/ THE MANUAL UK ' OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY l| | ; HP li NEW YORK American Bible g>octets INSTITUTED MDCCCXVI X907 Officers of ti)t American HBtbir Society PRESIDENT Daniel Coit Gilman, LL.D., Md. VICE-PRESIDENTS Joshua L. Chamberlain, Me. Oliver O. Howard, Vfc. Frank M. Cockrell, Mo. John W. Foster, D. C. Theophilus A. Brouwer, N. Y. Cyrus Northrop, Minn. James H. Carlisle, S. C. Howard Van Epps, Ga. William P. Dillingham, Vt» E. E. Beard, Tenn. David J. Brewer, D. C. Mtcrrtt.t, e. Gates, D. C. William J. Northen, Ga. William A. Robinson, Ky. Elbert A. Brinckerhoff, N. J. James A. Beaver, Pa. John B. Smith, N. H. Samuel B. Capen, Mass. James Wood, New York. Frank E. Spooner, Illinois. John L. Williams, Va. CORRESPONDING SECRETARIES Rev. JOHN FOX, D.D. Rev. WILLIAM I. HAVEN, D.D. UNIVERSITY ( ILLINOIS UBR/ AT U R B A N A • C H A IVI i OAK STREET RECORDING SECRETARY REV. HENRY O. DWIGHT, LL.D. TREASURER WILLIAM FOULKE. spanagers W illiam t. Booth. Churchill H. Cutting. John S. Pierson. T. G. Sellew. Ezra B. Tuttle. Charles A. Hull. Term — 1904 to 1908 John S. McLean. Wm. J. Schieffelin. Charles D. Levkrich. Term— *905 to 1909 Alexander Maitland. o . Edgar Leaycraft. Frederic M. Turner. Edward Kirk Billings. Wm. Phillips Hall. G. S. Mackenzie. Henry S. Stearns, M.D. Henry C. M. Ingraham Alexander E. Orr. Gerard Beekman. William H. Harris. Frederick Sturges. George G. Reynolds. James A. Punderford. Term — 1906 to 1910 E. Francis Hyde. H. D. Nicoll, M.D. Edward P. Tenney. Term— 1907 to \ 9 \\ George E. Sterry. Thomas Whittaker. George D. Beattys. Joshua L. Baily. John R. Taber. Sheppard Rowland. Frederick S. Duncan. Philip Nye Jackson. BOUDINOT’S TABLET AT PRINCETON THE MANUAL . OF THE American Bible Society CONTAINING INFORMATION CONCERNING ITS HISTORY, PRINCIPLES, AND WORK WITH OTHER FACTS RELATING TO THE BIBLE CAUSE IN GENERAL NEW YORK &mencan Bible ^>octet^ INSTITUTED MDCCCXVI *907 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 CONTENTS, PAGE Invention of the Art of Printing 5 Early Latin Bibles 5 First English Translations of the Scriptures . 6 The Douay Version 6 English Version of King James 6 Revised English Versions 7 The First Proposal to Print the English Bible in This Hemi- sphere *• 8 The First Bibles Printed in the United States 9 Action Taken by the National Congress 9 Early Publications of the Scriptures in the United States 10 Prospects for Printing a Bible in 1789 10 Efforts to Secure Publication of a Correct Text of the Scriptures. 11 The Canstein Bible Institute 12 Bible Societies in England 12 Formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society 12 Earliest Bible Societies in the United States 14 Origin of the American Bible Society 14 Members of the Convention Which Formed the Society 15 The Constitution Prepared and Adopted 17 Address to the People of the United States 17 Congratulations from the British and Foreign Bible Society. 18 Act of Incorporation 19 The Benevolent Character of the Society 19 The Society Unsectarian 19 The Board of Managers 20 The Officers of the Society 20 The Standing Committees 22 Life Directors and Members 23 Certificates of Membership 23 Privileges of Life Directors and Life Members 24 Auxiliary Societies 24 New Agencies in the United States . . . . 25 Official Organs 26 The Annual Meeting of the Society 27 The Society’s Financial Year 27 Receipts of the Society Since its Organization 27 4 CONTENTS— Continued PAGE 37 Legacies - 28 38 The Bible House . . 28 39 The Library 30 40 The Working Force in the Bible House 31 41 Printing Presses and Machinery 31 42 Stereotype and Electrotype Plates 32 43 The Bible for the Blind 32 44 Styles and Prices of the Society’s Bibles 32 45 The Past and Present Cost of the Bible. 34 46 The Society’s Standard English Text 34 47 Principles on Which Foreign Translations Are Aided 35 48 Progress in Bible Translation 36 49 Volumes Issued by the Society 38 50 The Number of Bibles, Testaments, and Portions Printed. . . 38 .51 Countries in Which the Scriptures Are Now Circulated 39 52 Donations of Books 40 53 Grants of Money 40 54 The Supply of Destitute Sabbath Schools. 40 55 Distribution of the Scriptures in the United States Army. . . 41 56 Distribution of the Scriptures among Seamen 42 57 Distribution in Hotels, on Steamboats, and in Railroad Cars. 42 58 Distribution among Inmates of Public Institutions 43 59 Distribution among Immigrants 44 60 Distribution among the Poor 44 61 Special Efforts to Supply All the Destitute 45 62 The Languages of the Distribution 46 63 Distribution by Colporteurs 46 64 Distribution among Freedmen 47 65 Foreign Work of the Society 48 66 Bible Distribution in the Western Hemisphere 49 67 Bible Distribution in the Eastern Hemisphere 52 68 Books of Reference 56 69 Jubilee of the American Bible Society 58 70 Seventy-fifth Anniversary 60 71 How to Help the Society’s Work 61 Constitution of the American Bible Society 63 Constitution of an Auxiliary Bible Society 66 Legacies 67 Form of a Bequest T 67 MANUAL OF THE American Bible Society U Invention of the Art of Printing I T is generally conceded that the art of printing was invented by John Gutenberg, before the middle of the fifteenth century. He was a native of Mentz, a town situ- ated on the Rhine, in the Duchy of Hesse, Germany. Gutenberg was aided in his experiments by other citizens of his native town, one of whom co-operated with him by making him needful pecuniary advances. The first types used by Gutenberg were made of brass, 'and cut by the hand ; and a high authority declares that 11 in principle, and in all the more important features, the modern molds may be regarded as the molds afterward used by Gutenberg.” 2* Early Latin Bibles The first book printed from movable metal types was the Latin Bible, in two volumes, which appeared about the year 1455. This Bible was formerly styled the Mazarin Bible, because the first recognized copy was discovered in the library of Cardinal Mazarin. It is also called the Gutenberg Bible, from the name of its printer, while the scholarly author of “ Incunabula Biblica” says that “it is more generally and appropriately known as the forty-two- line Bible,” from the number of lines in each column of its pages. It is very remarkable that this first issue from Gutenberg’s press is eyen now one of the most splendid specimens of typography extant. Before the close of the fifteenth century one hundred and twenty-four editions of MANUAL OP THE 6 the Bible in Latin were printed in various cities of Europe, and the total number of known editions of the Bible in this language previous to the year 1800 is more than one thousand. Some of these editions are exceedingly rare, copies of the Gutenberg Bible having been sold for a sum which would procure nearly one hundred thousand Bibles now printed by the American Bible Society. 3* First English Translations of the Scriptures John Wickliffe 1 s translation of the Scriptures was made in 1380; that of William Tyndal in 1526; that of Miles Cover dale in 1535 ; that of Thomas Matthew in 1537 ; and that of Archbishop Cranmer in 1539. The Genevan version appeared in the year 1560 ; and the celebrated Bishops 1 Bible , under the auspices of Archbishop Parker, in 1568. Forty-three years after the appearance of the one last named, King James's version of the Bible, which is nowin general use, was completed and given to the world. 4* The Douay Version The Douay Version of the Bible, which is used by Roman Catholics, is composed of the Old Testament, translated from the Latin Vulgate by the English College at Douay, in France, in the year 1609, and the New Tes- tament, translated also from the Latin Vulgate by the English College at Bheims, in France, in the year 1582, twenty-seven years previously. These two translations, put together, constitute what is commonly called the Douay Bible, which is published with the authority and approbation of the Roman Catholic Church. 5* English Version of King James The English version of King James receives its name from the fact that it was made during the reign of James the First , King of England . The work was accomplished by forty-seven learned men, who were appointed by the Crown for that purpose, and who, after about seven years AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 7 of most diligent application to the work, gave it to the publisher in the year 1611. After the version was complet- ed, it was printed by Joseph Barker, u Printer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty,” and, according to the title-page, was “ appointed to be read in churches.” Seventeen of the translators were directed to work at Westminster, fifteen at Cambridge, and fifteen at Oxford. Those who met at each of these places were divided into two companies, so that there were, in fact, six distinct companies of translators, to each of which was allotted cer- tain books of the Bible. Each man , in each company , was required to translate separately each chapter in course ; and then, when the company came together, they were to compare what they had done and agree on a common translation. When one company had thus agreed, it sent its work to each of the other companies, to be critically reviewed by all. If any company, upon reviewing the work of the other companies, found anything doubt- ful or unsatisfactory, they were required to note the places and their reasons for differing, and to send it back to the company from which it came. If that company did not concur in the suggestions made, the matter was to be arranged at a general meeting of the chief persons of all the companies at the end of the work. By this arrange- ment every part of the Bible was most closely scrutinized at least fourteen times. This is the English version of the Scriptures now 11 in common use,” spoken of in the first article of the Constitu- tion of the American Bible Society, and until that article was amended, it was the only version in the English lan- guage circulated by the Society. 6* Revised English Versions At different periods during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, efforts, more or less formal, were made to secure a revision of the Authorized Version of the English Bible. On the 10th day of February, 1870, the subject was brought before the Convocation of the 8 MANUAL OF THE Province of Canterbury by Dr. Wilberforce, the Bishop of Winchester. Action was then taken formally inaugurating the undertaking, which resulted in the publication of the Revised Version of the English Bible. About fifty emi- nent scholars in Great Britain, and thirty in the United States, representing various branches of the Christian Church, were associated in this difficult and important enterprise. The New Testament appeared in 1881, and the entire Bible in 1885. Such views of the American revisers as were not finally approved by the English revisers were published in an appendix, and it was agreed that the American revisers would give their support to the editions printed in England, and would not issue an edi- tion in the United States for the term of fourteen years. The American Committee continued its existence, meeting from time to time, and in the summer of 1901 completed what is known as “ The American Standard Edition of the Revised Version.” The Constitution of the Society was amended at the annual meeting held in May, 1904, so as to permit the use for circulation by the Society of either the English or the American Standard Revised version, besides the version of 1611. 7. The First Proposal to Print the English Bible in This Hemisphere Among the collection in the library of the American Bible Society may be seen a facsimile of Wrn. Bradford's proposals for printing a large Bible, as long ago as 1688. It reads as follows : “These are to give Notice, that it is proposed for a large house Bible to be Printed by way of Subscriptions, [a method usual in England for the Printing of large Volumns, because Printing is very chargeable] therefore to all that are willing to forward so good (and great) a work, as the Printing of the holy Bible, are offered these Proposals, viz . : 1. That It shall be printed in a fair Char- acter, on good Paper, and well bound. 2. That it shall THE HOLY BIBLE, Containing; the Old and New ’TESTAMENTS: Newly tranilated out of the Original Toncues; And with the former TRANSLATIONS Diligently compared and j*evifed. PHILADELPHIA: PfliNTED AND SOLD BY B. AlTKEN. AT PopfiT H!eao / Three Doors above the Coffee House, i^. M arket Street, m»di:d.ixxxil TITLE PAGE OF THE AITKEN BIBLE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 9 contain the Old and New Testament, with the Apocraphy, and all to have useful Marginal Notes. 3. That it shall be allowed (to them that subscribe) for twenty Shillings per Bible: [A Price which one of the same volume in England would cost]. 4. That the pay shall be half Silver Money, and half Country Produce at Money price. One half down now, and the other half on the delivery of the Bibles. **** Also, this may further give notice that Samuell Richardson and Samuell Carpenter of Phila- delphia, are appointed to take care and be assistant in the laying out of the Subscription Money, and to see that it be imploy’d to the use intended, and consequently that the whole Work be expedited. Which is promised by 11 William Bradford . 11 Philadelphia , the 14th of the 1st Month, 1688.’ 7 8. The First Bibles Printed in the United States The New Testament, translated into the Indian lan- guage by Eliot the missionary, was printed at Cambridge, Mass., by Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson, A. D. 1661. The entire Bible, in the same language, by the same Rev. John Eliot, was printed by the same publishers in 1663. The Testament was republished in 1680, and the Bible in 1685. The entire Bible in the German language was printed at Germantown, Pa., by Christopher Saur, in 1743. Several editions of the German Bible were issued subse- quently from the same press. 9 ♦ Action Taken by the National Congress Upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, all British publications being kept out of the country, a great scarcity of the Holy Scriptures began to be generally felt, and Dr. Patrick Allison and others brought the subject before Congress by a memorial in which they petitioned that an edition of the Bible might be printed by the government. The memorial was referred to a committee, 1 * 10 MANUAL OF THE whose report recognized the importance of the Bible to the nation, but in view of the difficulty and risk of procuring types and paper, and of the uncertain state of affairs, pro- posed that the Committee of Congress should be directed to import 20,000 copies of the Bible from Holland, or Scot- land, or elsewhere. The order was accordingly made. JO* Early Publications of the Scriptures in the United States In 1777 the New Testament in English was printed in Philadelphia, by Robert Aitken ; and in 1782 the same publisher printed the entire Bible, the first English Bible printed in this country. This book was recommended by Congress, having been first examined by the chaplains, who reported favorably on it. In 1790 the Douay Bible was printed in Philadelphia. In that year the English Bible was again printed in Philadelphia by William Young. In 1791 it was printed in Worcester, Mass., by Isaiah Thomas, and also in Trenton, N.J., by Isaac Collins, a member of the Society of Friends. In the year 1801 Matthew Carey, of Philadelphia, in the preface of a Bible which he then published, says : 11 1 present this edition of the Bible to the public, with a de- gree of solicitude proportioned to the magnitude of the undertaking . Having embarked therein a large property and devoted: my utmost care and attention to it from its commencement to completion, I find it impossible to assume that degree of stoicism necessary to regard with indifference its reception by my fellow-citizens. 