The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-05-04
The Bible as Best Seller

When one considers the low moral tone Of
some OF the best sellers of the past the insnIty
of others and the excellence Of a relatively few
il is encouraging to remember that the Holy
Bible is still the best seller Of all times. ore
should of course recognize Immediately that the
word of God is supreme. Unfortunately in our
modern world there are only too many who do
moi know that the Bible is the Word of God, do
not know that God has spoken to us "at sundry
times and in divers manners" do not know even
that there is God.
Here are some figures on the circulation rates
. of THE Bible provided with the help of recent
issue of The Wall Street Journal. For 1856, sales
are expected 10 top the record of 100000 which
publishers estimate Americans bought last year
Bible sales have been rising steadily since the
outbreak Of World War H. The president OF
World Publishing, of the largest Bible print
ers reports that sales for 1855 were 33 per cent
over 1854 and will he 10 to Is per cent higher
this year than last
In comparison with all other best sellers the
Bible is still far and away the undisputed leader.
Anne Morrow Lndberg's Gift From the Sea.
which is maintaining its popularity, sold 100000
copies in 1855, and was rated best seller for the
year by Publishers Weekly contrasted with
nearly 100000 copies of the Bible.
AS our readers probably know, the Catholic
Episcopal Committee of the Confraternity Of
Christian Doctrine has now completed a transla'
tion of The New Testament and edited two Of the
three volumes planned for the Old Testament.
Here we have no figures available. bat the work
has both official standing and ready audience.
All this takes sales technique as we'll as re-
ligious fervor. Thomas Nelson Company, which
incidentally published the wonderful Catholic
Commentary on Holy Scripture, paid half mil
lion to large advertising agency to initiate the
sales campaign of its new Protestant issue known
as The Protestant Revised Standard Version,
Il i
Council of Churches The president of the com.
psny confesSes that he is using every technique
cf modern advertising providing it's dignified"
to put the version across. BY the end Of the year
Nelson Company will have spent almost $4,000
900. The results are most grstifying-almost
100000 copies have been sold 10 date
This overall campaign has enlisted The most
modern means of production, as well. Elecr0nic
machines are speeding up the process. More
colorful Bible covers are appearing Nelson pub
fishes twotone book jacket some editions
Harpers, with already 80 assorted Bibles in its
caalog, now offers one covered in red for Moth
ers Day pearl beaded Bible which sells for $6
is available from the World Publishing Company
The Oxford University Press offers a white mo-
roccoette edition with washable plastic handles.
All this modern know.how which may have lu-
dicrous overtones, has been utilized for worthy
cause.
As for The price range, you can go from
lowly "twobits' for a paper bound (Protestant)
edition, In S600,000 IL you are interested in buy
Ing the Gutenberg Bible from the y. s. Govern
ment, Many copies, of course, are distributed
freely by churches and other organizations. The
American Bible Society has distributed some So.
00000d Bibles Al cost or less since its foundation
In 1916 II has spent literally millions of dollars
On newspaper and magazine space and radio and
television time 10 encourage Bible sales And It
Of some interest 10 us 10 note that the so
eiety provides the Bible for sale on ITO long
PLAYING records
We know of nothing comparable to these eff
forts and these results