“From my time in the services, there are many, many men and women who reached for the Bible in times of trial. It is not the cliché of ‘no atheists in a foxhole’; rather, it is a search for meaning.”

Governor Hurley officially launched Bible Society’s ‘Their Sacrifice’ campaign at Government House on Monday 9 March.

Governor Hurley served 42 years in the Australian Army, and as Chief of the Defence Force from 2011 to 2014. On Monday night, he launched Bible Society Australia’s Their Sacrifice campaign at Government House in Sydney.

The travelling exhibition and website highlights the comforting presence of the Bible in times of conflict and is part of commemorations of the Gallipoli centenary.

“There has been a continuing tradition of providing the Bible to all who want and need to hear the Scripture’s message,” said Governor Hurley who saw active service in Somalia in 1993 during Operation SOLACE, a United Nations peacekeeping task force during Somalia’s civil war. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership during that operation.

On Monday night Governor Hurley drew attention to the connection between Government House and the Bible Society, saying it was a building and an office that has “had a long history with Bible Society”. In 1817, Governor Macquarie signed the original charter of the Bible Society as its first Patron.

“As we come to the 100 year celebration of the ANZACs, the Bible Society has rightly decided to highlight the role of the Bible at Gallipoli. It is good to have these two organisations [Government House and the Bible Society] interact again,” said the Governor.

“From my time in the services, there are many, many men and women who reached for the Bible in times of trial. It is not the cliché of ‘no atheists in a foxhole’; rather, it is a search for meaning.”

From the Their Sacrifice campaign, Governor Hurley shared a quote from the story of Alan Broadribb, who served as a horse driver in the western trenches of World War II.

“[In hospital] I would try and get up and sit with men who had lost their limbs or eyes or their mind. I read to them from the little Bible Society Bible when I could… I prayed for my horses all the time I was sick. I never found out what happened to them. They, like all of us, are in the hands of God,” the story reads.

“The message from Broadribb, and many others in the Services, will centre our minds on what the Scriptures meant to them,” said Governor Hurley.

Bible Society Australia’s CEO Dr Greg Clarke thanked the Governor for his support of the Their Sacrifice campaign, saying the development of the campaign has been an encouraging and sobering time for Bible Society.

“We continue to learn what kinds of sacrifice, what depths of suffering and what gifts of love have been experienced and given to us by those serving us and our nation,” said Dr Clarke.

As Australia prepares to commemorate 100 years since the Gallipoli campaign in April 2015, Dr Clarke says many will be thinking about what it means to lay down your life.

“So many Australians will hear the words of the Gospel of John from the Bible this year – ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’. But so many won’t know that it came from the Bible.

“Bible Society hopes not just to provide the Scriptures to people but to show that it’s worth opening.”

The Bible Society Chairman, Mr Richard Grellman AM, presented Governor Hurley and his wife, Mrs Linda Hurley, with the first copy of Bible Society’s Gallipoli Centenary Bible. Mr Grellman also announced that Governor Hurley has granted Vice-Regal Patronage to Bible Society Australia, an historically apt connection in light of its coming bicentenary year in 2017.

Governor Hurley accepting the first copy of the Gallipoli Centenary Bible, a special edition Bible produced by Bible Society.

The Centenary Bible is expected to travel to Gallipoli as part of the official Centenary commemoration services in Turkey, travelling with the famed ‘Bullet in the Bible’, the subject of another of the stories told in the Their Sacrifice campaign.

The ‘Bullet in the Bible’ belonged to Lance Corporal Elvas Jenkins, who was shot while fighting at Gallipoli. The Bible in his front shirt pocket protected him that day – pages of the Gospels stopped the bullet from piercing Jenkins’ heart. The bullet is still housed in those pages today. The Bible will be on display as part of the Their Sacrifice campaign travelling exhibition later this year.

“I am delighted to take part in the launch of what many will consider to be a ground-breaking exhibition,” said Governor Hurley.

The Governor and Mrs Hurley mingled with guests, many long-time supporters of Bible Society and those who’ve volunteered their time and personal stories to the Their Sacrifice campaign.

Mrs Hurley, who has a passion for singing and is Patron of the Australian Military Wives Choir, reminded a group of guests that the act of singing, in Christian circles, has traditionally been a symbol of unity in Christ. It was an act not forgotten by many servicemen and women on active deployment.

Hymns were sung in church services at Gallipoli, and across the Western Front in World War I and other conflicts, and the lyrics of some of those hymns have been included in a Their Sacrifice book of stories, hymns, psalm
s and poems. The book complements the travelling exhibition and tells the stories of the brave and their Bibles across the breadth of Australia’s involvement in war and conflict.

“So too, then, a reception of many Christians at Government House would not be complete without hymns” said Mrs Hurley, after official launch duties were over.

In a quiet corner of the Government House garden, on the steps outside the grand residence, Mrs Hurley led a small group in song, first Amazing Grace then How Great Thou Art and Majesty: 

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come / ‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.