SALE OF THE BIBLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21982, 17 June 1933, Page 14

SALE OF THE BIBLE

INCREASE OF 31,000 COPIES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 12. The annual report of the British and Foreign Bible Society states that during the past 12 months 10,617,470 volume* of Holy Scripture had been circulated, ad increase of 65,186 over, the previous year, An_ analysis of these figures showed that, while there was a decrease of nearly 25.000 in the distribution of portions of Scripture, there was an increase of more than 31,000 Bibles and almost 59,000 Testaments. . During the year 12 new versions had been added to the society’s list of languages in which the Scriptures are published. Of the 12, 4 are African, 6 Asiatic,' 1 American, and 1 European. New Testaments in three languages had been added to their list, two of these being for Africans (Tangale and Lur) and one for the Sea Dyaks of Borneo. It was also a noteworthy fact that the whole Bible in Hausa had been completed and issued during the past year. IN THE BRITISH; ISLES. The question was constantly asked, the report continued: "Is the Bible being • read and studied by our own people in the British Isles?” The total number of Scriptures in English circulated in the British Isles by their society last year was 857,000, comprising 415,000 Bibles, 165.000 Testaments, and 277.000 portions. The number of copies of > the Scriptures in English sent abroad was 654,000, making a total for home and abroad of 1,511,000. The total number of complete English Bibles issued was 640,600, which constituted a new record, being 7600 more than last year’s record figure. Since its publication in July, 1931. 817,000 copies of the Shilling Bible had been issued, of which 460,000 were sent out in the year under review-. There continued to be a strong demand for this edition, both at home and abroad. From a financial point of view the year had been one of difficulty for the society. The income was £342,859, and the expenditure £369,392, leaving a deficit of £26,533.