THIS present number of our " QUARTERLY RECORD " is the last one of the first hundred years of the Society's history .sx Ere the next one is due the date will be passed on which , a century ago , the T.B.S. was founded .sx As we look back over the years that are gone , the words of the Psalmist come to mind , and we would ascribe to Him all the glory .sx He it was Who chose and called that company of Godly Evangelicals to make their historic protest for the truth of His Tri-une Godhead and for the sacredness of His Pure Word .sx And we , of this present generation , as we consider how He has maintained and preserve the Society ; how He has kept its witness clear and distinct , in those truths which were asserted at the first ; and how He has raised up a succession of those whom He has chosen , called , and equipped to carry on the work would say , as they would say with us were they here , " Not unto us , O Lord , not unto us , but unto Thy Name .sx " " For Thy Mercy .sx " God's mercy has its supreme manifestation in the salvation of His people by the Lord Jesus Christ , and it is continued in His care for and deliverance of His people , and in His condescension in deigning to use His redeemed ones in the setting forward of His further designs of mercy and grace , through the spreading of His Word of Truth .sx We praise Him for this as we " remember the days of old .sx " " For Thy Truth's Sake .sx " Again :sx His truth , or faithfulness is displayed in the fulfilment of all His promises .sx For a century He has supplied the needs of , and maintained , the Society ; and we may utterly depend on His faithfulness .sx Then , it was for the circulation of His Truth , contained in His Holy Word , that His honoured servants founded the Society :sx " For the truth's sake " ( 2 John ii) .sx Consistently that standard has been maintained down to the present time , and to Him all glory is due , Who has kept the Society in the old paths .sx Our Centenary .sx We would call the attention of our friends to the announcement of our Centenary Sermon , on the last page of the cover of this number .sx We have been favoured by the kind permission of the Rector of St. Dunstan's in the West , the Rev. Dr. A. J. Macdonald , for the sermon to be preached in his Church and by the promise of the Rev. Geo .sx W. Neatby to be the preacher .sx We ask our friends to remember our Centenary in their prayers , that the Lord may be pleased to bless and use the occasion to His glory .sx The friends of our Plymouth Auxiliary are arranging to celebrate our Centenary on Monday , December 7th .sx In the afternoon a sermon will ( D. V. ) be preached in Portland Chapel by Pastor Herbert J. Parker , of Bath , Hon .sx Secretary of our Bath Auxiliary ; and in the .sx evening a meeting will be held , simultaneously with our gathering in London , at which Pastor Parker will be the principal speaker .sx It would be fitting if friends in other places could also arrange to meet on this evening .sx Then , we would venture to suggest that on the preceding day , Sunday , December 6th , fitting reference might be made from the pulpits of our ministerial friends .sx Above all , we trust that the time will be one when we may draw near to God in humble thankfulness for His great goodness during these hundred years , and of trustful looking to Him for grace and guidance as we go forward to do His bidding , in making known His way upon earth , His saving health among all nations .sx We have a few copies of our Centenary Bible , handsomely bound in maroon Persian Morocco , for sale at 10s .sx 6d .sx per copy , and shall be pleased to communicate with any friends who would like to avail themselves of the opportunity of obtaining this memento of our Centenary year .sx Centenary Fund .sx We print below particulars of gifts received since our last number , and would heartily thank all our friends for their help .sx The times through which we are passing are almost unprecedented in their difficulty as regards finance , and we fear this has seriously affected the response to our appeal .sx We trust that , by God's blessing , we shall , however , be supplied with sufficient to go forward in His service , and that our Centenary Year will mark a distinct advance in our work .sx We would venture to appeal to our friends for all the help possible , and to request that all contributions to the Centenary Fund may be sent in before March 31st next , when we hope to close the fund .sx EDITORIAL NOTES AND NOTICES .sx ON Monday , December 7th last , we reached , through the goodness and mercy of our Covenant God , the end of the hundredth year of the Society's history , and we are now entering upon , not merely a New Year , but for the T.B.S. a New Century .sx How long it may please Him to leave us here to witness to His truth He alone knows , but we have the comforting assurance of His continual Presence .sx Last quarter we recalled the years that are gone , and reminded ourselves in the words of the first verse of Psalm cxv .sx that all the glory is due to the Lord Who chose and called , equipped and sent the founders of the Society , now over one hundred years ago , to go forward with the work .sx Now , as we enter our one hundred and first year , we again recall that .sx He " hath been mindful of us .sx " It is His arm that has sustained ; His wisdom that has guided .sx " He will bless us .sx " So , as we look forward to the years that are yet to be , as it may please Him , we have the certainty that " He will bless us .sx " " He will ever be mindful of His covenant " ( Psalm cxi .sx 5) .sx Small or great :sx Small with great :sx Jehovah will bless those who , by the blessing of the Holy Spirit fear the Lord .sx The blessed of the Lord .sx As we look around we see difficulties on every hand .sx The situation in the world seems