Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-07-05

THE BOOK


distribution OF 1900. 1855 Bibles. Tesla
ments and portions OF the Bible dur
ing 1888 in 155 languages and dia-
lects and in more than 40 countries
was reported recently at the meeting
of the American Bible Society. held
at Astor Place in New York The
record showed some interesting
things. For instance mor Bibles
we're distributed in Brazil and In the
Caribbean Agency. and more than
twice as many in the Upper Andes
Agency in South America than In
1882 In Japan the circulation was
greater than in any year since 1876.
while in China, despite civil war. more
Bibles were circulated than in any
year since missionaries went to the
land that gave us the compass. gun
powder, Ii Hung Chang and the so
called yellow peril.
Yet in our own Land surveys show
thai 40 pei cent Of American homes
have no Bibles. In one case a fam
ily was found that had no Bible in
The house for four generations In
| Cuba strikes and political disorders
| have not hindered the work Of sell
ing and distributing Bibles While
the revolution was at its helgntn.
when there were no mails and no
newspapers. one street vendor sold
- Bibles and 102 portions Of the
Bible. In Shanghai twice a week q
radio station broadcasts passages
from the Bible. A few evenings De
fore Christmas the story OF the ma
tivitv was read over the radio IN
seven languages. The American hl-
BILE Society last year produced near
" 1000 Bibles which e SOLO 10
the blind for rs cents q copy. Inc
Bible is q library OF the sacred inter-
atura al the Hebrews written IN Do
hooks. The country OF the Hebrews
Law in the great pathway between
the Eaphrates and the Nile. the era
dles az ancient civilization. The route
OF travel bent northward to avoid the
sands OF Arabia. The Hebrews were
b,fyeted back and forth and finally
came under the sway Of the creeks
and the Romans. So the pnrasoiosy
Of the Scriptures is coiored py ~
iourn in many lands. From 2 iteI-
| arv point OF view the Scriptures q
the old Testament are closely relat-
"a IN the literature OF Babyionh-
The New Testament is decidedly
Greek in both its style and wording
FIR thousands OF years the Bible
has been both law and inspiration 70
men. Ii its teachings were OOeyea
this world would be a paradise =
men lived BY the ten commandments
wa shmntd need no further laws II
10 found in every country Oh Ine
world. II came west III the coVefeu
wagon. Men took solemn oafns up
IN If who could not read 1t. Iney
onIv knew That It VIAL . sacred poo
1 and highly to be revered. b. uH-
became family heirlooms Inc Hs.'
AID has one which Is 135 years oH
r. was carried to the old Presoyter
ian church in Scotland by q great
Great grandfather. 1t was printed
hv Cir d. Hunter and Bruce Blair
n~rinters to the kings most exceilens
ma iesty. II contained the hymns an0
na~ranhrases. diligently compared
more DlaTn. smooth and agreeable g
he text than any heretofore" Inc
hookhinder who bound It evidently
approached the task with reverence
II is h~andsewed- The workH1ansnl
assures it will remain Intact TOT an
other century or two
Time was when the family Bible
was an ornament on the parlor
n contained places to set dow tne
dates OF births. marriages and deaths
A lot OF sentiment has been Volceu
about that particular type OF bDie
The fact il ii was all too often Jus
an ornament, but the further fact =
thar the records OF the old style ram
i,v Bible time and again have proven
of the utmost value.
The Bible is an intensely human
hook. Its great truths have dom
much to sustain humankind in times
Of stress and storm. In It there art
stories OF the most compelling III
terest. Even children can apprecf
ate them and are fascinated by them
Mature men and women find Ia !
a guide to living. The aging, wnt
have In their life&imes proved In theil
personal experience many o. its grea'
truths. find 1t a neverfailing source
OF comfort and assurance.
More than 80 years ago when IN
thriving city OF Bemidji was Gu Q
the hurlyburly, n Of Its commun
itv characters was an O~ld-fashfOnet
square gambler. He kept . copy Q
1t erer near the layout. When tnef'
was none to woo the goddess Q
chance at fanO bank he turned to tn
Book and he committed whole chap
tiers OF It to memory Il ne Wal I
gambler he was a good man n
lived many OF the things be learnes
from the Book Once where Their
was no other to perform the commit
ment service for the dead he real
from 1t beside an open grave wher'
the last rites we're being conducfet
for a Magdalene. He read with sin
cerity. He was impressive Ant
there was comfort for those VIII
mOurned In what he read.
Today there is a vast turning t
the Bible by critical readers. The.