The Washington herald., 1914-06-14

quarters in the Bible House. New York,
has two principal lines of distribution.
First II works through cooperating Bi-
BILE socities. the home missionary socie-
ties, and its own agencies at home
whose colporteurs go everywhere with
Bibles and Testaments. not in English
alone, but in many tongues. not giving
books away. except to the very poor
but selling them. Last year this circu-
lation reached 1.o7s.4Ss volumes. an in
crease over the preceding year of 80,
IS volumes.
Second. the American Bible Society
maintains twelve agencies abroad. many
OF them in parts Of the world where
American trade has not successfully ven
tured as yet. American-made Bibles are
sold ahead Of American-made ironware.
-four. or even aeroplanes or automobiles
In order to be still more on its task. this
American society has Bible-printing and
Bible-making factories whose output. II
not under its management. IL directly
controls. In Constantinople. Bangkok.
Shanghai. and some other centers wher-
in one would not expect to find Bible
making plants. and even in up-to-datc
Japan. A waking China took last year
1.S539S volumes, an increase OF esS.56l
over the previous one. Even in disturbed
Mexico. with a woman in charge Of the
increased last year. Railroads. oil wells.
gold mines. and American residents In
Mexico may have been put out of COM
mission last year, but it did not put out
Bible selling by ap American house.
Bible translation into many tongues
must go on until everybody learns Eng
Iish. and Bible societies must do the
work and pay the cost The American
Bible Society is putting par; of the Bible
tnfn fha 10 caA hN 10
Indians. 1t is revising the Bible in Span
ish. and revisers staying near old Cadiz.
whence Columbus sailed have completed
recently tentative version of the Cos
pels of Matthew and Mark. Zulu YER
sions for use in South Africa. two ver-
sions to meet the great demand in China.
translation into Portuguese for use in
Brazil. Luke's Gospel in Peruvian. Que
chua- and several versions for people in
the Philippines-even for the hill tribes
and Moros OF Mindanao-these are trans
lations row either just completed or still
taking time and money.
Americans OF past DAYS have had
thought to Bible distribution. and have
piled UP in the American Bible Society s
endowment and some special funds 81.
4s1. So. from which the income last year
vas $l14.996, or more than ~ per cent.
But such worldwide transactions are not
malntalneu on sut-SSo u year. lnulNiu7
uals, churches, and other societies give
the large society money: and from sales
Of Scriptures last year there was re-
ceived s272. 1854. which was a small but
businesslike increase over the preceding
year. The American society expended in
Bible work last year a no less sum than
$7s4. .546.66.
The activities of Bible distribution in
unusual places are interesting. Among
colored people OF the South, among Hin
dus. Japanese. and others in California.
along the docks in New York harbor,
Bibles for the blind. Bibles for a won
derfully developing Brazil. Korea, and
the Philippines. even for distracted and
fighting Balkans-here and everywhere
went the more than thirteen hundred
colporteurs last year. Bible societies are
right hands of missionaries. but most
colportsurs of Bible societies are them
selves missionaries of most extraordi-
nary zeal and often success.