BIBLES IN HOTEL BEDROOMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20867, 6 November 1929, Page 7

BIBLES IN HOTEL BEDROOMS.

DISTRIBUTION STEADILY PROCEEDING.

THE REV. DAVID CALDER’S WORK.

Some months ago the Dominion Council of the British and Foreign Bible Society undertook the enterprise of placing Bibles in the bedrooms of the leading hotels throughout New Zealand. The work is in the hands of the Rev. David Calder, Dominion secretary of the society, who recently arrived in Dunedin in pursuance of his task. Speaking to a representative of the Daily Times last evening, Mr Calder stated that for many years Bibles had been placed in the bedrooms of the leading hotels in Great Britain and America, and more recently the work had been extended to Australia, and even to China and. Japan. New Zealand travellers, on their return from overseas, having noticed these Bibles, made a request that the British and Foreign Bible Society should undertake a similar distribution in New Zealand, and while the work was outside the usual sphere of operations of the society the Dominion Council decided to undertake it on the distinct understanding that those persons who felt disposed to support the movement would provide the necessary finance. The society, on its part, agreed to pay its customary subsidy on any amount raised by this means, “ So generous has been the response by Christian people,” said Mr Calder, “that the money is either in hand or in sight for the work in New Zealand, and the Bibles have already been placed in the leading hotels of the principal cities from Auckland to Timaru.

Calder arrived in this city about 10 days ago to carry out the work in Dunedin, and he has met with the same encouragement and support here as he experienced in the northern centres. “I have already received sufficient support,” he said, to warrant me proceeding immediately with the placing of Bibles in the hotels of this city and throughout Otago. Within a week the Bibles will make their appearance in the Dunedin hotels, and also.in those of Oamaru." . Calder will leave f-v Invercargill to-day to arrange for tht distribution of tne •tJinles there’, and in other* centres throughout Southland and South Otago. The volumes are handsomely bound in strong black leather and the print is a clear lonic type, the general appearance being very attractive, and the book in perfectly good taste. Mr Calder estimates that up to the present some 3000 Bibles have beep distributed, and that by next Easter the total will have reached 5000.