^ sec 111,-071 First annual report of the American Bible Union AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. FIRST OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION, PRESENTED OCTOBER 3, 1850, IN THE MEETING HOUSE OF THE TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH, MULBERRY STREET,4ftI»«l»lW*K, .CITY, ~ WITH THE \, CONSTITUTION, MINUTES 'oF THE ANNUAL MEETING, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. TOGETHEK WITH A LIST OF BOOKS, LIFE DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS. PRINTED FOR THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION, BY HOLMAN & GRAY, 90 FULTON STREET. 1850. 1 >. «r/- AMERICAN BIBLE UNIOBR. V*V '''' FIRST %-.' ■ AMERICAN BIBLE UNION PRESENTED OCTOBER 3, 1850, IN THE MEETING HOUSE OF THE TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH, MULBERRY STREET, NEW YORK CITY, WITH THE CONSTITUTION, MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF BOOKS, LIFE DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS. PRINTED FOR THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION, BT HOLMAN & GRAY, 146 WILLIAM STBEET. 1850. CONTENTS PAGE CONSTITUTION 3 OFFICERS AND MANAGERS 6 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION 7 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 18 LIFE DIRECTORS 31 LIFE MEMBERS 31 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS 32 LIFE DIRECTORSHIPS— TO BE CONSTITUTED, ETC 32 LIFE;MEMBERSHIPS— TO BE CONSTITUTED, ETC , 32 LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS 34 THE LIBRARY 36 BIBLICAL LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION 37 MEETING OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, ETC 42 APPENDIX. ADDRESS OF REV, STEPHEN REMINGTON 1 ADDRESS OF REV. JAMES BELCHER 4 ADDRESS OF REV. GEO. W. EATON, D.D 6 ADDRESS OF ELDER ALEX. CAMPBELL 14 LETTER FROM REV. WU. NORTON TO DR. CONE 43 LETTER FROM REV. CHARLES STOVEL TO THE AM. BIBLE UNION 51 LETTER FROM DR. MACLAY 61 CONSTITUTION Art. I. The Association under this Constitution shall bo called The American Bible Union. Art. II. Its object shall be to procure and circulate the most faithful versions of the Sacred Scriptures in all languages throughout the world. Art. III. It shall be composed of annual messengers, life members, and life du-ectors. Annual messengers may be sent by churches, or any other cooperative bodies, on the payment of ten dollars into the treasury of the Union ; and they shaU have all the privileges and powers of membership un- der this Constitution for one year. Life members shall be constituted such by the payment of thirty dollars, and shall be entitled to speak and vote in all the meetings of the Union, subject only to this Constitution, and such rules of order as the Union shall adopt. I ^'e directors shall be constituted such by the payment o*" one hundred dollars, and in addition to the rights of membership, shall be entitled to seats in the Board, with all the privileges of managers except that of voting. The managers shall have the power of appointing such persons as may have re-.i lercd essential services to the Union, either members for life or directors for life. Art. IV. The Union shall meet annually to celebrate its Anniversary, to hear the Reports of its Board and Treasurer, elect its officers and mana- gers for the ensuing year, and to transact any other business that may come before it, connected with its legitimate object. The annual meeting shall be held in the city of New York on the fii'st Thursday of October, unless other- wise authorized by the Union. Art. V. A special meeting of the Union may be called at any time by the President, at the request of the Board, provided that a notice of the same shall be pubUshed at least six weeks previous to the meeting. Art. VI. The oflScors of the Union shall be a President, two or more Vice Presidents, a Corresponding Secrctaiy, a Recording Secretary, a Trea- surer, and an Auditor. „ 4 CONSTITUTION. Art. VII. The Executive Board of the Union shall consist of twenty- four managers ; together with the officers of the Union, (who shall be ex- officio members of the Board,) excepting the Vice Presidents. The mana- gers shall be divided into three equal classes, of which, at the organization of the Union, the first shall be chosen for one year, the second for two years, and the third for three years ; and at each subsequent election eight mana- gers shall be chosen for the term of three years. Art. VIII. The officers and managers shaU be chosen at the annual meeting of the Union by a majority of members present, and shall continue to discharge the duties assigned to them respectively, until superseded by a new election ; provided that the Board have power to fill aU vacancies, occa- sioned by the death or resignation of officers or managers, when the Union is not in session. Art. IX. It shall be the duty of the President to preside in all the meet- ings of the Union and of the Board ; and to perform such other duties as devolve upon him by the provisions of this Constitution. In case of the President's inability, or at his request, one of the Vice Presidents shall per- form the duties of his office. Art. X. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to conduct the correspondence of the Union, under the direction of the Board ; keeping a copy of uis official correspondence at all times accessible to the managers. He shall also prepare the Annual Report, and perform such other duties as may be connected with his office by the provisions- of this Constitution. Art. XL It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep a re- cord of all the meetings of the Union, and the doings of the Board, accessi- ble at all times to the managers ; and to furnish the Corresponding Secretary with a copy of such as may be needed in making out the Annual Report. He shall perform any other writing connected with his office that may be required by the Board. Art. XII. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep the moneys of the Union, and disburse them only upon the order of the Board, certified by the Recording Secretary. He shall report at every regular meeting of the Board on the state of the treasury, and present to the Union, at its annual meeting, a Report of all the receipts and expenditures of the year, duly cer- tified accorr'ing to the provisions of this Constitution. His account shaU be at aU times open to the inspection of the Auchtor. Art. XIII. It shall be the duty of the Auditor to examine the Treasur- er's account at the close of each financial year, and in case he finds it cor- rect, to certify the same to the Union, in connexion with the Treasurer's Annual Report. He shall also examine and certify the same, at any other time, at the request of the Board. CONSTITUTION. 5 Art. XIV. The Board shall meet monthly, or oftener if necessary, at such time and place as shaU be designated by previous adjournment. And in case no such designation is made by the Board, the time and place of meeting shall be fixed by the President, with the concurrence of five man- agers. A special meeting of the Board may be called by the President at the request of six managers, provided ar written notice of the same is sent to each manager at least three days previous to the meeting. A majority of all shall be requisite to constitute a quorum. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the President and Recording Secretary. Art. XV. The Board shall have power to employ agents, translators, and colporteurs ; to fix the compensation of all the salaried officers of the Union ; and to take such measures as they shall deem necessary in making known the character and claims of the Union ; in the collection of funds ; in obtaining the most faithful versions of the Holy Scriptures in every lan- guage ; and in distributing them throughout all lands, — subject always to the provisions of this Constitution, and to the special instructions of the Union. Art. XVI. The Board shall report through the Corresponding Secre- tary, at the annual meeting ; giving an account of their operations during the year, and embracing such other matters of interest as they may think proper and important to lay before the Union. Art. XVn. The Board shall make such provision and arrangements for the Anniversary as they deem best calculated to promote the interest of the Union ; and cause the same to be pubhshed at least one month previous to the meeting. Art. XVIII. All moneys or other property given for specified objects, shall be appropriated according to the will of the donors, provided such an application shall not be contrary to this Constitution, nor to the object or special instructions of the Union ; in which case they shall be returned to the donors, or to their lawful agents. Art. XIX. The Union and the Board shall each have power to adopt such By-Laws, or Rules of Order, as may be necessary for the regulation of their own proceedings, provided they do not con^ct with any part or prin- ciple of this Constitution. Art. XX. This Constitution may be altered by two-thhds of the mem- bers present at any annual meeting of the Union ; provided only that no al- teration shall be made in the Second Article, which defines the object of the Union, without a unanimous vote, and one year's previous notice. OFFICERS AND MANAGERS. PRESIDENT. REV. SPENCER H. CONE, D.D. VICE-PRESIDENTS. Rev. a. Maclat, D.D,, New York. Rev. G. W. Eaton, D.D., Professor in Madison University, N. Y. Rev. Wm. 0. Duncan, Professor in Louisiana University, New Orleans. "William Crane, Esa., Baltimore. Rev. Peter S. Gayle, Memphis. Rev. Wm. Norton, London, Eng. Rev. JohnWinter, Massillon,Ohio. Rev. E. Adkins, Professor in Shurt- lifF College, Upper Alton, Illinois. Hon. Isaac Davis, Mass. Elder Alex. Campbell, President of Bethany CoUege, Virginia. Hon. Thos. Swaim, N. J. Rev. a. Wheelock, N. Y. Eli Kelley, Esa., New York. Rev. Chas. Stovel, London, Eng. Thos. P. Miller, Esa., Mobile. Elder Jas. Shannon, Pres. of the University of the State of Mo. Rev. D! R. Campbell, Prof, in Cov- ington Theological Seminary, Ky. Rev. Thos. Armitage, New York. CORRESPONDINa SECRETARY. WILLIAM H. WYCKOFF. RECORDING- SECRETARY. E. S. WHITNEY. TREASURER. WILLIAM COLGATE. AUDITOR. SYLVESTER PIER. One Tear. WM. S. CLAPP, WM. HILLMAN, ORRIN B. JUDD, SAM'l. R. KELLY, ELEAZER PARMLY, JAMES M. SHAW, THOS. THOMAS, BENJ. M. THOMPSON. MANAGERS Two Tears. H. J. EDDY, W. W. EVERTS, WILSON G. HUNT, WM. D. MURPHY, PETER F. RANDOLPH, S. S. RELYEA, JAS. H. TOWNSEND, JOHN B. WELLS. Three Years. GEO. W. ABBE, JOSEPH W. BURDEN, JEHIEL PARMLY, STEPHEN REMINGTONj JOHN W. SARLES, ISAAC T. SMITH, E. H. TRIPP, A. C. WHEAT. FIRST ANNIVERSARY AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. The American Bible Union held its First Annual Meet- ing at the Baptist Tabernacle, Mulberry Street, New York, Thursday the 3d day of October, 1850, at 3 o'clock, P. M. and 7 o'clock, P. M. The meeting was called to order by the President at 3 o'clock. The Services were commenced by Rev. W. W. Everts, of the Laight Street Baptist Church, reading the 46th Psalm. Prayer was offered by Rev. Z. Grenell, of Paterson, N. J. Wm. Colgate, Esq., Treasurer, read the Treasurer's Re- port, which he accompanied with the following remarks : " Not much can be expected from the Treasurer's account of this Association, which has hardly been four months in existence. Four months ago, we who have judged proper to form this Union, on the principle of procuring and aiding pure translations of the Ora- cles of God in all lands, were severely rebuked ^nd proscribed by the American and Foreign Bible Society. , This they called the voice of the denomination, and the religious press have almost uni- versally lent their influence to establish this persuasion. Seeing, then, that we had to contend against such odds, our receipts are necessarily much less than what, under other circumstances, might have been expected, when we consider the principles on which the American Bible Union is founded." 