The sun., 1907-04-14
WORK OF THE BIBLE SOWERS.
Seventy Million Bibles In $50 Languages
Distributed In ~ Years

@The headquarters of the most fascinat-
ing work in the world" is what a writer
in the Circle calls the big dull red brick
block at Astor place known as the Bible
House.
Here works the greatest organization
which in its lightweight years of life has
sent Bibles to the remotest corners of the
earth--a grand total of 7O,OOO,OOO of them,
printed in more than l5O languages.
The mere translating of the Bible into
these languages has been a stupendous
task The difficulty of rendering an ex-
preston is sometimes almost insurmount-
able.
How for instance translate the phrase
Lamb OF Cod into the language Of the
Esquimaux, who never saw a sheep? The
translators did the best they could and
called il Little seal Of God
One translator in China took the wrong
word for palm tree and represented the
multitudes who went out 70 meet our Lord
on Mount Olivet as casting in his path
formidable thorns. Another translating
novice in central Africa, trying TO render
the parable Of the sower. represented
carnivorous birds as devourng the seeds
which fell by the wayside.
translator must devote his life TO the
remarkable Bible scholar, although well
nigh helpless physically through incurable
paralysis, for more than fourteen years
pounded on the typewriter with the solitary
foreiinger whose use he retained, preparing
every word OF both TestamentS for his
monumental translation into the Easy
Wen Ii dialect of Chinese, thus making
the Bible accessible to scores OF millions
of people who speak that tongue. Bishop
SchereschewsSy sat in the very same
bus- R.- lyr Nfyy
with amazing persistence and requiring
two secretaries to keep pace with him.
At his death a few weeks ago he was plan
ming twelve years additional work.
When the Bible Society working in
Natal, South Africa, began the translation
Of the New Testament into Zulu il was
almost a task OF despair. The mental
capacity of the Zulus was Of the lowest
order. and they had practically no terms
to express spiritual truths. There was no
proper word for God" and, Of course
none for such abstract terms as faith"
holiness, worship conscience" hon
esty," etc. A spiritual vocabulary had
to be created. and existing words applied
to material things had gradually TO be
twisted around with an ingenuity truly
amazing.
But at last the Zulus posse ssed complete
Zulu Bible in one volume which was avail
able for the millions of African savages
who ranged from the borders Of Cape Colony
on the south TO the shores Of Lake Nya5sa
on the north. and from the Indian Ooesn
on the east TO the western borders of the
Transvaal and RhOdesia OH the west
In scores Of places the same wonderful
work is in progress. No man can fail
TO be impressed by the sight Of one Of these
manuscripts. which entail long, dreary
years OF thought and infinite labor And
yet the Bible Society sells a well made
Gospel for two cents a copy. New Testa-
ment for five, and complete Bible for
HYfann hn ~
il not done for a profit, and Bibles are sold
at actual cost, or less, many thousands OF
them being distributed free.
The directors, however. do not care 10
distribute Bibles broadcast free Of charge
where the price OF even partial equivalent
can be paid. Therefore the society's
colporteurs, who carry the Word into wild
and remote regions, viii accept in exchange