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PRINTING.-The following are still in press:
Ancient Armenian Bible, 8vo, an edition of
Armeno-Turkish Ref. Bible, 8vo, an edition of

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64 Testament, 32mo, an edition of . 5,000 The following were completed during the year 1891 :

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10,925 10,603 32,363 53,891

Taken from sheets and bound DISTRIBUTION.—The reorganization of the work begun in 1890, has now been quite fully accomplished. The Agency, in addition to its sales to other societies or agencies, effects its distribution work by two different lines of effort, viz.: [1] by its correspondents, who are mainly missionaries, and [2] by its own colporteurs, under the direction of the District Superintendents. Before proceeding with the review of these two lines of work, we give some tables in regard to the issues of the year.

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From the consignment account the sales reported cover a period of only about ten months, and are as follows: Bibles, 2,330; Testaments, 4,202; Portions, 7,246; total, 13,778.

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The total issues of the Levant Agency for the thirty-four years ending December 31st, 1891, amount to 1,242,316 copies.

DISTRIBUTION WORK OF CORRESPONDENTS.

Extracts from Their Letters.

Sistova. Prof. Mindo G. Wulcheff, Secretary of the Bulgarian Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church:

Bible selling has been given a new impulse by the introduction of the new Bulgarian Bible; especially is this noticeable in Western Bulgaria, where the sale of Bibles was proportionately small at other times. One of the colporteurs who visited Plevna, writes that the sale of Bibles is greater there than in any other town in Western Bulgaria. Even the school commissioners for that country bought several portions of Scripture. The new Bible has been introduced into the government school in this city as a text book in Bible history. Another colporteur writes that the Mayor of Bourgas not only bought Bibles, but was encouraging others to do so. In one place he was greatly hindered by the chief of police, but in spite of his opposition the people bought Bibles and expressed open displeasure at the action of the official.

Sophia. From the Agent of the Bulgarian Evangelical Society:

I receive good reports from many places in regard to the influence of the new small Bible. The people are eagerly inquiring for it. They are buying it everywhere, and reading it with the same interest they would read a new book. They acknowledge that the American Bible Society has done a good thing for the Bulgarian nation. I believe the time is not far off when the people will praise God for the good seed sown in Bulgaria.

Philippopolis.-Rev. G. D. Marsh, Bulgarian Mission of the American Board:

The work in our region the past year deepens my conviction that our men are learning how to cultivate the field. The pocket edition of the Bulgarian Bible has helped us greatly, in these hard times, to keep up our circulation to the ordinary work-and we are glad to have much surpassed that. Our sales of Scriptures in 1891 were almost fifty per cent. more than in 1890, and they are considerably more than fifty per cent. above those of 1889. In the latter part of October, I made a tour with one of my colporteurs in the special interests of the Bible work. We struck right into the heart of the Rhodope Mountains, south of Philippopolis, and passed over into Turkish territory. We went to a number of towns and villages which no missionary had ever visited, and where a colporteur is rarely seen. Almost everywhere we went we met a cordial reception. We had encouraging sales on the whole tour. And best of all, in every village the people assured us that many families had the Scriptures in their homes, and that our books and papers are in quite general circulation and very favorably received. It is still evident at points all through our region, that the clergy are under orders from headquarters to disfavor the circulation of Scriptures and mission books by the colporteurs. But there are also many indications that the clergy, as well as others, know that this is a most shortsighted and suicidal policy. Many affairs will right themselves as we keep straight on in our work. In our region we are trying to impress upon every Christian the sense of his duty to help

circulate the word of God among the people. In a town near us one of the pastors has taken hold of this work in earnest. He takes books with him when he goes to the market or to call. They give him a splendid opportunity for religious and profitable conversations on: every hand. For the first forty days after the new Bible appeared, I think he averaged the sale of one a day. The work of the Bible depository in this city seems to me to be increasingly satisfactory. It is becoming more widely known in all the region.

