The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-05-19

the American Bible society, celebrat-
ing the hundredth anniversary. OF its
organization. The more acquaintance
one makes with the period when the
great Bible societies came into beng,
the more one will be interested; to
know the state of society, the world
needs, national strifes and the moving
causes which underlie great move
ments among peoples, is fascination
to me. The Eighteenth century mark
ed a swift and deep descent of the Eu-
ropean nations and their colonies and
descendants in America into relig-
ious and moral bog. While meditat-
ing on that fact in connection with
the organization of the Bible societies
today | came across testimony from
an unexpected source. A Life OF
Henry Laurens of South Carolina has
lust been published; he was member
of the Revolutionary Congress and
for a time it's president, then was sent
abroad, and visiting England was ar
rested and sent to London Tower, but
afterwards was released and took part
in negotiating the Treaty of Peace be-
tween England and our country. This
was what attracted my attention: like
most of our Revolutionary Fathers, he
had Cooked up" to England as good
and great; but this new book about
him tells, Henry Laurens was shock
ed at the prohigacy of England in the
reign of George Ill, and did not like
to leave his sons there to be educated.
He learned to be disguised with the
royal family" And that means George
w., his brothers and their associates,
who wallowed in immortality; and yet
such men rs Walter Scott conceded to
George ". the distinction of being
"the first gentleman in Europe"
Strange how royalty blinds the eyes.
That Victoria should have sprung from
that Georgian stock is wonder OF
Providence But wander afield. At
the close OF the XVIIIth century the
English speaking world, to say nothing
of the remainder of it, was covered
with low ering cloud Of immoral
miasma and religious specticism. But
underneath there were great renewing
forces at work, and in this connection
it is pleasing to note how very small
spark may start big fire. A little
WEIGH girl named Mary Jones longed
to own a Bible of her own and at ten
years of age began saving her pennies
to get one 1t took six years of care
and walking rs miles to place where
had the disappointment to earn they
were all sold. But her grief attracted
attention and one was found for her,
with which she trudged home the Is
miles. Fifty miles walk to get and
own a cheap Bible Shortly after
wards that story was told in circle
of people in London which moved
them to plan way for all the people
to secure Bibles at reasonable rate,
and it was suggested that if Wales
needed Bibles, so did the rest of the
world, which led to the organization
of the British and Foreign Bible So
ciety in 1904, which sent many Bibles
to our country in the following years.
During which time Connecticut man
made tour from New York to the
Mississippi: valley and down to New
Orleans, and back across the country
to Nashville; one fact which impressed
him was that many and many a family
in that region had no Bible. From
his observation he estimated that there
were thousands of families thus desti-
tute, and what he told when home
again led to the formation of Bible
societies in several states and later,
the first week of May, 1916, in the
organization of our great American
Bible society. And in this connection
it is pleasant to learn that the English
common people, the great Christian
middle-class. had no animosity against
the United States with which they had
just closed a war, and the managers
of the British Bible society at once
congratulated American Christians on
the formation of their new Bible agen-
cy, and with their congratulations sent
donation of $500, with which to
start their work, and loaned plates
with which to print French and Span
ish Testaments and Bibles, then in
great demand; for one traveller famil-
lar with the Spanish speaking region
south of us said he believed it would
take years of search to find Spanish
Bible between Spain and the United
States.
But in this connection it is interest
ing to note the fact that whenever
"the sons of God come to present
themselves before the Lord Satan
comes also" or sends some emmiSsary
1t is amazing to what lengths sectar
ian narrowness can lead men. Wher
it was announced that a company Of
men representing many various de
nominations of Christian were to as
semble in New York to organize i:
Bible society hundred years ago, ;
Bishop of one of them sent to som,
of his UNCONVENTIONAL brethren re
monstrating with them for thus min
Cling with others, and claiming tina
anyway the printing and distribution
of the Bible belonged by right to hi
church! 1t is gratifying to know tina
his brother Bishops gave him no heed
and many of that denomination hav
been among its staunch supporters il
all its history.
In every notable war, on American
or foreign soil, for the last one hun
bred years. the American Bible societ
has furnished its soldiers, regardless
of their race or nation, with Scriptur
messages Of peace and brotherhood.
In 1S48 when all Europe was dis
tracted with civil dissentions, who S