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BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE…

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Rhannu

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. MEETING OF THE RHYL AUXILIARY. On Monday evening the annual meeting of the Rhyl Auxiliary Branch of the above society was held in the Boy's National Schoolroom, under the presi- dency of the Rev. T. Richardson, the vicar, and the Rev. G. T. Birch, Wrexham, attended as a deputation from the parent society. There was a good attendance and the different speakers were listened to with great attention. After a hymn had been sung the Chairman got up amidst great applause and said while not a few of those that were present in person or in spirit at their last year's Bible Society meeting had been gathered home and called up higher, they, through the good hand of God had been spared once more to see the anniversary of their local auxiliary of that great society—the British and Foreign Bible Society. They were permitted once more by their prayers and con- tributions to help forward what might without exaggeration bjgdescribed as the most glorious cause that could engffge the attention of men or angels in this their fallen world, the dissemination of God's truth, truth without any mixture of error as to its source, and, so far as the imperfection of the human channel, through which it is conveyed, would admit, undiluted truth still, the pure water of the river of life, welling fortIl from beneath the throne of God, wherever it flowed and in proportion as it freely flowed. The great event of the year, as regarded their English Bible, was, undoubtedly, the long-ex- pected publication of the Revised Version of the New Testament, and most thankful ought they to be who believe that the whole Scriptures, as inspired by God, is profitable, that wide as was the range of scholarship and varied as were the schools of criticism and the theological training and bias of the different members of the company of revisers, so few alterations had been made, which, even taken separately, could be appealed to as casting a shadow of doubt on any of the great truths held dear and sacred by them as members of the Bible Society, held dear by all true Christians who regarded the Bible as the great stan- dard of doctrine and the final court of appeal (ap- plause). And, though some of them, in comparing the old and new versions, wore old-fashioned enough (and he confessed himself to be one of the number) to believo that, taken for all in all, the old is better than the new." They were not ungrateful for much additional light thrown on the sacred text in different parts, while they greatly prized the strong subsidiary evidence which the high scholarship and searching criticism of modern times had thus contributed to the genuineness of the divine oracles. The discrepancy indeed between the two versions in point of substance was infinitesimally small. As St. Paul said of Titus, so might the revisers of 1881 say of the revisers of 1611—" walked we not in the same spirits ? walked we not in the same steps r" There was, in fact, a homo- geneous, a family likeness, about the whole of the inspired volume which was altogether unmistakeable altogether inimitable. Men had oftened try to imitate it but had signally failed. Witness the spurious gospels, witness the Koran, witness that latest and most miserable abortion, the Book of Mormon. No, diversified as are the gifts of the many writers of the different books from Genesis to Revelations extending over a period of thousands of years, the same divine spirit has been breathing through one and all. With one voice they proclaim man lost and ruined by the fall, redeemed by a mighty Saviour, and renewed by the Holy Spirit of God. The weapons too which they use and the results of their testimony, believed and received into the heart, have been the same in all ages and in every conditions of life. Whether it is Isaiah, expounded and opened up by Philip the deacon to the mind of the Ethiopian noble- man, or Peter addressing a penticostal gathering of Jews at Jerusalem, or Paul preaching at highly 9 cultured Athens, voluptuous Corinth, imperial Rome, or in the inner chamber of the prison of Philippi, in each and all of these cases it is the same sword of the Spirit that was employed, the same Gospel that was the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believed. And it is so still. Wherever, in the present day, men were turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan iiil-.o God, there tho word of God iu the hands of the Holy Spirit was the instru- ment, and the results were the same. Not long ago a lire broke out in a Japanese prison which continued about a hundred prisoners, and these men, instead of trying to cscape, as maloia^t irs naturally would and could at such a time and opportunity, all to a man helped to extingush the flames and remained where they were. This led to an inquiry as to the cause of such strange, unexpected good conduct and high prin- ciple on the part of men, many of whom were probably desperadoes in crime, and it was discovered that, one of their number had been entrusted with portions of the New Testament in Japanese, and that he had not only been deeply impressed himself, but had also so deeply impressed his fellow-prisoners by reading those blessed fragments of God's holy word, that not a man of them would attempt to evade the claims of law and justice, that one and all proved themselves to be law-abiding citizens, whatever they once had been (applause). Was there not something in such a case parallel to that at Philippi, when the prison doors were open, and the apostle had to quiet the fears of the terrified jailor, saying, do thyself no harm, for we are all hear" (cheers). And what should they say of themselves ? If they were Chris- tians indeed were not they too living monuments of value vf J.Vo Z>io)e If they nacl ot as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in us that believe." And if so, were they not debtors to those who ha I teen less highly favoured than themselves, debtors to their own countrymen who might be still unsiipp'ii' d with that word, debtors to the heathen, debtors to the many tribes of mankind, for whom that great society provided the bread of life in such large abundance (applause' As they had therefore received the giff., even so l a them minister the same one to another go.rl stevarJs of the manifold giaee of God. Freely we have received, freely let us give. remembering that "it is more blessed to give ih n to receive," and that to whom much has been given of him much shall be required" (applause). Mr Arthur Rowlands, town clerk, hon. secretary of the ilL,\ 1 auxiliary, was then called and gave an abstract uf the local report for the past year. The collections were as follows :by Miss Price Roberts and Miss Roberts, Grove place, t28 15s 6d. Miss Ansdell and Miss Campling, £ 12 15s. Gd.; Misses Edwards. £ 7 2s. 6d. Mrs Williams, Bedford street, and Miss Williirr.s. Elwy villa, £ ."