BIBLE SOCIETY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12092, 3 November 1933, Page 3

BIBLE SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING AT GISBORNE REV. 11. DANIEL’S pADDRKSS —. There iwas - a representative attendance fat the annual-meeting of the Gi'sborn© auxiliary oT the- British and Foreign Bible Society, held in the Methodist Chur oh. Thei Rev. H* Daniel was"'in the 'chair and' expressed .pleaure at' the■ -presence of so many young people. ■ ' Following the opening hymn, prayer-’was offered by-the Bov. L. 04 M. Donaldson, <Baptist minister, and a portion of the .Scripture was road -by -Captain.' Dick, of the Salvation Army. Air C. Rosie wrote ■ tendering his resignation from the position of president (of the local auxiliary / and this was- accepted with the greatest regret, the lion, sec., . Mr R. Maddock, being asked to- convey by letter the society’s full appreciation of the excellent service rendered Oy Mr Rosie. . .

Officers were elected as- follows : —• President, Air G. K. Pasley; vicepresidents, Alessrs, T. E.,. Tjonoyeliffo and F. Forge; secretary and 1 treasurer, Air It. Alad.doclv; committee, the Revs. T. Aitk-en and .1. H. Boyd, Capon A. F. Hall, Revs. Par-, sons, L. C. M.. Donaldson, and H. Daniel, Mr At. J- Marshall, Captain Dipk, Messrs "WV AloOliskie and 1L G Welbourne, Alesdames A. D. Davys, T. Quigley, AT. Anderson, T. Smellie, E- G‘. A. Reynolds, C. D. Stewart, Garrett and Mis s :E. Davis. The Rev. FI. Daniel, in. ail inspiring address', said:— “To -most people the romance or great movements makes- an irresisihle appeal,' whether they be moral, social or religions. Tn. the-latter sphere there is .prohaby more romance connected with the British and Foreign Society than with anv other since the d'avs of Jesus Christand His apostles. “The secret of personal success has been described as: ’one who sees a chance and takes it.’ In the Great War Von Kluek lost at the gates of Paris- bv failing to take liis chance. A heathen philosopher once said : ‘Opportunity lias hair in ' front but - is- bald behind.’ The inference is obvious. The British and Foreign Bible Society, by vision and determination, has, the world over, seized every opening, rattled loose tightly barred doors, and entered into possession. I like its name, British first. Wo claim to have a, genius for expansion. We boast of our Viking blood of the call cf the sea. Without being derogatory, we are different- from the French and the German.

CHUB OH. ALWAYS THEBE “We have colonised Australia. Canada, Now Zealand and South Africa, and other overseas Dominions, and carried everywhere the seeds of Empire- The Church has followed with the Gospel, and the British and Foreign Bible Society has been her handmaiden- The hones of our finest men, administrators, soldiers, traders, and last-, hut foremost of all, onr missionaries, whiten every shore. In all this the share of the British and Foreign Bible Society is large indeed. “Recently Sir Charles Kingsford Smith flew from England to Australia in seven days. What an unparalleledl opportunity this gives for advance in world evangelisation. China’s population is 400,000.00(1. Morrison of the L.M.R. landed there in 1807. Thirteen years later the British and Foreign Bible Society had printed his translation of the Bible into Chinese,, 21 volumes, at a cost of £IOO,OOO. To-day China is literally honeycombed by the colporteurs of that, society distributing Scripture. To-day Korea is open • country; -- witlv the society’s agents busy in every province. India possesses .-300,000,000 people,’ our fellowcountrymen. Among them the Book is being widely circulated. When my own church, the Alcthodist, entered Hyderabad in 1882, the work was successful beyond their most sanguine expectations and has continued so. Probably the colporteur work of British and 1 Foreign Bible 'Society for many years previously is the real reason. When Kitchener opened up the Sudan and the Mahdi had fallen, the Soudanese wanted the religion of their conquerors. We have given it pitifully sparingly. “What part in' all. this are y'ou prepared to play. Yiour gifts, your prayers, and your service aro oil wanted 1 . Since this society started i' l a. London office-130 years ago, it has distributed 430,000,00(1 copies of tho Bible in about 650 languages and dialects, and tbcr e are- -possibly 200 more translations yet to be made. The society believes- the Bible to be the word of God, the greatest of all human treasures, and l God’s greatest gift to the peoples of the world. Last year the society received £228, 000. From, the sale of Scriptures it received £142,000, and it showed a deficit on the proceeding year o£ £35,000. Large sift.|» are rare. It is the small sums- that count most. Lot us do our best in our local auxiliary to help this wonderful work, encourage the local -collectors, and gladden the hearts of those who hear the burden and heat of the day.”'

A duet was then beautifully rendered by Captain and Mrs DickNEVER- FAILS TO COMFORT The Roy- F, I. Parsons, in his address, said that- it was a great pleasure to be present to speak °f Ue Boole that they alFloved so dearly. He pointed out the danger of one growing so familiar with it that its deep significance and beauty were apt to be lost. Be emphasised tho need for prayerful reading of its pages and in two very touching stor ies" showed l ow the' Bible never failed’to comfort and bless who in. their deep need read, itg. message of. hope. Miss Fawcett mentioned that the, collectors wer o beginning the ip work and ‘asked for a sympathetic, roaponse for them.' She 'expressed reg' ret that; the Rev. Mr Hadficld, Maori ’ Minister at • Mamituke, had at the last minute been unable to he presep.l; aod ' '

Afiss Fawcett reminded all present of the fact that in the very carJy days the -Maori people had shown their gratitude of the gift- of the Maori Now Testament (which was translated mainly by the Bev. TVWilliams,, afterwards (Btshopi Williams, and iwas first printed by the 0.M.-8. in 1837, the Bible Society contributing largely! to the cost), by generous offerings of maize and potatoes which realised a considerable sum and these formed the first donations from New Zealand to the Bible Society. Tho meeting closed with a hymn and the Benediction.