7 7 JJ* Prospectus for Printing a Bible in J789 Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, Mass., issued a prospectus for printing 11 a Royal Quarto Bible 77 by subscription, in November, 1789, of which the following are some of the conditions : “ 1. It shall be printed with elegant new Types , already made and completed, particularly for the purpose — types large, beautiful, and suited for the accom- modation of the eyes of all, especially those of the aged AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 11 and infirm. 2. The Paper shall be fully equal in good- ness, if not of a superior quality, to the (English) Cam- bridge, Oxford, or London, Royal Quarto Edition. 3. The Price to Subscribers, handsomely bound, shall be only Seven dollars , although the English Editions of the same size, and of an inferior quality, are sold for eight or nine dollars. 4. To make payment easy to those who wish to be encouragers of this laudable undertaking, and to be in possession of so valuable property as a Royal Quarto Bible, and who are not able to pay for one all in Cash — from such the Publisher will receive one-half of the sum, or twenty-one shillings , in the following articles, viz. : Wheat , Bye, Indian Corn, Butter or Pork , if delivered at his store in Worcester , or at the store of himself and Company in Boston , by the 20th day of December, 1790 ; the remaining sum of twenty-one shillings to be paid in Cash, as soon as the books are ready for delivery. This proposal is made to accommodate all, notwithstanding the sum of twenty-one shillings will by no means be the proportion of cost that each Bible, bound, will cost the Publisher. 5. The work will be committed to the Press as soon as a sufficient number of Bibles are subscribed for, barely to defray half the expense of the undertaking. Notice will be given in the Newspapers when the Bible will be put to press. * * * * The Booksellers in the United States, who subscribe for twelve or more copies in sheets, shall have them on full as generous terms as the Book- sellers in England are supplied with English Editions.” \2 ♦ Efforts to Insure Publication of a Correct Text of the Scriptures At their annual convention, in the spring of 1790, the Congregational ministers of Massachusetts adopted a me- morial il praying that Congress would take such measures as the Constitution would permit, that no edition of the Bible, or its translation, should be published in America without its being carefully inspected and certified to be free from error.” In this position other ecclesiastical 12 MANUAL OF THE bodies united, but inasmuch as the Constitution of the United States expressly provides that 11 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the free- dom of speech or of the press,” the whole matter, after careful consideration by that body, was indefinitely post- poned. J3* The Canstein Bible Institute As there were reformers before the Beformation, so there were Bible societies before the great Bible society era which coincides with the early years of the nine- teenth century. The most noted of these societies is the one which was founded by Carl Hildebrand, the Marquis of Canstein, and is known as the 11 Canstein Bible Institute in the Orphans’ Home at Halle.” In the year 1710 he issued an 1 ‘‘Extraordinary Proposal — How to Bring God’s Word into the Hands of the Poor for Edification at a Low Price.” Before the death of the Marquis, which occurred in 1719, 40,000 Bibles and 100,000 Testaments had been printed, largely through his liberal gifts. The total circu- lation of the Canstein Institute, in various languages, amounts to over 7,000,000 copies. Its issues in 1906 were 38,696 copies. 14> Bible Societies in England, In 1787 there was a Bible organization in the city of London called the “ Naval and Military Bible Society,” designed to furnish the Scriptures in the navy and the army of Great Britain. In May, 1792, the “ French Bible Society” was instituted in London, having for its object the printing of the Scriptures in the French language for distribution in France. The disturbed condition of the country, however, prevented the execution of the plan. 15* Formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society The library of the British and Foreign Bible Society con- tains, among other treasures, a Welsh Bible, published in AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 13 1799 by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowl- edge, upon one of the blank pages of which is written : “ Mary Jones His the True Owner of this Bible. Bought in the year 1800. Aged 16.” Mary Jones, the writer, had for more than six years before this date been laying aside all the money she could possibly save, with her heart set upon buying a Bible. It was twenty-five miles from her retired home to Bala, the residence of the Bev. Thomas Charles, to whom she had been directed. She walked the entire distance, to and fro, and procured this now historic volume. When she first applied to Mr. Charles, and was told that the few copies he had were reserved for persons who had already made application for them, she burst into tears. The fond hope of years seemed to be blasted in a moment. These evidences of her sad disappointment led Mr. Charles at length to say : “ My dear child, difficult as it is to spare you one, it is impossible — yes, simply impos- sible to refuse you ; ” and so she obtained the Bible which, for the sixty-six remaining years of her life, was her most cherished possession. For at least ten years before the date of this incident various efforts had been made to supply the great want of the Scriptures in Wales. A few thou- sand copies of the Welsh Bible had been published by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, but the hunger of the people for the Bread of Life was not satis- fied. Through all this time the apostolic Charles, and others of like mind, were deeply and actively engaged in efforts to supply the sad destitution ; and when this inci- dent occurred he said to a friend who was present, 11 From this day I can never rest until I find out some means of supplying the pressing want of my country that cries out for the Word of God.” And he did not rest. He wrote many letters upon the subject to friends in England, and in December, 1802, at a meeting of the Religious Tract So- ciety of London, he made such a vigorous presentation of the matter, urging the formation of a society for the pur- pose, that warm hearts responded, and the Rev. Joseph Hughes exclaimed: “Surely a society might be formed 14 MANUAL OP THE for this purpose ; and if for Wales, why not for the world ?” Action was immediately taken looking to this end, and after the most discreet preparatory measures, the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed in London on Wednes- day, the 7th day of March, 1804. 16 . Earliest Bible Societies in the United States The first Bible society inthe United States was instituted in Philadelphia, in the year 1808, about four years after the organization of the British and Foreign Bible Society in London. The second, the Connecticut Bible Society, was instituted in Hartford, in May, 1809. The third, the Mas- sachusetts Bible Society, was organized in Boston, in July of the same year. The fourth, the New York Bible Society, was instituted in the city of New York, in November, 1809. The fifth, the New Jersey Bible Society, was organ- ized in Princeton, in December of the same year. Other similar societies sprang up from time to time until a printed list, published in June, 1816, enumerates one hundred and twenty-eight which had been formed in twenty-one different states and territories. Thirty-five of these local organizations united in forming the American Bible Society, and eighty-four became auxiliary to it dur- ing the first year of its existence. M ♦ Origin of the American Bible Society The local societies, just referred to, were necessarily feeble at the first, and obliged to conduct the Bible work under very serious disadvantages. To give completeness and increased efficiency to that work throughout the country, a central organization was called for. The sub- ject was thoroughly discussed, both publicly and privately, by the friends of the cause, no one being more active and efficient in these incipient movements than the Bev. Samuel J. Mills, whose observations as a missionary in the western and southern states of the Union impressed him with the imperative demand for a great central organi- zation. As a result of a large comparison of views, a THE OLD GARDEN STREET CHURCH In this building, on the 8th of May, 1816, the Convention met which organized the American Bible Society THE BIBLE HOUSE, NEW YORK AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 15 plan for a National Bible Society was formally proposed, in the year 1815, by the New Jersey organization, at the head of which stood the Hon. Elias Boudinot, of Burling- ton, in that state. Notice was given of a convention to be held in the city of New York, for the consideration, and, if the way should be clear, for the adoption of the plan ; and on the second Wednesday (the 8th) of May, 1816, the friends of the enterprise met in the Consistory Boom of the Beformed Dutch Church in Garden Street, in New York, according to appointment. Delegates from thirty- five local Bible societies were present at the convention, besides four representatives of the Society of Friends, mak- ing sixty in all. Joshua M. Wallace, Esq., delegate from the New Jersey Bible Society, was chosen President of the convention, and Bev. J. B. Bomeyn, D. D., and Bev. Lyman Beecher were elected Secretaries. The object of the convention having been stated, after .full and free discussion it was then and there, with entire unanimity, “ Resolved , That it is expedient to establish, without delay, a general Bible Institution for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment .’ 1 A constitution was then adopted, and an address to the people of the United States ordered to be prepared and sent out into all parts of the country, after which Executive Officers and a very able Board of Managers were chosen, and the American Bible Society entered at once upon its career of benevolence and Christian usefulness. J8* Members of the Convention Which Formed the Society The following gentlemen, sixty in number, were mem- bers of the convention which formed the American Bible Society, to wit : Bassett, Rev. John, D.D., Bushwick, N. Y. Bayard, Samuel, Princeton, N. J . Beecher, Rev. Lyman, Secretary of the Convention, Litchfield, Conn. Biggs, Thomas J., Nassau Hall, Princeton, N. J. Blatchford, Rev. Samuel, D.D., Lansingburg, N. Y. Blythe, Rev. James, D.D., Lexington, Ky. 1G MANUAL OF THE Bogart, Rev. David S., Long Island, N. Y. Bradford, Rev. John M., D.D., Albany, N. Y. Burd, William, Lynchburg, Ya. Caldwell, John E., New York. Callender, Levi, Catskill, N. Y. Chester, Rev. John, Albany, N. Y. Clarke, Matthew St. Clair, Chambersburg, Pa. Cooley, Rev. Eli F., Cooperstown, N. Y. Cooper. James Fennimore, Cooperstown, N. Y. Day, Orrin, Catskill, N. Y. Eddy, Thomas, New York. Ford, Henry, Cayuga County, N. Y. Forrest, Rev. Robert, Delaware County, N. Y. Griscom, John, New York. Hall, Rev. James, D.D., Statesville, N. C. Henshaw, Rev. J. P. K., Baltimore, Md. Hornblower, Joseph C., Newark, N. J. Humphrey, Rev. Heman, Fairfield, Conn. Jay, William, Bedford, N. Y. Jones, Rev. David, Newark, N. J. Lewis, Rev. Isaac, D.D., Greenwich, Conn. Linklaen, Gen. John, Cazenovia, N. Y. McDowell, Rev. John, Elizabethtown, N. J. Mason, Rev. John M., D.D., New York. Milledoler, Rev. Philip, D.D., New York. Morse, Rev. Jedediah, D. D., Charlestown, Mass. Mott, Valentine, M.D., New York. Mulligan, William C., New York. Murray, John, Jr., New York. Neil, Rev. John, D.D., Albany, N. Y. Nott, Rev. Eliphalet, D.D., Schenectady, N. Y. Oliver, Rev. Andrew, Springfield, N. Y. Platt, Isaac W., Nassau Hall, Princeton, N. J. Proudfit, Rev. Alexander, D.D., Salem, N. Y. Rice, Rev. John H., Richmond, Ya. Richards, Rev. James, D.D., Newark, N. J. Romeyn, Rev. John B., Secretary of the Convention , New York. Sands, Joshua, Brooklyn, N. Y. Sayres, Rev. Gilbert H., Jamaica, N. Y. Sedgwick, Robert, New York. Skinner, Ichabod, Conn. Spring, Rev. Samuel, D.D., Newburyport, Mass. Spring, Rev. Gardiner, New York. Swift, Gen. Joseph G., Brooklyn, N. Y. Taylor, Rev. Nathaniel W,, New Haven, Conn. Van Sinderen, Adrian, Newton, N. Y. Vroom, Guysbert B., New York. Wallace, Joshua M., President of the Convention, Burlington, N. J. Warner, Henry W., New York. Williams, Rev. John, New York. Williams, William, Vernon, N. Y. Wilmur, Rev. Simon, Swedesboro, N. J. Woodhull, Rev. George S., Cranberry, N. J. Wright, Charles, Flushing, N. Y. These have all passed away. The last survivor was Henry W. Warner, Esq., who died on the 20th of Feb- ruary, 1875. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 17 \ 9 ♦ The Constitution Prepared and Adopted The Constitution of the Society, which may be found on page 63. was prepared by a large and very able committee, consisting of the Rev. Drs. Nott, Mason, Morse, and Blythe, Rev. Messrs. Beecher, Rice, Wilmur, and Jones, Hon. Messrs. Samuel Bayard and William Jay, and Mr. Charles Wright. After the fullest discussion, it was adopted with entire unanimity by the convention. Hon. Elias Boudinot, the first President of the Society, in announcing the event to the British and Foreign Bible Society in London, said : “ There was not a single dissent- ing voice in the convention, though it was formed from different denominations ; they all seemed to be of one heart and one mind. The whole proceedings from Wed- nesday, the 8th of May, until Monday, the 13th, clearly discovered the divine agency ; and even some from among those least affected could not help crying out aloud, This is none other than the work of the Lord ! 1 v 20* Address to the People of the United States The Society’s first address to the people of the United States, which may be found in its first Annual Report and was one of very great power, was drawn up by the Rev. Dr. John M. Mason and sent out with the constitu- tion into every portion of the country. The following extract from that address will show the spirit which ani- mated the founders of the Society, and the simple and sub- lime object which they contemplated : u Under such im- pressions, and with such views, fathers, brethren, fellow- citizens, the American Bible Society has been formed. Local feelings, party prejudices, sectarian jealousies, are excluded by its very nature. Its members are leagued in that, and in that alone, which calls up every hallowed and puts down every unhallowed principle — the dissem- ination of the Scriptures in the received versions where they exist, and in the most faithful where they may be re- quired. In such a work, whatever is dignified, kind, 2 18 MANUAL OF THE venerable, and true, has ample scope ; while sectarian littleness and rivalries can find no avenue of admission. Come, then, fellow-citizens, fellow-Christians, let us join in the sacred covenant. Let no heart he cold, no hand he idle, no purse reluctant. Come, while room is left for us in the ranks of those whose toil is goodness, and whose recompense is victory.” 