8 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF The American Bible Union in account with William Colgate, Treasurer. 1850. To cash paid for Paper and Printing Oct. 3. „ ,, Furniture and Rent of Room.. ,, „ Salaries and travelling Expenses of Agents To cash paid for Salaries of Correspouding Secre- tary and Assistant To cash paid for Contingent Expenses at the Room. Balance Cr. By cash received for Subscriptions Oct. 3. By Balance brought dowrn, now in the Treasury. . 383 80 83 12 397 51 550 00 119 98 4061 09 $5595 50 $5595 50 $5595 50 $4061 09 New York, October 3d, 1850. This is tocertify, that 1 have examined the accounts of the Treasurer of the American Bible Union, for the financial year, ending the 3d ofOctober, 1850, and find tliem to be correct, show- ing the receipts during that time to have been. Five tlionsand five hundred and ninety-five dollars and fifty cents. And the expenditure, One thousand five hundred and thirty-four dollars, and forty-one cents ; and the balance on hand, Four thousand and sixty -one dollars, and nine cents. SvLVESTEE PiEK, Auditor. On motion of James Edmonds, Esq., of Jeddo, Orleans Co., N. Y., seconded by Ezra P. Davis, Esq., New York city, the Treasurer's Report was accepted and ordered to be printed. The President then deHvered his Address, after which Wm. H. Wyckoff, Esq., Corresponding Secretary, read an abstract of the Annual Report. On motion of Rev. S. Remington, pastor of Stanton Street church, seconded by Rev. Jas. Belcher, of Ellsworth, Me., it was Resolved, That the Annual Report, an abstract of which has now been read, be printed and circulated under the direction of the Board of Managers. Rev. W. S. Clapp, Rev. Orrin B. Judd, Rev. S. S. Relyea, Sylvester Pier, Esq., and Jas. H. Townsend, Esq., were appointed a Committee to nominate a Board of Officers and Managers for the ensuing year, and report them at the evening meeting. Adjourned, with benediction by the President, until 7 o'clock. THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 9 Evening Session. The Evening Session was called to order by the President at 7 o'clock. Prayer was offered by Rev. Wm. Mc Carthy, of Farmer, N. Y. The Committee on Nominations reported the list of Officers and Managers for the ensuing year, who were accordingly elected. (See page 6.) It was then Resolved, That the Board meet on Friday, the 4th inst., at 4 o'clock, to organize Committees for the business of the ensuing year. Prof. Rev. G. W. Eaton, D.D., of Madison University, offered the following resolution : Resolved, That the "Word of God should be translated in every language among men, in just such terms as will most unmistakeably convey the mind of the Spirit as expressed in the original Hebrew and Greek. Elder Alexander Campbell, President of Bethany College, Va., seconded the resolution, which was unani- mously adopted. The Services were then closed by the congregation singing a hymn, and Benediction by the President. E. S. Whitney, Recording Secretary. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Brethren, and friends of faithjkil immersionist versions of the Sa- cred Scriptures in all languages, the English not excepted : The American Bible Union was organized in this house, June 10th, 1850, and it gives me peculiar pleasure to w^elcome you, in the same house, to the first Anniversary of our noble Institution. The church under my pastoral care, as a body, have cordially sym- pathized yf\t\\ their Pastor in this Bible mbvement ; they have already paid into your treasury more than three thousand dol- lars, and voted to grant the use of their house for this Anniver- sary, without a dissenting voice. Four of the trustees, however, by a contested voie,* frustrated the vote of the church. But even this has been overruled for good, and has increased the number of * Mr. W. W. Todd, ChairmaD, claiming a double vote. 10 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF our friends, God will make the wrath of man to f raise him ; the remainder of wrath he will restrain. It was my intention to have made a few brief remarks only, on the present occasion ; but a late number of the Banner and Pioneer, containing a letter from brother Lathrop, and the October Period- ical of the American and Foreign Bible Society, have been handed to me, and my eye has fallen upon several sentences which cannot be passed over in silence. Brother Lathrop says to brother Pratt : " The American and Foreign Bible Society hasnot departed in one particular from its orio-inal ground ; it has not altered its policy a single iota. It is to-day what it was when Waller and other good brethren advocated its claims, and is as worthy of the confidence of Kentucky (I speak as a southern man) as it ever was." As far as this remark relates to the rejection of slaveholders as Vice-Presidents hy the vote of the Society, it is correct ; but it is repeated in the October period- ical paper : " The Society has never departed from its original position and policy'' — and is signed by brother L. and six other officers of the Society, The assertion is here made of universal application, and is not, in my judgment correct. The Society has departed from its original design ; else, why am I here % Why the American Bible Union % Why so many letters addressed to us from different and far distant parts, exhorting us to carry out the original motto — " The Bible Translated;" thanking God for the formation of the Union, and pledging us their hearty cooperation ; letters written not by John Doe and Richard Roe, as an apochry- phal penny-a-liner had it, but by good men and true, ready to answer to their names. The American and Foreign Bible Society was organized to vindicate a principle, that the word of God should he translated in all lands; that in accordance with this principle Baptizo and its cognates should be rendered by words signifying immerse, immersion, &c., and here we fought the battle with the Pedobaptists, and here we have to fight the battle over again with the Baptists, who will not allow immerse, immersion, &c. to have a place in the New Testament ! " When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war." Either year that " the Pedobaptists will come down upon us with tremendous power," as a distinguished brother said ; or shame, or some other motive of which I know nothing, deters many from bear- ing, IN English, the same testimony for Christ's despised ordinance of THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 11 imtnersion, which they have made it the imperative duty of their missionaries to bear in all the languages of the heathen. Strange in- consistency ! That younger brethren, who took no part in the discussion of the Bible question, should sign the October Periodical, is not so wonderful ; but that those who uttered the following sen- timents should do so, is what I cannot understand. At the forma- tion of the Society in 1836, thus writes the Corresponding Secretary : REV. CHARLES G. SOMMERS. "Under the auspices of Divine Providence, missionaries of our denomination have translated the inspired volume, in whole or in part, into the languages spoken by more than half of the human family. That their versions are " most [faithjul," has not been denied, and yet the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the American Bible Society, have refused to aid us in giving them to the perishing heathen ; merely because the original word baptizo, and its cognates, have been translated. Could we do otherwise, as faithful servants of Christ ? Is any translator at liberty to com- promise his duty to God, and to the millions of mankind, by with- holdinsf from them the literal rendering of the Bible, unobscured m any of its parts by human dictation 1 Although this was done by those who acted under the authority of King James, in pro- ducing our English version. Baptist missionaries dare not assume so fearful a responsibility, nor imitate an example fraught with such disastrous consequences. "We are, therefore, thrown upon the Providence of God, and our own resources, in giving to all mankind, a pure and unaltered BiMe." At the Philadelphia Bible Convention of 1837, the following eloquent remarks fell from the lips of REV. B. T. WELCH. " He was opposed to that clause of the resolution, which would have the effect of restricting the operations of the Society to foreign translations. What right had they to say, in their Constitution, that they would not enter on domestic operations ten, twelve, or more years hence 1 How was it possible to predict what might be the condition of things at such a remote period 1 " Mr. W. next glanced at the state of our'foreign missions, and spoke with rapture of the success which had attended them. He believed the brightest page in the history of the organization of this Society, would be that connected with foreign translations and distribution. For his own part, he contemplated the field as the whole world. " It had been said, that