Samokov.-Rev. J. F. Clarke, Bulgarian Mission of the American

Board:

The work of the three colporteurs has gone on with good results, although they have met with no striking experiences. The one working in Bulgaria has continued to visit all places, large and small, in his field. He thus gives to all the opportunity to procure for themselves the word of God. He has met with little opposition except from the priests. The ecclesiastical head at Dubnitsa has sent to those under him to oppose the circulation of Protestant books, but the consciences of the people are with the truth, and there has been great freedom in selling the Scriptures and preaching the gospel. His sales are small, but he is getting a hold upon many teachers and priests. One young priest, who felt his responsibility to teach the word of God, purchased the Bible Dictionary and Harmony of the Gospels, and afterward met the colporteur with great cordiality, desiring to know how better to teach his people. In Macedonia, there is an increasing confidence in the colporteurs and a readiness to hear Christian truth. The repeated visits of colporteurs in all this field are changing the views of the people with reference to the Bible, and they are now oftener ready to examine for themselves when Christian truth is brought before them. This is a great change from the indifference and opposition existing almost everywhere a few years ago. In some places the word of God is taking hold where the colporteur cannot go. A priest in a village became so convinced by reading the gospel, that he began to preach evangelical truth to his people. His bishop repeatedly ordered him to cease, but he continued his teachings. He was confined in a neighboring monastery for a time, but escaped only to be re-taken to the same place. This occurred last autumn. The new Bible has been warmly welcomed, especially by members of the Protestant community. The first copies sent to Razlog reached that district during a conference of the churches at Banya. The glistening eyes of the circle of young friends which gathered about that first copy, I shall not soon forget. One Bible worker clasped it in her hands, and for a long time held it as a treasure above price. A military commander in Sophia purchased in the bookstore one of the better bound copies and, holding it up before a number of under officers who were gathered there, said with seriousness, "See what a valuable New Year's present we have." Though the sales of Scriptures in our field are not large, the influence of the truth is widening and deepening. We hope for greater sales, but more for a greater blessing on the sowing.

Broosa.-Rev. L. S. Crawford, Western Turkey Mission of the American Board:

The work of our bookstore goes on quietly without any opposition, and seemingly without much encouragement from outside. It is quite as important for the surrounding villages as for Broosa, as it serves as a central depot, from which our preachers and teachers away up in the mountains and off in the interior, order the books they need for their schools, and for sale and distribution in their outlying villages. We are glad to report that the teacher of the Greek high school has established this year (in place of the formerly used text book, viz., parts of Scripture with commentaries) the study of the New Testament, and translation of the same from ancient into modern Greek. A very amusing incident is connected with this. The boys of the school were afraid to buy these New Testaments from our bookseller, fearing there was some Protestant poison in them. Their own bookseller, however, did not have any on hand, but he promised the boys that he would order some for them. Before writing to Constantinople he went to our depository, and found thirty copies of the Prototypa― the very thing he wanted. These he sold to the boys at two piasters a piece more than our man would have charged for them. Fanaticism does cost something sometimes. The study of the Bible is having an influence down in old Adramittium, and when Petros and myself were there in October, we found a little circle of brethren who were studying and trying to live in accordance with the simple truths of the pure gospel. They knew almost nothing of Protestantism, and yet they had met with a great deal of annoyance and petty persecution, which makes evident the fact that the Greek Church does not want its adherents to study the Scriptures. I want to say that we believe more and more in Bible work, and that we are doing what we can to excite the people to Bible study. May God bless the good work.

Van.-Rev. F. D. Greene, Eastern Turkey Mission of the American

Board:

While I have not felt justified in making sudden changes during this, my first year, I have nevertheless been carefully studying the problems connected with the work, and at the same time have been trying to stir up the colporteurs to better results. That some gain has been made, even under the old system, is seen from the fact that the Scripture sales this year have been 1,718 piasters, against 1,240 piasters last year. It does not seem worth while to spend much time ou certain wild and inhospitable villages of this region. I am intending to have the colporteur spend most of his time in Van and the large surrounding villages, where he will find less opposition and danger, and a better market. Whenever it may seem wise for him to go to the wilder places, I can find him a temporary assistant, as without a companion it would be impossible for him to visit these places. It is my confident expectation that the work, as planned for the coming year, will result not simply in greatly reduced expense, but also in increased sales and better spiritual results.

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