News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-05-13
MOST VITAL work
American Bible Society Must Be
Supported in Spreading
the Light.

| Inc demand LOT ljlDIeS IS great. l lie
| demand for Bible work is still great
er. Both of these demands come from
every part Of America and from near
! ly all other parts of the world. IS
pecially in such exceptional openings
as China, the Mediterranean regions,
where things are looking up, and in
Central and South America, where a
prospective canal opening is chang
ing the face of things, opportunities
are beyond anything heretofore OBJ
tanning. Churches of the United
States are asked for 100000 to help
to meet these unprecedented condi-
ttOns.
1t is through the American Bible
society, as representative of these
vast interests, that the demands make
themselves known. This society has
some endowment, but the work put
upon it grows far faster than income
from these endoWments and from all
other sources. Biaes are not given
away, save in very needy cases.
Instead, they are sold in thousands
Of instances when less experienced
benevolent distribution would be sure
to give them away Think of going
into Mexico, or into the Balkans, I'M
der present conditions and attemDt-
ing to sell Bibles? Yet that is pre-
cisely what the society doeS-and sue
ceeds, though always without purpose
Of profit and almost always at a loss
1t does not ask gifts save to do things
1t cannot do without them.
1t takes $250,0OO a year at the New
York Bible house alone to manufac-
ture Bibles and to purchase such as
cannot be had without expenditure Of
money. Almost every foot of Ameri-
can territory is covered by home Bible
work. and S138,000 a year is needed
to do 1t. In foreign agencies $4,000
more must be spent, Is the question
asked, What for?"
The missionary societies depend
very largely upon the Bible society
for Bibles to use in their work. This
fact is often overlooked by supporters
of mission work. The cost of making
'iD'So 10 OlllN a pdIt' lduSldllOIS I
must be made and revised 1t is a
vast burden.
America has built up, through a
hundred years of helping to meet /
these Bible needs, a vast system of |
Bible work that extends throughout !
almost all the world America has |
come to be looked on as one of two
great s%rces of Bible supply Amel-
lea cannot stop. 1t must maintain |
Its splendid reputation.
The total invested funds of the
American Bible society amount to So
$4,000, and it brings h about $125-
300 a year. Income from sales of
Bibles and other sources carry this
sum up to 100000 a year But not
less than $S25,O a year must be
lad. There are legacies, but these
ire uncertain. The churches must be
ooked to for $26S,OOO a year, but last
ear they gave only $66,640
Great as these sums are, they ought
o be increased in very large degree.
The home field, to meet demands for
Bible work, must have $4,000
lima, for its new opportunities, must
lave 100000; to help repair things
aid in havoc by the Balkan war there
rYst be 100000; and there simply
must be met the great demands in
fdent to the Panama canal opening
md the new life in the entire south.
The Bible is that Book on which
ii Christian literature depends. 1t is
hat Book on which civilization de- {
ENDS. 1t is that Book which mission !
ries must have if they work. It is !
work, this Bible circuIA- !
ion. Hence the appeal of the Amer i
can Bible society that it be on the i
nnual budget of every church OF
very name.