BIBLE SALES IN EGYPT.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 27, Issue 4, 1 April 1937, Page 4

BIBLE SALES IN EGYPT.

All Records Surpassed.—"Political turmoil n Egypt; struggle „ towards economic recovery m the Sudan; religious and political suspicion m Syria; material prosperity m Palestine; poverty m Trans-jordan; military inundation m Eritrea, and.war m Ethiopia—such m the background of the work during the year," writes the Rev. E. W. G. Hudgell, the British and Foreign Bible Society's Secretary for the Egypt Agency. Besides Egypt and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, this Agency includes Syria, Palestine, Trans-jordan, Cyprus, Arabia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. "But as the hopeful peasant ploughs and sows his field with the guns thundering near by, so the colporteur has gone his slow and patient way, undeterred and undismayed although 'without were fightings, within were fears.' "The fruit of this faifhful diligence is seen m that the Agency circulation

has surpassed all previous records." N.Z.C.M.S. Supports One Ainu Pastor and One Ainu Schoolmaster on Archdeacon Batchelor's Staff. — Those who were fortunate enough to see the television broadcast (m England) one afternoon last week would both see and hear an extremely interesting man, the Yen. John Batchelor, D.D., who has just returned to England after an absence of twentysix years m Japan. He joined the C.M.S. Mission to the Ainu m 1876 and he was the first to reduce their language to writing. He translated the four Gospels, some of the Epistles and the book of Jonah into Ainu. His other translations include the Prayer-book with the Psalms; he was the compiler of the Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary, and has written some valuable works on the Ainu, their folk lore, etc. Decorated by the Emperor.— ln 1909 he was decorated by the Emperor of Japan with the Third Order of the Sacred Treasure, and the following year he was presented to the Emperor by the British Ambassador. Recently he had the honour of dining with the Emperor and lecturing before him. Mrs Batchelor, who had been his constant helpmeet, passed away last year, aged over 90 years, shortly after they had celebrated their golden wedding. Growth In China. — Both Roman and non-Roman Missions report a record growth up to 1936. With a population of 450,000,000, China now has R.C. Christians, 2,934,175 (1,342,237 are communicants); Non-Roman Christians, 400,000. Roughly, there is one Roman Catholic to every 165 persons, and one Protestant to every 1000 persons. Our Financial Position. — Receipts to date total £3698, as against £3633 at this time last year. The slight increase of £65 might give the impression that m spite of the prosperous state of the Dominion the Missionary cause is doing no better this year than last. But, as the returns from one large Diocese have not come m to date, we trust we are not unduly optimistic m thinking that we observe an upward tendency m the above. Yet there is the greatest

need for everyone to continue to do his best. F.C. LONG, General Secretary.