84 



THE REV. JOHN SHARP, M.A., ON THE LAST 



manifest in all the world? "The circulation of a hundred 

 thousand copies of a popular novel is considered phenomenal."* 

 But in a year the British and Foreign Bible Society by itself 

 can now put into circulation, and that mainly by sales, over 

 six million copies of the Bible or parts thereof. In a century 

 its issues of Scripture exceeded one hundred and eighty-six 

 and a half million copies in three hundred and seventy -eight 

 languages and dialects. Where has there been any parallel to 

 this in respect of any other writings in the world's history ? 



V. The ivitness hence arising as to its truthfulness 

 respecting Christ. 



A fifth noticeable fact is being built up by the multiplying 

 translations and an ever-increasing circulation. It is a witness 

 to the truth of the Bible's claim that Jesus of Nazareth was 

 not a mere Galilean peasant. The Gospels of St. Matthew,t 

 St. Mark,+ and St. John,§ with some variety of detail, tell the 

 story of Mary of Bethany, who, a few nights before the 

 crucifixion, anointed the body of Jesus with costly ointment. 

 In recognition of her loving sympathy, He uttered the pre- 

 diction which St. Mark gives us thus : — " Verily I say unto you, 

 wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the 

 whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for 

 a memorial of her." Nearly 1900 years have since gone by, 

 and this prediction is being fulfilled to the letter more and 

 more widely every year through the circulation of the Scriptures. 

 Tor instance, out of the 424 languages in which translations of 

 more or less of the Bible have been issued by the British and 

 Foreign Bible Society only in about the odd twenty-four does 

 there not as yet exist one at least of the three Gospels that tell 

 us of Mary's act. Could the author of that promise to her be 

 only a Man ? Can the ancient writings that report it be 

 ordinary story-books ? 



YI. Self-sacrifice for the Booh 



The nineteenth century furnished very many fresh examples 

 of self-sacrificing devotion to the Bible. A single Bible Society 

 — the British and Foreign — received within that century 

 •thirteen millions sterling from lovers of that Book. A large 



The Witness of the Bible Society, by the Rev. J. H. Ritson, p. 7. 

 t Chap, xxvi, 6-13. I Chap, xiv, 3-9. § Chap, xii, 1-8. 