2L Congratulations from the British and Foreign Bible Society Soon after the formation of the American Bible Society, its first President, Hon. Elias Boudinot, wrote to the British and Foreign Bible Society announcing the happy event ; and the following is a part of the noble response received from its Secretary, the Rev. John Owen : “The Commitee of the British and Foreign Bible Soci- ety have instructed me to offer you their warmest congrat- ulations on the event of the formation of the American Bible Society, an event which they consider as truly au- spicious and pregnant with consequences most advantage- ous to the promotion of that great work in which the American brethren and themselves are mutually engaged. To these congratulations our Committee have added a grant of five hundred pounds sterling; and they trust that both will be accepted, as indications and pledges of that friendly disposition which it is their desire to cultivate and manifest toward every class and description of their trans- Atlantic fellow-laborers. The crisis at which the American Bible Society has been formed, and the cordial unanimity which has reigned through all the proceedings which led to its establishment, encourage the most san- guine hopes of its proving, in the hand of God, a power- ful auxiliary in the confederate warfare which is now carrying on against ignorance and sin. May these hopes be realized, and may new trophies be added, through its instrumentality, to those triumphs which have already been reaped by the arms of our common Redeemer ! ” AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 19 22* Act of Incorporation For twenty-five years after its organization, the Society prosecuted its work without being incorporated. It did so, however, with great inconvenience, and often at the imminent peril of its highest interests. On the 25th of March, 1841, an act of incorporation was granted it by the Legislature of the State of New York ; and subsequent acts passed by the same body — April 13, 1852, April 24, 1872, and April 5, 1888— gave it special authority to hold personal property, to take real estate by gift, bequest, or devise, and to act as trustee in respect to any gift or grant, bequest or devise, pertaining to the objects of the Corporation ; so that the Society is now fully competent, and duly authorized by law, to guard every variety of trust committed to its custody. 23* The Benevolent Character of the Society The publications of the American Bible Society are in no case sold at a profit. All styles and sizes of Bibles are sold at cost to those who are able to pay for them, and are supplied (in cheaper binding) without ' cost to those whose circumstances call for such consideration. In many cases the Society incurs the expense of bearing books to the homes of those who would not otherwise b6 able to obtain them. The founders of the Society and their successors have ever remembered its single reason for ex- istence ; namely, to place the Holy Scriptures within reach of all. The Society is wholly a benevolent organi- zation. 24* The Society Unsectarian The American Bible Society is also strictly unsectarian. Its Board of Managers represents seven different denom- inations of Christians. It labors to circulate the Scrip- tures among all classes impartially, and its affairs are managed without denominational bias or control. In this connection it is proper to refer to the principle adopted in relation to the publishing of scriptural notes 20 MANUAL OF THE and comments. The first article of the constitution ex- plicitly declares that “the sole object of the Institution is to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment The wisdom as well as the necessity of this principle can scarcely be called in question by those who bestow any reflection upon the subject. 25 ♦ The Board of Managers The government of the Society, according to the con- stitution, is intrusted to a Board of Managers, consisting of thirty-six laymen , one-fourth of whom go out of office each year, but are re-eligible. Laymen who were consti- tuted Directors for Life before June 1, 1877 (by the pay- ment of one hundred and fifty dollars) are authorized to attend the meetings of the Board, with power to speak and vote. Nearly two hundred and fifty different persons have served the Society as Managers since its organization. The Managers meet regularly in the Managers’ Boom in the Bible House, in New York, on the first Thursday of every month, and oftener, as the business of the Society may require. 26 ♦ The Officers of the Society The Society, since its organization, has had twelve Presidents as follows : Hon. Elias Boudinot, LL.D., Hon. John Jay, LL.D., . Hon. Richard Varick, Hon. John Cotton Smith, LL.D., . Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, LL.D., Hon. Luther Bradish, LL.D., . James Lenox, Esq., William H. Allen, LL.D., S. Wells Williams, LL.D., Hon. Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, Hon. Enoch L. Fancher, LL.D., . Daniel Coit Gilman, LL.D from 1816 to 1821 “ 1821 “ 1827 “ 1828 “ 1831 “ 1831 “ 1845 “ 1846 “ 1862 “ 1862 “ 1863 “ 1864 “ 1871 “ 1872 “ 1880 “ 1881 “ 1884 “ 1884 “ 1885 “ 1885 “ 1900 “ 1903 At the 1903 March meeting of the Board of Managers, AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 21 Daniel Coit Gilman, M.A., LL.D., of Baltimore, Md., for many years president of Johns Hopkins University, and since 1896 a Vice-President of the Society, was unani- mously chosen President. It has had one hundred and sixty-eight Vice-Presidents (to May 1, 1905), the list of whom includes some of the most distinguished laymen of the country. The following have been, at different periods, the Cor- responding Secretaries of the Society : Rev. John M. Mason, D.D., . Rev. John B. Romeyn, D.D., Rev. James Milnor, D.D., Rev. Selah S. Woodhull, D.D., . Rev.-Thos. McAuley, D.D., LL.D., Rev. Charles G. Sommers, D.D., . Rev. Nathan Bangs, D.D., Rev. John C. Brigham, D.D., Rev. Spencer H. Cone, D.D., Rev. Edmund S. Janes, D.D., Rev. Noah Levings, D.D., Rev. S. Irenaeus Prime, D.D., Rev. Joseph Holdich, D.D., . Rev. Joseph C. Stiles, D.D., . Rev. James H. M’Neill, . Rev. William J. R. Taylor, D.D., . Rev. T. Ralston Smith, D.D., Rev. Edward W. Gilman, D.D., Rev. Alexander M’Lean, D.D., Rev. Albert S. Hunt, D.D., . Rev. John Fox, D.D., . Rev. William I. Haven, D.D., Rev. Edward P. Ingersoll, D.D., . from 1816 to 1820 a 1816 a 1819 tt 1819 n 1840 tt 1820 u 1825 tt 1825 tt 1839 tt 1825 a 1833 a 1827 tt 1829 it 1828 a 18 >2 tt 1833 it 1836 tt. 1840 n 1844 tt 1844 a 1849 it 1849 a 1850 tt 1849 tt 1878 a 1850 tt 1852 tt 1853 tt 1861 a 1862 it 1870 it 1866 tt 1871 it 1871 tt 1900 tt 1874 tt 1898 a 1878 it 1898 a 1898 tt — 1898 tt — tt 1901 u 1906 The Treasurers of the Society, in their order, have been as follows : Hon. Richard Varick, from 1816 to 1820 William W. Woolsey, Esq., . u 1820 “ 1827 John Adams, Esq., tt 1828 “ 1832 Garrett N. Bleecker, Esq a 1832 “ 1832 Hubert Van Wagenen, Esq., . tt 1832 “ 1836 John Nitchie, Esq., .... tt 1836 “ 1838 Abraham Keyser, Esq. . it 1838 “ 1840 William Whitlock, Jr., Esq., a 1840 “ 1875 William Foulke, Esq., .... .t 1886 “ — >- 22 MANUAL OF THE In the earlier history of the Society, the office of Re- cording Secretary and Accountant was held by John Pintard, LL.D., .... from 1816 to 1832 Robert F. Winslow, Esq., . . . “ 1832 “ 1836 In 1818, Mr. John E. Caldwell was appointed the So- ciety’s Agent . In 1819, John Nitehie, Esq., was appointed Agent and Accountant . The office of General Agent and Assistant Treasurer has been held by John Nitehie, Esq., .... from 1832 to 1836 Joseph Hyde, Esq., . . . . “ 1836 “ 1854 In 1853, the office of General Agent and Assistant Treasurer was divided, and the following gentlemen have since acted as Assistant Treasurers : Henry Fisher, Esq., .... from 1853 to 1869 Andrew L. Taylor, Esq., ... “ 1869 “ 1886 In 1854, Caleb T. Rowe, Esq., was elected General Agent , and continued in that office until his decease in the year 1898. Since that time the office of General Agent has been discontinued, and its duties, by vote of the Board of Managers, now devolve mainly upon the Treasurer. Those not assigned to the Treasurer belong to the Secre- taries. 27* The Standing 1 Committees The Society has ten Standing Committees , appointed to supervise and direct, under the Board of Managers, the various departments of its work. The Committee on Ver- sions, which has the oversight of the textual correctness of the Society’s issues, is composed of seven clergymen, representing six different denominations of Christians. The Committees on Finance, Publication, and Legacies, and the Auditing Committee, are composed of laymen only. The Committees on Distribution, Agencies, Anni- versaries, and Auxiliaries comprise both clergymen and laymen. These several committees consist of seven mem- bers each, except the Auditing Committee, which consists ///ft/ ' /y ///fit/ syf //ttry/Y//////u // y ///t/sZrZy y ’cjZ ZnZnZ J Z///,) /,/Z Z\////y. - Z ZZy/ j {' ///////s >/// • Zt/Z/i * Z,j,/f/y -/ , ‘ - 4v.„„ « • t' v:, , / k:, 'J t t ‘( Z,, -American 4j i li ( c dWfttt LIFE MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 23 of three. The several chairmen of the committees already named constitute the Committee of General Reference. Some of the Committees meet regularly in each month, while others meet only upon special call and oftener than once a month, if the business of the Society requires. They carefully consider all matters pertaining to their respective departments, and the results of their delibera- tions are laid before the entire Board of Managers for ap- proval at their regular monthly meetings. By this means the Board is able to secure the most careful consideration of all measures which it is called upon to adopt, and at the same time to superintend, with comparative ease and pre-eminent safety, all its various complicated and exten- sive interests. 28* Life Directors and Life Members Since the Society’s organization, nearly sixty-five thou- sand persons have sustained toward it the relation of Life Directors or Life Members. There are still living, so far as can be ascertained, more than 40,000 of this honored company. 29* Certificates of Membership The Certificate which the Society gives to each of its Life Directors and Members was prepared under the direc- tion of a special committee consisting of the Hon. Luther Bradish, Rev. William Adams, D.D., and Francis Hall, Esq., and was adopted by the Board of Managers on the second of February, 1854. The beautiful vignette which appears upon it represents the Saviour in the act of direct- ing the scribes and Pharisees to the Holy Scriptures for a true knowledge of himself and of the way of eternal life, and is designed to illustrate the thirty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. It was engraved from a design by Mr. F. Schlegel, of New York, who was employed by the Board for that purpose. The original painting, purchased by a special subscription, is suspended in the Managers’ Room, and is much admired as a work of art. 24 MANUAL OF THE 30* Privileges of Life Directors and Life Members Each Life Member of the Society is allowed to receive in any one fiscal year (April 1st to March 31st), on appli- cation at the Society’s House, Bibles and Testaments to the value of one dollar ; and each Life Director to the value of two dollars and a half. The motive which led to the adoption of this measure will be seen from the following extract from the Twenty -sixth Annual Report : 11 The above regulation was adopted from a conviction that there are multitudes of individuals in the community — orphans, apprentices, servants, boatmen, stage-drivers , and the like — who have no Bibles and but few religious privi- leges, and who might to some extent be supplied by the method thus proposed: for who will be more likely to scatter the Sacred Volume among those who are destitute than those who have shown such a regard for that volume as to make themselves members and directors of an Institution which furnishes it for distribution 9 11 From this it is easy to see that the object of the Board in making this arrangement was strictly a benevolent or charitable one, and that the books drawn out should usually be of the plain, cheap kind, which are suitable for gratuitous distribution among the persons already specified. It may be added that, to accommodate those who prefer to draw their annuities from depositories in their neighbor- hood, orders are furnished to members, upon their written application at the Bible House, enabling them to obtain their supply from the nearest auxiliary society. Upon the return of such orders to the Bible House, the auxiliary society will receive credit for the value of books furnish- ed. In no case can annuity books be supplied except for the current year of the Society, beginning with the first of April. 3L Auxiliary Societies About twelve of the local Bible Societies, which were in existence when the National Society was formed and AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 25 which became the earliest of its auxiliaries, still remain active. Other local societies were formed in all parts of the Union, and at one time a total of about 2,200 was at- tained. These auxiliary societies have a noteworthy history of the supply of the destitute in their own fields, of ready attention to special classes of destitution requiring special measures, and of interest in the foreign and gene ral work of the Society that has been repeatedly expressed in generous contributions. The change in business methods, the immense growth of new forms of religious activity, the modification of popular taste as to the form in which Bibles should be printed, render successful prosecution of the business of auxiliary societies far more difficult than in former years. It is not to be wondered at — under these circumstances — that many auxiliaries have become discouraged, and have continued their activity, if at all, in a perfunctory manner. It has been the constant aim of the*Executive Officers, acting under the direction of the Board of Mana- gers, to encourage and to stimulate the auxiliary societies in every way possible, rendering them, from time to time, practical aid and comfort. In spite of this, a large number of our auxiliaries have failed to respond to communications sent them and have been dropped from our lists. On the other hand, grateful record should be made of the faithfulness and earnestness shown by others who, in spite of difficulties and discouragements, continue their work vigorously and successfully. The present number is 616. 32* New Agencies in the United States During the closing years of the nineteenth century a new policy was adopted which replaced, by five Field Agents, the thirty or more district secretaries who had so signally served the American Bible Society in many pre- vious years. These five Field Agents were carefully chosen men, who constantly went from point to point, seeking to stimulate public interest in the work of giving the Scriptures to the world. 2 * 26 MANUAL OF THE Changes in national and social organization and the rapid increase of new elements in the population of the United States in the early years of the twentieth century have demanded, however, increased Bible distribution at home. In November, 1906, the Northwestern Agency was organized by the Board of Managers, including the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Min- nesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota. The Rev. J. F. Horton was appointed Agency Secretary, with headquarters in Chicago. Later the Central Agency was organized, with Rev. S. H. Kirkbride, D. D., as Agency Secretary, at Denver, Colo., and the South At- lantic Agency, with Rev. M. B. Porter as Agency Secre- tary, at Richmond, Va. The Southwestern Agency, to include Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, and In- dian Territory, is in process of organization (October, 1907), as well as an agency for the states of the Pacific Coast. The general principle upon which these agencies are established is that which rules the foreign agencies of the Society. The retirement of our five Field Agents necessitated by this change of method was decided upon with much re- gret. They had given to their self-sacrificing work a notable devotion, and they leave behind them permanent memories of the efficient performance of duty. 33* Official Organs The official organs of the Society are the Bible Society Record, its “Annual Report,” “The Bible in Every Land,” and the “ Manual of the American Bible Society 1 together with such circulars, pamphlets, etc., as it sends out from time to time by the direction of the Board of Managers, and attested by the signatures of its Executive Officers. From these various sources the Christian public may secure authentic information in relation to the prin- ciples, official organization, and varied operations of the Society. The Bible Society Record is a monthly periodical of sixteen pages, intended to give to the friends of the So- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 27 ciety fresh and detailed accounts of its work in the prep- aration and distribution of the Scriptures at home and abroad. As its publication is not intended to be remu- nerative, the subscription price is simply nominal ; name- ely, thirty cents a year. “The Bible in Every Land ” is a little quarterly, costing but ten cents a year. 34* The Annual Meeting of the Society The time fixed in the Constitution for the annual meeting of the Society is the second Thursday in May . This meeting is held in the Bible House, in the city of New York, generally in the afternoon. Anniversary services for reports and addresses may be held either in New York or elsewhere. The officers of auxiliary societies have the privilege of speaking and voting at the annual meetings. 