The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-08
OBSERVE CETENARY
OF AMERICAN BIBLE
Richmond Pulpits Proclaim Work and
History of Society In This
Country.
HAS PUBLISHED 1900, 900
Romance OF Bible" 1.-The Bible in
Mexico" ''rhe Bible in Every Day
Life" Among Subjects Under Dis
cusslon.


Mexico" 1.-THE Bible in Every Day
Life" Among Subjects Under Dis
cussion.
In many Richmond churches yes
terday the one hundredth anniversary
of the American Bible Society was
observed by special sermons on the
work Of the society. The work OF
the British and American Bible So
cieties has led the world. These two
nations have supplied rine-tenths Of
the worlds Bibles. printing them in
all languages The British Society
has made and sold 263,o00.o00 BIZ
bles; the American Society, 1l7.0OO,-
900. and the Scottish Society, 10000.
Since the war in Europe the American
Society has printed more Bibles than
either of these other countries.
The work of the American Bible
Society Just now is the more impor
tant as 1t is reaching the South Amer
lean nations revision of the Span
ish Bible is now being made and this
Bible will be supplied to South Amer
lean countries as soon as II is ready
for publication.
In the United States the society
reaches into every nook and corner
where a demand or a desire for a
Bible Is made. In many instances
families are unable to purchase b.
bles. In other cases they accept the
book and are persuaded to use It,,
| where otherwise they would have
failed to read this greatest of books.
For this reason the centennial of
the American Bible Society was OBJ
served in this country with more than
al ipta Tn Wa shin OF a
pageant was given showing the his
torical progress of the Bible in Amer
lea. President Wilson was the chief
speaker at the observances in wash
ington Sunday afternoon
DR.. Bowie's Sermon.
Rev. Russell W. Bowie. rector OF
st. Pauls Church, preached yesterday
morning on the Romance of the
, English Bible" Mr. Bowie, a gifted
speaker and orator. as we'll as deep
student of literature, was at his best.
His discourse was heard by many and
was O beautiful tribute to the accept
ed word OF God. The romance OF the
Bible was told in most interesting
manner. The sermon was regarded
as one OF Mr.. Bowie's masterpieces
The Rev G. Freeland Peter. rector
of St James Episcopal Church,
preached yesterday morning on THE
Hundredth Anniversary OF the Ameri-
can Bible Society" Mr.. Peter talked
chiefly on the Bible as Gods word
and as a work OF literature. He told
the history of the Bible, of how II
! came into existence and OF the his
tory of the American Bible Society.
His sermon was heard with great in
/ terest by large congregation. The
work of the Bible Society In this
I H.
Rev. G. o. futile. pastor of High
| land Park Methodist Episcopal
Church. preached las, night on The
! Bible in Every Day Life" He spoke
! of the centennial Of the American
! Bible Society and told the story or the
society. its formation. its early work
/ In this country and what II Is doing
today. He declared that the society
| had made the Bible available to ev-
eryone who desired to read IT, In
i-conclusion he pointed out the great
/ ton of the truths of the Bible to
! every day life.
| The Bible In Mexico.
| bullets or Bibles for Mexico" was
| the subject of DR. j. II. Lights ser
mon at Central Methodist Church yes
/ terday morning. The speaker used
The present crisis in Mexico to illus
trate in a concrete way the difference
/ between country without a Bible
Il and country where the Bible is
| known and honored
| Speaking of an imaginary line
which divides the United States from
Mexico, DIR. Light contrasted the civ
| citations north and south OF the line
] He referred to the order and peace
! that prevails north of that line and
the disorder and conflict that pre-
walls Just south OF II. 1T marks clear
! ~ two different orders of civilization,
he said.
| Now what" said the preacher
makes the difference between these
( two orders OF civilization SO distinct
and clear yet separated. geographi-
cally. By an imaginary line?" Pick
ing up a small Bible lying on the
desk before him, he said. This
broad speaking, makes the differ
ence between the Mexico OF today and
the United States of today
| He said that the question. pressing
for answer, is shall we intervene ir
Mexico? There are two ways of in
tervening. One is by force OF arms
The other is by the moral conquest
of the country. Many people want
to thrust us in with great army
! TO conquer the country by force.
soldiers seek Promotion.
! These are the natural born fighters
who have inherited from the Ions
lines OF Saxon and Germanic ances
tors love of battle. They are tht
hot -blooded folks who are stirred by
the lust of battle. They are not red
blooded people. but red-pepper- blood
ed people. Then there were people.
he said. TO whom a great army woult
furnish opportunity for fame-smal
ofi1cers who would live unknown ant
die without renown, who. in case Of
a great army of invasion, would be
come generals and receive promotion.
all along the line. Then there were
men who were interested in manu-
facture Of war material of every sort
ION the other hand. there are those
who believe in the moral conquest o,
that unhappy country by a real live
religious invasion" He insiated thai
true statesmanship would dictate tn.
conquest OF Mexico by the presence
reading and preaching OF the Bible
as published and furnished by the
great organizations whose, centennia
"a centenary of great service ant
constantly increasing usefulness and
linfiuence--we celebrate today"