Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-07

notably true, of the Methodist and Presby-
terian churches
The American Bible Society constitutes
one OF the greatest and firmest bonds between
the various branches of the Protestant
churches. In order that no denominations
may object to the work of the Bible society.
the charter Of that organization calls for
the publication of the Scriptures in the King
James or the revised versions, absolutely
without note or comment
originally the charter called for the pub.
lication OF the King James version only, but
"haage III that instrument later permitted
the publication of the revised version Ms
well. While the Revised Version has nu-
merous good points about it, especially in
the substitution of words the meaning of
which has changed since the days of King
james and while a knowledge of il Is es
SSential to every sincere student of the
Scriptures, nevertheless. il has never taken
an equal position with the King James YER.
sion IN the eyes Of the public The demand
Tor BlbIeS today, and always has been. on
me part OF the people is 80 per cent for the
King James and 10 per cent for the revised
Scriptures
The reason for this is probably found in
the melody rhythm and sonority Of the King
lanes version and the dignity and beauty
Of the language ''
Philadelphians Active
'Phiiadelphians and pennsylvanians hove
always been active in the work of tho
american Bible Society as well as generous
toward IT'S support. The vice presidents
rom the stat" OF Pennsylvania now are viii
nam >. ruling, of this city: DR.. Edgar FnhS
smith former provost of the University of
iehnsyFnnla' and Edward W. Box. Others
of the vice presidents are Charles Evon.
Hughes. Secretary Of State: Robert Lam.
sing. former Secretary Of State John r.
mhi' M"it' OF New York James NJ. Gamble of
80 81,
men OF our time '""'"""
rev persons have any idea of the mor
nl'ud" OF IN" work Of the American Rjblc
Society The best seller in the wnrid, tn,i'''
Is, ana always has been, the Bible. Ncvcr
were so many copies of IT sold as dnrina ,ho
frghtful period of the World War ,rhc
American BlbIc Society alone has distrIhrtnL
l4o.0OO,OOO copies Of the Bible and tho Lo
mand is steadily increasing. Wv W.
In" roDportcurs and missionaries of rho
hloIe society and the other workers who
cooperate with it supply Bibles Tostn
m"ntS and portions of the Scrinturoy :,
lsolatcd or neglected persons wherever tbev
may be fOund-tO Southern mountaInoory
to workers in lumber and constrmctio,
camps TO farmers In sparscly settled neigh
DOrnoodS. It's work goes on all thr ti,no n II
over the world, and this means thnt d''rima ma,
the last ten years there has been n >dlstrih,,
ton OF ten volumes every minute of H.,
time day and night. The average numhor ~
issues distributed annually for the Iost ten
years has been 1000, 900 volumes.
Noltaire a Poor Prophet
"NoItalr", the French sk6ptic In ,ho
latter part of tn" eighteenth century ~; ~
series of brilliant ESSAYS attackoJ ,ha
Rsman Catholic Church in pnrticuIor amd
'hriSuanltN In general. In these essoys
Whlch were written at Geneva in Sw,t.or
land, ne predicted that before the nipc,eontL
century was far advanced the Riblc womId
b" entirely discarded by thoughtful ner.onu
and it would be looked upon onlv os n
curious relic OF an early superstition. How
ever, In lSol, happened to be in Gcnevo
and found that the very room in which
Noltalre wrote this prediction is now a
repository of the British and Foreign RihI@
nnorI'N' hhn from II tens of thousands of
blnIcs are distributed every year.
g purlhg the war the American Riblo
society was unable to keep up with tho do.
mand for Bibles. 1t furnished 70 soId,ors rIG me'
snilorS and marines in this comptrr VII Il
abroad nearly 1000, 900 volumes md NJ Ia tIa
beginning of the war gave a supply of neorI,
l'o'W,oOO pocket TcStamcntS TO the soIdiers
through the Y. NJ. C. \. This, as fnr n. J.,
history. 'P'"''H III
NO funds were available for This MN.
pose when It began. but tho need wns i'm.
mediate and the Board Of Managers took !,
In taith, How amply this faith was in",i.
ned may be seen by the fact thar the nuhIic
contributed quarter Of n million dollars tn
thc special army and navy Bible fund dur.
ing that period. This contribution covered
the te cost OF the publication, with the exception
OF small deficit which the sgiety gladly
'' H