Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-16
HOTELS OF WASHINGTON
SUPPLIED WITH BIBLES
Part of Project Inaugurated
by GideonS Four Years Ago.
Dedication Services.

Five thousand copies of the Bible were
placed in the guest rooms OF the hotels
of Washington yesterday afternoon and
evening following their dedication at
services held in the Parish Hall of the
Church of the Epiphany, G street be-
tween 18th and 18th streets northwest,
under the auspices OF the Gideons. or
Christian Commercial Travellers OF Amer
lea.
The distribution OF Bibles throughout
big project inaugurated by the Gideons
four years ago of supplying every guest
room In every hotel IN North America
with &; copy OF the Bible, go that travel
ers sojourning at the hostelries can at all
times lay hands on the Bible. If wanted.
when in their rooms. Including those
distributed yesterday, the organization
has now placed more than $4,000 copies
of the Bible in more than 1000 hotels.
The dedication exercises We're presided
over by Rev. DR.. Randolph II. Mckim,
rector of the Church of the Epiphany.
Invocation was asked by Bishop Earl
Cranston of the NJ. F.. Church. Rev. Paul
Il. Hickok, pastor of Metropolitan Pres
byterian Church. read the Scripture les
son.
The principal address was TO have been
made by President Taft but he was I'M
avoidably prevented from being present.
w. T.. Henderson, national secretary OF
the Gideons, spoke of its organization IN
1899 when a number of Christian travel
ing men agreed to wear button as a
means of recognition and as An opening
wedge - t'bristiar,
He was followed by Col. Charles II.
Lyman, president of the Washington City
Bible Society, who praised the work being
done by the Gideons and declared the
organization of which he is head stands
ready to cooperate with them.
William Knowles Cooper general Sec
rotary Of the Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION declared the increase in at
tendance in mems Bible classes through
out the United States during the past
twenty-five years has been greater than
that in women'S classes. He referred to
the Bible as the book about young men
and travel and for that reason said It is
fitting that the Christian commercial trav-
elers of America should be interested in
its distribution.
Bibles Stacked in Pyramid.
The 300 Bibles were stacked in a
pyramid before the platform. Mr.. Hen
derson. national secretary of the Gideons
declared it was the largest single pile Of
Bibles ever gathered together to his
knowledge The prayer of dedication
was said by Rev. Randolph H. McKim,
after which Rev. DR.. Samuel II. Greene,
pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, pro-
nounced the benediction.
Mr.. Henderson then asked for volun.
teers to assist in carrying out the Bibles to
the curb in front of the church, where
several automobile trucks. loaned for the
purpose by various Washington auto
agencies. stood ready to transport them
to the hotels The Bibles were tied in
bundles of about ten each.
The 800 Bibles. which, II is estimated.
weighed five tons, We're distributed to
seventy-fi~e Washington hotels. The
Raleigh received 45O. the Willard 400.
National. 300; Ebbitt, 30; Congress
Hall, 1871; Continental, 155: st. James.
13:;, and others each a smaller number.
The Young Mems Christian Association
living rooms We're also included In the
list, the institution having been allowed
$50 Bibles.