What always struck me in my young days as very convincing proof of the Bible were the reports of the British and Foreign Bible Society. They told of the Scriptures being translated into very many languages, now over a thousand, either in whole or in part. Behind the cold print think what that means. Think of thousands of missionaries through its influence leaving all the com-forts of home and the amenities of civilization in order to carry the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Think of all the laborious toil involved in mastering strange languages, and then reducing hitherto unknown languages to writing in order that the Word of God with its saving message may be read by the men and women among whom they labor.
Consider the thousands of devoted colporteurs through the influence of the Bible thinking it worth while to spend their lives in carrying the Word of God to the remotest parts of the globe. Steamers, railways, motors, airplanes, lorries, barges, carriages, camels, horses, mules, asses—all are requisitioned to the task. Traversing oceans and seas; crossing mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes; pushing their way through dense forests; traveling in the tropics under a burning sun, or in the arctic regions of perpetual winter, the Word of God travels on its con-quering round.
All sorts and conditions of men come under its influence. It makes its conquests in palace and hovel alike. King Alfred the Great and John Bunyan, the tinker; Sir J. Y. Simpson, the discoverer of the use of chloroform in operations, and Mary, the poacher's wife; Prince Dhuleep Singh, one of India's richest rajahs, and many an untouchable on India's torrid plains; men of high degree and of lowly birth; men, whose skin is white or brown or black—all come under the mighty influence of the Book of books. No other book in the world can boast of an influence like this.
It is no idle boast that the Bible makes when we read, "The Word of God is quick [living] and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)). It is living. It is powerful. It is the only living book in the world. Any books that are in any degree living are so because they present the truths of the Bible. They are like little tiny rivulets issuing forth from the mighty river of God's Word. They are like tiny tapers lit from the sun of God's revelation to man No wonder the Christian poet wrote:
"Oh! for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise;
The glories of my God and King,
The triumph of His grace"
If Charles Wesley were alive now, he would rejoice to know that the Bible has been translated in full or in part into over one thousand languages and dialects, and that a thousand tongues all over the world are singing the great Redeemer's praise.