we were leaving the American Bible Society. He, on the contrary, believed they were leaving us. With regard to the consequences, which might result from forming 12 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF a Society, he would say, that whatsoever of moral disaster might arise out of it, we were clear of the sin, and we suffer for " right- eousness' sake." Another charge which has been alleged against us, (said Mr. W.) is that of sectarianism. If, to adhere to truth ; if, to prefer allegiance to the throne of Jesus Christ ; if, to regard the integrity of his institutions and the purity of his word, be secta- rianism, then let sectarianism be written on my brow in indelible characters, — then let bigotry be connected with it in all its odious forms. And I would wear the stigma till death should obliterate it. " He trusted that, if they erected an altar to peace, they would not sacrifice Truth on that altar, and that they would not be called upon to be the officiating priests." In 1836 and 1837, we have the conduct of King James con- demned ; the faithful versions of our Baptist missionaries applaud- ed ; the duty of giving to all mankind a fure and unaltered Bible asserted ; and the declaration that our field of labor is the whole world, reiterated. In 1850 we have the commonly received English version applauded ; our wish and aim to have errors corrected and obscurities removed, condemned ; circulation, and not revision, correction, or translation, the sole business of the Society ; and the following resolutions justified and defended ; viz. Resolved. That this Society, in its issues and circulation of the English Scriptures, be restricted to the commonly received version without note or comment. Whereas. By the Constitution of this Society, its object is " to aid in the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in all lands," therefore Resolved, That it is not the province and duty of the American and Fo- reign Bible Society to attempt on their own part, or to procure from others, a revision of the commonly received English version of the Sacred Scriptures. And in all this, the seven brethren say, " the Society has changed neither principles nor policy :" when to me it is clear, that prin- ciple has been changed for expediency. Frinciple requires the faithful translation of the Bible in all languages ; expediency ex- cepts the English. But it is indispensable to the vindication of a principle, that it should be preserved inviolate. To abandon it in part, destroys the whole moral force of its attempted vindication. It was no violation of the principle to postpone the correction of the English version, until the Society had acquired strength and information and confidence, sufficient to justify the momentous un- dertaking ; but to bind itself to circulate " The English Bible as it is," with all its acknowledged imperfections, without note or comment, and to declare it unconstitutional either to revise it or frocure a revision, is assuming a position in direct opposition to the THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 13 grand object of its original design. The advocates of this new position endeavor to sustain themselves by appeals to motives of expediency, and thereby prove that the Society has ceased to advo- cate the principle of fure versions for the world. This advocacy having ceased, the organization has lost its vital power ; appealing to motives of expediency, it has no more hold upon the conscience. " Not changed its principles" ! Why, some of the brethren who signed that October Periodical, must know, as well as I do, that the American and Foreign Bible Society never could have been formed, in 1836, with such resolutions as those of 1850 appended. Who would have formed it? Certainly not those who contended for the translation of haptizo and its cognates ; and certainly not those who were opposed to a new Bible Society altogether. Hear what was said in 1837, by one whose arguments have been quoted, in our recent Bible controversy, with unqualified admiration ; I mean the REV. W. T. BRANTLY, D.D. "It was his opinion that the members of the body then present, had generally come there with their minds fully made up, and he therefore felt the greater hesitation in declaring his sentiments in that public manner, in direct opposition to the acknowledged views of many brethren for whom he entertained cordial respect and esteem. He regarded them as coadjutors in a great and holy cause, and was unwilling to believe that any difference of opinion betwixt them and himself, as to the best means of accomplishing an object in which they agreed, could ever alienate the best affec- tions of his heart from them. He claimed to be a Baptist, both from education and principle, and hoped to be regarded as not one whit behind any present in the love of denominational peculiarities. If he differed from them as to the best method of promoting what he loved, it was from conscientious convictions. He was opposed to a new and distinct plan of operation in conducting and sustaining the Bible cause in foreign tongues, because it would render un- necessarily complex the department of benevolent action. There was already an organization for this specific purpose, and until the deficiency of that organization should be proved, he would not vote for a new one. Hitherto, the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions had sustained and conducted the whole matter of translating and diffusing the Bible, in connection with all their missionary stations. Had they done the work well or ill ? A new organization for doing what that respected and indefatigable body has been doing for the last ten years, at least, would seem to carry the implication that they had not done it well — nay, that they were chargeable either with some malversation in office, or else that their organiza- 14 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF tion is defective. Neither of these positions could be entertained. The Baptist Board of Missions had not betrayed their trust, neither was their plan of action defective. It was a channel through which mlo-ht flow the largest tide of benevolence that could roll forth from us for the benefit of the heathen. Had it ever evinced any incompetency ? Had it ever slumbered in the execution of the trust confided to it 1 Or had it ever evinced any incapacity to fulfil the most liberal and enlarged intentions of its patrons and constituents 1 That body had never yet failed in the faithful dis- charge of its trust — and he saw no reason to apprehend that it ever would. " Why then should we attempt to add another power to a machinery which could not be interfered with but to the detriment of its ex- isting organization ? Such an addition was, in his view of the sub- ject, useless — nay, worse than useless — because every extraneous matter in a plan of action already complete, was an impediment to its successful progression. As in household affairs, a given number of domestics could perform all the functions of the establishment, while an addition to the number would necessarily retard, by in- terference and the loss of order, the execution of those functions. So it is in the operations of Christian benevolence. Too many functionaries will be in each other's way ; and will inevitably delay the progress of the great work. In our instrumentalities for bene- fiting the world by the extension of the religion of Christ, we should imitate the simple economy perceptible in the works of Providence. Here thei'e is no needless multiplication of secondary agencies — all is simple, orderly, and yet most effective. Let us keep in view that simplicity, and shape our course, as far as possi- ble, upon its admirable properties and tendencies. Let us strive to correct the multifariousness of our instrumentalities by referring them to the ways and methods of Divine Providence. " In God's one single doth its end produce, And serves to second too some other use. " Mr. B. said, that although he had stated these reasons against any new organization, yet should such an one be found necessary, and judged expedient by his brethren, he would acquiesce in their determinations, so far as those determinations might relate to the field of foreign labor; any extension beyond this he should deem utterly inadmissible." Grant Dr. Brantly's premises, and his conclusions are logical and irrefragable. If the commonly received English version, with- out note or comment, is alone to be circulated, the American Bible Society can do the work better and cheaper than the American and Foreign Bible Society, for the reasons that they have a heavier capital invested, a much larger annual income, and greater facilities for distribution. If the versions of our missionaries among the THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. ^5 heathen are to be put in circulation, we need no better agency than the Missionary Union ; and, as Dr. Brantly said in debate, " we have no more need of a new Bible Society than a coach has for a fifth wheel." But the question with us was not a mere matter of dollars and cents. An organization was required to defend the principle of Bible translation ; to explain its character ; to enforce its claims, and to embrace every suitable opportunity to extend its influence. While this principle was held sacred, the American and Foreign Bible Society accomplished much good, and we bless God for it; but the Resolutions of May, 1S50, are suicidal, nor do we believe that the Institution we so dearly loved, and for which from the beginning we so ardently prayed and toiled, can long sur- vive their influence. Of the second resolution, the London Primitive Church Maga- zine of September, 1850, speaks in the following terms : " Whereas, by the constitution of this society, its object is " to aid in the wider circulatidn of the Holy Scriptures in all lands," therefore, " Resolved, " That it is not the province and duty of the Amei'ican and Foreign Bible Society to attempt, on their own part, or to pro- cure from others, a revision of the commonly received English version of the Sacred Scriptures." " A glorious non-sequitur as ever we saw, for which the Rev. R. Turnbull ought indeed to have conferred on him, if he has not yet received it, the degree of Master of Arts. From whatever other premises the conclusion may follow, it certainly does not follow from those laid down, which point indeed to the very opposite one. Such must have been the feeling of the meeting, for directly after- wards we find the following resolution was proposed : " Resolved, " That the second article of the constitution be so amended, as to read as follows : ' It shall be the object of this Society to aid in the wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures in foreign lands.' " " This resolution was afterwards referred to a committee of seven brethren to consider of it, and to report at the next annual meeting. But surely our American brethren will never be so far driven from their propriety as to pass it. We cannot help feeling, as we read the report, as if they had already entered on a retrograde course, and were in the very act of retreating from a post, which they had occupied so nobly, and where they were setting an example, that would stimulate and encourage, in no ordinary degree, our own division of the great Christian army, in the onward march to truth and ultimate victory." This criticism is just; the non-se^uitur &n.d the retrograde move- ment are perfectly transparent. 