BIBLES IN ROOMS
OF EVERY HOTEL.
IMMENSE TASK OUTLINED BY
THE SOCIETY OF GIDEONS.
START WAS MADE LAST NIGHT.
SUPPORTERS OF THE MOVE ARE
TRAVELING MEN.
C. T. Bowers Explained at Grand
Avenue M. E. Church That the
Good Book Will Be a Solace
to Troubled Men.
An organized movement to place a Bible in the rooms of every hotel in the United States was formulated last night at a meeting of the "Gideons," an organization of Christian traveling men, at the Grand Avenue Methodist church. C. T. Bowers of Lincoln, Neb., national field secretary of the "Gideons," reviewed the history of the society since its organization, July 1, 1999, and explained to a deeply interested audience the plan to supply Bibles for the use of guests, in the hotels throughout the country.
"Of the 600,000 and more traveling men in this country," said Mr. Bowers, "3,000 only are 'Gideons,' and yet it is the largest mission effort ever organized that does its work at its own expense, and asks no help from the churches. We have begun this crusade to place Bibles in the hotels throughout the country, in the interest of those who might, if given the opportunity, be led by these simple means to turn from a life of unhappiness to one of usefulness. Many a young man and young woman, tempted almost beyond their strength, far from home and Christian influences might have been saved at a crucial moment, had there been an opportunity given to read the living words of truth, from the Book of God."
GIDEON WAS A WARRIOR.
The organization took its name from the youthful Hebrew warrior, "Gideon," who, as the Bible relates, attacked, with an inferior force, the powerful Midianite army and put them to rout. The soldiers of "Gideon" were provided with pitchers and trumpets. When the attack was made, they broke the pitchers and blew the trumpets, thus adding to the terror and confusion of the enemy. When the question of choosing a name for the organization which was to fight against the powerful forces of evil was brought up, they decided upon the name "Gideon." A button, emblematical of the name, is worn by each member of the organization. The emblem is a white pitcher on a field of blue.
"I believe that much of the success which has crowned our efforts has been due to the little button we wear," said Mr. Bowers. "If you sit down near a traveling man and engage in a conversation with him he is almost certain to ask the meaning of the emblem you wear. A white pitcher on a field of blue. To the man zealous in the work of his Master, this is sufficient opening to tell of the Christian life and the effort being made for the good of mankind in general and traveling men in particular.
"We realize the magnitude of the work we have undertaken. There are many, many persons anxious to learn more of Christianity and they must learn it through human instrumentality."
Speaking of the vast expense of placing Bibles in the hotels of the country, Mr. Bowers said:
"We are not asking for outside aid. The traveling men of this country will find a means of surmounting the difficulties which face them in this work. We may be compelled to go slowly and equip one city at a time, but rest assured that we have begun and we will finish; and the time is not far distant when a young man or woman, tired and discouraged by the vicissitudes of the day, instead of going to their room in the hotel to sit and brood over their troubles, will be enabled to gain strength and courage from the Bible, placed in their room through the efforts of the 'Gideons.' "
