The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-08-21
CHRISTIAN DRUMMERS
SOW BIBLES IN HOTELS
international Convention eide
ons Discusses Unique work
Over 10000 Bibles Placed.
MANY ROMANTIC RESULTS
Caught at Psychological Moments,
Travellers Saved From
Suicide and Other
Evils. I
ROMANTIC RESULTS
By the Religious Rambler.

.EEE ELW.-S NN NNNA0NSAS = " II
or distinctive present day forms OF
religious work, none Is more romantic,
or less known to the average church
member, than the Gideons. whose In
ternational convention has adjourned
within the week at Toronto. I
The Gideons r travelling men. They
humble 1900 out OF the more than
100000 couriers OF commerce who cover
his continent. They are known by
the blue button, bearing a white Jar
with @ flame from its mouth. They are
h modern type OF Gideon's host and
their motto Is "And they stood every
man in his place round about the
camp" Because OF the persuasiveness
potent body Of Christian workers.
All sorts OF good works go with the
Gideon membership, but at base IL the
living of O clean, Christian life, amid
surroundings that do not always con-
duce TO this. They have had a distinct
part In raising the tone OF their CALI
ing; for the moral movement among
commercial travellers is one Of the por-
tents on the days horizon.
Bibles for Hotel Guests.
While they hold religious meetings
in hotel Hobbies, and speak In churches,
and have large service laid out for
them In promoting temperance and
clean speech among fellow drummers,
yet the one distinctive and extraordi-
nary mission Of the Gfdeons is their
bible work" They have taken as their
task--and II is no small order--the plac-
ing OF a copy of the bible in every
guest room ! every hotel in the coun-
try. s.sg .,4a E
d; stay-at-home folks do not realize
that there are probably loo, 900 persons
in this country who every night sleep
away from home 4. hotels; or else
have no other homes. At the best, a
hotsi is a lonely place. Only the men
evenings spent in hotels. The marvel
is not that SO many men away from
home succumb to temptation, but that
so many remain straight. Not all ho-
tells, by any means. are the great cara
~yansaries of the cities. Life In the ho-
tells OF small towns and villages. which
hundreds OF thousands OF commercial
travellers must regularly make" must
be experienced to be appreciated.
The Prevention Of a Suicide.
Into hotels OF all grades the Gideons
have thus far put owe 10000 bibles:
md are increasing that total at the
Fate OF 5000 O month. These books
IN legibly printed and may be read
comfortably. They are the American
Standard version. All are stamped with
the Gideon name. and have a tract
concerning bible reading pasted on the
inside cover.
The scheme Ia sound psychologicaiiy.
The bibles are before the mems eyes
IN their hours OF ~seclusion, when they
are alone, and often homestck and
otherwise In q receptive mood. Innum-
berAble romantic stories have come 10
the headquarters, concerning men and
women caught on the brink OF some
wrong action. Her0Ris one Of the stories
told at the Gideon office: N
"A man went into q hotel IN San
Francisco and secured a room with the
Intention OF committing suicide by
poison, q vial OF which he carried with
him 20 HIS room. He set the vial CON
tanning the poison on the center table
and went about making his prepare