16 FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF In addressing the Bible Union in June last, I based the necessity of my resignation as President of the American and Foreign Bible Society upon the fact of its " having virtually resolved to stereotype and perpetuate the errors and obscurities of King James's version." In the October Periodical it is asserted that this allegation is entirely unfounded. " Whether as fact or inference the allegation has no justification in the action of the Society." Words then are no longer signs of ideas. To restrict their issues of the English Scriptures to King James's version, " without note or comment," does not mean what it says. " It palters with us in a double sense." It must have an interpretation addressed to " the consideration of all impartial and truth-seeking minds." Blessed minds they are, always ready to call things by their right names ; if they mean immersion, neither ashamed nor afraid to speak it. I love and honor such minds. But what is this double sense? " The Society does not set itself against the possibilities, or possible necessities of the future." Is this sentence intended to indicate their future course ? Will they rescind the Resolutions 1 I know Dr. Ide said they could do so whenever they pleased. But will they venture to do so, after having held us up to shame and fiery indignation for rescinding the temporary resolution of 1838 ? We must wait to see ; while I express my unwavering conviction that the American and Foreign Bible Society was established expressly for the purpose of vindi- cating the great principle of Bible translation ; that this was the general understanding at the time ; and that nothing but ignorance of the facts in the case, or strong prejudice can deny it : the reso- lutions of 1850 contravene this great principle, and the Society therefore has " departed from its original position and policy." Hence the necessity for the formation of the American Bible Union. It is exactly adapted to meet the emergency, and to vindi- cate the original principle, the Bihle translated — the Bible for the world ! In the second article of the Constitution this is inscribed upon our flag in plain vernacular language that can be understood by the common people without an interpreter ; and in the last article the flag is nailed to the mast. It is proper on this occasion to say a ievf words touching the New Testament edited by Cone and WyckoflT. We made it an Immersionist version ; — and that Baptism is Immersion, the scholar- ship of the world has declared. If we are not correct in this, then there is no word in the Bible, the meaning of which can be accu- THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 17 rately ascertained. We have called God a Spirit rather than a Ghost; we have jDut Passover m&te^di of Easter; living creatures around the throne, and not leasts, &c., &c., not pretending to have corrected every error of King James's version, but merely showing that a good translation could be made better, and rendered plainer to the ordinary reader. Our tract, The Bible Translated, and the preface to the New Testament afterwards issued, conclusively prove that " our feeble endeavors" were only expected and intended to open the way for the perfecting of the commonly received version ; and for this, our religious press, and learned brethren, and lovers of expediency, have seemed desirous to take away from Cone and Wyckoff every attribute of Christian character. If you would have a specimen, see Dr. WiUiams's Pastoral Letter — hear in what kind and dignified language he speaks of us and our work : " Ruthless," a " rude onset," " one of the godless tendencies" of our times, " rash flounderings in Biblical criticism," written with a "jaundiced vision," in "hot haste," and " breathing precipitancy and harshness ;" and speaking of its authors as " schoolboys," " stultifying" their own arguments, " adventurous innovators," " pitching a camp upon the Slough of Despond," and making battle from " a mere Serbonian bog" against " the classics of Greece and England,"^ " bespattering the sepulchres" of departed worthies, and " spitting on martyr ashes." &c., &c. Here, it seems to me, is an array of opprobrious epithets sufficient to satisfy any reasonable amount of envy, fault-finding, or sarcasm. I have neither leisure nor inclination to examine this celebrated letter ; and time will perhaps show that the heaviest blow from the hammer of Thor is light indeed, compared with the consciousness of having brought unfounded accusations against a brother, and of making a desperate effort to hold him up to ridicule and contempt. But if Dr. "Williams can descend to such things, 1 need not wonder that others, with less learning and delicacy, should come among the people of my charge, unite with the few who aretroublers amongus, in turning the Bible question into one of -personal hostility, and waging " war to the knife." But my mind is steadfast and unmova- ble. I have said in my own pulpit, and say again, that I am as thoroughly convinced that God has called me to aid in procuring and circulating faithful versions of the Bible in all languages, as that He ever called me to preach the Gospel ; and I am willing to die at the stake, as Tyndale did, if I maybe instrumental in giving to my own countrymen a corrected version of the Bible. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT The American Bible Union was organized on the 10th of June, 1850. The period immediately preceding had been one of pro- found gloom. Error and prejudice seemed to have prevailed over the light of tiiith, and clouds and mists darkened the horizon of popular opinion. Beyond the present scene, faith could discern a God of hght, but mere human speculation saw only in passing events the prevalence of the doctrines of expediency and a regard for the traditions of men. Incipient Meeting. The first faint gleam of a fairer prospect and a brighter hope was manifest at the meeting of friends of the Bible on the 27th day of May.* Summoned together to consider the propriety of organizing an association to procure and circu- late the most faithful versions of the Sacred Scriptures in all lands, they felt that on them and their deliberations devolved a momentous responsibility. It was then, that, as they knelt in silence around the throne of the heavenly grace, their hearts swelling with emotion, and their eyes suffused with tears, they found encouragement in the sense of the Divine presence, and their souls were knit together in the firm resolution, de- *The proceedings of this meeting, and also those of June 10th, when the American Bible Union was organized, are recorded in a pamphlet entitled "Constitution of the American Bible Union, organized by a Convention of friends of pure versions of the Bible in all languages." 18 THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 19 pending on God, to do their duty, and trust the consequences with Him. Period of Organization. The hope inspired on that occasion, was not disappointed at the season of organization. A growing expectation was then discernible, that God was about to vindicate his truth. Through the vast assembly congregated on the evening of the 1 0th of June, one sentiment seemed to prevail. Lying as it did at the basis of the Constitution, being embodied in the Address of the Union, and rendered prominent in every speech, it was permanently engrafted in the hearts of all present who loved the truth : That the word of God should he translated in every language among men, in just such terms as will most unmistaJceahly convey the mind of the Spirit. It was clearly seen and felt, that no doctrines of worldly expediency, no fears of denominational injury, no apprehen- sions of reproach or opposition, ought to be permitted to in- terfere with the endeavor faithfully to discharge this solemn duty. A sentiment so indisputable, involving consequences of incalculable importance to the whole human race, took hold upon the heart of the believer, and awakened his zeal for the glory of the God of the Bible. The immediate result was a contribution, which stands almost unrivalled in the his- tory of such organizations. Fifty-one life-memberships, and forty-seven directorships, were constituted on the occasion. Nearly all the money has been paid into the treasury, and of the remainder no portion is doubtful. A New Era. From that period anew era commenced. No friend of the American Bible Union has since supposed that the enterprise was doubtful. The dawn of a brighter day was hailed by hearts overflowing with thankfulness to the Father of Lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift. The full "assurance of hope infused a corresponding energy into every department of the new organization. In a very little while 20 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. additional sources of strength and encouragement were de- veloped in the correspondence of the Union. Letters, breath- ing zeal and pledging effort, flowed in from every direction. Some of these were selected and published, in connection with the report^ of proceedings at the founding of the institu- tion. But the great number received compelled a limited selection, and precluded the publication of many powerful arguments and thrilling appeals presented in them, on the necessity of a revision of the English Scriptures. Re-action. A marked reaction in public opinion began to take place. This