HOW many of our readers have read the Bible thru once, twice, three times or more? It is not a large book. The one before us as we write has 1,207 pages, good, large-face bourgeois type, and many almost blank pages at the end of books. To read that thru in a year one would have to read a little over three and one-third pages a day. Another Bible we have with minion type has 806 pages, less than two and one-fourth pages a day. It takes about fifteen minutes of careful reading to cover the three pages required. Fifteen minutes a day will read the Bible thru in one year. Who is there that can not devote fifteen or twenty minutes a day to Bible reading? Who is it that can not give an amount of time equal to four days of the 365 a year in becoming acquainted with the Book of life, the word of the living God?
There are many, many Christians who have never read the Bible thru. They do not know its treasures. If a mansion were given them do you think they would wait year after year and not enter all its rooms and explore its treasures? If one room were locked, there would be no rest of curiosity or desire till it was opened and its secrets laid bare. The Bible is a great mansion with many rooms, but accessible to all who will take a little time to visit them.
How many will join with us in reading the Bible thru the next year?
How many will join our Bible Band?
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is organizing a Bible Band of those who will agree to read the Bible thru in one year. How many will journey with us thru the great treasure-house?
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES will ask its Bible Band members to do the following:
1. To sign a card with name and address, agreeing by the Lord's help to read the Bible thru in the year 1908, and to forward that card to us. The card list of names will not be given away, sold, or in anywise made public.
2. To pay ten cents for the card, in order to defray the expense of conducting and directing the reading.
3. If a reply is requested by letter, a two-cent stamp should be enclosed.
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES on its part will agree to—
1. Arrange and direct the reading for the year.
2. Give the date of writing and authorship of each book as we reach it, together with brief analysis of lessons to be read from week to week.
3. It will give first place to proper questions from the Band members in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
4. It will answer all questions it is able to answer by letter if a two-cent stamp is enclosed.
In short, it will give especial attention to helping its Bible Band readers.
To Those Outside the Band.
The SIGNS will answer all questions by letter if ten cents is enclosed, in either stamps or coin.
It will answer all proper questions in the paper if a two-cent stamp is enclosed.
Is it unreasonable that the SIGNS should ask this?
It does not seem so to us. If we received a few letters only, it would be little trouble or expense to answer them. But we often receive more letters of inquiry in a day now than we did in six months a few years ago. About one-half of these letters must be answered thru the mail. This takes much time. Sometimes to answer the inquiries in the letter means hours and days of research, and the consulting of many volumes. Sometimes it means the writing of other letters; and such a department as our Question Page necessitates a good library. Frequently a letter will come to us asking a question or several questions demanding a reply, with not so much as a stamp or a postal card enclosed. Sometimes the questions are asked on a postal card.
We are sure that our readers will see the reasonableness and justice of our request. It is not to our personal gain that we are asking this. We, as editors, will be no richer, tho we expect it will add to our work. But we do feel that the paper ought to be relieved in part from its great burden of postage and expense, don't you?—We know you do.
We hope to make our Bible Band a school for all who enter it of great profit in the life which now is and in that which is to come.
Will you join? Wherever we have mentioned it, people are enthusiastic. One minister, Elder E. S. Ballenger, writes us that there are 500 in Southern California who have already promised to read the Bible thru in a year.
The SIGNS Bible Band will begin with the year 1908. We believe it will be easier to keep together and keep track of time to begin with the year. We will need the little time between now and the middle of December to get started.
In the meantime our Question Department will continue the same as ever.
Next week we will print a copy of the card we will use for our members.
Who will be the first to ask for an application blank?