35* The Society's Financial Year The Society’s financial year closes on the last day of March . Funds intended to be included in the accounts of a particular year, must reach the Bible House not later than the date above specified. 36* Receipts of the Society Since its Organization A statement of the receipts of the Society since its organization is contained in every annual report. Though the increase has, of course, not been uniform from year to year, the following comparative view will give a very just idea of the growth of the Society’s work : Receipts. Receipts. In the 1st year $37,779 35 In the 1st ten years $449,532 73 “ 10th “ 53,639 85 “ 2d “ 954,897 94 “ 20th “ 101,771 48 “ 3d “ 1,233,039 95 “ 30th “ 196,182 48 “ 4th “ 3,042,632 44 “ 40th “ 393,167 25 “ 5th “ 4,754,860 65 “ 50th “ 642,625 64 “ 6th “ 6,794,188 60 “ 60th “ 527,198 27 “ 7th “ 5,521,044 71 “ 70th “ 523,910 59 “ 8th “ 5,422,838 48 “ 80th “ 437,223 05 “ 9th “ 4,079,777 35- 28 MANUAL OF THE The total receipts for the year March 31, 1906, to March 31, 1907, were $548,343.88. The grand total, from the organ- ization of the Society, is $32,404,262.26. 37* Legacies Included in the above statement of receipts is a sum of more than $5,000,000, which represents the bequests of more than three thousand persons. The history of these testamentary gifts is full of tender and grateful interest, and is associated with a long roll of honored names, which the annual reports of the Society, for more than half a century, have treasured among the records of the blessed dead. Perhaps, in many cases, the smallest sums bequeathed may have had a value and sig- nificance like those of the widow’s mite ; while all of them, it is to be hoped, like the prayers and alms of the Roman centurion, “ are come up for a memorial before God.” Nevertheless, in arranging plans for work each year, and in meeting its engagements, the Society cannot place great dependence upon this source of income, having found the sums annually derived from legacies to be fluctuating and uncertain. Its chief reliance for means must always be upon the systematic and conscientious co-operation of friends of Bible work among the living. 38* The Bible House For a brief period after the organization of the Society the Managers were indebted for the use of rooms in which to hold their monthly meetings to the courtesy of the mayor of the city of New York, to the governors of the New York Hospital, and to the New York Historical So- ciety. The original depository was in the office of the Soci- ety’s Agent at the corner of Cedar and Nassau streets ; then a room of larger dimensions, though only seven feet by nine, was rented at No. 10 Cliff Street ; and still later a room twenty feet square was occupied in Hanover Street, AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 29 under the shadow of the Merchants’ Exchange. After other removals the Society, in 1822, erected a building on the west side of Nassau Street, between Beekman and Ann streets. The Managers met there for the first time on the second day of January, 1823. Seven years later the building was much enlarged, and it was believed that ample accommodations were provided for many years to come. As early, however, as 1846 it became obvious to the Managers that the premises in Nassau Street were inadequate to the demands of the expanding operations of the Society. In February, 1847, a committee was ap- pointed whose efforts, after several unsuccessful attempts to secure a suitable location elsewhere, resulted in the purchase of the site now occupied by the Society. The corner-stone of the new Bible House was laid with most impressive ceremonies on the 24th of June, 1852. The Society took possession of the building in May, 1853, the first regular meeting of the Managers being held therein in June of that year. At the meeting of the Board, held on the 2d of February, 1854, the Building Committee submitted their final report. It was a time of sacred joy. Resolutions of thanks to the members of the committee were proposed, and while every one was prepared to in- dorse them, Dr. Tyng, with deep feeling, suggested that before we gave thanks to men we ought to give thanks to God ; and the Rev. Dr. Spring, on the invitation of the chair, led in expressions of thanksgiving and praise. This edifice stands by itself, on an open square, bounded by Third and Fourth avenues, Astor Place, and Ninth Street. The building covers the entire square, with an open court in the center, and is six stories high. The cost of the Bible House was $100,000 for the ground and $204,000 for the building, making a total of $304,000. The Bible House on Nassau Street, which was erected by special contributions for the purpose, sold for $105,000. New subscriptions were made, amounting to $59,000, leaving a balance of $140,000 to be provided for. Within about ten years from the day of its completion the building 30 MANUAL OF THE was entirely unencumbered by debt, the sum of $140,000 having been received from rentals and appropriated to the sinking fund. The documents in the archives which present the views of the Board and the history of the construction of the Bible House, set forth with emphasis the fact that not a dollar of any contributions received for the benevolent work of the Society was used in the erec- tion of the building. After a lapse of thirty-six years the Bible House required thorough and extensive repairs. Not only were these demanded for sanitary reasons, but the requirements of tenants could not be met without the introduction of ele- vators and several other modern improvements. The cost of such changes as were positively required, even without enlarging the building, was ascertained to be so consider- able that it was believed to be wise to make a still larger outlay, and, by adding a full sixth story to the structure, greatly to increase the number of rooms available for renting. The cost of this improvement was fully paid by rentals many years ago. Since that time the rentals (in excess of the expenses of maintaining the building) have been used to pay the salaries of the Secretaries, thus re- lieving from this charge the contributions of the churches. Because the American Bible Society has a large building, free from debt, and in addition to this some trust funds, many have the impression that it is rich and does not need the support of the churches and philanthropists. This is a serious mistake. The income from the Bible House (one-half of the building is occupied by the manu- facturing plant of the Society and its offices) is used as we have just stated, while the annual income from the trust funds (the interest of which only can be used) is not suffi- cient to carry on the work of the Society for a period of forty days. 39* The Library The Society has a choice Library of more than five thousand volumes. The collection contains editions of the Holy Scriptures in more than one hundred and fifty lan- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 31 guages and dialects, the various versions published at the expense of the Society in foreign lands being well repre- sented. Several valuable manuscripts, some rare old Bibles in the Latin, English, German, Dutch, and other lan- guages, and many other volumes scarcely less interesting, are highly prized. The most of this library, seven or eight years ago, was loaned to the Lenox Library. In the Managers’ Room and in the adjoining offices, however, there are still to be found many attractive and rare volumes, besides reports and periodicals of the leading missionary and other be- nevolent societies of the United States. Perhaps its most striking feature is its unusually large collection of English versions and revisions, showing the deep and scholarly interest which has been manifested for many years in the translation of the Scriptures into the English language. The Managers 7 Room in the Bible House is also made especially attractive by many rare portraits of the Presi- dents and other distinguished friends of the Society. In this connection it may also be stated that the official correspondence of the Society, which contains invaluable materials for the future historian, is carefully preserved in its archives. 40* The Working Force in the Bible House This is divided into two branches — the Executive and Manufacturing. The former comprises the departments of the Corresponding Secretaries and the Treasurer. The latter includes'the Printing, Electrotyping, Proofreading, Binding, and Shipping departments, and the Depository. In the printing department and the bindery many of the employees are women. The aggregate number of persons engaged in the service of the Society in the Bible House does not vary much from one hundred and eighty. 4L Printing-Presses and Machinery The Society has, so far as practicable, taken advantage 32 MANUAL OF THE of recent improvements which have been made in the various appliances of its work, both in the printing and binding departments. 42* Stereotype and Electrotype Plates The Society owns (not counting those which are in its possession in foreign countries) 136 sets of stereotype and electrotype plates of the Bible, or of portions of it. Some of these, as the plates of the Quarto and the Imperial Quarto Bibles, the Bible in raised letters for the Blind, the Boyal Octavo Bible, Arabic Bible, Slavic and Bulgarian Testament, Syriac Testament and Psalms, Hawaiian Ref- erence Bible, etc., have been prepared at a very great expense ; and all of them are among the very best speci- mens of modern typographic art. These plates, carefully arranged in boxes and marked for ready reference, are laid away in fireproof vaults built expressly for them under the Bible House. 43* The Bible for the Blind In 1843 the Society began to publish the entire Bible for the Blind, in what is known as the Boston line-letter. In 1875 it began the issue of single Gospels, in the New York 11 point-print, 7 ’ and in 1894 published the whole Bible. The Society also imports the Gospels, Acts, Psalms, and Proverbs in the 11 Moon system.” About thirty thousand volumes of these very expensive publications have now been issued. Most of these volumes have been granted gratuitously, while the few which have hot been thus bestowed have been sold at prices far below the actual cost of manufacture, thus impressively illustrating the benevolent character of the Society’s work. 44* Styles and Prices of the Society's Books In the year 1852 the Board of Managers carefully con- sidered the principle observed by the Society in fixing the prices of its issues. An able committee, to whom the sub- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 33 ject had been intrusted, presented a comprehensive and valuable report, which was adopted by the Board, and from which the following extracts are given : “This Society is, by its Constitution, shut up to a line of action which allows of no profit whatever on sales. The Illd Article of this Constitution reads thus : “ ‘All Bible societies shall be allowed to purchase, at cost, from this Society, Bibles for distribution within their own districts. ’ 11 The IXth Article provides thus : “ ‘ Each member of the Society shall be entitled, under the direction of the Board of Managers, to purchase Bibles and Testaments at the Society’s prices, which shall be as low as possible.’ ” In accordance with these views, the Bibles and Testa- ments published by the Society are sold uniformly for cash, without discount, at the list (or cost) prices, to all purchas- ers, with the sole exception that to auxiliary societies and dealers in books a discount of ten per cent is made. And in order to avoid all charges of speculation in the Society’s books, the auxiliaries are earnestly requested to carry out the benevolent design of the Parent Society by selling books at first cost when they are able, and in no case to add more than the cost of transportation and depository expenses. The Society publishes at the Bible House, at the present time, English Bibles and Testaments in a great variety of sizes, ranging from Great Primer to Diamond type, with all the intermediate sizes of type, and puts them up in from four to six different styles of binding. It also publishes a limited number of sizes of the American Standard Revision Bibles and Testaments. In the manufacture of books by the Society the great- est pains are taken to secure the most durable material and the most thorough workmanship, and it is confidently believed that in accuracy, durability, and neatness its publications are superior to any books of foreign or home production which can be offered at corresponding prices. 34 MANUAL OF THE 45* The Past and Present Cost of the Bible Before the invention of the art of printing the Bible was reproduced exclusively by briefmen or copyists, who wrote it out with the pen. It was then the most expensive book in the world . Dr. Plumer, in his tract, 11 How to Use the Bible , 11 states that 11 in the thirteenth century, in England, two arches of London Bridge cost £25. At the same time a copy of the Bible, with a few explanatory notes, cost £30. Then the wages of a laborer, if found, amounted to but ninepence a week .’ 1 In other words the cost of such a Bible was equal to the entire earnings in money of a laboring man for over fifteen years. Even after the invention of printing the Bible could not be obtained, for a long time, except at fabulous prices. At so late a period as that of the American Revolution, the very cheapest editions of the Bible were valued at not less than two dollars a volume ; whereas the American Bible Society furnishes the entire Scriptures in German for thirty cents, and in English for seventeen cents. The New Tes- tament, in English, is sold for six cents; so that the Bible has become the very cheapest book in the world. 46. The Society's Standard English Text All copies of the Scriptures in the English language which are of the original form of the version commonly known as the King James version and are circulated by this Society, are conformed to one standard. The stand- ard was prepared with much painstaking after a collation of various English and Scotch publications, including a copy printed in 1611. This collation was made by the late Rev. James W. M’Lane, D.D., and was brought to its completion May 1, 1851, under the direction of the Com- mittee onVersions, then consisting of the Rev. Drs. Spring, Turner, Robinson, Vermilye, M’Clintock, and Storrs, and Thomas Cock, M.D. The collation extended to all the de- tails of typography, capital letters, words in italic, punc- tuation, hyphens, brackets, etc. ; and although the number AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 35 of variations or discrepancies noted in the text and punc- tuation of the six copies compared were numerous, there was not one of the entire number which 7narred the integ- rity of the text or affected any doctrine or precept of the Bible . Id reducing these variations to one uniform standard, the committee made a few changes which they considered typographical corrections of the text, and also modernized somewhat the chapter headings and other accessories of the text ; but as this part of their work gave dissatisfaction in some quarters, the Managers concluded so far to modify the new standard as to omit every alteration which had not the sanction of previous editions. This was accordingly done, and the result is found in the volumes now pub- lished, which are considered remarkably free from errors of the press, and which contain the English Scriptures, conformed as nearly as possible to the best editions which have been in circulation for generations. 