has since rapidly progressed, and is now distinctly de- noted by several indubitable indications. The Press. The public press, which in this part of the country was arrayed in decided opposition, now begins to speak in mel- lowed tones of our enterprise, occasionally acknowledging that the object is good, and that the hand of the Lord may be in the movement, and generally refraining from those ex- pressions of asperity and bitterness which formerly charac- terized the hostihty of some of our religious journals. Views of Individuals. Many individuals who heretofore were understood to advo- cate " the Bible as it is," that is, the common version without correction of its errors, now speak decidedly in favor of cor- rection, and assure us, that their only lingering doubts regard the mode of accomplishing the object. Indeed, so prevalent are our sentiments becoming, that those who still cherish the disposition to oppose, are obliged to change the character of their objections, and to base them upon doubts of the necessity of our peculiar form of organization. Change of Views Acknowledged. More direct and positive evidences of the growing change^ are furnished by many who have identified themselves with the Union. They frankly acknowledge that, as they have THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 21 been led to a better understanding of the question at issue, their views have undergone a complete alteration, and they most cordially favor and support that which before they stren- uously opposed. Our correspondence teems with such ac- knowledgments. Our agents are encouraged by them wher- ever they go. Substantial ToJcens. Ministers and churches, associations and ministerial con- ferences, listen with respect and attention to those who advo- cate the cause of the American Bible Union, and in many instances give the most substantial tokens of their favor and approbation. One of our agents, brother A. Maclay, has, since the middle of July, obtained one hundred and twenty- five life-members, and fourteen life-directors, at a distance from the city of New-York. This single fact annihilates the report, for a time industriously circulated, that all interest in the objects of the Union was confined to this city. Receipts and Subscriptions. Although the Union has not yet closed the fourth month of its existence, our subscription-list already amounts to $13,- 301.92, of which $5,595.50 has been paid, and nearly all the remainder is payable during the ensuing winter. 233 respon- sible persons have subscribed Hfe-memberships, and 65 life- directorships. The Real Change. It would be a mistake to suppose, that the reaction to which we have referred, embraces in most cases a radical change of principle. Real Christians must in their hearts favor the cause of truth. But false issues may be started, and facts mystified, so that men may imagine theitisclves to be advo- cating the cause of truth when they are actually arrayed on the side of error. Such we apprehend to have been the case in the present instance. The public press had so obscured the real question at issue, that few understood it. But as light has been diffused through our pubHcations, the under- standing of many has become clear, and their consciences 22 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. have immediately decided in favor of what is right. This process, we beUeve, will continue, as light spreads more widely and brightly, until all who love God and desire to do His holy will, shall be found sustaining the principles and purposes of the American Bible Union. Assurance of Prosperity and Success. The strongest assurance of our present prosperity and ultimate success is derived from the conviction that these principles and purposes please God. Nothing can be more in unison with the character of Jehovah and His great designs for the reclamation of a lost world, than the humble endeavors of His people to circulate His truth as free from error and indistinctness as can be attained by human scholarship and Christian principle. He is a Being of immaculate purity, dwelling in light unapproachable and full of glor3^ Those who are born of His Spirit are declared to be children of the light. To them is entrusted the Lamp of Life. It is their highest privilege and their bounden duty to let its rays shine without obstruction. Whatever obscures its light, must be displeasing to Him in whom is no darkness at all ; but what- ever conduces to exhibit it in its native clearness, and bright- ness, and purity, will most assuredly have His approbation and blessing. A Sure Foundation. The liberal and comprehensive views that characterize our Constitution and Address, afford a sure foundation for per- petual usefulness and prosperity. A more restricted policy could never accomphsh the large objects which we have in view. All persons are welcomed to cooperation with us who desire to procure and circulate the most faithful versions of the Sacred Scriptures, and our field of operations is the world. The English language is intimately connected with others ; and the principle of univocal translations pertains to the world. Influence of the English Version over others. Many facts and incidents might be adduced to prove the influence of the English Scriptures over versions in other Ian- THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 23 guages ; but one will be sufficient to place the matter beyond a doubt. In the preface to " The Psalms in Sgau Karen, Translated by F. Mason, Maulmain, 1849," the translator states : " When the signification of a passage was doubtful in the translator's mind, it has been his rule to render according to the English version. The hallowed associations which that version has in the mind of every English reader, seems to entitle it to this homage. For instance, take Ps. 111:2, where DeWette renders, " Erwanscht nach all ihrer Lust," " wished for, according to all their desire," Hengstenburg translates, " Enquired after, according to all their wishes." Some rendering like the above, may be the correct one, but the translator being in doubt, the translation has been made to conform to the English version, ' sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.' " Among the missionaries who are engaged in the work of translating the Sacred Scriptures into heathen tongues, few are better qualified for their task than brother Mason ; and if he acknowledges that in doubtful passages, he yields his judg- ment to the English version, the inference is irresistible that others, less qualified to judge of the original, and equally con- trolled by " the hallowed associations" of the English version, bow in humble " homage " to the latter in many passages, which in the estimation of good Hebrew and Greek scholars are not therein correctly rendered. In exemplification of this disposition to do homage to the English, even where it is wrong, or doubtful, we quote the following passage from the " Preface to the Second Edition of the Sgau Karen New Tes- tament," a work just completed by brother Mason, and pub- lished by him at Tavoy. It will be remarked, that the same passage contains addi- tional evidence of the fact already so incontrovertibly sub- stantiated, that the translators of our conimon version were largely influenced by the Latin Vulgate, if they did not actu- ally found their work upon it. " The history of Biblical translation proves that many alterations are made, and they become popular, which are not merely negatively no im- provements, but positive errors. John 10 : 16; is rendered in the received version : " Other sheep I have ; not of this fold — and there shall be one fold, »«d one shepherd." So it reads in the Burman version, and so, by an over- S4 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. sight, it reads in the first edition of the Karen; and though that edition has been formally revised by one brother, and informally criticised by several others, yet the error has been passed over unnoticed. De Wette translates the last clause ; " and there shall be one flock (Eine Heerde) and one shep- herd." That this is the correct rendering, does not admit of a doubt, but it is no new German discovery. In one of the old versions, throvi^n into obscuri- ty by King James' translation, " appointed to be read in churches;" the Greek aulee fold, and poimnee flock, are distinguished as in De Wette ; but the karned monarch's translators rejected this rendering of the original, and adop- ted one made from the Vulgate Latin, which has ovik fold, for both Greek words ; and yet, before the existence of the Vulgate, the Syriac version cor- rectly distinguished the two ; the last member reading : vatehve eene culoh hado vahad noeeyo — and the flock, all of it, shall be one, audits shepherd one. This illustrates the wisdom of our ancestors; but are our cotempo- raries wiser ? Mr. Ballard translated John into Pwo, and rendered [these words] in this verse correctly : but a new translation has been made intend- ed to supersede that ; in which we have given back to us again the good old rendering of King James and saint Jerome." Collateral Ptiblications. In the inevitable order of events now progressing, it is ma- nifest that the English language will be extensively used by almost every nation, among whom the American Bible Union may carry out the objects of the association, " to procure and circulate the most faithful versions of the Holy Scriptures." It is equally clear that it will greatly enhance the circulation and usefulness of our publications, to have some editions in each language printed in parallel columns with the English. To the natives of Burmah and India, of Germany and France, this will greatly facilitate the acquisition of a knowledge of the English tongue, while our own countrymen will be in the same degree assisted in acquiring the languages of Asia and of Europe. The service which such books will render to mis- sionaries and to natives, will be incalculable. Necessity of Uniformity in Versions. But it is evident that such works, to be creditable and use- ful, must correspond. Each must be made on the same prin- ciple. The word of God to the native of Bengal must not speak differently in his vernacular tongue from the meaning which it expresses to him in the English. Each verse in the THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 25 one language being by the side of the same verse in the other, any discrepancy in signification would be immediately