> 7s 8d Miss Davies, Gwynfa \i!i and Miss Jones, Maesgwilym cottage, £ 3 I.)s. Messrs John Griffiths, Albert villa, and E.' Roberts, Llys Aled, t2 19s. Id. total, £G1 5s. Sd. against £;j8 7s. 3d. the previous year (applause). With a balance in hand from the sale of Bibles and Testaments at the depository, the committee have voted the sum of X65 as a free contribution to the parent society (applause). He regretted, however, to state that they owed a debt of about £ 30 for books, but he believed that they were solvent taking into account that the stock in hand was valued at £ 40. The secretary drew special attention to the Bible boxes which may be had gratis by applying to him, for offerings in schools and families. They were he said, elegant little boxes and worthy of the best place in our homes (cheers). The proceeds from the boxes for that meeting were from Master Edwin Jones 6s. 9d. Mr R Jones, 6s. 3id. Miss Walton, 2s. Id. Miss Ada Mills Williams, West Parade, a". ;jid.; Master Harold Rowlands, Is. 7d. Mi E. Lloyd Williams, Is. 3 £ d. total, Cl Is. ad. In conclusion he earnestly hoped to receive more demands for Bible boxes and next year the results would be far more substantial (appiause). The Rev. John Williams proposed "that the report now read by the secretary be adopted and printed for circulation. Also that the best thanks of this meeting be given to the collectors for their exertions in behalf of the society during the past year, and that they be earnestly requested to continue in office for another year and said that the friends' faithfulness was something proverbial. He felt proud of the members of the Church of England—they had been by far the most faithful towards the Bible Society. He felt ashamed of the lack of interest taken by the Noncon- formists in this matter. Where, he asked, were the ministers (hear, hear). Every exertion ought to be exercised in that great work of distributing the Bible (applause). The Rev. J. J. Williams in seconding the above Resolution said that Wales was a Bible country. The chairman had referred to the revised edition of the Testament. If the English translation had been as good as the Welsh one they would not need a revised edition (hear, hear). He would urge them to do all in their power to further the interests of the society. There were several natious who had never heard of the Bible. If all the people who had not heard of the Bible were to join hands they would extend around the wfcrld 600 times. There were few heathens who did not know of God. Their idea was that when they played to one image the prayer would be I transferred to another of a higher grade, and so on until it reached the chief God, but they had nevei heard of the true Mediator, but having Bibles placed in their hands they would know of the great Mediator Jesus Christ (applause). The Deputation then addressed the meeting and in the course of an able speech referred to the immediate connection of the Society with Wales. Everybody, he said, had heard of the little girl's tears bringing about the society. Whatever movement went down in Wales the Bible Society would always stand (ap- plause) He then complimented the Rhyl Auxiliary upon the handsome sum devoted to the Society and said, that through their contributions, Rhyl had helped to supply Bibles of 215 languages to different nations. In speaking of the missionary societies Mi- Birch said they could do nothing without the Bible, and this Society sent out the stream of truth and the missionaries invited people to drink (cheers). He then compared the work done by the Society during the last year and the year of its first formation and referred to the great work of the society at home and abroad. The rev. gentleman cancluded by endorsing the adoption of Mr Rowland's report. The Rev. David Roberts (Congregational minister) proposed the next resolution (in Welsh) Thtt this meeting having heard the interesting address by the deputation, desires to acknowledge with deep thankfulness to the Almighty God, the wonderful operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society, at home and abroad and, having regard to the vast opportunities still before it for extending the know- ledge of God's Word, appeals to all who love the Bible for sustained and increased support" (applause). Mr. Roberts said that the Bible was always near the hearts of the Welsh people, and that their translation would compare favourably with any other—it was a known fact that translators often referred to the Welsh version when translating the work to any other language. But it was of not much importance in which language the Bible was in. it was the same in all languages (cheers). The Bible was a glorious work, and they were remarkably fond of it. It had done inestimable good in all countries. It improved everything it came in contact with (appltuse) -and they could never say too much of the good done by it (cheers). He hoped that the day was not far dis- tant when the Bible would be in the hands of all men. Let them do their utmost to bring this end about (applause). The Rev. Mr. Lees, of Macclesfield, an old suppor. tor of the society, next delivered a spirited address in the course of which he gave a touching account of the good done by this society and missionaries in South Africa, and what had come under his immediate notice. The Rev. J. Williams proposed that the thanks of the meeting be given to the president, officers, and committee of the Rhyl auxiliary, for their valuable services during the past year, and proposed several gentlemen as president, officers, and committee for the ensuing year.—This was seconded by Mr. P. Mostyn Williams, and carried amid great applause. Rev. J. J.Williams proposed a vote ofjthanks to the Vicar for presiding, and the deputation for his address, which was seconded by Mr. Edward Roberts, Llys Aled, and carried. After both gentlemen had briefly responded, the President offered a prayer and the proceedings ter- minated. Collections were made during the evening.

CHURCHES IN THE RHYL DISTRICT.

[No title]

RHYL COUNTY COURT.

ST. ASAPH.

RHYL.

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