47* Principles on Which Foreign Translations Are Aided The By-laws of the Board of Managers assign to the Committee on Versions the charge of all translations of the Bible published or distributed by the Society, and make it their duty to recommend measures for securing new versions and to inquire into the catholicity and fidelity of such translations as may be presented for adoption. In the administration of this trust it is the aim of the Board to favor such foreign versions only as in point of fidelity and catholicity are conformed to the principles upon which the Society was originally founded, and such as may be consistently used and circulated by all the religious denominations represented in it. In all cases where it is practicable, the approbation of a committee of missionaries, or others who are skilled in the language, is a pre-requisite to the acceptance of a new version in a for- eign tongue. 36 MANUAL OF THE 48* Progress in Bible Translation Many are interested in knowing the number of lan- guages and dialects in which the Scriptures have been published. The Rev. James S. Dennis, D.D., the distin- guished scholar and expert in missionary science and his- tory, published in 1902, in his “ Centennial Survey of Foreign Missions, n an authoritative chronology and his- tory of Bible translation. According to his summary of results the number of ancient and standard versions of the Bible is 22, and the number of modern and mission- ary versions is 456, of which 446 were made during the nineteenth century.* Since these tables were compiled 11 new names have appeared in the list of Bible versions, bringing the number at the end of 1903 up to 467. Of these 467 missionary versions, 121 are in African languages, 52 in American languages, 177 in Asiatic languages, 60 in languages of Australia and Oceanica, and 57 in European languages. Taking the ancient and standard versions of the Scriptures and the modern and missionary versions together, we have a total of 489 versions. Of these 46 have become obsolete, leaving 443 versions as the number now in circulation. The American Bible Society has aided in the translation, printing, or distribution of the Scriptures in the following languages and dialects, and others not recorded : European Languages. — Albanian, Bohemian, Bul- garian, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English (and Revised American Standard), Esthonian (Reval), Finnish, French, * Of these 456 missionary versions, 236 are translations of a portion only of the Scriptures ; 121 are translations of the New Testament only, and 99 are translations of the entire Bible. Of these versions also, 39 are mere transliterations : as, for instance, the Turkish in Ar- menian and the Turkish in Greek letters, both of which are mere transliterations of the Western Turkish version. One cannot ignore transliterations, since the cost of printing them is the same as that of printing a separate version. At the same time, they are not entitled to rank among translations of the Bible in the same sense as the versions upon which they are based. A WEST AFRICAN SCHOOL USING NEW BULU GOSPELS AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 37 Gaelic, German and Hebrew-German (Yiddish), Greek and Modern Greek, Hungarian, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Latin, Lettish, Lithuanian, Norwegian (and the same in Homan letters), Polish, Portuguese, Houmanian, Russian, Huthenian, Slavic, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Heb- rew Spanish, Swedish (and the same in Roman letters), Welsh. Asiatic Languages. — Ainu, Arabic, Armenian (An- cient, Ararat, Modern), Burmese, Canarese, Cambodian, Chinese (Classical, Easy Wenli, Mandarin, Amoy Collo- quial, Canton Colloquial, Foochow Colloquial, Hainan Colloquial, Hinghua Colloquial, Niugpo Colloquial, Shanghai Colloquial, and the same in Roman letters, Soochow Colloquial, Swatow Colloquial), Hebrew, Hindi, Hindi Kumaoni, Japanese, Japanese-Chinese, Korean, Korean-Chinese, Kurdish, Laos, Marathi, Mongolian, Pa- hari, Persian, Punjabi, Siamese, Syriac (Ancient and Modern), Tamil, Telugu, Turkish, Turkish of Azerbai- jan, Turkish in Armenian letters, Turkish in Greek letters, Urdu or Hindustani. African Languages.— Benga, Bulu, Dikele, Grebo, Mpongwe, Sheetswa, Tonga, Zulu. North American Languages. — Arapahoe, Chero- kee, Choctaw, Dakota, Delaware, Mohawk, Muskokee, Nez Perces, Ojibwa, Seneca. South American Languages.— Arrawack, Aymara, Creolese, Quichuan , Pacific Island Languages. — Bicol, Bisayan of Cebu, Bisayan of Iloilo, Ebon, Gilbert Islands, Hawaiian, Ibanag, Ilokano, Kusaien, Mortlock Island, Pampangan, Ponape, Ruk, Tagalog. This is indeed a work in which all Christian hearts may well rejoice, but our gratitude for what has already been accomplished by this and similar societies should be blended with an intelligent appreciation of the greater work which remains to be done. The entire Bible has been translated into one hundred and one languages only. Moreover, many of the languages and dialects in which 38 MANUAL OF THE Scripture has been printed have been supplied with but a single book of the Bible. It is clear that the work which is yet to be accomplished will demand the patient efforts of the devout and benevolent for many coming years. 49. Volumes Issued by the Society The total number of volumes issued by the Society, from its organization to the close of the fiscal year March 31, 1907, is 80,420,382. The growth of this department of the work is shown by the following table : Issues. Issues. In the 1st year. 6,410 copies In the 1st ten years . 439,580 copies a 10th “ 67,134 u a 2d a 1,549,848 a 11 20th “ 221,694 a u 3d a 2,510,156 it a 30th “ 483,873 u n 4th a 6,772,338 n a 40th “ 668,265 a a 5th a 10,513,654 a a 50th “ 1,150,528 a a 6th a 11,340,190 a n 60th “ 850,470 i( a 7th u 13,751,880 u u 70th “ 1,437,440 a it 8th it 14,858,195 u a 80th “ 1.750,283 a n 9th u 16,773,684 it u 90th “ 2,236,755 a The total issues of the Society in the five years ending March 31, 1905, amount to 8,873,464 copies, a total greater by more than a million copies than the aggregate issues of the Society in the first thirty- five years of its existence. 50* The Number of Bibles, Testaments, and Por- tions Printed The demand for the printed Bible has always been great. It is supposed that within three years after the publication of the Great Bible in 1539, no less than twenty- one thousand copies were printed. Between 1524 and 1611, 278 editions of Bibles and Testaments iu English were printed. In 1611, 1612, and 1613, five editions of the King James version were published, besides separate editions of the New Testament ; and we have some slight clew to the size of the editions in the fact that one person in England has recently collated no less than seventy copies AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 39 of the issues of 1611 ; yet, after all, these were the'days of small things. From its foundation in 1804 to the end of its 102d year in March, 1907, the British and Foreign Bible Society has issued 203,931,768 copies of the Scriptures, complete or in parts, in 390 different languages and dialects. The Ameri- can Bible Society, from its organization in 1816 to April 1, 1907, has issued 80,420,382 Bibles, Testaments, and Por- tions, in 116 different languages out of the 489 indicated in Section 48. Other Bible Societies have issued between 60,000,000 and 70,000,000, while private publishers in Great Britain, the United States, and elsewhere have increased these issues by scores of millions. 5 \ ♦ Countries in Which the Scriptures Are Now Circulated The Scriptures are circulated, at the present day, among nearly all the nations of the earth. In all European countries, including Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Bussia, Turkey, and Greece, and even in the city of Borne itself the door is fully open. In Asia the Scriptures are circulated largely through- out Japan, Korea, and China, while every other Asiatic country, excepting Tibet and the Central Asia Khanates, furnishes extended fields for Bible distribution. Africa — north, south, east, and west — is also open, in- cluding Egypt, where the circulation of the Scriptures has greatly increased. In North America there is no hindrance to the work ; even in Mexico there is great demand for the Scriptures. In most parts of Central and South America, and in the West Indies Islands, the way is now r open for distributing the Bible in. the language of the people. Australia and New Zealand are entirely free of access ; almost all of the South Sea islands are also accessible ; and Malaysia, including the Philippine Islands and Borneo, offers no resistance. Indeed, there are few countries where 40 MANUAL OF THE legal impediments to the circulation of the Scriptures exist. Such obstructions as may still be met arise chiefly from popular ignorance and prejudice, and in some communities from the influence of the priesthood. 52* Donations of Books The number of Bibles and Testaments granted as dona- tions by the Society to feeble auxiliaries, to missionary boards and other benevolent agencies, to Sunday schools, to seamen, and to the army and the navy, without includ- ing those printed at the Society’s expense in foreign lands, is to be reckoned by millions. If to this number be added the donations of books made by all its auxiliaries, some idea may be formed of the extent of the gratuitous distri- bution of Scripture accomplished through the American Bible Society. 53* Grants of Money- Grants in money made by the Society and paid over, for the most part, to the various foreign missionary boards of this country, cannot readily be distinguished from the expenditures made directly by the Society in other lands ; but up to the close of the ninety- first fiscal year, $6,345,826.87 have been expended upon the foreign field. The expansion of the work in this direction is shown by comparing the expenditure of the first decade, which was $2,333, with the expenditure of the ten years ending March 31, 1906, which was $1,895,088.95. It may be added that the amount devoted to the foreign field in the last ten years is much greater than the entire expenditure for that pur- pose during the first half century of the Society’s history. 54* The Supply of Destitute Sabbath Schools From the first year of its existence the Society has con- tributed toward the supply of destitute Sabbath schools in every portion of the United States. In the year 1831 the Board of Managers passed the following resolution : “ That they view with great satisfaction the efforts of the present AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 41 day to encourage the study of the Sacred Scriptures in Sunday schools ; and that they shall always feel disposed so far as they are able, to aid such schools, of every relig- ious denomination, by furnishing, at reduced prices or gratuitously, through their respective unions, such Bibles and Testaments as may be needed . 7 1 Since the adoption of that resolution the Society has made grants of books to destitute Sabbath schools to the number of more than one million volumes ; and, in addition to these, probably as many more have been gratuitously contributed to the same object by the Society’s auxiliaries, within their respective fields. Notwithstanding this distribution, it was found, in 1890, that comparatively few of the 8,000,000 children who were estimated as attending Sunday school, possessed a Bible which they could call their own. In that year, therefore, the Board of Managers resolved that, so far as possible, this want should be supplied, and to this end sought the co-operation of all the auxiliary Bible societies, and of pastors, Christian parents, Sunday-school superin- tendents, and teachers ; and thus a great impetus was given to this special work. 55* Distribution of the Scriptures in the United States Army The Society has at all times endeavored to meet its re- sponsibilities toward the army. But its efforts in this direction were very greatly increased during the Civil War. During the war nearly a million and a half of Bibles and Testaments, furnished gratuitously by this Society, were circulated in the army through the agencies of the United States Christian Commission alone. It is estimated that up to the last of March, 1870, the Society had distributed gratuitously among soldiers not far from two and a half million volumes, besides having made grants of more than half a million volumes for the soldiers of the seceding states. There were issued for the army and navy during the Spanish- American War 78,509 volumes, which were 42 MANUAL OF THE distributed very largely through the co-operation of the Young Men’s Christian Association. The amount of additional work done in this department by auxiliary societies cannot be accurately ascertained. 56* Distribution of the Scriptures among Seamen The Society has been prompt to embrace every oppor- tunity of circulating Scriptures among the naval forces of the country, as well as among seamen generally. For the most part this distribution has been effected by auxil- iaries, and especially by those located in the principal seaports. Yet the Society has granted directly, in this de- partment, hundreds of thousands of volumes. The auxiliaries in Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Phila- delphia, Baltimore, Mobile, New Orleans, San Francisco, and other cities have rendered very important service by their extensive marine distribution. The number of vol- umes of Scripture distributed by the marine committee of the New York Bible Society to ships in the harbor, from its organization to October 1, 1906, is 1,258,825. Other societies also report that this branch of their work receives due attention. The American Seamen’s Friend Society, the American Bethel Society, and kindred organizations have been supplied with donations of the Scriptures, which, by their judicious distribution, have gone out through many channels and to all parts of the world on their beneficent mission. 57* Distribution in Hotels, on Steamboats, and in Railroad Cars Early in the history of the Society, the Board of Mana- gers adopted a resolution requesting auxiliary societies throughout the country to offer to supply the guest rooms of hotels and the cabins of steamboats with Bibles of suit- able type and binding, usually at half the cost price. A wholly gratuitous supply was not designed in ordinary cases, the purpose being rather, by diminishing the price of Bibles, to induce the proprietors of hotels and steam- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 43 boats to purchase. As Bibles in these public places are peculiarly exposed to injury, it is important that those having them in charge should possess some pecuniary interest in them. Thus many thousands of volumes have found their way into the dormitories and parlors of hotels and into the saloons of steamboats. In the great centers of trade espe- cially, and on the principal thoroughfares, this distribution has been carefully made, and benefits difficult to measure have thus been conferred upon the traveling community. Grants of Scriptures for the use of the traveling public have been freely made, also, to the principal railroad cor- porations, on condition of their furnishing suitable racks and giving due care to the preservation of the books. Experience has shown, however, that these books are but little read, while they are often abstracted from the racks, making it almost impossible to keep the cars supplied. 