BIBLE SOCIETY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3702, 11 December 1912, Page 6

BIBLE SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING

SOME ‘ INTERESTING STATEMENTS.

A healthy state of affairs was disclosed at the eighteenth annual meeting of the Gisborne Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society held yesterday afternoon at the grounds of the Venerable Archdeacon Williams. There was a numerous attendance of ladies and gentlemen, who congregated in the shade of som© towering trees and partook of a delightful al fresco afternoon tea. The Rev. Keith Ewen opened the meeting devotionally and the business was proceeded with, Archdeacon Williams presiding. ANNUAL REPORT.

The committee reported, inter, alia: The Committee expresses its gratitude to Almighty God for His gracious assistance received. All the meetings have been attended with perfect harmony. The August meeting was held for the purpose of conferring with Rev. E. H. .Spencer, the Colonial Agent, in connection with the proposed closing of all depots. There was a very full attendance and a unanimous resolution passed asking that an exception be made in respect of this Auxiliary, which Rev. Spencer agreed to. In the case of various depots great irregularities and sometimes losses, have been sustained by the Home Society. There is an increasing. yearly demand for the sacred Scriptures from all parts of the operations of the Society. The list of versions now comprises 440 forms of speech. The Home Society has issued sine© its establishment, 108 years ago, 236,000,000 copies of the Scriptures. Last year its outlay was £16,632 in excess of its income owing to the increased demand from all parts of the world and assisting Missionaries, employment of Bible women and colporteurs. The Home Committee make an urgent .appeal to everyone who values the Bible to help them in their great efforts to spread thq light of the Gospel of Truth and salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth. In common with others we have been horrified at the dreadful slaughter of human life, which has taken place in Europe within the past few weeks, besides the awful sufferings from wounds, starvation, and the scourge of cholera following, and earnestly hope that peace may soon be restored in that part of the world. Our Auxiliary Committee has felt itself honored by the honor bestowed on its secretary by the Home Committee in electing Mr J. Peckover to the position of a “Life Governor of tlie Society/ He lias served as honorary secretary ten and a-half years, and owing to recent serious weakness he is compelled to resign the post with much regret, being in his S4th year, and is thankful that Mr Chas. Rosie lias kindly consented to take the position of secretary. . Your committee are sensible of the services rendered so efficiently in the management of the depot gratuitously by Mr Chas. Rosie. Also of their treasurer, Mr Andrew Graham, who lias acted in that capacity for many years. This statement- informs us that there has been nearly £7O remitted as free contributions to the Home Society. Of that amount more than one-half was contributed by three persons showing only £3O from other subscriptions and donations from this wealthy district. In conclusion we invite our friends to do more to assist the great work of this Christian Organisation which is strictly undenominational. FINANCE.

The statement of finances showed the assets to amount to £44 12s Bd, stock in depot and £l6 6s 3d cash at Bank, making £6O 18s lid; and the liabilities totalled £3B Os fid, leaving a credit of £22 ISs 2d. In addition, however £lO 18s was collected by the Rev. F. H. Spencer in Gisborne and remitted to the Home Society. THE ADDRESSES.

The Venerable Archdeacon Williams I addressed the gathering at some length, traversing the annual report and referring to the satisfactory state of the Society. He made special reference to the retaining of an Auxiliary at Gisborne and to the loss the Society was sustaining through the enforced resignation of Mr James Jeckover. He hoped that, in years to come, the work of the Auxiliary would justify the stej> taken by Mr Spencer. A group of Te Ran College students gave an exceedingly musical rendering of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” in the Maori tongue. Mr C. A. deLautour moved tin adoption of the report and balance sheet, in the course of a brief and suitable speech, making special reference to the unfortunate resignation of Mr Peckover. Mr deLautour spoke in favor of local Auxiliaries as against centralisation and congratulated the committee and officers on the excellent year’s work. ;Dr. Porter, in seconding the motion, delivered a particularly happy and forcible address,, dealing, among I other things, with the world-wide effect of the Society’s work and of the prominent-part it played in strengthening the spirit of Imperialism. The introduction of the Bible had done a great deal in the matter of colonisation and establishing commerce in various parts of the world, r lhe members should consider it "their duty to make known the Society and its work to outsiders and thus increase its power for good. The report was adopted and Miss Church, accompanied by Rev. F. W. Chatterton, sang a solo, which sounded sweetly in the open air. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers were elected : —President, Dr. Porter ; secretary, Mr C. Rosie; vice-presidents, all the Protestant ministers in the district, and Messrs C. A. deLautour and T. E. Toneycliffe; committee, Mesdames Church, Dods, Davy, James East, Goffe. Penning and Graham; Messrs Stafford and Peckover; treasure;-, Mr A. Graham. o On the motion of Rev. F. W. Chatterton and Sister Church, a motion was carried, sympathising with Mr Peckover in his indisposition and expressing hope for a speedy recovery. Votes of thanks to the outgoing officers, to Archdeacon Williams, for the use of his grounds, and ‘to the ladies for supplying tea, carried on the motion of Rev. Keith flPtreh, concluded the meeting.