Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1917-01-20
ANNIVERSARY OF
AMERICAN Bible
SOCIETY SUNDAY
oNE-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
is OBSERVED BY LOCAL So
GETTY SUNDAY AFTERNOON
ADDRESSES WERE MADE BY
MESsRS. LEE M. BENDER AND
L. DEW GERHARDT
OLD OFFICERS OF LOCAL So
GETTY RE-ELEcTED-CoNTRl-
BUTTON TO PARENT SOCIETY

At the First NJ. e. church Sunday af-
ternoon the one-hundredth anniver-
sary of the founding of the American
Bible Society was observed in connec.
tion with the anniversary of the Ber-
kelley County Bible Society. Follow.
ing the devotional exercises conducted
by the Rev. n. L. Wright, in which
DR.. II. p. Hamill read the 18th Psalm
and DIR. Woods offered prayer, J. II.
Poland. vice president of the local so
ciety took charge of the meeting and
presided.
Lee M. Bender president, delivered
his annual address, in which he gave
history of the founding and the work
of the parent society. The American
Bible Society was founded in New
York by representatives Of many de-
nominations. The first president was
so delighted with the organization that
he contributed $4,000 to aid the work
as well as gave much of his time.
The work began to develop immed-
lately, and so rapidly did it spread
that within a short time the demands
upon the society for bibles became
very great. In 1884 the question of
distributing bibles among the colored
people of the south demanded atten-
ton, and the local societies were Civ
en- power to act as they thought best.
The civil war failed to have any eff
feet, so far as disturbing the work or
exciting factional feeling among the
members. During the four years of
strife bibles were frequently sent to
the Confederate armies as we'll as the
Union armies. At the conclusion of
the war the work was again prescott.
ed with renewed vigor until today
when there has been distributed by
the society more than 1T, 900 600 BIZ
bles.
Mr.. Gerhardt
Circuit Clerk l.. Dew 1erhardt told
how the boys at Camp Kanawha re-
ceived the bibles fr I'M the local So
cietv. He said as the band was pre-
pared to leave little girl approached
him at the depot, and asked him to
accept present. He did not know
what it will until later, but
he priced the gift. At the camp num-
her of bibles, containing a card with
the initials IS L. H." The boys never
knew where the bibles came from.
The bibles sent by the local society,
he said, were distributed among the
members of the band and Company F,
and he frequently found the boys
reading them or the little pamphlets
sent as guides to bible reading. He
said the boys appreciated the kind
mes of the society and he felt sure
they accomplished much good.
Treasurers Report.
| The report of the treasurer, w. A.
Gard, which was read by Guy II. Nc
Ikee because of Mr.. Cards illness,
showed that at the close of 1916 there
was in the treasury $S14s; at the
close of 1916, $29S9. 1t was ordered
that $25 and the days collection be
sent to the parent company.
Officers Reelected.
On motion of DR.. Trump the Off
GERS we're reelected. They are:
President-Lee NJ. Bender.
Vice President II. Poland.
Secretary and Librarian-Guy II
Mckee.
| Treasurer-W. A. Gard.
On motion of DR.. Woods a vote Of
thanks was extended to Messrs. Ben
der and Gerhardt for their excellent
addresses.
The Rev DR. w C. Taylor, of tho
First Baptist church, pronounced tht
/