58* Distribution among Inmates of Public Institutions A liberal distribution of the Scriptures among the in- - mates of charitable and penal institutions has been effected through auxiliary societies, who are left to judge of the merits of the applications submitted to them. It is impor- tant, however, in the case of institutions supported by the state rather than by private charity, that measures be taken to impress upon the public authorities their responsibility toward the criminal and unfortunate classes under their care, for whom they should obtain the requisite supplies of Bibles and Testaments. Where these efforts fail, the local societies must exercise their best judgment as to the steps to be taken in the premises. Such institutions are not considered, ordinarily, as prop- erly falling among the charitable enterprises which are directly assisted by this Society. Its aid is cheerfully and liberally extended, however, to national asylums and to benevolent institutions supported by private benefactions, when the necessary grants cannot be obtained from the auxiliaries. 44 MANUAL OF THE The work that has been done in these several directions is considerable, and embraces many features of interest. 59* Distribution among Immigrants The immigration into the United States from the Old World is immense. At the single port of New York 856,159 immigrants, a daily average of 2,345, were landed in the city of New York during the twelve months ending June, 1906. The great majority of these persons, represent- ing twenty-five languages, have come hither destitute of the Word of God ; and through this Society and its auxil- iaries, they have been supplied, either immediately upon their arrival or soon afterward, with the Scriptures to the extent of thousands of volumes. The New York City Bible Society has distributed to immigrants during the eighty years ending October 1, 1904, 2,030,088 copies. Other aux- iliaries have also taken an interest in the work. The important bearing of this distribution upon the best interests of the land and its institutions it is unneces- sary to affirm. 60* Distribution among the Poor This branch of the Society’s operations has always oc- cupied a most prominent place. The circulation of the Scriptures among the poor and neglected classes, in the great centers of population, on the frontier, and in all portions of the country, has been very extensive. It is impossible to state the exact number of persons and fam- ilies who have thus been gratuitously supplied by this So- ciety and its auxiliaries ; but the principle observed is that no one be refused the Bible through inability to purchase. It needs to be impressed, however, on local societies and individual distributers that the best interests of the recipients are promoted by urging them to pay at least a part of the price, and as large a part as possible, for the books they desire. The Bible or any portion of it is more highly esteemed, and is more likely to be properly cared for and used, when it has cost its possessor something. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 45 Hence, while none are to be denied on account of their poverty, too much care cannot be taken to avoid any dis- tribution that is indiscriminate and wasteful, 6 \ ♦ Special Efforts to Supply All the Destitute In the year 1829 the Society instituted a general explo- ration of the states and territories of the country, with a view of supplying all the destitute with the Word of Life. It is believed that every accessible family in the more settled portions of the country was visited at that time. In the year 1856 a second effort of the same character was entered upon, resulting, within two years, according to the nearest estimates, in the supply of 500,000 destitute families with the Sacred Volume. The third general supply of the whole country was be- gun in 1866, as an appropriate method of celebrating the completion of the first half century of the Society’s his- tory. In view of the condition of the country and its com- posite, widely spread population, rapidly pushing its way into new regions, this undertaking was entered upon in the face of peculiar difficulties. The destitution was known to be immense, and much of it not easily to be reached. The work, however, was vigorously carried for- ward, with results of the most gratifying character. It included within its comprehensive reach the immigrant, the sailor, the soldier, the railway laborer, the canal-boat- men, the miner, the lumberman, and the multitudes or all classes in our cities, villages, and rural districts, and upon the frontier. Special attention was paid to the freed- men ; and provision was made for the Chinese, who were then thronging our western shores and finding their way even to the interior of the country. From the inception of this work in 1866 to March 31, 1882 — a period of sixteen years — the results reported are represented by the following figures : Number of families visited, 8,813,298 Number of families found without the Scriptures, . 1,082,558 Number of destitute families supplied, .... 753,760 Individuals supplied in addition, , . . . . 488,273 46 MANUAL OF THE The Board of Managers, at their meeting, April 6, 1882, adopted resolutions looking to a fourth general re-supply of the whole country with the Scriptures. The result ot this great undertaking, as reported at the close of the year ending March 31, 1890, were as follows : Families visited, 6,309,628 Families found without the Scriptures, .... 757,581 Families supplied, 473,806 Individual supplied in addition, . . . . . 209,053 62 ♦ The Languages of the Distribution The statistics given in the last paragraph do not include the distribution effected by the various benevolent institu- tions to which grants, in money or books, have been made by the Society. And, doubtless, not a little of the work done by auxiliaries and individuals has failed to be re- ported. The families that refuse the Scriptures are, for the most part, Roman Catholics. It is worthy of note that the entire distribution of Scrip- tures, in this country, during the eight years embraced in the fourth re-supply, was 8,146,808 copies, in twenty- seven different languages. Some of these are as follows : In Welsh, 29,287 ; German, 473,920 ; Dutch, 11,807 ; Nor- wegian and Danish, 153,707 ; Swedish, 220,777 ; Italian, 57,883; Finnish, 2,314 ; Polish, 2,317; Hungarian, 2,543; Bohemian, 9,924 ; Chinese, 7,243. In comparing recent statistics with those of an early period of the Society’s history, it will be found that the proportion of families in the United States destitute of the Scriptures is much smaller than it was when the Society was instituted, notwithstanding the immense growth of our population. 63* Distribution by Colporteurs When the fourth re-supply was commenced in 1882, the Managers, desiring to make it as thorough as possible, determined to employ colporteurs in those parts of the country where there were no auxiliaries or where these AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 47 were unable to make a thorough canvass of their own fields. A large number of colporteurs were engaged for this work, and with the most satisfactory results. In the eight years which were occupied by this re-supply, the colpor- teurs visited 2,993,144 families, and found 418,171 of these without a Bible in their homes ; they supplied 309,012, and 167,132 individuals in addition. To supply these families and individuals with the Scriptures one million sixty-seven thousand six hundred and two copies, of the value of $449,634.64, were sold ; and three hundred and nine thousand five hundred and sixty- nine, of the value of $75,917.14, were donated. The sala- ries and expenses of the colporteurs, including freight on books, amounted to $404,609.83 ; adding to this the cost of the books donated, it gives a total expenditure for provid- ing and distributing one million three hundred and seventy-seven thousand one hundred and seventy-one copies of Scriptures, during the eight years from 1882 to 1890, of $480,526.97. This form of effort was proved to be direct and efficient; but in later years the use of colporteurs for distribution through the community has not again been so extensively resorted to, partly because the supply of Bibles, Testa- ments, and portions of Scriptures has been multiplied by many publishing houses. 64 ♦ Distribution among Freedmen Prior to April 1, 1863, applications for the Scriptures in behalf of the freed people were not very numerous. This department of the Society's work, however, grew rapidly after that date ; and the Reports from 1864 to 1869, in- clusive, show that 147,345 volumes had been granted, with- in that period, directly for the use of the freedmen. Yet even this number represents but a small proportion of what was actaally done for this class, as it does not include an extensive distribution effected by the auxiliaries. As the work became better organized, the distribution was 48 MANUAL OF THE more iargely left to these local societies ; and as it is not always distinguished from the general work in their re- ports, full and accurate statistics of their good work can- not be given. During the year which ended March 31, 1902, the Soci- ety established a special agency among the colored people. The Rev. J. P. Wragg, D.D., a well educated and capable colored man, was appointed Agent, with headquarters at South Atlanta, Ga. Under his superintendency, colporteurs are sent out into the southern states, to travel from place to place and visit the people in their own homes. Special depots have been opened in connection with some of the leading schools for the colored people. This is a needy and important field in which excellent results have already been obtained. Among the other channels employed for circulating the Scriptures among the colored people, may be mentioned the American Missionary Association, the National Freed- men ? s Relief Association, the several Freedmen’s Aid Soci- eties, the American Tract Society of New York, the various denominational Home Mission Boards, and chaplains, teachers, and superintendents of public instruction in the South. 65* Foreign Work of the Society The foreign work of the Society is conducted directly by its own special Agents and colporteurs, and indirectly through the Bible societies established in other lands, or through foreign missionary societies sustained by the vari- ous Christian denominations of the United States. The Society has done a very important work in pro- moting Bible translations. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Managers in 1835 expressed the interest which they felt in the efforts of American missionaries, of differ- ent religious denominations, in translating the Scriptures into various languages and dialects, and gave them en- couragement to expect aid in publishing any version of the Scriptures correctly translated and made ready for the AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 49 press. In some cases also the Society has directly borne the expense of translating and of revising, or has made appropriations to missionary societies to defray current ex- penses of translation. Thirty years ago the American Bible Society had but two special Agencies in foreign lands — the La Plata Agency and the Levant. That number has been increased to eleven— five in the western, and six in the eastern hemisphere, besides the special Agency among the colored people of the South. We have in recent years established a most vigorous Agency in the Philippines, with headquarters in Manila, which is included in the above enumeration. 66 ♦ Bible Distribution in the Western Hemisphere Cuba and Puerto Rico.— Organized effort for the cir- culation of the Scriptures in Cuba began in December, 1882. The Rev. Thomas L. Gulick visited the island on a tour of exploration under the auspices of this Society in 1883, and again in 1884. In December, 1884, the Rev. A. J. McKitn was appointed Agent. He remained until just before the Spanish- American War. In 1900 he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. J. M. Lopez- Guillen, who resigned in 1905. The Rev. Dr. Donald McLaren then took charge of the work in both Cuba and Puerto Rico. He was followed in 1906 by the Rev. P. Rioseco, missionary of the Presby- terian Board of Home Missions. An agency was established in 1898 to cover the island of Puerto Rico and the little islands immediately adjacent. The Rev. Andrew J. McKim was appointed Agent in De- cember, 1898, and remained there until October, 1901. He was succeeded by the Rev. Donald McLaren, who prose- cuted the work with great vigor until May, 1903. Mr. Joseph W. Lamb was appointed Agent in 1903, and con- tinued in charge until 1905, when he resigned. Mr. W. F. Gloeckner then acted as sub-agent until 1907. The circula- tion in the West Indies Agency up to April 1, 1907, was 234,536 volumes. 50 MANUAL OF THE Mexico. — Grants and consignments of the Scriptures were sent by this Society to various parts of Mexico from 1826 onward. In 1834 Mr. Sumner Bacon was appointed Agent for what was then the province of Texas. The Rev. William H. Norris was sent in 1848 as a special Agent to Mexico City, then occupied by the United States troops. Intelligence is still received from time to time of the good accomplished by copies of the Scriptures distributed among the people of that country during the Mexican War. The labors of Miss Melinda Rankin on the border, in 1852 and later, led to the introduction of many copies of the Scriptures into Mexico. Then followed the appointment, in succession, of the Rev. R. P. Thomp- son, the Rev. James Hickey, and Mr. Thos. M. Westrup as Agents of the Society. In 1878 Dr. Arthur Gore was sent to represent the Society and reside in the capital, and a year later the Rev. H. P. Hamilton succeeded him, remaining in charge of the Agency until his death in August, 1905. The circulation in 1906 was 26,474 volumes, a total of 593,271 volumes since the establishment of the Agency. Colporteurs have been employed in every state of the republic. Central America. — Work in Central America was commenced in the autumn of 1892 by the Rev. Joseph Norwood, Agent for Venezuela and Colombia, assisted by the Rev. Francis G. Penzotti, who was soon appointed to the Central American Agency. As the result of their joint labors, more than 10,000 copies of Bibles and Portions were sold during six months ending May 1, 1893. The circulation is largely in the Spanish language. During the year 1906, 18,677 copies were circulated, making a total circulation since the establishment of the Agency of 173,515 volumes. The Agent, the Rev. Francis G. Penzotti, resides at Guatemala City. He is assisted in his labors by several efficient and devoted colporteurs, natives of the country. La Plata. — The La Plata Agency includes Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Chili, Peru, Ecua- OBJECTS GIVEN TO AMERICAN .BIBLE SOCIETY XCHANCE FOR SCRIPTURES ACCEPTED BY COLPORTEURS IN BARTER AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 51 dor and Colombia — a field which equals two-thirds the area of the United States. Two years after the American Bible Society was organized it printed the New Testament in Spanish, and in subsequent years many volumes were sent to various parts of South America. In 1864 Mr. Andrew M. Milne became the Agent of the La Plata field, portions of which, at various times during the previous thirty years, had been visited by representatives of the Society who were sent out on tours of exploration. The Scriptures have been circulated in ten languages. The issues from the La Plata Agency in 1906 were 59,316 vol- umes, making a total since its establishment of 854,812 volumes. Brazil. — The Scriptures were freely sent to Brazil for many years before 1855, when the Bev. J. C. Fletcher was commissioned to represent the Society in the old empire. He was succeeded, in the order named, by Mr. Robert Nesbit, the Rev. A. L. Blackford, and the Rev. William M. Brown. The latter resigned in 1887, and was succeeded the same year by the Rev. H. C. Tucker, who is still in charge. The Scriptures circulated are for the most part in Portuguese. A better version of the Bible in this lan- guage is greatly needed. There have been two versions of the Bible generally circulated. The American Bible Society has used espe- cially the Almeida translation. A committee composed of missionaries and Brazilian literary men, under the lead- ership of the Rev. H. C. Tucker, is now engaged in pre- paring a new translation, based upon the Greek and Hebrew text, of which tentative editions of the Gospels and Acts have been printed. In this slow and expensive work the American and British and Foreign Bible Socie- ties co-operate. The total circulation in Brazil from the establishment of the Agency to the end of 1906 has been 586,644 volumes. Venezuela and Colombia. — An Agency was estab- lished in 1888 in Venezuela and Colombia. The Rev. Joseph Norwood became Agent in May, 1891, and for sev- 52 MANUAL OF THE eral years carried on an important and hopeful work 0 . There were distributed 103,874 copies of the Bible and Por- tions, chiefly in the Spanish language. Political disturb- ances in Colombia interrupted the enterprises and even the correspondence of the Agent with New York. In 1904 special animosity having been directed toward citizens of the United States, the Agent was recalled and the Agency administered in connection with the West Indian and La Plata Agencies and by direct correspondence from the Bible House. The Rev. Gerard A. Bailly, a missionary residing at Caracas, has given attention since 1901 to the distribution of the Scriptures in Venezuela. In 1904 this correspondent reports that 6,688 persons in twenty-three Venezuelan towns were visited by his colporteurs. Hayti. — The Society is in correspondence with mis- sionaries laboring in Hayti, to whom it makes occasional small grants of books. We may conclude this outline of the Society’s foreign work in the Americas by noting that the aggregate of circulation reported to the end of 1906 by its Agencies in Latin America (including the West Indies) is 2,547,140 copies, of which 164,995 copies were distributed in 1906. Hawaiian Islands and Micronesia.