Bible Helps History
* * * * * 49 YEARS OF PUBLISHING THE GOSPEL * * * * *
A History of: BIBLE HELPS (as of 1992)
PO BOX 391
HANOVER PA 17331
"And the gospel must first be published among all nations" (Mark 13:10).
The ministry of Bible Helps began in 1950, when a group of
concerned members of the Church of the Brethren, including G.
Howard Danner, Samuel M. Lehigh, David W. Lehigh, and Amos Lehigh
decided to make available a Bible-teaching, Gospel message from a
conservative viewpoint, in printed form. The first publication
consisted of several articles written by various contributors,
and ensuing issues were sent out once a month. In 1950, about
1,000 pieces were printed, and the distribution was limited to a
few states. This later evolved into a publication with one
featured article in each issue, written by one writer, and was
sent out every other month. Brother Harold S. Martin became
involved, and did a large majority of the writing for Bible
Helps. The growth of Bible Helps was largely effected by "word-
of-mouth" advertising.
Today, copies of Bible Helps tracts and booklets are mailed
regularly into all fifty states, to people representing a wide
variety of churches. The income of Bible Helps is entirely
through financial gifts and donations from individuals and
churches who sympathize with our purpose. We sincerely
appreciate the concern of those who have shared in the work and
vision of Bible Helps.
Bible Helps received its first letter from an overseas
country in the year 1960. It was from a pastor in the
Philippines who had learned of us through another tract society.
While we have not yet received letters from all of the more than
165 nations on earth, the number of inquiries from people living
outside the USA has increased. Until now, Bible Helps has
received letters from people in over 100 countries requesting
literature.
The purpose of the Bible Helps ministry today remains the
same as it did in 1950: To get a Gospel Message into the homes
of those who desire to receive the literature, at least six times
a year. From the 1,000 copies printed in 1950, to the over
7,500,000 pieces printed in 1991, the objectives continue to be:
to win souls for Christ, to nurture and strengthen Christians,
and to encourage weary persons. (The 7,500,000 pieces printed in
1991 add up to about 430 miles of paper that have gone through
the printing press and folding machine.)
We all like to receive letters! For several years, we at
Bible Helps have been receiving about 600 or 700 letters each
month. But during February of 1990, we received over 2,000
letters. Then in October and November, the totals were over
3,000 letters received each month. This calls for much greater
efficiency in handling the mail and orders that come in.
A sense of fulfillment of our mission is felt when reading
the hundreds of letters that arrive in our post office box each
week. It is for these people, and for thousands of others, both
in the United States and across the world -- who hunger and
thirst after righteousness, that Bible Helps continues to publish
the Gospel tracts and booklets.
A sample packet of Bible Helps tracts and booklets is
available free of charge by writing to:
BIBLE HELPS
PO BOX 391
HANOVER PA 17331
1995 UPDATE . . .
* * * 45 YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS * * *
Since September of 1950, more than one hundred million Bible
Helps tracts and booklets have been published. Bible Helps
continues to faithfully and steadily publish the Gospel Message.
My father (Amos Lehigh) often said, "One drop of ink can make
1,000 people think." And since we can print an average of 120,000
tracts from one five-pound can of ink, that saying really is
true!
Can you grasp the vision of reaching the world for Christ?
Of course, not everybody will answer the call to accept Christ as
Savior. But we are mandated by the New Testament teachings to
publish the Gospel, so that all the world may at least have an
opportunity to either accept or reject the blood of Jesus Christ
as atonement for their sins. We affirm the necessity and
importance of other types of mission outreach, and are happy to
be a part of the spreading of the Gospel Message.
While 100,000,000 tracts seems like a lot for a small tract-
publishing company like Bible Helps, when we consider that the
population of the earth is something over 5 billion, we realize
that the job isn't nearly finished yet. There is plenty of work
left to do. "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are
few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would
send forth labourers into his harvest" (Luke 10:2).
Ask for our sample packet of Bible Helps.
Telephone: 717-632-0015
Fax: 717-632-6823
Postal Address:
P.O. Box 391
Hanover, PA 17331 U.S.A.
Email: Contact Us
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