The Minneapolis journal., 1906-07-08
BIBLE SOCIETY HAS
WONDERFUL RECORD
BIBLES PRINTED IN NO FEWER
-- THAN 400 LANGUAGES.
Asst Year Nearly 100000 Volumes
Were Issued Bibles in 43 Languages
Distributed Among the Incoming For
eigners in Canada by Christian
Workers. -.

London, July THE British and For
eign Bible, society now distributes the
scriptures in no fewer than 400 lam
guages. '.5'
This was one of the many interesting
facts presented recently at the society's
meeting at Exeter Hall.
Copies of the Bible are purchased
from the British and Foreign Bible So
clety for cheese, eggs, arrowroot and
many other commodities-but not in
this country. All these and many other
articles of more or less utility are ac-
cepted by the society in countries whose
people are ignorant of the meaning of
'ready money! or indeed of coin Of
any kind.
In the New Hebrides natives pay for
the Bible in arrowroot. If they do not
actually put arrowroot in the collection
boxes, they certainly make gifts of ar
rowroot during services in their native
churches at what we should call collec-
tiOn time. .a...
In one of the New Hebrides-
yuEl-so generous have the native Chris
tians become that during the last eleven
years they have grown and given arrow
of the Christian cause and for starting
other churches Nothing else is used in
these islands for the purchase Of the
| scriptures but arrOwroot, fifteen pounds
OF which will buy Bible. ..s...
In Saa. one of the British Solomon
islands, Bibles are bought with dead
dogs teeth. Other things used to pur-
chase Bibles in different parts of the
world are barley, eggs, pigs, goats.
fowls and beads. .-,-.4
During last year the Bible was issued
in the following new languages: Ladak-
hi, Singpo, Kuliviut Mech Cor Kachartl,
Zigula, Loatian, Saa, Bemba, Colloquial
Arabic, East Santo, Bri-Bri.
Ladaki is spoken on the Tibet from
tier. Singpho is the language of the
people residing among the hills in the
on one Of the islands in the New
Hebrides.
Mech is dialect spoken by about;
quarter of a million people living on
the plains Of North Assam. Zigula is
spoken by the Wa-Zigulas, who cover a
large area in German East Africa.
Laotian is spoken by the Laos tribes,
French Indo- China and in order to print
this special type has to be cast from
designs that have been supplied by ma
tive scribes.
| Saa is spoken on the Island of Mwala,
one of the British Solomon islands,
(which has become Christianized. Bemba
is spoken by the tribes living in central
|
Coloquial Arabic is being prepared
for the unlearned in Egypt, who do not
understand classical Arabic. East Santo
is another of the many languages
spoken in the New Hebrides.
Bri-Brie is the language of Indians
near Panama. ..=-,-.r .,..
At Winnipeg the society's depot sup
piled the scriptures in fortythree Ian
guages to the polyglot stream of emf
grants pouring into Canada. Amid the
babel Of tongues in johannesburg Bibles
in fifty-two languages had been sold.
but the resources of the depot there
were beaten when newcomer to the
"Golden City, asked for the Bible in
Icelandic.
There was a record output of the
scriptures last year, the volumes issued
being only few short of 100000.
The Rev. J. H. Ritson, who read the
annual report containing the above fig
ures, said the price Of Bibles in England
had been slightly increased, and he
hoped no one would grumble. The Sun
day schools Of this country might learn
lesson from the South Sea islanders,
who never asked for the Bible below
cost price, and never bargained for a
discount.