THE ENGLISH BIBLE IN CHURCHES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22432, 20 June 1938, Page 11

THE ENGLISH BIBLE IN CHURCHES

OBSERVANCE OF FOURTH CENTENARY The commemoration of .the fourth centenary of the placing of the English translation of the Blh3e in the churches was observed last evening by a meeting held In the Civic Theatre? under the auspices of the British _acd Foreign Bible Society. The s*K*k**» were Dr. John Laird, of Wellington, and the Rev. A. T. Thompson. Cbm*church representative of the society-^ The work of those who had made the first translations of the Bible and the gratitude which was called fear because of their efforts was referred In by Dr. Laird, who said that to-day Hw harvest was being reaped .after thousands of years of sowing, often with blood and tears. He mentioned •tte danger that in certain quarters the Bible was again becoming a chad book to-day. It had been stated that in Bn gland the Bible was less known to-day than at the time of the Beffiarmation, and it could be said of New Zealand that the Bible was less known than when the pioneers landed In the country. Dr. Laird also spoke of the work of archaeologists in confirming the truth, of the Bible. He said that New Zealand, although a small country, could be a great power in world affairs it the people devoted themselves to study of the Bible, for some .of the smallest countries had had the greatest effect on the world, Palestine in giving the Scriptures, Greece in art and cuture. and Switzerland in fighting few liberty of conscience.

Mr Thompson spoke of the work done by the British and Foreign Nbfe Society in translating the Bible Into many languages, and made an appeal for support to be given to this work.