OTAGO BIBLE SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3105, 17 September 1913, Page 8

OTAGO BIBLE SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING. The forty-ninth annual meeting- of the Otago Bible Society was held in First Church Hall on the 2nd instant. Mr William Brown (president) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of ladies and gentlemen.

The work of the society has gone on steadily during the past year. The hopes expressed in last report in regard to an advance in the financial results of the year’s efforts have not been realised to the extent desired. Several circumstances made the •year a difficult one for some of the branches. There is a slight increase in the total amount received. The balance carried forward from last year (£52 9s 8d) was considerably smaller than that with which the year opened (£77 7s 6d). The efforts of the branch secretaries, collectors, etc., resulted in the sum of £SBB 12s 8d being raised, an increase of £lO 4s 2d on the amount received last year. Principally as the result of the diligence and enthusiasm of the secretary (Mr D. Harvey), -Gore has of late years come into prominence among the country branches of the society, and for the past year or two substantial "amounts have come from that important centre. Unfortunately, during the year the whole Mataura Valley was visited by the most disastrous flood ever experienced since its colonisation, the town of Gore itself suffering most severely. The weather conditions following upon the flood were not such as to facilitate a speedy recovery from its effects. Under these circumstances it became necessary to postpone the collection. Another branch which reports considerably less this year is Invercargill. Many changes have taken place in the personnel of the ministry and other helpers of the society there, and while there is every reason to believe that those who are now on the field are as willing and able to help as those who have passed on elsewhere, the work of the society has undoubtedly suffered during the period of transition. Reference is made to the coming jubilee of the society. It was established or September 20, 1864, and since that time it has carried on its work quietly and unobtrusively. ,J lt is suggested that members should set themselves to double the usual amount of their remittances to the parent societies (£500), and to send to the British and Foreign Bible Society and the National Bible Society of iScotland a total contribut'on of £IOOO. To accomplish this result it would be necessary to organise more thoroughly and to make a more systematic campaign from Waitaki to Bluff. It will be necessary, also, it is felt, to give the society greater prominence before the people of the churches.

Financial. —Including the balance carried forward after the allocation of the funds last year (£52 9s 8d), the treasurer has received the sum of. £641 12s 4d from all sources. This amount includes the following, the figures for last year being appended in parentheses:—Dunedin and suburbs, £IBO 11s 6d (£176 8s 9d); country branches, £294 19e 6d (£2BB 5s 8d); country collectors, £BO 15s 7d (£B7 6s 8d); donations, church collections, etc., £l9 4s Id; Rev. F. H. Spencer’s meetings, £l3 2s. During the year a grant of Bibles was made to the Industrial school, at a cost of £1 12s. The expenses have been less than last year, being £53 Is 7d as compared with £SB 9s lid. After meeting the cost of carrying on the work, the year closed with a balance in hand of £566 2s 2d. From this amount the board proposes to make the following appropriations:—To the British and Foreign Bible Society (free contribution), £210; not amount for Mr Spencer’s meetings, £ll fie 3d; Adelaide Auxiliary, for periodicals (1911), £SO 4s; to the National Bible Society of Scotland, (free contribution), £260; —total, £531 12s 3d; leaving a balance in hand to meet the expenses of ensuing year, £34 9s 9d. Distribution of periodicals: Further changes have, been made in the arrangements for the distribution of periodicals during the year. The British and Foreign Bible Society Magazines are now being issued through the New Zealand Bible, Tract, and Book Society, Dunedin. This arrangement has been working very satisfactorily. The New Zealand Bible, Tract, and Book Society reports a satisfactory year in its circulation of the Scriptures.* The society; is distinct from, and doe s not participate in, the funds collected for or by the Otago Bible Society. An interesting feature in Bible circulation is that some Sunday school teachers are taking move interest in seeing that each scholar possesses his or her own Bible. The proportion of Bibles purchased by Sunday schools for prizes and awards has been well maintained. At the military camps a number of cheap Testaments and Gospel portions were circulated. The members retiring by rotation this year are the Rev. Professor Hewitson, and Messrs W. Brown and P. Barr, all of whom are eligible for re-elec-tion. The report goes on to refer to the work accomplished during the year by the parent socictms, and afterwards give detailed particulars of the work of the society in Otago, giving the. amounts contributed during the year in the various districts and comparing these with the previous year’s contributions. In nearly every instance increases, frequently substantial, are shown. The collection in Gore, as already stated, has been postponed.

