Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-03
SELLING THE BIBLE.
During 1906, 100000 Copies Were
Placed Throughout the World.

4U,UUU Ut 0U,UUU Copies III d year, "HCiC-
as this record is easily beaten by the
Bible in a single day the world over!
Last year 100000 copies, translated
into a vast Babel Of nearly 500 tongues
were scattered broadcast over the
earth.
The American and British Bible So
cieties led the way with nearly 9,000,-
900 between them. 1t is hard to real
lie the magnitude of so vast work
which has been pushed for 100 years
with heroism that should wake the
enthusiasm Of the coolest.
The men who do this work are train
ed explorers who often fall by the way
victims to wild beasts, diseases, hos
tile savages and the forces Of nature
ranging from lightning to tempestuous
seas. The American Bible society
alone employs 400 to 500 white men in
savage and remote lands, literally from
China to Peru. These in turn employ
great numbers of native colporteurs
who travel inland upon waterways
over mountains, and through forests
with their packs on their backs or with
strange caravans Of laden men OF
beasts.
Turning a moment to the far
stretching Philippine group, We find the
Reverend Milloy almost hewing his
way through almost impossible tropi-
cal growths, haranguing the amazed
crowds in fluent Tagalog at fiestas and
cock fights, and selling them the Scrip
lures in their own tongue.
One Of the most interesting workers
Is Archibald Forder, who from his
headquarters in Jerusalem carries Bi-
bles to the Arab tribes Of the Jordan
and in the Arabian desert. They pay
for the books in eggs. From Bangkok,
In Siam, we hear from the Rev. John
Darlington, who works the whole OF
this remote empire. 1t must have been
awkward when one of his buffaloes
hitched to a cart containing Testa-
ments in Siamese and Laos, suddenly
bolted and scattered boxes and beds
along the swampy track for half a
mile.
Nor are dark tragedies unknown
among the Bible pioneers. The Rev
H. j. Johnson once dropped down the
great Yang tse in a houseboat laden
with Testaments. He was accompan-
led only by trusted Chinese colpor-
teur. For nineteen years nothing more
was heard Of either. Then the tragic
story came to light. DR.. Johnson and
his man had landed at an inland town
to sell their Bibles. But the first night
a fire burned down many houses with
much loss of life. Next day native
mischief makers attributed the disas-
ter to the evil influence Of the For
eign Devil" And before the white man
and his assistant could get back to
their houseboat they were set upon by
a mob and murdered with every cir
cumstance of cruelty.
Here, then, Is a world labor Of pa
tient scholarship; of heroism far from
the limelight; Of business acumen and
organization, that may we'll awaken
the interest Of the most blase. And
vast sums are spent upon the work.
Taking the British and Foreign Bible
society Of London, with the American
Bible society and similar bodies
throughout Europe, 1t is safe to say
that not less than $7,0O0,000 a year is
spent upon the work, and we'll over
$12O, 100000 during the last century.
The parent society in London main
tains nearly $500 representative lin
GUSTS, missionaries and native assist
ants, organized into committees the
world over. Their work Is supervised
and financed from headquarters, where
editorial sub committees composed OF
eminent pathological experts meet ev-
cry month. In one year such a COM
mittee will have matters before 1t In
200 languages. In fact, the diversity
of the worlds speech Is staggering
thing when one goes into it. Last year
the Scriptures were sold in twenty diff
ferent tongues in the Austrian empire
and fifty in Russia.
In a great number Of cases an entire
literature has to be formed and Ian
guage reduced to writing before any
thing can be done at all. Thus, when
translating the New Testament in Es-
kimo, the phrase Lamb Of God" had
to be rendered Little Dog" otherwise
1t would have been entirely meaning
less to the little fur-clad men who
have never seen a sheep.
And of course, there Is no thought
Of profit. The Bible society agent sells
a well-made gospel in his own tongue
to a Congo cannibal for the equivalent
of two cents, a New Testament for
cents and a complete Bible for Is cents.
All kinds Of money are taken In ex-
change, ranging from ivory tusks to
basket Of bread fruit, a few leopard
skins or even a baby camel.
Long before Tibet was opened by
the British the New Testament was
being printed in Tibetan at Ghoom'
high up in the Himalayas, and carried
back and forth to Lhassa by Hindoo
and Buddhist traders. Only Abyssinia
and Nepal are now closed to the Bible
army, but it Is now thought that the
old Emperor Menelik at least will soon
capitulate. At all events he recently
sent a magnificent pair Of elephant
tusks to the British Bible House In
London. with a fiowery letter in Abb
haric. from 1.-The Conquering Lion OF
Judah, Menelik the Second, Emperor
Of Ethiopia by the Will Of God."-Phil-
adelphia Ledger.
BEATS SHIMoSE POWDER.
IIn;ted Cfafee Hae Exnlosive Superior