The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-11-20
PROGRESS OF THE Bible
Magnificent Growth Made During
Past Few Years-Rev. ii. G.
Harmed An Ardent Worker.

thanks report of the Atlantic
Agency of the American Bible So
siety. We are indebted to Rev. II.
G.. Harmed, of Scranton, superinten-
dent of this district. Hon. Alfred
Hand, of Scranton, is one of the
vice-presidents OF this society.
The following is a record for five
and one-half years:
Volumes distributed, 31,96S, in
81 languages. Qtalian, 2,617D
Value, S13,676.30.
Donated, 5,19S volumes, valued at
S3,1S0.42, including discount on
Bibles sold
Sent forward in payment for
Bibles and for the Great Mission
work of the Bible Society, SIS, S,464.-
36.
The Bible Society's record for a
dozen years is 56,007 volumes.
The Atlantic Agency was estab-
lished in 1910, and includes the
states OF Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
and Delaware. The circulation for
the year ending December 81, 1911,
was 10000 volumes. This brings
the total circulation since the estab-
4 lishment of the Agency up to 2S1,-
265 volumes, after allowing for a
clerical error made in last years re-
port With this allowance, the cir
tulation this year is nearly 1885
copies more than the circulation for
1910. Thirty-three persons were
employed in the distribution during
the year. The Agency Secretary is
the Rev. Leighton w. Eckard, d. D.,
and the Business Manager, r. II.
Thomas, Jr., Bible House, 701 Wal
nut Street, Philadelphia. Pa.
Il nF
maintaining a society whose sole OBJ
ject IS the wider circulation of the
Holy Scriptures is not as fully real
ized, even by Christian people, as it
should be. The fundamental charaC-
ter of the work, the need that exists,
the effective contribution to home
and foreign missionary enterprise,
Il which only thus is possible, the fl
IanCial responsibility involved by
the organization which translates,
imports, and prints the Bible, be-
sdes sending its agents to all parts
OF the world, is dimly apprehended.
sympathy and cooperation are with
held, not through opposition, but
rather because of ignorance of what
4 is required. Only the slow process
OF personal contact with individual
ministers and church members
seems adequate, in many cases, to
overcome inertia and awaken inter-
est. Especial attention has been
paid to this form of endeaYor with
encouraging results. The popular
ity OF the budget" sytsem under
which congregational apportionments
are made for benevolent purposes,
affords the opportunity for asking
that our cause be included in the
list. If the request is granted, as it
increasingly is, the result will be
an assured percentage each year,
which will be far better than the
offering as made in former years,
the amount of which could not be
estimated in advance.
General Statement.
The output of the Atlantic Agency
for the year is 300 volumes, an
increase of about seventeen per
cent. The colporteurs employed
numbered 20, an increase of Z.
Miles travelled, as far as reported,
10000. AS our men have a COM
paratively restricted territory to
traverse, and as they have done
much work in our cities and larger
towns, where they have tarried for
weeks at a time, their journeyings
from point to point do not represent
great distances. The distribution of
the Bible has been in AZ languages
"a gain of 4.
Our chief source of satisfaction
arises from the more efficient work
that is being done by our men in the
field. Some disappointments have
been experienced. But generally
speaking, a good spirit, intelligent
service, and an earnestness most
eommendable have been shown. The
available supply of efficient colpor-
teurs is better now than previously.
The Depositories at Philadelphia,
Scranton and Pittsburgh have been
efficiently managed, and have proved
centers of influence. Exceptionally
cheering reports have come each
month from the Rev. j. Walker Mil
ler who is superintendent of the
Southwest Department of the Agen-
ey. Eleven counties are in his juris-
diction, and the results in the whole
OF this territory are increasingly sat-
isfactory. Difficulties have been
overcome, wise methods of work de-
Teloped, and revenues enlarged. Un-
der his supervision 1856 volumes
have been distributed. Thirty Ian
guages were represented. When the
Bishop of London had his attention
called to the rapidly increasing cir
eulation of the Scriptures through
out the world, he is reported TO have
said: When people say to me, Is
the Christian Church still speaking
with tongues?' l answer, Yes, in the
Bible Society,""
The advancing years do not dim
the eye or dampen the ardor of
Brother Harend, who is in charge of
the Northeast Department. Together
with his efficient and consecrated
wife, he displays the courage. and en-
durance of a good soldier of Jesus
Christ He has no word correspond
ing to fatigue" in his vocabulary.