appa- rent, and lead to doubt and inquiry. But to what honest, un- sophisticated, native mind, would it be a satisfactory explana- tion of such a discrepancy, that error or obscurity ivas know- ingly left in the English version from motives of expediency ? We think that every candid mind will be ready to admit, that the only mode of attaining, or closely approximating to, the uniformity desirable in the versions of the word of God, is for each to be based upon the principle to which allusion has al- ready been made, to employ in every language just those terms which will most unmistakeably convey the mind of the Spirit, as expressed in the original Hebrew and Greek. This is the idea of univocal translations, so prominently set forth in the Address unanimously adopted at our organization. Connection hetioeen the Home and Foreign Fields. The connection between the home and foreign field in the American Bible Union, is indissoluble. Our unity of princi- ple, which is applicable, and which requires to be applied, to every language in the whole world, demands it. And the soundest principles of economy demand it. Two sets of agen- cies for Bible operations will hardly any where be acceptable, and in some parts of our country must be impracticable. But our friends are all interested in the maintenance of our prin- ciples abroad as well as at home. Because they desire the pure word of God to be given to our own countrymen, they do not the less desire that it be given to the Karen, the Bur- mese, the Bengalese, and the Oriyan. And with regard to the European Continental Scriptures, a very special conside- ration is added, to bind us to the necessity of giving to them a large share of our attention. Many of them are in similar condition with the English, in respect to their received ver- sions. The principle of transfer prevails in most : in all there is more or less of error and obscurity. Spanish Scriptiires. The correction of the Spanish Scriptures is an object of 26 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. cherished interest. The immense population using that lan- guage both in North and South America, easily accessible by us — some indeed embraced within the circle of our own gov- ernment — renders it unspeakably important and desirable that we should have an accurate and faithful version of the Sacred Scriptures to circulate amongst them. There is not at present existing, in that language, a version which, consis- tently with the principles we profess, could receive the sanc- tion and authorit}' of the American Bible Union. It is there- fore indispensable that we should seek to procure a transla- tion as pure and truthful as it can be rendered. This matter has already received some degree of attention, and correspondence has been held with regard to the qualifi- cations of a brother, a native of Spain, who is recommended as in some respects uncommonly endowed for such an under- taking, and desirous of assisting in its accompUshment. In regard to the necessity of a corrected Spanish version, brother Crowe, who for years has labored as a missionary in Central America, writes — " The possession of a literal Spanish translation of the New Testament, free- from the merely ecclesiastical terms, is one of the treasures I most covet to take back with me to Central America. I do not intend to rest till I have obtained it, as I cannot be satisfied to circulate any version that I have yet seen, and I cannot exist without circulating it. My plan is to translate every translatable word," &c. Portuguese ScrijJtures. The Portuguese language, with the immense empire of Bra- zil at our doors, to which our countrymen have the most ready access, presents almost equal attractions. We hope that the time is not far distant, when we shall energetically enter upon this portion of our field, but for want of suitable opportunity, we have not yet commenced correspondence upon the sub- ject. French Scriptures. In respect to the French, we early commenced correspon- dence with Dr. Devan, with the view of engaging competent THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 27 scholars in perfecting a corrected version, which, while it may comn:iand the admiration of the people for the purity of its idiom, may please God, and delight His people, by its faith- fulness to the inspired originals. The state of the Dr.'s health, and the engrossing occupa- tion of his time in entering upon a new scene of duty at the city of Lyons, have hitherto precluded him from giving any attention to the management of the business, although in a letter dated Lyons, Aug. 15, 1850, he says, in respect to a corrected French version, that he shall be rejoiced " to circu- late it when it is prepared." In the same letter he says — " Opportunities present themselves to me not unfrequently, for the distri- bution of the word among the people of this so-called ' pious' city ; and, as I believe, that the ^cord, and nothing but the word, can ever destroy the power of antichrist, you may imagine my anxiety to be provided with the means of accomplishing this glorious end, I would therefore take the liberty of begging from the American Bible Union, an appropriation for the immediate distribution of the word of God in this land." In another part of the letter, bro. Devan writes — •' Last Lord's day I opened my chapel, and at the same time baptized my fourth in this city. Deep and wide is the opposition exercised against me. * * * But none of these things move me. While I laugh them to scorn, I pity the weakness, and grieve over the spirit fi-om which they emanate." German Scriytures. The necessity of a corrected version in the German lan- guage, has long been felt. Several attempts to perfect one have been made by distinguished scholars, among whom none have been more successful than De Wette, whose translation is regarded as in many respects superior to the common Eng- lish version. Oncken has been so fully convinced of the de- fects of Luther's version, that he has had a scholar employed for more than a year past in preparing a new one. "I propose," he says, " to issue an entire new translation from the original text, in the preparation of which a competent Greek and Hebrew scholar, bro. Schlatter, has been engaged for the last twelve months." 28 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. In relation to this matter, the Committee on Versions adopted the following resolution : " Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to correspond with bro. One- ken upon the subject, and to encourage him, that if his Testament shall be certified by competent examiners to be a faithful translation from the origi- nal Greek, in plain vernacular German, it may receive the support of the Union ; and that he be requested to send to us proofs of one Gospel, or a larger portion of the work, before it is committed to press." As great attention is now paid in Germany to this subject, and as several eminent philologists and biblical critics are known to be engaged in correcting, or making new transla- tions from the original, we are not without hope of being able to connect in a measure our operations in English with theirs, at least so far as to secure in both languages the prevalence of the same sound principles of translation with mutual co- operation in the examination of authorities. Views of the Board. This is one among many equally important reasons, which have directed the minds of your Board to a brother who is regarded as a competent and suitable individual to be placed in charge of the general movement in the correction of the Eng- lish Scriptures. If, as is probable, it should be found neces- sary for him to visit Europe, he might largely aid us by ad- vice, and the collection of intelligence, and in some instances, by more direct co-operation, regarding the German, the French, the Spanish, and the Portuguese Scriptures. With these objects in view, your Board have opened negotiations with him, and they are happy to state, not only that the mat- ter has been favorably entertained by him, but that the nego- tiations are in a fair degree of forwardness. It will be understood that, whether- the brother referred to, or any other scholar, undertakes the business, the Board design that in its accomplishment the co-operation of many eminent scholars of different denominations, both in Europe and this country, shall be secured, so that the work shall come forth with a weight of authority which cannot be successfully THE AMERICAN BIBLE UNION. 29 assailed. No compromise of principle will be made, and neither pains nor expense will be spared to render the book a faithful transcript of the revelation of the Most High. If the success which, under God, we anticipate, shall crown our efforts to render clear His truth to our countrymen, the work will live for ages as a monument of usefulness, confined to no. one country, but extending its hallowed influence around the globe. New-York Weekly Chronicle. We may not close this Report without alluding to a circum- stance, that is likely to have a permanent effect upon the pros- perity of the Union, — the estabUshment of a religious paper at the seat of operations, which, it is understood, will be free to publish our communications, and, when occasion requires, to sustain the advocacy of our principles. In consequence of the want of such facilities, the expenses during the short four months of our existence, have been uncommonly great. It was absolutely necessary to make our principles known, and to explain and vindicate them. Being cut off from all the usual facilities of the press, we were obliged to have recourse to the issue of pamphlets and circulars to an extent which, we trust, will never again be necessary. It is gratifying to know that the circulation of the publications alluded to, has been blessed to the enlightenment of many minds, and has been a chief agency in producing that extraordinary change in public opinion, to which we have alluded as being in rapid progression. But the advantages of a weekly paper in the support of such an institution, are immeasurably superior. Many facts and incidents, that have a bearing on our inter- ests, can therein be published, which, though highly benefi- cial in their immediate effects, would not justify the permanent record of a pamphlet. Errors and mistakes of the press can be corrected, and timely arguments adduced to meet occa- sion ; interesting letters can be published as they are received ; and individuals can be allowed to express their sentiments in weekly communications, whose favorable opinions might SO" FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. Otherwise never be known to the public. These and various other items incident to a weekly paper, collectively constitute that continual dropping, which cannot fail to wear away the stones of prejudice. Numerous and urgent were the solicita- tions from friends abroad, and especially from our agents, that some organ should be established, through which the con- dition and circumstances of the Union might every week be known ; but we take pleasure in stating that the New York WeeJcly Chronicle has originated entirely from private enter- prise, and that it is in no way whatever connected either in its pecuniary support, or the responsibility of its management, with the American Bible Union. Close of the Report. Such is a brief statement of the progress, and present con- dition of the institution. The signal favor with which God has distinguished us, ought to call forth our heartfelt thank- fulness : the rapid progress of our principles, while it in- creases our confidence in their ultimate prevalence, should awaken our vigilance to maintain them in their purity ; and the immense fields of usefulness opened before us, should make us profoundly sensible of the weight of our responsibil- ities, and compel us to have recourse to the wisdom of Him, who knoweth the end from the beginning, and bringeth the most secret counsels to pass. 31 LIFE DIRECTORS. 