A WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 2

A WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

The British and Foi’eign Bible Society is one of the greatest missionary societies in the world, with headquarters in London. It is under an international committee of control, consisting of 36 members, 6 of whom are foreigners resident in London, together with over 10,000 auxiliaries and branches throughout the world. Its sole aim is to circulate the Scriptures, without note or comment. The Protestant Churches are together in this, and the business is carried out efficiently and economically. Translation, printing, publishing, and distribution are attended to, and then the books are sold at such prices as enable even the poorest to buy. For .the first time in the history of the Bible Society it is possible to announce that in the space •of twelve months fourteen new versions of Scripture have been added to the world’s sacred literature. Of the new versions, nine are for Africa, one lor China, one for South America, and three for Oceania. Since its inception in the year 1804 the British and Foreign Bible Society has translated, published and circulated the Bible, or some portion, in 600 different forms of speech. When a new languages is placed on the list it usually represents one single hook of the Bible, a gospel, generally Mark. Then other books are added by degrees. Slowly portions are growing into Testaments,, and Testaments are growing into Bibles., and all the time Testaments and portions are being revised, so the quality of the work keeps pace with the growth, in quantity. . , _ . The Bible Society also issues Scriptures in Braille for the blind, and in 38 languages. A complete English Bilile in Braille contains 5356 pages, fills 39 volumes, occupies a shelf 7ft. long and costs £l2 to produce. It is free to blind men without money. Each volume of the society’s new English Braille costs from 5s to 6s 8d to produce. and is priced at 2s 3d. Towards the cost of these the society receives n grant of 2s 6d per volume from the" English Government. The net loss to the society is from Is to 2s 8d per volume. For every pound sterling which the society spends in translating, publishing, etc., it receives back about eight shillings from the sales. The society works not for a single year, nor for a generation, but for eternity. The society needs an income of £450,000 a year, that means £50,000 more than it receives at. present; subscribers arc asked to increase their gifts by twenty-five per cent., giving Is 3d for every Is. Within the next few weeks the Hawera branch of the society will wait .on the public for their annual contribution.