The Charlotte Journal

TACITUS.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE SEVERAL
NEWSPAPERS IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA, WESTERN VIRGINIA, AND
EAST TENNESSEE.

Gentlemen: Acting as Agent for the American
Bible Society in East Tennessee
and vicinity, it is not only my duty, but also my
ardent desire to present the paramount claims of that noble institution as
extensively as the means within my reach
will admit of. That I may the better succeed
in this good work, I ask on behalf of
the Bible cause, and in the name of the
Protestant Churches who are engaged in
its support, the privilege of publishing a
few numbers in your several valuable journals.

I do this with the greater pleasure, because I know, from personal acquaintance
with most of you, that you are steadfast
friends of Bible Societies.

Yours, respectfully,

THOMAS STRINGFIELD.

CLAIMS OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE
SOCIETY.

Separated into different sects, as in the
Protestant world—each "serving God in
all good conscience," according to their
several modes and cherished views of truth
and duty, no scheme of benevolence can be
expected to harmonize them in its support,
which requires, as a condition of such
union, a relinquishment of those views and
modes. It is a fortunate trait in the character
of the American Bible Society, that
it makes no such demand. Indeed, it in
effect, calls upon the several denominations
to come up nobly to the support of their
several peculiarities—in so far, at least, as
each honestly believes it is abetting those
peculiarities when it is increasing the circulation of the Holy Scriptures. This glorious
illusion, if I may ingenuously concede
it to be such, operates like a charm in
bringing the insulated tribes of Israel together, and happily unites them as a band
of brothers, in patronizing the American
Bible Society. And having been thus
brought together, they become more and
more united in that love which 'hopeth all
things,' until their unimportant differences
are merged in the great essentials of our
common Christianity. Is it not reasonable
to hope that in this way Christ's ministry
shall ere long be brought to "see eye to
eye," and a purified Church shall
"arise and shine"—going forth "fair as
the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as
an army with banners." Do not prophetic
visions of the Church's future glory authorize us to look for such results? And what
is more likely to hasten them than united
effort in behalf of the Bible Society?

There is but little difference of opinion
in this section of country as to the propriety
of every individual's possessing a copy
of the holy Scriptures; some persons, however,
have doubts as to the necessity of
Bible Societies, for the attainment of this
end—believing Bibles can be obtained by
all, through the common channels of trade,
as articles of merchandise. To understand
this subject correctly we should make ourselves acquainted with a series of facts in
the history of Bible operations.

Among
the most prominent of these we may consider the following:

First. The price of Bibles has been reduced to their present low rate, mainly by
the American Bible Society. This noble
institution has published them in such
numbers and on such accommodating terms
that no private establishment could compete with it. The price of the cheapest
Bible is twenty five cents, and that of its
lowest Testament six and one fourth. Two
years ago they cost double these amounts
—five years ago they were considered
cheap at four times these amounts. Thus
we may trace back the cost of Bibles to a
period when a good copy cost a fortune.
This delightful change, I repeat, has been
effected mainly by Bible Societies; and
common justice requires that they should
have credit for their share of influence in
bringing it about.

We may date the commencement of Bible
Society operations forty years back; and
since that time more Bibles have been
published than had been during two hundred preceding years. The American Bible
Society publishes some two thousand
per day, and its speed is increasing with
the gradual increase of its patronage—and
yet there is a growing demand for the sacred Records! How can this growing demand ever be met, without the aid of Bible
Societies? The annual increase of population in the United States alone, is more
than eight hundred thousand, and yet it is
believed that the whole number of Bibles
and Testaments published in this country
does not exceed some seven hundred thousand.

If we are not sufficiently impressed with
this great and rapidly increasing demand
for the word of God, in this growing Republic, let us glance at the thousands of
heathen, who have it not, and never will
have it, unless it be sent to them by those
to whom God has committed it, as a sacred trust. The Bible is a revelation from
God to men—to all men—and the success
of Bible Societies in sending this inestimable treasure to heathen nations, and to
scattered Jews, translated into their various dialects, is an argument in favor of the
Bible cause which must have great weight
with all reflecting minds. The Bible has been translated, by the funds of Bible Societies into some two hundred different
languages. When would such a result
have been effected in the regular course of
trade? What mercantile houses or printing establishments would ever think of
translating Bibles into so many tongues
merely for the privilege of giving most of
them away

Another consideration in the series of
facts which must not be overlooked in estimating the importance of Bible Societies, is the hundreds of thousands of Bibles
and Testaments which are given by these
benevolent institutions to the penniless
widow, the destitute orphan, the mariner
on the high seas, the soldier in the army,
and the dreary prisoner in solitary confinement. How long would these poor immortals have to wait for God's own blessed
word, ere they would receive that gift "in
the regular course of trade!" Surely those
who oppose or even withhold their support
from Bible Societies know not what they
do.

THOS. STRINGFIELD,
Agent of the American Bible Society.