The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-05-23
CENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN
BIBLE SOCIETY.

BIBLE SOCIETY.
The centennial year of the Ameri-
can Bible society, which is being CIV
en- national and international recog-
milton, especially during the month of
May, was celebrated by the Junior
| Mission Band of the First Presby-
terrain church at the manse on Sun
day afternoon and was an occasion of
unusual interest and profit. The de-
votional and business meeting was
ably conducted by the president, Anna
Lamar.
The treasurer, Robert Mcclure,
read the annual report from the
Orient of the past years work of
the band for the two Chinese girls
at Kiang-yin. Mary Coney recited
an earnest and thrilling plea from
heather lands for Bible and GOSPEL.
An excellent and well prepared pro-
gram was in charge of the Bible COM
mittee, James Merwin and Virginia
Reese, and included quiz on Bible
work. Edwin Morris told of when
the American Bible society was Or
ganized, May 8, 1916, in New York
City, by sixty earnest Christian men,
who banded themselves together as
an organization to give the Bible
wider circulation among the nations
of the earth. Rev. VIM. J. Haven, d.
D., of New York, the present secre-
tary of this society, has recently
made a journey to the far east, in
the interest of the centennial anc
says, he found a vast whitening
harvest field among many poop
springing up from the sowing of the
word of God" In the centennial
volume soon to be issued, the history
of the post century's work will be
given. China furnishes an excellent
example of how the Bible uplifts a
people socially, morally and religious
ly, and changes the customs and gov
eminent of a country.
Some difficulties to Bible work in
warning countries were mentioned.
The Testaments are eagerly received
by the soldiers, and the tone of camp
life changed by their faithful use.
In telling of scattered Bible work
throughout the world, special men
ton was made of Siam and Loas, New
Zealand, colportage on the Amazon
and in Ceylon, and of the Bible sta
ton at Balbos at the Pacific end of
the Panama Canal, where the Ameri-
can Bible society will distribute the
Bible free in 127 languages, so that
every sailor who passes receives one
in his own language.
There is an edition of the Bible for
the blind in India, which contains
thirty nine volumes, fills a shelf seven
feet long and it costs $500 to pro-
duce each set of volumes. Yet all or
parts of the Bible for the blind are
published in thirty-five different Ian
guages.
In telling of unusual Bibles and
their extraordinary uses, Virginia
Reese mentioned the handsome Bible
with heavily gold embossed binding
given President Yuan Shi Kai of
China, last year by the Oriental agent
! OF the Bible society. He has read Sc
lections from this wonderful 'fsave the
world classic" and returns his hearty
thanks. James Merwin told of a mod
ern miracle among the blind, when
an unconverted man, who in a mine
explosion had lost his arms and his
eyesight and sought comfort thru
the Bible and learned to read the
raised letters with his tongue. In pre-
pairing 1000 Bibles for the South
Seas in the language of the Gilbert
Islands at cost of $1,367. 90, the
American Bible society had poison
worked into the covers in the binding
process, to discourage insect foes.
From many places in the awakened
world there is heart-cry for Gods
word. Robert Mcclure told how the
Korean Christian men have Bible
pockets in their garments and carry
the word with them. The aim and
origin of the Pocket Testament
League, the popular worldwide move
| ment to promote daily Bible reading
among Christians and mont Christians,
was discussed by John Burrow. The
league originated in a girls high
school in Birmingham, England, some
years ago through the practical use
OF her Testament in personal work
among her fellow pupils, by Helen
Cadbury, now the wife of Charles M.
Alexander, the gospel singer, asso-
ciated with DIR. J. Wilbur Chapman.
In an evangelistic campaign held by
these men in Philadelphia in 1908 the
simple plan of the league was given,
and met an enthusiastic response in
our country as in England. The move
ment was spread through the Chap
man-AlexanGcr meetings and n other
ways and now there are branches of
the league in Canada, Australia,
Egypt, New Zealand, South Africa.
Ceylon, Holland, Norway, Greece,
Syria and parts of China, Korea and
Japan.
The aim of the league is to strengthen
! Christians and To win the r1usaved