Evening star., 1927-04-26
FINANCIAL APPEAL
FOR BIBLE SOCIETY
Need of Funds for Work Cited
as Group Conference
Closes Here.

The necessity for increased support
Of the American Bible Society's pro
gram to disseminate the Holy Scrip
lures throughout the world was the
plea voiced by Rev. William I. Haven
and Rev. Arthur c. Ryan, principal
speakers at the banquet given by the
society at the Mayfiower Hotel last
night.
The banquet, which closed two
day conference to consider ways ana
means to further the work of the So
ciety. which comprises the publishing,
revising, translating and circulating
the Holy Scriptures. was attended by
about 80 representative laymen and
clergymen of this section of the
United States. Rev. James III. Hyatt,
secretary of the National Capital
agency. introduced the chairman, Col.
John Axton, chief chaplain of the
United States Army, who presided.
America Hope of World.
The hone of the world is America,
which is fundamentally a Bible coun-
try, and it is here that the primary
work of Christianization should be
done, is the belief of Rev. Mr.. Haven.
VINO UeCfIeu Iile 1ildDllIy VI Lilc FscSiCkS
to furnish sufficient numbers of the
Scriptures needed within the boun-
daries of our own Nation. He pointed
to the early religious spirit of the
American pioneer and contrasted 1t
with the apparent lack of religion to-
day. Rev. Mr.. Haven praised the
work of the American Bible Society
during the Civil War, when it was
the only agency to distribute the Holy
Scriptures to both the Union and Con-
federate troops, and during the World
War, when it placed 7,000,O00 Bibles in
the hands of American soldiers.
In referring to the activities of the
society abroad, he spoke for policy
of acknowledgement from and fairness
to China" which he termed a peace
loving nation" Rev. Mr.. Haven read
a cablegram from the Peking branch
of the society to show that the work
in China is progressing in spite of the
turmoil" and stated that the brunt of
the Christianization of China is now
being borne by Chinese converts.
Financial Aid Needed.
"All this evangelical work demands
financial aid" he stated, land the
present yearly sum of little more than
a million dollars is Inadequate" DR..
Haven estimated the real demands of
the society's needs at at least
S5, 100000 annually.
Rev Arthur C. Ryan of New York,
general secretary, explained the 'mu-
tual relationship" of the American
Bible Society and the churches. and
detailed sources of revenue of the So
ciety. He recounted the work of the
society in the Orient to indicate the
extent to which it is paving the way
for the subsequent entrance Of the
churches, emphasizing the progress
which has been made in India, where
the MohammedanS have incorporated
the teaching of the Bible in their
schools, and the Hindus have sought
Gandhi, their intellectual leader, to
preach from the Holy Scriptures tr
preference to the ancient Hindu Scrip
lures. He stated that there is no
more important task before the church
than that of diffusing the gospel
among the youth of such nations as
China. who are endeavoring to lead
their countries out of darkness and to
adopt the Christian faith.''
Andrew Wilson, president of the
Washington City Bible Society, read
the following message from President
Coolidge:
Sometimes it seems as though a
popular familiarity with the Scrip
lures is not as great at the present
time as it has been in the past in
American life. The foundations of our
society and of our Government rest
so much on the teachings of the Bible
that it would be difficult to support
them if faith in these teachings should
cease to be practically universal in
our country. Every one who has given
the matter any thought knows of the
great literary value of the Bible and
the broad culture, aside from its re.
ligious aspect, that comes from a gen.
eral familiarity with it. Although it
has been the subject of most careful
and painstaking study for hundreds of
years, it's most thorough students find
in it a constant revelation of new
thoughts and new ideals which min
lister to the spiritual nature of the
race. 1t would be difficult to con-
ceive of any kind of religious instruc-
ton which omitted to place its main
emphasis on the precepts of this great
book. 1t has been the source of in
spiration and comfort to those who
have had the privilege Of coming in
contact with it, and wherever it goes
it raises the whole standard Of human
relationship"
duced by Rev. Mr.. Hyatt, were: H.
Bible Society; Bishop w. F. Mcdowell,
Rev. James Shera Montgomery, chap
lain of the House of Representatives;
Bishop John Hamilton, Rev. J. ].
Muir, chaplain of the Senate, and
Cba pca1IoY, rIa rly of +ho Anaricau TTIni.