— In Hawaii the Society is in co-operation with the Hawaiian Evangel- ical Association. In Micronesia it co-operates with the American Board, reaching by this channel the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, some of the Carolines, and the island of Guam. 67* Bible Distribution in the Eastern Hemisphere Levant. — This Agency comprises European Turkey, including eastern Roumelia and a part of Bulgaria, and Asiatic Turkey, including Syria and Egypt. The first Agent, Dr. S. H. Calhoun, was appointed in 1836. He re- signed after eight years of service, and for ten years Bible distribution in this field was transacted through the mis- sionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for For- eign Missions. The Rev. C. N. Righter was placed in AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 53 charge of the Agency in 1854, but his labors were soon terminated by his death. He was succeeded, in 1857, by the Rev. Isaac G. Bliss, who continued in the service of the Society, with headquarters at Constantinople, until his death in 1889. A full and interesting account of the work accomplished under his oversight for twenty-five years appears in the Annual Report of the Society for 1883. The Rev. Marcellus Bowen, D.D., who was ap- pointed Assistant Agent in 1888, took charge of this field in 1889. Dr. Bowen is still the Agent of the Society, with headquarters at Constantinople. The Scriptures are cir- culated in the field of the Levant Agency in about thirty languages, with a total issue of 2,463,509 volumes in the forty-seven years ending December 31, 1906. Persia. — In 1880 the Rev. W. L. Whipple was appoint- ed Agent for Persia, the work having previously been con- ducted in connection with the Levant Agency. Since his death in 1901, the work of Bible distribution in Persia has been faithfully supervised by missionaries of the Presby- terian Church. Bible work in Persia has suffered serious obstruction during three years past through an edict of the Persian Government, which forbids the importation into Persia of either the Arabic, Turkish Azerbaijani, or Persian Scrip- tures. In spite of this, the work of Bible distribution has been vigorously pressed on the part of the missionaries of the West Persia Mission and the East Persia Mission of the Presbyterian Board in the United States of America. Mr. John Mooshie, a native Christian, superintends the Bible work at Urumia. The Rev. L. E. Esselstyn has general oversight of Bible work in the field of eastern Persia. China. — The first regular Agent of the American Bible Society in China was the Rev. Luther H. Gulick, M.D., who was appointed in 1876. Japan was at first included with China under his care, but was made a distinct Agency in 1881. Afterward Siam was a'dded, but was itself also made independent in 1889. Dr. Gulick was 54 MANUAL OF THE obliged by the state of his health to resign his position in 1890, and was succeeded by the Rev. L. N. Wheeler, D.D., who remained in charge of that field until his death in April, 1893. The Rev. John R. Hykes, D.D., was ap- pointed to succeed him the same year, and is in charge now. The Rev. H. V. S. Meyers, D.D., has recently been appointed his assistant. The distribution in 1906 amounted to 497,659 volumes, a total of 10,488,881 volumes since the establishment of the Agency. Siam and Laos. — The Agency in Siam was established in 1889, and the Laos country was added in 1890. The cir- culation is in the Siamese and Laos languages. The print- ing is done largely at Bangkok. The circulation since the establishment of a separate Agency is 482,476 and in 1906 it was 40,676 copies. The Agent is the Rev. John Carring- ton, Bangkok, Siam. Japan.— J apan was connected with China under the care of Dr. Gulick from 1876 to 1881, when the Rev. Henry Loomis was appointed Agent. In 1872 the Society made a grant to promote the publication of some of the Gospels. It subsequently assumed the support of the missionaries S. R. Brown and D. C. Greene, then engaged in transla- tion work, and bore a considerable part of the expense of translating the New Testament, which appeared in parts and was completed in 1880. The first edition of the entire Bible appeared in 1888, other Bible societies uniting in the work. An edition with full references was published in 1889. In 1883 the entire Bible was issued in Chino- Japanese. The Gospels and A^ts in Chino-Korean have been published as a means of access to the educated classes, and a Korean version of Mark, made at the Society’s ex- pense by Rijutei, was printed in Japan in 1885. An arrangement was made in 1890 between the Amer- ican Bible Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the National Bible Society of Scotland, by which the oversight of the publication and distribution of the Scrip- tures was intrusted to a committee of twelve persons, one- half of the expense being borne by the. American Bible AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 55 Society. This arrangement terminated December 31, 1903. The joint Agency was then divided and the northern half of the empire was assigned to the American Bible Soci- ety. There were 605,380 volumes issued by the Japan Agency from its establishment to July 1, 1890, at which time the work in that field was committed to the over- sight of the Bible Societies 7 Committee. The circulation in 1906 reached a total of 120,455 copies, and the total circu- lation of the American Bible Society in Japan was 1,870,289 copies. Korea. — The Society’s Agency in Korea was estab- lished in 1882, and was administered by the Agent for Japan. From January 1, 1904, a joint agency of the Amer- ican, the British and Foreign, and the Scottish National Bible Society, carried on the work in Korea. For some years a committee has been engaged upon the translation of the Bible. The New Testament has been tentatively printed. The circulation credited to the American Bible Society in 1906 was 50,918 copies. Philippine Islands. — This Agency was established in 1899. It covers work throughout the archipelago. Its circulation is largely in the Spanish, the Tagalog, Bisayan, and other Malay dialects, besides English, Chinese, and some other languages. The circulation during seven years, including 1906, made a total of 645,541 copies. Europe. — The Society has no established Agencies in Europe. It has, however, correspondents in Norway, Sweden, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, and Austria. The circulation in 1904, reported by these correspondents, amounted to about 30,000 volumes. Africa. — In Africa the Society co-operates with mis- sions in various parts of the continent, both in preparing and in circulating the Scriptures. In Natal, southeastern Africa, it is in correspondence with the American Board’s Zulu Mission ; in Portuguese East Africa, with the Meth- odist Episcopal Mission at Inhambane ; in Liberia, with each of the American Missions; and in Kamerun, the French Congo Colony, and the Spanish possessions of the 56 MANUAL OF THE Rio Muni, with the American Presbyterian Corisco and Gaboon missions. As to North Africa, the Society’s work in Egypt is in the sphere of the Levant Agency, already mentioned, while its splendid Arabic version of the Bible finds circulation in the Barbary States, and occasionally penetrates to the Mohammedan settlements of the Sahara and beyond. 68* Books of Reference Those who desire more extended and minute informa- tion in relation to the history of the English Bible or the Bible Societies will find the following named works use- ful : HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE Anderson — Annals of the English Bible. Lewis — History of English Translations. Westcott, B. F. — History of English Bible; London, 1868 ; Revised Edition, 1905. Eadie, John — History of English Bible ; London, 1876. Smith — The Authorized Version (in Bible Dictionary). Bible of Every Land. Carleton — The Part of Rheims in the Making of the English Bible ; Oxford, 1902. Bissell, E. C. — Historic Origin of the Bible. Forbes, A. H. — The Book Wonderful ; London, 1901. Mears, D. O.— The Deathless Book ; Boston, 1888. Townsend, L. T. — The Bible and other Ancient Liter- ature in the Nineteenth Century. Boyes, J.— The Englishman’s Bible; How He Got It and Why He Keeps It ; London. Chamberlain, L. T. — History of the Bible and History of the New Revision ; Norwich, Conn., 1881. Lovett, R. — The Printed English Bible. Hoare, H. W. — Evolution of the English Bible, 1382 to 1885; London, 1901. Conant, Mrs. H. C.— The English Bible; History of the Translations into English ; New York, 1856. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 5? Moulton, W. F. — History of the English Bible ; Lon- don, 1878. Newcome, W. — Historical View of the English Trans- lations. PARTICULAR, EDITIONS Dobson, W. T. — History of the Bassandyne Bible ; London, 1887. Kenyon, F. G. — Our Bible and the Ancient MSS. ; London, 1898. Henderson, M. H. — Canon of the Holy Scriptures, with Remarks upon the King James Version, the Latin Vul- gate, and the Douay Version ; 1853. Marsh, Herbert — History of the Translations of the Scriptures ; London, 1842. Westwood, J. O. — Palseographica Sacra Pictoria (illus- trations of MSS.); London, 1843. Scrivener — Cambridge Paragraph Bible. Fry — The Great Bible of 1539. LISTS OF EDITIONS O’Callagan — Catalogue of American Bibles. Wright — Early Bibles of America. Cotton,. Henry — Editions of the Bible in English from 1505 to 1850 ; Oxford, 1852. Dore, J. R. — Old Bibles ; An Account of Versions of the English Bible ; London, 1876. Loftie, W. J. — A Century of Bibles, 1611 to 1711 (Lists in Libraries); London, 1872. Maubert, J. T. — Handbook of the English Versions ; New York, 1883. Scrivener, F. H. A. — The Authorized English Bible, Reprints and Modern Representatives ; Cambridge, 1884. QUESTIONS OF THE TRANSLATION Condit, Blackford — (In History of the English Bible, 1882) Revisionaand Translations Since 1611. Historical Account of the Work of the American Committee of Revision ; New York, 1885. 58 MANUAL OF THE Fadie, John — Errors in King James Version and Need of Revision ; London, 1873. McClure — The Translators Revived. Houghton, John — Our English Bible, its Translators and Translations ; London, 1878. THE BIBLE SOCIETIES : AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY Strickland — History of the American Bible Society. Reports of the American Bible Society. Bible Society Record. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY Canton— History of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Owen — History of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Brown — History of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Dudley — Analysis of the System of the Bible Society. Annual Reports. Bible in the World. MISCELLANEOUS Douen — History of the Protestant Bible Society of Paris. 69* Jubilee of the American Bible Society The year beginning April 1, 1865, was appropriately observed as the Jubilee year of the Society, by the issuing of an address to the people of the United States, prepared by the Rev. William Adams, D.D. ; by instituting special measures for the supply of the southern states, including the freed people, with the Holy Scriptures; by entering upon the work of electrotyping and printing the Arabic Scriptures, and completing the revision . of Valera’s Span- ish Bible-; and by securing the delivery, by eminent ministers of different denominations, of a series of dis- courses on appropriate topics. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 59 The Society celebrated its Fiftieth Anniversary on Thursday, the 10th day of May, 1866, at the Academy of Music, in the city of New York. James Lenox, Esq., President of the Society, occupied the chair. The Rev. E. P. Rogers, D.D., of New York, read the 148th Psalm and offered prayer. The President delivered a brief but eloquent address. The Rev. Gardiner Spring, D.D., of New York, the Rt. Rev. Charles P. M’llvaine, D.D., of Ohio, the Rev. J. T. Peck, D.D., president of the California Bible Society, the Rev. Rufus Anderson, D.D., of Massachusetts, Hon. Peter D. Vroom, of New Jersey, Hon. Robert C. Win- throp, of Massachusetts, the Rev. Thomas Phillips, D.D., and Rev. Thomas Nolan, delegates from the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Rev. Lachlin Taylor, D.D., and Rev. William Ormiston, D.D., of Canada, the Rev. Cesar Pascal, delegate from the Bible Society of France, the Rev. Isaac G. Bliss, of Constantinople, the Rev. Bishop Edmund S. Janes, D.D., of New York, the Rev. Thomas E. Vermilye, D.D., of New York, Major-General O. O. Howard of the United States Army, and the Rev. Dr. Jonas King, of Athens, Greece, severally took part in the exercises of the occasion, which were throughout deeply interesting and impressive. The Rev. Mark Hopkins, D. D., of Massachusetts, pronounced the bene- diction. As a fitting acknowledgment of the goodness of God to the Society during all its history, and as an appropriate method of marking its entrance upon the second half- century of its work, arrangements were made to engage at once in a general and thorough supply of the United States with the Scriptures. An account of this effort has been given in a previous section. In the Society’s Jubilee Memorial Volume may be found, with much other interesting matter, a commemo- rative historical discourse, prepared by the Rev. Isaac Ferris, D.D., LL.D., Chancellor of the University of the City of New York. 60 MANUAL OF THE 70* Seventy-fifth Anniversary On successive Sabbaths in April and May, 1891, by in- vitation of the Board of Managers, sermons in commem- oration of the work of the American Bible Society during the seventy-five years of its existence were delivered by the following pastors in their respective churches : Kev. B. B. Tyler, D.D., of the Church of the Disciples; Rev. G. F. Krotel, D.D., of the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity; Rev. Ensign McChesney, D.D., of the Madison Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church; and the Rev. Wil- liam M. Taylor, D.D., of the Broadway Tabernacle. Rev. Dr. Talbot W. Chambers delivered the historical discourse in the Collegiate Dutch Church, on Sabbath evening, May 10, 1891. On the afternoon of May 13th a meeting was held at the Bible House, at which the Hon. Joshua L. Chamber- lain, of Maine, presided. The Rev. J. L. Sooy, of New Jersey, read the Scriptures and offered prayer. