Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-03-22

race, not dialects but languages
There live and breathe today sixteen
hundred million men, women and
children who are scattered over the
entire world. In some sections the
people live close together and in
others few live. In China live four
hundred million people. India has
three hundred millions inhabitants
while In the United States are one
hundred million. One half, OF the
human race lives on these three con-
tlnents. The other half OF the human
race lives in South America, Europe.
Africa, Asia. and on the islands OF
the sea. Every 80 years new
generation Is born, and the old one
died and Is buried. At the present
number OF men, women and children
living. In one hundred years time
there have lived and died three times
sixteen hundred million men. women
and children. This vast ocean of
human beings living and moving on
the earth and going down to their
graves each day Is beyond our power
Of comprehension, their life, their
death, their joy. their sorrow. their
hope, their disappointment, ETC., God
only knows and He alone can fathom
the depths OF the human race.
In India one hundred and fifty
different languages are spoken, in
| the United States about 80 different
| languages and In Africa very many
languages are spoken as the tribes or
groups of people In that continent are
broken up into smaller communities
very distinct from each other. More
than half OF the languages spoken by
the human race are still without
literature OF any kind. they have not
yet been reduced into writing.
Five hundred and fifty different
languages which are spoken by two
thirds of the entire human race. or
about one billion people living on
the earth now. have the Bible In part
or In whole In their mother tongue.
One hundred and twenty-eight differ
ent languages have the entire Bible
published for them and In addition to
these there are one hundred and
twenty-eight other languages spoken
by other groups OF the human race
for whom the entire New Testament
Is published. In addition to these
there are about three hundred
languages spoken by other groups Of
people who have small part OF the
Bible published for them. II may be a
Gospel or even a smaller portion. In
round figures the Bible in part or In
whole speaks In $50 different langua-
ges. few new additions are made
each year. This leaves $50 groups
OF the human race speaking that
many different languages living and
dying today and for whom nothing
yet has been published not even the
human race is still without any part
OF the Sacred Scriptures published
for them In their own mother tongue.
Many people think that because
they are well supplied with Bibles
and New Testaments all other
families and individuals are likewise
taken care OF with the Word OF God,
but that idea Is far from the truth
as the above facts prove.
The millions OF copies OF the Sacred
Scriptures that are printed each year
by all the Bible printing presses OF
the world, very small number are
Bibles and n small number are com
plete New Testaments, In a large way
| THESE w IOT Sdit W ptopit VIM hhNt
worn out their former copies and
need new one In its place and also
go into the hands OF young people who
are being raised In the churches and
missions. but millions OF copies Of the
Gospel are printed each year for
circulation among the people who are
able to read and who can be reached
by Christian workers, but all these
Bibles and Testaments, in many diff
ferent languages and these millions OF
Gospels meet only part OF the ire
mendous need OF the human race in
our day for the Word OF God. II has
been said by one who is the greatest
authority on the work Of the Bible
Society, that IL all the copies pro-
duced In all the different languages
during the last two thousand years
were together and available now for
distribution there would not be
enough copies to supply the people
OF China and India" In other words
less than seven hundred millions
copies OF Bibles and Testaments and
portions have ever been printed.
Every thirty three years new
generation, sixty generations have
| llNeu ana Oteu since the Otrtn OF
Christ. Can you image how many
people out OF every one thousand who
have lived and died have had the
sacred privilege to have In their pos
session and In their own mother
tongue Bible, You thank God for
the Bible In your own mother tongue.
You today enjoy a great many bless
ings that come to you because your
forefathers had the Bible in their
possession and In their hearts faith
In God.
ONE HUMAN HEART. Though so
many different languages are spoken
by the people on this earth and each
nationality has its own customs.
ideals and habits OF life, yet the
human heart Is the same. Il will
respond to love and sympathy by the
nationalities on earth. Tremendous
things are taking place today. In
China the old literature characters
numbered forty thousand. their con-
struction is complicated, they are
hard TO learn. some years ago Chi
naman invented a series OF characters
very simple In their construction
easily learned and only thirty nine In
number (as against the 40 thousand