REV. MR ROB JOHNS AT HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2579, 22 January 1889, Page 2

REV. MR ROB JOHNS AT HAMILTON.

Tun Rev. Mr Kobjohns. the representative of the British and Voruisn Bible Society, is at piesent making- another tour through the Waikato. On Sunday afternoon he gave an address in the Public Hall to all tho children of the various Sunday Schools, who quite filled the hall. In the eveninpt Mr Rnbjnhns tfa >-o a lecture in the same place, his subject beiuf,', "The Bible without a Peer." There was only a moderate, attendance. He rear! as a text the 18th and 10th versos of 2Sth Chapter of dob and said he would show them, by (riving only absolute facts, that the Bible was without a peer or rival in the literature of the world. First, because it was a book welcomed by all races ; it had never been rejected and never would be. It was accepted by the greatest nations ; the last (,'reat nation to accept it beint' the Japanese He went into the past history of tho .Scriptures, and described the progress of the various translations that had been made from Hebrew to Greek, from Creek to L-itin,orthe Vulgate,when down to our own times fifteen translations had been made. It was tho duty of the. Church to preserve the Bible, and translate it for the use of all people. He referred to the work of the missionary societies and hundreds of millions of bibles which have been distributed and welcomed in all parts of the world. The Bible had been translated into two hundred and eighty-three different tongues. Four million copies were sent out" last year. There never was a book with such a circulation. The next to come near it was Euclid, the bible, of the mathematicians, but its circulation was behind that of the Bible by millions on millions. Infidelity could only stagger against it as against a rock. It stands alone, and the reason was that it alone tills a great void in the human heart, and was blessed with the pleutihido of Cod. It, was tho parent of a vast literature devoted to its defence, explanation and assault. It could not be leftalone ; men seemed drawn to it by a srreat fascination. It had a tremendous influence on the English language. There were enormous literary labours which had never come into existence but for the Hible. The greatest and saiutliest of the greatest, nations were always poring over it. Since the earliest times the amount of works written on the Bible was incredible. The literature of infidelity against the Bible was endless. Infidels could not leave, the Book alone; they were always trying to prove it false. But all their writings sank into oblivion, set after set was forgotten, and the Bible still goes on, its vigour undiminished. It exercised a wide influence on the minds of the greatest of writers. We find its impress on every page written by Sh ikespear, who is admitted to ha.fi oeen the greatest genius that ever lived. The Germans say so, and they are the most learned of modern nations. They call Shakespear the king of the world of literature. The Bible was King of the king. Its influence on Carlyle was seen in the pages of The French Revolution. The Press was equally influenced in its writings by the teachings of the Iliole. Blot out all it owes to the Bible and English literature would be, a wilderness. It was not only the breath, but also the lire of literature. Arts .'.ml music were inspired by the religion of the Bible. The painter and musician sought the divine in nature, which meant that God Almighty gave them inspiration. The finest subjects in art and song were taken from the Bible. The was no music so sublime as the inspired song of the great oratorios of tin masters. There were only two other sacred hooks to name with the Bible—theVedasand Koran—but they could only be mentioned to be at once di-unissed ; they could not be placed on the nunc level. What could ho said of those to whom this Book was as a land unknown, young men, boasting in their health am! physique, who thought they knew a great deal, and treated the Bible with contempt? Even Huxley, who was not a believer, spoke in glowing language of the vast moral beauties and influences of the Bible. It was the centre of everything great and good, of the noblest thorn/tits in man. Those win stood back from their duty to tho Bible severer! themsehes from all that was great in life. The speaker then concluded a powerful address, delivered with great fervor, and containing a deal of information on the subject under treatment. The t!ev. Mr Kobjohns addressed a meeting last night, which was attended by about, sixty persons. Colonel Forbes was unable to tic present owing to indisposition and the Rev. Mr Biggs occupied the chair. There were also on the platform the Revs. Mr Burrows and Car-. After singing a hymn and prayer, Mr Hume, treasurer of the local branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society read tho balance sheet for the year, which was satisfactory and was adopted. Mr Robjohns then gave an address, which was chiefly devoted to showing the vast work of the Society, in translating and distributing the Bible m all langiiaeeß and amongst all nation.s During the year the Bible had been translated into Japanese, and its completion had been celebrated in Tokio in a fitting manner. The work was a noble one, and placed the Scriptures in clear language in the hands of all classes of the Japanese people. The Jubilee Testament movement had been a great success. In New Zealand it co-nmeueed at Cambridge, and since then 13,000 copies had been distributed to school children in this colony alone. A collection was taken up on behalf of the society, and in coin and written promises, amounted to a considerable sum. The committee for the year was appointed, and on the. motion of Mr Cowper, seconded by the chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Robjohns for his interesting address, and the information he had iriven his heareis on the great work of the Society in placing the Word of God before all the nations of the earth.