Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27

Recent data compiled by the publishing
trade show that there are more copies
Of the Bible being sold and distributed
this year than any other of the hundred
best sellers This is due largely to
the activities Of the worlds Bible socie-
ties. Their methods of utilizing every
possible avenue of Bible distribution has
been SO marked that the Marquis OF
North Hampton predicted last summer at
an international Bible conference that the
aeroplane would soon be used in the dis
tribution of the good book. The Amer
lean Bible Society first utilized the auto
mobile for Bible distribution. The sue
| cessful work of Colporteur Fow and his
wife in distributing Bibles through rural
California from an automobile demon
strated the adapta bility of this machine
| for the purpose. The motorcycle is used
extensively both in America and England
| for the same purpose.
| The Bible societies of the world are
united in their efforts to place a copy
| of the Bible in the native tongue WITHIN
| the reach of every man. woman and child
upon earth. and philanthropists ana
| churches are joining hands in this great
movement At every summer resort,
pleasure park or town in the Christian
| world colporteur IS likely to be found
who in many cases displays remarkable
versatility in attracting attention to his
wares In heather countries the work OF
| the Bible distributor is being pushed with
| even greater vigor, although varying
| methods are employed.
Every Christian country has its own
national organization for Bible production
and distribution,
Bibles Are Printed but the great
in All Languages. is carried on by
the American and British Foreign Riole
societies. These two great English
speaking organizations control large pub
fishing plants i'm many places and print
Bibles i'm every language OF Europe, In
addition to the various other tongues into
which the Bible has been or is being
translated.
During the past two years special atten-
ton has been called to the enormous IN
crease In the contributions to the Ameri-
can Bible Society through the beneficence
of Mrs. Russell Sage. who gave NAN
million dollars on condition that the So
ciety raise an equal sum for perpetual
endowment fund. The committee III
charge OF the endowment fund campaign
completed it's task last June, having
secured contributions amounting to an
average of $1,000 a day throughout the
campaign. which lasted for over year.
Most of this amount was from small con-
tributors in America and foreign lands
reached by the society's work.
A conservative estimate places the re-
sources of the American society at SoOoo,-
90, including all endOwments and trusts
and the publishing plants in America and
i'm foreign countries. The endowments
and trusts are invested to yield the
largest possible returns. Besides the reg
ular income from these, the work OF the
society is supported by the donations,
which are increasing literally each year
and which are Immediately utilized. The
plans for the work of the coming year
call for 81 100000. To secure this sum
the committee will endeavor to keep the
daily contributions up to the marx
reached during the endowment campaign.
This great annual expenditure Will be re-
ouired to carry out the present plans Tor
Bible publication, including translation
and revision. distribution, travelling ana
emergency expenses. The resources OF
the British Bible Society are more than
double those of the American. In addi-
ton to it's heavy endowments, the organ1-
cation is well supported by the estaD-
Iished- church, while very liberal private
donations are being received each year
Much of the work of the British Bible
Society is done in India, where the nu-
merous dialects spoken require large
number of TRANSACTIONS In order that
every British subject, in that land may
possess copy OF the Scriptures IN his
native tongue.
The work of translatins the Scriptures