenue.
Mississippi Society Meets.
The rao,,lor nonthJv rneatinp of tho Mis-