BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2675, 3 December 1909, Page 2

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

GISBORNE AUXILIARY—ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Gisborne auxiliary of 'the British >and Foreign Bible Society was held yesterday afternoon in the Te Ran College- Rev. Win, Grant president of. the Society occupied the chair, and the 'was a good attendance. Apologies for non-attendance were received ii’ohi Revs. Lamb, Locihore, Graham, Messrs'C. A. deLautour, and Harold Kane. -The proceedings were opened with devotional exercises, after afternoon tea had been partaken of. •/, The Cliairhiaii in his opening remarks, ’ ■dealt with -the subject of collecting funds for the work of the Society. Old qiethods were being more and more discredited, and the appeal would be one for the individual churches., If a message from God had come to them through the- Word, then they must be great!v interested in the operations cA a Society to spread tit-) good word all over the world. He did not think that at present, by individuals ,in the family, and in the congregation, the Bible was being studied and .read as .it should be. A large section of the public were not interested in the Bible at all, but the people must be shown that it was a good thing to send the Bible to the heathen nations of the earth. The Bible had done a great deal for. Western civilisation, and in order to prevent the awakening of China from becoming a menace, it, was advisable to send the Bible to the Chinese, and let it circulate amongst them. The annual report was than read, as follows by the secretary, (Mr J. Peckover) :

“Your committee, in presenting the fifteenth annual report of the Gisborne Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, desire to express their thanks to Almighty God for the help afforded them in their labor of love, and the harmony that has attended all their meetings. They regret that owing to some change in the Home office there has been an unintentional oversight in posting copies of the monthly magazine, ‘.‘The Bible in the World,’’'to some of our country subscribers. Considering the financial depression that has existed, we have to record a satisfactory year for subscrijitions and donations, also church collections. As a result we have been able to remit free contributions to the Home Society, amounting to* the sum of £IOO. We desire to express our hearty thanks to all who have enabled us to do so. Those who have had the privilege of perusing ‘“The Bible in the World” havd learnt ‘how the enormous . work of the parent society is extending in every quarter of the globe. The great political changes which have occurred in Persia ami Turkey will assuredly help in the propagation of Gospel truth in those countries. Hitherto the Bible has been .a prohibited hook in Persia. With more liberal principles {prevailing, we may hope opportunity will be afforded for its circulation in the future, so that the inhabitants of that country may enjoy the privilege of reading the Scriptures in their own language. We are glad that opportunity is afforded in 'this locality for Christian ladies and gentlemen to give a little Scriptural instruction to /the children in our schools. Believing as we do that the Bible contains in its teaching the Magna Charta of civil and religious liberties, we would earnestly wish that parents would study its contents themselves and', inculcate its teachings to their children. We would cal] attention to the fact that Air. Harry Adair, boot warehouse, Gladstone Road, lias the depot for the sale of English Bibles and Testaments at English cost prices. A stock of Maori Bibles is sold at half-price. We are glad to know that our local Sunday schools are being well, maintained. The minds of our young people being stored with the principles and precepts of the Word of God, are calculated to make them more useful citizens. To fear God and keep his commandments is recorded as being the whole duty of man.. May God speed the day when the knowledge of the -Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. In closing . we should be glad to have-more co-opera-tion of la'dies and children in pur country districts as collectors. Prom various causes there has'., been, in the last few years, a great, falling-off in that particular.” The Treasurer’s report, read by Mr. A. Graham, showed the annual receipts to be £136 9s lid, and the expenditure £135 18s 7d, leaving a .balance in the bank of 11s 4d.

Air. Graham Hield that, considering the limited field of operations, the re'sult was most satisfactory. ■ In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Rev. L. Dawson Thomas referred to the. signs of progress, notwithstanding tlie depressing times. They could thank God and take courage for tlie future. Tlie Society bad been doing great work, and its work could be termed almost a modern miracle. There was no more inspiring story .than that of the work of the Society in Thibet, where people had gone cut in the name of Christ with their lives in their hands, to give the Word of God to those who had it not. In the. great cause of the reunion of the churches, the Bible Society was one of the most potent factors. Rev. AVm. Alawson said he was glad to say something about the work of the Society in China, and of the great help that such Societies were to Christian workers and mission societies inj that land. The work of translating the Bible into Chinese was. still going on, and it had been a vast task in securing the different strata of language prevailng there. The missionaries worked hand in hnnd y with the translators to overcome the considerable difficulties. Colporteurs worked hand in hand with -the missionaries* and the Bible Society Was aiming at getting the Word read,systematically arid intelligently by having .schools for the col(•porteur. who thus became something more than a seller of books. The Scripture Unions avere also increasing in strength. On the question of the revivals in China,- lie thought . they marked fa most interestin g. phase in the Christian life of China, almost a corresponding phase to what was being

termed “the awakening of China.” The Chinese as a,people were slow in regard to sin, and did not realise tl>e wrong.of many of,their everyday actions. Unless there was Divine rower behind the money thht was. given and the spreading ci ' th by Word, it was not effective, anil "he would urge them to pray without ceasing for the success of the efforts, being made. y The election of office-bearers'for the ensuing year was proceeded with, resulting follows:—President, Veil. Archdeacon Williams; secretary, Air. J. peckover (re-elected); treasurer, Air Andrew Graham (re-elected). The old committee was re-elected, with the addition of the names of Alesdames East and Day. A tribute was paid by Ven. Archdeacon AVilliams and Rev/.Win. Grant to the great work.done by MivJ. Peckover in the position of secretary. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to that gentleman with acclamation. The proceedings terminated by the ■singing of the Doxology and the pronouncing of the Benediction. /