00N3TITUTED BT THB PAYMENT OF ONE HUNDRED D0LLAE3. Abbe, Geo. W., New York $100 00 Battle, Cullen, Eufaula, Ala 100 00 ■Burden, Joseph W., Williamsburgh... 100 00 Clearman, Henry V., New York 100 00 Colgate, William, New York 100 00 Colgate, Jas. B., New York 100 00 Colgate, Robt., New York 100 00 Colgate, Chas. C, New York 100 00 Compton, Anthony, New York 100 00 Cone, Rev. Spencer H., D.D., New York, per Wm. Hillman 100 00 Cone, Mrs. Sallie W., New York, per C. W.Thomas 100 00 Cornell, Thomas, Rondout, N. Y 100 00 Durbrow, John B., New York 100 00 Durbrow, Mrs. Sarah A., New York 100 00 Fuller, Robert M., New York 100 00 Fuller, Miss Maria Louisa, New York.. 100 00 Hunt, Wilson G., New York 100 00 James, Edwin, Albany, N.Y 100 00 Judd, Rev. Orrin B., New York 100 00 Kelley, Eli, New York 100 00 Kelley, 3Irs. Emily, New York 100 00 Kelley, Frederick, New York 100 00 Kelley, James E., New York 100 00 Kelley, Robt. W., New York 100 00. I Kelley, Mrs. Catharine, New York j Lewis, Richard B., New York Maclay, Rev. Archibald, D.D., New York Mattocks, Miss Maria M., New York... Mills, J. Doremus, Now York ". . Mills, S. Augustus, New York .'." Mann, Elder Donald, Wheatland, Mon- roe Co., N. Y Parmly, Eleazer, New York Seymour, Miss Eliza B., New York ... Serrell, John, J., New York Shaw, James M., New York Smith, Edward, New York Swaim, Hofl. Thomas, Pemberton, N.J.. Syms, Samuel R., New York Smith, Ezra, New York Thomas, Griffith, New York Thomas, Thomas, New York Thomas, Thomas, Hoboken, N. J Thomas C. W., Hastings, N. Y Thomas, Mrs. C. W.. Hastings, N. Y., . . Thomas, Augustus, Bergen, 5f. J Thompson, Hugh M., Essex, Conn., per Mrs. J. Hay den Wyckoff, Wm. H., Brooklyn 100 oo 100 00 100 00 100*00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 106 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 100 00 LIFE MEMBERS. OOHSTITUTSD BT THE PAYMENT OE THIRTY DOLLARS. Baraum, Eder, M.D., Westkill, near Lexington, Greene Co., N. Y Bull, JohnP., New York Burden, Mrs. J. W., Williamsburg Boggs, Joseph, New York Compton, Mrs. Maria, New York Compton, Miss Elizabelh, New York... Cooper Wm., New York Corwith, Mrs. Catharine, New York Davis, Ezra P., New York Davis, Mrs. Sarah G., New York Douglas, Archibald, Skaneateles, N. Y. Fordham, Miss Eliza, New York Francis, I., xM.D., Brooklyn, N. Y Hillman, Saml. F., New York Holman, Mrs. Mary Ann, New York, per Thomas Holman Healy, Ebenezer, Sennett, N. Y Jenkins, Mrs. Susannah, New York Kelly, Samuel R., Brooklyn, N.Y Kelly, Mrs. Saml. R., Brooklyn, N. Y.... Lamonte, C. A., New York Lamzed, John, (a British sailor) Dart- mouth, England Marsh, Rev. Leonard G., New York McBrair, Robert, Brooklyn, N. Y McBrair, Mrs Jane, Brooklyn, N. Y McDonald, Alexander, Now York Misplee, Mrs. Sophia, New York Morris, Lucien B., New Y'ork 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 30 00 Munroe, John, Elbridge, N. Y 30 00 Nicholl, Saml, New York 30 00 Nicholl, Mrs. Saml., New York 30 00 Parkinson, Mrs. W., New York, per J. B. Durbrow 30 00 Parker, James, New York 30 00 Peck, Albert L., New York 30 00 Pier, Sylvester, New York 30 00 Postley, Charles, New York 30 00 Postley, Samuel Brooke, New York 30 00 Randolph, P. F., New York 30 00 Remington, Rev. S., New York, per E. Bishop 30 GO Runyon, M. T., New York 30 00 Smith, Eld. E. A., Athens, Tenn.,2L.Jt 60 00 Smith, Mrs. Edward, New York 30 00 Smith, Jolin I., New York 30 00 Taylor, Jeremiah B, New York .'iO 00 Townsend, J. H., New York 30 00 Tripp, Ervin H., New York, per S. R. Kelly 30 00 Tripp, Mrs. E. H., New York, per S. R. Kelly 30 00 Tripp, Miss, New York, per S. R. Kelly. 30 00 Turneure, Eliza, New York, per A. Turneure 3o 00 Wells, J B., Williamsburgh, N. Y 30 00 Wheat. Rev. A. C, New York, per J. H. Townsend 30 00 Wernham, James, Brooklyn, N. Y 30 00 32 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Cornell, Thomas, Rondout, N. Y. during his [ Mann, Elder Donald, Wheatland, Monroe Co, lifetime $100 per ann. | during his life time, $100 per ami. LIFE DIRECTORSHIPS. TO BE CONSTITUTED BY THE PAYMENT OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Bliss, Rev. John F., Churchville, Mon- roe Co., N. Y 100 00 Bliss, Mrs. Anne E., Churchville, Mon- roe, Co., N. Y 100 00 Brown, Hon. Wm. B., Parma, Monroe Co.,N.Y 100 00 Brown, Gen. Theron, Mumford, Mon- roe Co., N. Y 100 00 Colgate, Samuel, New York , 100 00 Cone, Andrew, Churchville, Monroe Co.,N.Y 100 00 Ferris, Sherman, Ogden, P. O. Adam's Basin, Monroe Co.,N. Y 100 00 Fuller, Rev. Mai-tia L., Ellenburgh, CliutonCo., N. Y 100 00 Fuller, Martin L., Jun., Ellenburgh, Clinton Co., N. Y 100 00 Fuller, Wm. B., Ne w York 100 00 Gilbert, Edward, Utica, N. Y 100 00 Harmon, Gen. Rawson, Wheatland, Monroe Co., N. Y 100 00 Harmon, Ira, Wheatland, Monroe Co., N.Y 100 00 Inijham, Wm. Smith, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co.,N.Y 100 00 James, Wm. T., New Rochelle, N. Y.... 100 00 Mann, Mrs. Margaret, Wheatland, Mon- roe Co., N. Y 100 00 Miller, F. P., Mobile, Ala 100 00 Murphy, Wm. D., New York 100 00 Roberts, Philip, Jun., Peelvskill, West- chester Co., N. Y 100 00 Speir, Dea., Jeddo, Orleans Co., N. Y... 100 00 Smith, Isaac T., New York 100 00 Vogcll, Rev. H. C, Rome, Oneida Co., N.Y 100 00 LIFE MEMBERSHIPS. TO BE CONSTITUTED BY THE PAYMENT Off THIRTY DOLLARS. A Friend to the cause, per Rev. W. Hutchinson, North Granville, N.Y 30 00 Allen, Easou, Claysville, Oneida, N. Y... 30 00 Allen, Eugene, Caseville, Oneida, N. Y.. 30 00 Angier, Rev. Aaron, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co., N. Y 30 00 Angier, James, Canal P. O., N. Y 30 00 Appleton.C. A., Brooklyn, N.Y 30 00 Armilage, Rev. Thomas, New York, per J. B.Bliven 30 00 Ayer, A. H., Amherst, N.Y 30 00 Balis, John W., Escj., Whitesboro', Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Bangs, David, Chili, Monroe Co., N. Y... 30 00 Barton. D. R., Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Bates, Rev. L. C, Canal P. O, N. Y , 30 00 Belcher, Rev. James, Ellsworth, Maine.. 30 00 Benedict, Professor N. W., Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Bishop, Edward, New York 30 00 Brown, Rev. E. T., Wooster, Ohio, 30 00 Brown, Rev. Thomas, Vesper, Onondaga Co., N. Y 30 00 Bullock, Rufus M., Groton, Tompkins Co.,N.Y 30 00 Burk, Wm., Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co., N.Y 30 00 Capwell, Peter, Wyoming, Wyoming Co., N.Y 30 00 Cauldwell, Joseph, Whitesboro, Oneida Co., N. Y 30 00 Cauldwell, Cornelius, Whitesboro, Onei- da Co., N.Y 30 00 Cauldwell, Ann Maria, Whitesboro, Oneida Co., N, Y 30 00 Chapman, John H., Cassville, Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Chapman, Stephen, Cassville, Oneida Co.,N. Y 30 00 Choate, Joseph, Auburn, Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Chollar, Thomas D., Homer, Cortland Co.,N. Y 30 00 Clement, Tobias, Weedsport, N. Y 30 00 Cobb,Wni., Hamilton, Madison Co., N.Y. 30 00 Cobb, E R., Auburn, N. Y 30 00 Coc, John, Jun., Amherst, N. Y 30 00 Cole, David, Weedsport, N.Y 30 00 Cole, James.New York 30 00 Colvin, Levi, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co., N.Y 30 00 Cone, Mrs. Mary E., Churchville, Mon- roe Co., N.Y 30 00 Cook William, New York 30 00 Cornell, P. D., Auburn, N. Y 30 00 Cowell, Enos, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co.. N. Y 30 00 Crocket, Mrs. Susan R., Rockland, Me.. 30 00 Chapin, Curtis, Mid Granville, P.O., N.Y. 30 00 Daniels, Nehemiah, New York 30 00 Danner John, Canton, Ohio 30 00 Darker, Wm„ Rochester, N.Y...., 30 00 Dawley, P., Massillon, Ohio 30 00 Davis, L. D., Arcade, Wyomiu? Co., N.Y. 30 00 Dean, Re v. E., Sennet P. O., N. Y 30 00 Denny, Lewis, Rochester, N. Y 30 00 LIFE MEMBERSHIPS. 33 Denny, C. B., Rochester, N. Y 30 00 Dolson, Wm., New York - 30 00 DuJley, Sardis, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co.,N. Y 30 00 Dudley, E. E. .. .. ..30 00 Dugaa, Wm. T., New York 30 00 Eaton, Rev. Geo. W., D D., Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y 30 00 Eddy, Rev. Herman J., New York, per J. Myers 30 00 Edely, Wm. H., Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co., N.Y 30 00 Edminster, William, .. ... 