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D.D.,LL.D.; the Rev. Joshua Kimber, D.D.; the Rev. J. O. Peck,D.D.; the Rev. J. M. Stevenson, D. D., and the Rev. M. H. Williams, who respectively presented the greetings of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Church of America, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the Missionary Soci- ety of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the American Tract Society, and the American Sunday School Union. On the evening of the same day a public meeting was held in Chickering Hall. The Hon. E. L. Fancher, LL.D., the president of the Society, occupied the chair. The Scriptures were read by the Rev. Dr. Albert J. Lyman, and prayer was offered by the Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler, D.D. After a statement of the work of the Society for seventy- five years by Secretary McLean, an appropriate and eloquent address was delivered by the Rev. Phillips Brooks, D.D., of Boston, on the “ Bible as the Book of AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 61 Life.” The Rev. T. Aston-Binns, of London, presented the warm congratulations of the British and Foreign Bible Society; the Rev. James Stalker, D.D., of Glasgow, bore greetings from the National Bible Society of Scotland ; and the Rev. John Burton, D.D., of Toronto, spoke of the hearty good-will of the Upper Canada Bible Society. A meeting for conference concerning the work of the Society was held at the Bible House on the morning of Thursday, May 14th, at which Theophilus A. Brouwer, Esq., Vice-President, presided. Rev. Mr. Burton, of To- ronto, conducted the religious services. Representatives from the state auxiliaries of Pennsylvania, New Hamp- shire, and Vermont, from the Washington City Bible So- ciety, and from many auxiliaries of New York and New Jersey, made addresses and presented valuable suggestions about operations in their respective fields. 71 ♦ How to Help the Society's Work “The sole object of the institution is to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment.” Its friends may aid its work — (1.) By commending the Scriptures to others, and con- vincing men 'that they owe it to themselves, their families, their country, and their God to own, read, and study this Book of Truth. (2.) By entering heartily into arrangements providing for a thorough and economical re-supply of districts with the Bible. This home work of exploration and supply falls properly within the province of local societies auxil- iary to the American Bible Society. Their efficiency and success depend mainly upon the voluntary co-operation of churches and individual Christians. (3.) By buying and circulating its books. These books are attractive in binding and typography. They are var- iously adapted for all classes of persons: books in large type for the aged ; in raised letters for the blind ; parts of the Bible for the convenience of readers who prefer not to hold a heavy book ; reference Bibles for those who 62 MANUAL OF THE compare Scripture with Scripture ; Bibles in various lan- guages for foreigners, and of various sizes for pulpits, families, travelers, scholars, and others. The publica- tions of the Society are widely distributed through the country. Many booksellers keep them in stock, and they may be found in or ordered through the county depositor - ies at numerous points. Whoever becomes a purchaser and distributer helps the Society’s work. (4.) By remitting donations to the American Bible Society for its benevolent work in our own and in foreign lands, that it may sow the seed of truth in the vast and accessible field which opens before it, and by following up such donations with expectant prayer. Enough has already been said to show that the Bible Society is used by missions at home and abroad. Let this fact bring to it a regular proportion (many churches give ten per cent) of the church contributions for missionary purposes and regular mention in the prayers of the church. (5.) By making engagements to contribute a definite amount to the Society annually for a certain number of years. A number of friends have each agreed to pay $100 a year for five years for the work of the Society. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 63 CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY ORIGINALLY ADOPTED IN 1816, AND SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED ARTICLE I. This Society shall be known by the name of the AMER- ICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, of which the sole object shall be to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment. The only copies in the English language, to be circulated by the Society, shall be of the version set forth in 1611 and commonly known as the King Janies Version, whether in its original formas published in the aforesaid year or as revised, the New Testament in 1881, and the Old Testa- ment in 1885, and published in these years under the super- vision of the Committee of Revision, or as further revised and edited by the American Committee of Revision and printed under its supervision in 1901. ARTICLE II. This Society shall add its endeavors to those employed by other societies, for circulating the Scriptures throughout the United States and their Territories ; and shall furnish them with plates or such other assistance as circumstances may require. This Society shall also, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mohamme- dan, or pagan. ARTICLE III. All Bible societies shall be allowed to purchase, at cost, from this Society, Bibles for distribution within their own districts; and the officers of all such Bible societies as shall hereafter agree to place their surplus revenue, after supplying their own districts with the Bible, at the disposal of this Society, shall be entitled to vote in all meetings of the Society. ARTICLE IV. Each subscriber of three dollars annually shall be a member. ARTICLE V. Each subscriber of thirty dollars at one time shall be a Mem- ber for Life. 04 MANUAL OF THE ARTICLE YI. Each subscriber of one hundred and fifty dollars at one time, or who shall, by one additional payment, increase his original subscription to one hundred and fifty dollars, shall be a Di- rector for Life ; but he shall not be such director when he is in receipt of any salary, emolument, or compensation for services from the Society. ARTICLE VII. Directors shall be entitled to attend and speak, and if consti- tuted directors before June 1, 1877, shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the Board of Managers. ARTICLE VIII. A Board of Managers shall be apppinted to conduct the business of the Society, consisting of thirty-six laymen, of whom twenty-four shall reside in the city of New York or its vicinity. One fourth part of the whole number shall go out of office at the expiration of each year, but shall be re-eligible. Every Minister of the Gospel who is a Member for Life of the Society, if he be not entitled to receive any salary, emolu- ment, or compensation for services from the Society, shall be entitled to meet and vote with the Board of Managers, and be possessed of the same powers as a Manager himself. The Managers shall appoint all officers, and call special gen- eral meetings, and fill -such vacancies as may occur, by death or otherwise, in their own Board. ARTICLE IX. Each member of the Society shall be entitled, under the. direction of the Board of Managers, to purchase Bibles and Tes taments at the Society’s prices, which shall be as low as possible. ARTICLE X. The annual meetings of the Society shall be held at New York or Philadelphia, at the option of the Society, on the second Thursday of May, in each year ; when the Managers shall be chosen, the accounts presented, and the proceedings of the foregoing year reported. ARTICLE XI. The President and Vice-Presidents, for the time being, shall be considered, ex-officio , members of the Board of Mana- gers. The Treasurer and Secretaries shall, in addition to their other duties, attend meetings of the Board, and of the Com- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY 65 mittees thereof, to render such aid in imparting information, recording and reading proceedings and minutes, and in pre- paring reports, as may be required of them. ARTICLE XII. At the general meetings of the Society, and the meetings of the Managers, the President, or, in his absence, the Vice-Presi- dent first on the list then present, and in the absence of all the Vice-Presidents, such member as shall be appointed for that purpose, shall preside at the meeting. ARTICLE XIII. The Managers shall meet on the first Thursday in each month, or oftener, if necessary, at such place in the city of New York as they shall from time to time adjourn to, but when the first Thursday falls on a legal holiday the meeting shall be on the second Thursday. ARTICLE XIV. The Managers shall have the power of appointing such persons as have rendered essential services to the Society either Members for Life, or Directors for Life. ARTICLE XV. The whole minutes of every meeting shall be signed by the Chairman. ARTICLE XVI. No alteration shall be made in this Constitution, except by the Society at an annual meeting, on the recommendation of the Board of Managers. ARTICLE XVII. The President, or, in his absence, the Vice-President first on the list in the city of New York, may, and, on the written request of six members of the Board, shall call a special meeting of the Board of Managers, giving three days’ notice of such meeting, and of its object. ARTICLE XVIII. The Board of Managers may admit to the privileges of an Auxiliary any Society which was organised and had com- menced the printing, publication, and issuing of the Sacred Scriptures before the establishment of this Society, with such relaxation of the terms of admission, heretofore prescribed, as the said Board, two thirds of the members present consenting, may think proper. 66 MANUAL OF THE CONSTITUTION OF AN AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY Article 1. This Society shall be called the Bible Society of , Auxiliary to the American Bible Society. Art. 2. The object of the Society shall be to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures “ without note or comment/’ and, in English, those of the version set forth in 1611 and commonly known as the King James Version, whether in its original form as published in the aforesaid year or as revised, the New Testament in 1881 and the Old Testament in 1885, and published in these years under the supervision of the Com- mittee of Revision, or as further revised and edited by the American Committee of Revision and printed under its super- vision in 1901. Art. 3. All persons contributing any sum to its funds shall be members for one year ; those contributing one dollar or more shall receive (if called for within twelve months) a com- mon Bible in return ; those contributing fifteen dollars at one time, or twenty dollars at two payments, shall be members for life. Art. 4. All funds not wanted for circulating the Scrip- tures within the Society’s own limits shall be paid over an- nually to the Parent Society, to aid distributions among the destitute in other parts of the country and in foreign lands. Art. 5. The officers of the Society shall consist of a Presi- dent, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, whose duties shall be such as their respective titles import. Art. 6. The management of the Society shall be intrusted to an Executive Committee of five (or -seven, including the Secretary and Treasurer,) which shall appoint its own Chair- man and make its own By-Laws. Art. 7. It shall be the duty of this Committee to meet frequently on adjournment, or on call of the Chairman ; to keep a good supply of books on hand ; to appoint local dis- tributers ; to see that collections, in some way, are made an- AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY G7 nually in every congregation ; and that all funds are forwarded early to the Parent Society, with a statement as to the portion designed for the payment of books, and that as a free donation. Art. 8. There shall be a general meeting of the Society on of each year, when a full report of their doings shall be presented by the Committee (a copy of which shall be furnished to the Parent Society), and when a new election of Officers and Committee shall take place. Should the Society fail of an annual meeting, the same Officers and Committee shall be continued until an election does occur. 0 Art. 9. Any Branch Society, or Bible Committee, formed within the bounds of this Auxiliary, by paying over its funds annually shall receive Bibles and Testaments at cost prices. Art. 10. No alteration shall be made in this Constitution, except at an annual meeting and by consent of two thirds of the members present. LEGACIES. The following suggestions in regard to the drafting of Wills are made for the information of those who desire to leave bequests to the Society, and thus to perpetuate the work when their own personal efforts are ended : Form of a Bequest* I give and bequeath to the American Bible Society , formed in New York in the year eighteen hundred and six- teen, and incorporated in the year eighteen hundred and forty-one, the sum of , to be applied to the charitable uses and purposes of said Society . In case it is desired to give real estate, the above form can be made to read : I direct my executors to sell [here describe the land ] , and I give and bequeath to the American Bible Society, formed in New York in the year eighteen hundred and sixteen , and incorporated in the year eighteen hundred and forty-one, out of the proceeds thereof, the sum of . . . . , to be applied to the charitable uses and pur- poses of said Society. 68 MANUAL OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY The Society is incorporated by a special act of the Legislature of New York, passed March 25, 1841, and has by subsequent legislation received further powers. In 1888 it was authorized to take, receive, and hold any per- sonal or real property by gift or grant, bequest or devise ; and gifts and grants, bequests and devises, of personal or real property may be made directly to the Society, or to it in trust for any of the purposes comprehended in the gen- eral objects of the Society, and such trusts may continue for such tinfe as may be necessary to accomplish the pur- pose for which they may be created. It is, however, pro- vided that every such bequest or devise by residents of the State of New York shall be subject to the provisions of the Act of April 13, 1860, whereby it is enacted that “No person having a husband, wife, child, or parent, shall, by his or her last will and testament, devise or bequeath to any benevolent, charitable, literary, scientific, religious, or missionary society, association, or corporation, in trust or otherwise, more than one half part of his or her estate, after the payment of his or her debts (and such devise or bequest shall be valid to the extent of one-half, and no more).” The Society, by the general and special powers given to it by the Legislature of New York, can, in the absence of local statutory restrictions, take and hold real estate in other States by gift or devise.