Page:Robert Carter- his life and work. 1807-1889 (IA robertcarterhis00coch).pdf/160

 CHAPTER VI.

very dear to Mr. Carter’s heart was that of the Bible Society. He writes in 1884: “In 1856 I was elected a manager of the American Bible Society, and shortly after a member of the Committee of Publication. It was my great delight to meet with the noble men who constituted the Board of the Society at that time. Most of them were silver-headed and prominent men. Governor Bradish was President of the Society, and was a most graceful presiding officer. James Lenox, Dr. Allen, President of the Girard College, and Dr. S. Wells Williams, have since occupied that position. The work of the Society has greatly increased, Its issues amount to a million and a half volumes annually. I have been on the Committee of Publication for twenty-eight years, and there has not been the slightest friction among us. One after another has passed away, and now I am alone. A new generation has occupied the place of those who sat with me when I first entered. And now my work is nearly done.”

In 1878 he was made one of the Vice-Presidents. He was regular in his attendance at the meetings of his committee, until the very last months of his life. It was often remarked by him, with great pleasure, that there were as many Bibles printed in three years of the present decade as were made in the first eighteen centuries of the Christian era.