In moving the adoption of * he annual report and balance sheet, the Chairman said that the collections during the year had slightly exceeded the collections during the previous year, and that was very satisfactory in view of the fact that two of the branches had not been able to do as much as they previously had done. The Gore district had experienced a severe flood,_ and consequently it had not been d-'emed advisable to have a collection there, i hen the charge of the Invercargill bi.vcli had changed hands more than once, but now it was in the hands of Mr -Kyburn, and-they had every confidence that it would move forward. After meeting the cost of carrying on the work the year had closed with a balance of £566 2s 2d. It was proposed that the amount of £34 9s 9d should be retained to meet expenses for the coming year, and that £ll 8s 3u, the net amount from Mr Spencer’s meetings, should go direct to the British and Foreign Society. The division of the balance between the two societies would give each £260. The allocation of that amount to the British and Foreign Society would be divided into two portions this vear in order to fix up some misunderstandings in connection with magazines. The sum of £SO would go to Adelaide, and the balance of £2lO to London. The society had added 10 new languages to its Bible translations during- the year, making a total of 450, bo that membora would bog that their work was to l-e found all over the world. The total circulation of Bibles by the British and Foreign

Society amounted to eight- millions,-by -the National Slociety to over two millions, and by the American Society to over three millions, the total number issued being nearly 14 millions. 'line speaker proceeded to traverse briefly the financial positions of the different societies and the difficulties sometimes experienced by their distributors. The Rev. C. Dallaston seconded the motion in a very brief speech. The motion was carried. On the motion of the Rev. J. T. Pinfold, Professor Hcwitson and Messrs W. Brown and P. Barr were re-elected to tho board of the society, and Mr J. Hislop wasreappointed auditor.

Mr Logie moved: —“ That this meeting extends its sincere sympathy to the British and Foreign Bible Society on the death of its distinguished president, the Marquis of Northampton, and to the National Bible Society of Scotland on the death of its veteran secretary, Mr J. H. Slowan.”—The motion was carried in silence, members standing. It was also decided, on the motion of Mr Herbert Webb: —“ That the meeting congratulates the British an<J Foreign Bible Society and the National Society of Scotland on the splendid work done during the year in the circulation of the Scriptures :n so many different languages.” THE society’s JUBILEE. Tho Rev. James Chisholm moved as follows:—“That in view of the fact that September 20. 1914, will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of this society, this meeting earnestly commends to all who are actively interested in its work, and to tho Christian public generally, the proposal to endeavour to raise during the current year a special thanksgiving offering of £IOOO to help the British end Foreign Bible Society and the National Bible Society of Scotland in its noble work, and, with a view to assisting in such organisation as may be necessary for the carrying out of tin’s project and the fitting celebration of the society’s jubilee, appoints the following ladies and gentlemen to co-operate with the board as a Jubilee Committee: —Mesdames H. Nisbet, L Cook. Sutherland, and Sawell, Misses Borrie, Dunlop, and M. M. Brown, and Revs. R. S. Gray, W. Saunders, and R. Faimiaid to act together with the secretaries of country branches, and the following country collectors as corresponding members—Mrs Fulton, Mrs M‘Gregor, and others to be added.”—The mover said it would be interesting to recall those connected with the society 1 at its inception. One present amongst them that afternoon who must have witnessed its foundation was Mr Gairdner —(applause).—and while their chairman had not exactly rocked the cradle of the society, ho had taken it *n his arms and done everything in Ids power to foster its growth. The sneaker also mentioned the name of Mrs Fulton, who had always been a strong supporter of the society’s aims. The Rev. H. H. Barton seconded the motion, which was carried.

The meeting closed with votes of thanks to various deserving persons, including the oflßee-bes'-ers of the society and the ladies of the Roslyji branch, who had provided afternoon tea.