to become more and more uncertain , but He reminds us " Ye are the blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth " ( verse 15 ) , " The earth is the Lord's " ( Psalm xxiv .sx 1 ) , and " The Lord reigneth .sx " May He give us grace , as we go forward , to continue in the things which we have learned and been assured of .sx Additions to our Library .sx We have received two interesting gifts for our Library during December .sx Mr. G. Taplin , junr .sx , of Tunbridge Wells , has presented us with a Hebrew Bible published .sx in Amsterdam in 1635 , and Mrs. H. Nott , of Beckenham , an Italian , Diodati , Bible , the revised edition , published in Geneva in 1641 .sx We are very grateful to both these kind donors .sx Reprint of our Spanish Bible .sx The last edition being quite exhausted , we are reprinting our Spanish Bible .sx This will cost , for an edition of 5,000 copies , about 500 .sx We are going forward with this in faith , and earnestly appeal to our friends to help us to give the whole Bible to the peoples of the Spanish speaking world .sx THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST ANNIVERSARY .sx IN the goodness of God we are again looking forward to our .sx Annual Sermons , to be held ( D.V. ) on Sunday , April 24th .sx Notices will , very shortly , be sent to the Brethren who have had fellowship with us in the work , and we trust that many will be able to render assistance by making reference , from their pulpits , to the work of the Society , and to the need of witnesses to the Inspiration and Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures .sx The Annual Meetings will ( D.V. ) be held on the following Tuesday , April 26th , at 4.0 p.m. and 7.0 p.m. , in the Caxton Hall .sx The afternoon meeting is devoted to a Bible Address , and in the evening a public meeting is held in the same place .sx Fuller particulars will be found on the back cover .sx Close of the Financial Year .sx Our financial year closes on the 31st March , and we shall be grateful if all our Subscribers will send in their contributions as early as possible in that month .sx Our Local Hon .sx Secretaries , also , will be glad if Auxiliary friends will send their subscriptions as early as convenient in the New Year , to enable them to make up the Auxiliary accounts and send up the monies to the Head Office before the end of March .sx May we also appeal to our friends , that all contributions to the Centenary Fund may be sent in before March 31st next .sx EDITORIAL NOTES AND NOTICES .sx THE questions in the first two of the above Scriptures were both asked at a time of difficulty .sx In the first , with reference to Moses' question in verse 22 , after the Lord had declared His purpose of giving " flesh " to His people ( verse 18) .sx It is a sad story of Israel's discontent and rebellion , but the challenge of verse 23 is needful for us to remember in these days .sx Is His hand shortened ?sx Shall His Word fail to come to pass ?sx Truly it is too dreadful to contemplate , that His redeemed children should entertain the thought for a moment , either with regard to His warnings of judgment ( verses 18-20 ) , or in any other connection as concerning Him .sx In Isaiah 1 .sx 2 the question is asked again by the Lord :sx " Is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem ?sx " In verse 2 the question implies that Israel are His people His children and even their sin cannot alter nor destroy that relationship .sx They may be they will be punished for their sins , but He is still exercised on their behalf , and there is no defect on His side .sx Then in Isaiah lix .sx 1 .sx A plain declaration , " The Lord's hand is not shortened .sx " Good it is to remember in these difficult days that His hand is not shortened .sx The warning of verse 2 is needful for the Lord's people .sx May He give us grace to pray the prayer of' David :sx " Search me , O God , and know my heart :sx try me , and know my thoughts :sx And see if there be any wicked way in me , and lead me in the way everlasting " ( Psalm cxxxix .sx 23-24) .sx Then let us go forward in His service .sx His purpose cannot fail .sx His ways of working are oft-times different from what we have imagined .sx Over and over again , we have to re-adjust our plans according to His directions .sx Our resources may seem to be over-taxed , as we regard the immensity of the task before us ; but His resources are infinite , and so may we look to Him , that day by day we may be working in all things " according to the pattern .sx " Spanish Bible .sx The reprint of our Spanish Bible is now ready , and we have already commenced to circulate it .sx As mentioned in our January number , this is costing upwards of 500 , and we shall be very grateful for special gifts for this object .sx IT is not a little thing that this Society has existed a hundred years without change .sx General things in the country and in the world , and alas !sx in the so-called Church , receive continual change .sx But as there is no change in vital religion , no change in respect of the Scripture , it is a matter of thankfulness that this Society has continued to circulate abroad the authorised version of the Scripture .sx May it please God to grant that while this dispensation lasts this Society may continue and prosper by His smile .sx I want to say a few things about the inspiration of the Scriptures .sx There are various theories concerning that .sx The opposers of it speak of it as " traditional .sx " Well , we should thank God that it is traditional that is to say , that it has been handed down to us from the day when God commenced to inspire it , and to the day when the canon of Scripture was completed from the writings of men who were called " the fathers .sx " And so we are , or should be , thankful , for the traditional Scriptures .sx