30 00 Etts, Egbert M., Penfield, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Forrester, James, New York 30 00 French, E. P. P., Vesper, Onondaga Co., N.Y 30 00 Fuller, Jos. Penfield, Monroe Co., N. Y.. 30 00 Fuller, Elijah, Castile, N.Y 30 00 Fuller, Abigail, EUenburgh, Clinton Co., 30 00 Fuller, Edna Selina, 30 00 Fuller, Elvira, 30 00 Fuller, Mercy Miranda 30 00 Fuller, .30 00 Galusha, Rev. Elon, Lockport, N. Y 30 00 Gardner, Sylvester, Sennett, N.Y 30 00 Gibbs.Thcron Z., Granville, N.Y 30 00 Coin, John W., New York 30 00 Grant, Alexander, Rochester, N. Y 30 00 Graves, Amos, Homer, Cortland Co., N.Y 30 00 Graves, Rev. Charles, Ca.ssville, Oneida Co.,N.Y., per Caleb Green 30 00 Graves, Mrs. M. A., Cassville, Oneida Co., N. Y., per Rev. C. Graves 30 00 Harmon, Elisha, Wheatland, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Harmon, Ariel, ..30 00 Halt, Rev. Geo., New York., per J. G, Whipple 30 00 Hawes, Rev. Harvey, Bath, Me 30 00 Haywood, Rev. H. G , Preston, Miss., by his church 30 00 Healy. Ebenezer, Sennett, N. Y 30 00 Hickock, James, Cato 4 Corners, Cayu- ga Co., N. Y 30 00 Higbee, Abijah, Penfield, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Higbee, Silas, 30 00 Hill, Isaac, Canal P. O., Onondaga Co., N.Y 30 00 Hitchcock, Thomas., West Henrietta, N.Y 30 00 Hobby, Ann Sophia, Whitesboro, Oneida Co., N. Y., per Uriah Hobby, Esq 30 00 Holmes, Rev. O. A., East Union, Wayne Co., Ohio 30 00 Inman, Rev. Thos. E., Canton, Ohio... 30 00 Jenkins, Geo. W., New York 30 00 King, D. H., Port Byron, Cayuga Co., N. V 30 00 Lake, Noah, West Henrietta, N. Y 30 00 Lane, Thomas, Whitesboro, Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Lane, Wm.H 30 00 Lane.AbbyL 30 00 Lawrence, Daniel, Cato 4 Corners, Cay- uga Co., N.Y 30 00 Lawrence, Samuel, Penfield, Monroe Co., N. Y 30 00 Lewis, Angeline, Whitesboro, Oneida Co., N. Y., by G. R. Lewis, Esq 30 00 Lockwood, Oliver. New York 30 00 McCarthy, Rev. Wm., Farmerville P.O. Seneca Co., N. Y .30 GO Maryatt, David P., Harford, Cortlind Co., N. Y 30 00 Mason, Rev. Edy. Sennett P. O., N. Y... 30 00 Meacham, Parsous P., Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co.,N. Y 30 00 Millard, S. S., Penfield, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Miller, Mrs. Dorcas, Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Morey, Rev. Reuben, Wyoming, Wyo- ming Co.^ N.Y 30 00 Blorey, Mrs. Abbe C, .. .. 30 00 Murphy, Mrs. W. D., New York 30 00 Nutter, Rev. David, North Livermore, Me 30 00 Paddock, H. C, Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y 30 00 Parmly, Jeliiel, 30 00 Parsons, Elijah, Sennett P.O., N. Y 30 00 Perkins, James, Arcade, Wyoming Co., N.Y 30 00 Pettingall, Reuben, Ogden, P. O., Adam's Basin, Monroe Co., N. Y 30 00 Phillips, Rev. C. B., Chicago, 111 30 00 Phillips, John, Webster, N.Y 30 00 Pierce, Alvah, Hamilton, Madison Co., N.Y 30 00 Pierce, Thomas, Springville, Erie Co., N. Y 30 00 Pugsley, T., New York 30 00 Puttkamer, Rev. A.M., Buffalo, N.Y 30 00 Randall. Wm. Austin, Cassville, Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Reede, Wra., Canal P.O., Onondaga Co. N.Y 30 00 Reede, Rufus A., Cortland, Cortland Co., N. Y 30 00 Rees, Rev. Wm., Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Rich, Samuel, Penfold, Monroe Co., N.Y. 30 00 Rich, Jas. C, 30 00 Richardson, Chas., Strykersville, N. Y.. 30 00 Roublee. Thos., Granville, N. Y .30 00 Rounds, H. B., Strykersville, N.Y 30 00 Rowley, Ira, Arcade, Wyoming Co., N.Y. 30 00 Sanders, Martiu, Cortland, Cortland Co., N. y 30 00 Sanxaj', Joseph, f., New York 30 00 Savage, Lucy M., Granville, N.Y 30 00 Searl, Rev. David, Springville, Erie Co., N.Y 30 00 Serpen, John, Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Serrell, John, New York 30 00 Shank, Rev. Michael, Doylston, Ohio.. 30 00 Shelley, Lewis, New Haven, Conn 30 00 Slocum, A. G., Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y - 30 00 Smith, Rev. Amasa, Homer, Cortland Co, N.Y 30 00 Smith, Eli C, Granville, N.Y 30 00 3 34 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. Somerville James, New York 30 00 Soulhwick, George, Rondout, N. Y 30 00 Spear, Rev. P. B., Hamilton, Madison Co.,N.Y 30 00 Speir, John, New York .* 30 00 Stevens, Agrippa, Whitehall, N.Y 30 00 Stewart, Elliott, Ogden, P. O., Adam's Basin, Monroe Co., N. Y 30 GO Stiles, Seth G., Pittsford, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Streeter, Geo. W., Clayville, Oneida Co., N.Y 30 CO Tenny, Charles, Clifton P. O., Monroe Co., N.Y 30 00 Traves, Lewis, Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co.,N.Y 30 00 Tripp, E.H., for a friend, New York.... 30 00 Turner, Rev. E., St. George, Me 30 00 Valentine, A. W., Weedsport, N. Y 30 00 Van Buren, Martin J., Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga Co., N.Y 30 00 VanDe Wint&r, New York 30 00 Warn, John, Sennett, N. Y 30 00 Warner, Rev. Horatio Clay, Onondaga Co., N. Y 30 00 Ward, Samuel, Rochester, N. Y 30 00 Warrant, Thos. M., Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Waterbury, Martha, 30 00 Watkins, .John L , New York 30 00 Webster, Rev. Silas B., Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio 30 00 Wheadon, Cliarles H., Homer, Cortland Co-, N.Y 30 00 Wheeler, Aurelius, Auburn, N. Y 30 00 Whipple, JohnG., New York 30 00 Why te, Jas., Rochester, N.Y 30 00 Wilcox, Timothy, Whitesboro", Oneida Co., N.Y 30 00 Williams, Rev. Gibbon, Wyoming, Wy- oming Co., N. Y 30 00 Wilson, P. F., Weedsport, N.Y 30 00 Winters, Rev. John, Massillon, Ohio 30 00 Wood, Rev. Jonas B., Penfield, Monroe Co., N.Y 30 GO Woodward, Jonas, .. .. ..30 00 Wright, Abram, Elbridge, N. Y 30 00 Wright, R. B., Penfield, Monroe Co., N. Y ;.. 30 00 Wyckoff, Rev. C. P., Weedsport, N. Y. 30 00 LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THE AM. BIBLE tTNION, FROM JUNE 10, 1850 TO OCT. 3, 1850. AWidow'sMite 1 00 An aged Widow of the First Baptist Ch., N. Y 13 A Friend to the cause. North Granville, N. Y., per Rev. Wm. Hutchinson, on accountofL.M 5 00 Abbe, Geo. W., New York, on account ofL.D 50 GO Appleton, C. A., Brooklyn, on account ofL.M 5 00 Backus, Mary A., Granville, N.Y. (don.) 1 00 Barnum, Eder, M. D., Westkill, Greene Co., N. Y. (L. M.) 30 00 Battle, CuUen, Eufaula, Ala., (L. D.)... 100 00 Betts, D. H., Rockland, Me., don. 50 Bishop, Edward, New York, to consti- tute Rev. S. Remington a L. M 30 00 Bowen, Rev. Henry, Chili, N.Y... don. 1 00 Brown, Bi.shop, Granville, N.Y,. ..don. 1 00 Bull, John P., New York, L.M 30 GO Burbach, Roxanna, Granville, N .Y. don. 25 Burden, Joseph W., Williamsburg, L.D. 100 GO Burden, Mrs. J. W., . . L. M. 30 00 Burpe, Heman, Rockland, Me., don. 1 OG Capron, Rev. B. W., Hannibal, N. Y., don 1 GO Children of Leavett Hewins, jr., Gar- retsville, Ohio 10 Choate, Joseph, Auburn, N. Y., on ac- countof L.M 5 00 Chollar, Thomas, Homer, Cortland Co., N.Y.— L. M 5 00 Clearman, Henry V., New York— L.D., 100 00 Clement, Tobias, Jordan, N. Y., on ac- countofL.M 5 00 Cobb, E. B., Auburn, N. Y., on account ofLM 5 00 Colgate, William, New York— L. D 100 00 Colgate, Jas. B., New York, towards a fund for the version of the Eng. Scrip- tures— L. D 100 GO Colgate, Robert, New York— L. D IGO GO Colgate, Charles, New York— L D 100 00 Collection at Public Meeting, New York, June IGth 63 33 Collection at Church, atSenuett, N. Y., per Rev. S. Adsit 3 GO CoUectionatWooster Association, Ohio 4 28 " Church at Canal Dover, Ohio, per Rev. W. R. McGowen 5 25 Collection at 2nd Baptist Church, South St. George, Me 2 52 Collection at Church at Pittsford, N.Y. 1 GO " Church at Ellsworth, Me., towards constituting their pastor, Rev. J. Belcher, L.M 5 67 Collection by Sedgwick and Brooklin Churches, Sedgwick, Me., to qualify R. S.Fogg as Messenger to the A.B.U. 10 00 Collins, Phylester, Granville, N.Y., don. 1 GO Colvin, Levi, Cato 4 Corners, N. Y., on accountofL.M 5 GO Compton, Anthony, New Vork— L.D.. 100 00 Compton, Mrs. Maria, New York— L. M. 30 00 Compton, Miss Eliz,, Brooklyn— L.M. 30 GO Concklin, Mr., Essex, Conn don. 2 00 Cook, William, New York, on account ofL.M 10 GO Cornell, Thos., Rondout, N. Y.— L. D.. 100 GO Corwith, Miss Cath. F. , New York, L.M. 30 00 LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS, 35 Cozzens, Julietta, Granville, N.Y., don. 50 Crie, R. Y., "Rockland, Me dou. 50 Crippen, Betsey, Granville, N. Y. ..don. 50 Crockett, Mrs. S. R., Rockland, Me., on account of L.M 3 00 Culver, Calvin, Granville, N. Y don. 25 Daniels, Neheniiali, New York, on ac- count ofL.M 10 00 Danner, Jolin, Canton, Ohio, on account of L.M 10 00 Davis, Ezra P, New York— L.M. .30 00 Davis, Mrs. Sarali, New York 30 00 Dean, Rev. E., Sennett P. O., N.Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Douglas, Archibald, Skaneateles, N. Y., —L.M 30 00 Durbrow, J. B., Ne w York— L. D 100 00 Durbrow, Mrs. Sarah Ann, New York, — L. D 100 00 Durbrow, J. B., New York, to constitute Mrs. W. Parkinson, L.M 30 00 Ferris, T., Cato 4 Corners, Cayuga, Co., N.Y don. 2 00 Fordhani, Mrs. Eliza, New York— L.M. 30 00 Francis, L, M.D.. Brooklyn— L. M 30 00 Fuller, Robert M., New York— L. D... 100 00 Fuller, Miss Maria Louisa, New York — L. D 100 00 Gardner, Sylvester, Sennett, N. Y., on accountof L. M 5 00 Garrett, Col. E., Garrettsville, Ohio, don 1 00 Gibbs, Theron Z., N. Granville, N. Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Greaves. Amos, Homer, Cortland Co., N.Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Gregory, Isaac, Rockland, Me don. 4 00 Hart, Mrs. Melinda J., Covington, Ky. don 1 00 Hawthorn, Daniel, Woolwich, Me., don. 75 Hawthorn, Hartly, 50 Hayden, Mrs. Jerusha, Esse.x, Conn., to constitnte Hugh M. Thompson, Es- sex, an L. D 100 00 Hazen, Cyrus, Sharon, Ohio don. 1 00 Healy, Ebenezer, Sennett, N.Y.— L.M. 30 00 Hewins, Seth, Garrettsville, Ohio, don. 1 00 Hewiiis, Leavctt, 1 00 Hewins, Leavett, jr., 5 00 Hicks, Thos., S. Tliomaston, Me., don. 1 00 Hillman, Wni , Now York, to constitute Rev. S. H.Cone, D.D— L. D 100 00 Hillman, Samuel T., New York— L. M.. .30 00 Hunt, Wilson G., New York— L. D.... 100 00 Ingraham, Henry, Rockland, Me., don. 1 00 Inirahani, Bernard, .. .. 09 James, Edwin, Albany, N.Y.—L.D.... 100 00 Jenkvns, Mrs. Susannah, New York — L.M 30 00 Judd, Rev. O. B., New York— L. D. ... 100 00 Kellev, Eli, New York— L. D 100 00 Kelley, Mrs. Eli, Now York— L.D 100 00 Kclley, Frederick, New York— L. D. .. 100 00 Kelley, Robert W., New York— L. D.. lOO 00 Kelley, Mrs. R. W.. New York— L. D.. 100 00 Kelly, Samuel R., Brooklyn,— L. M 30 00 Kelly, Mrs. S. R., Brooklyn— L. M 30 00 1 Kelly, Samuel R., to constitute E. H. Tripp, Mrs. E. H. Tripp, and Miss Tripp, L. M's 90 00 Kelly, Sister, Ravanna, Ohio 25 Lamonte, Chas. A., New York— L. D.. 100 00 Lamzed, John, (a British Sailor) Dart- mouth, England— L.M 30 00 Leonard, Thos. O., Woolwich, Me., don. 50 Leonard, W. D. .. .. .. 50 Lewis, Richard B., New York— L. D.., 100 00 Little, Edwin, Granville, N. Y....don. 50 Lockwood, Oliver, New York, on ac- count of L.M 10 00 Loomis, Aaron, Granville, N.Y...don. 25 McBrair, Robert, Brooklyn— L. M 30 00 McBrair, Mrs. Jane, Brooklyn— L. M.. 30 00 Macla3', Rev. A., D.D., NewYork— L.D. 100 00 Macdonald Alexander,New York — L.M. 30 00 Mann, Maria L., Granville, N.Y...don. 50 Marsh, Rev. Geo. L., New York— L.M. 30 00 Maryatt, David P., Harford, Cortland Co., N.Y., on account of L. M 5 00 Mason, Rev. E., Sennett P. O., N. Y., on account of L. M 5 00 Mason, Elvina, Granville, N. Y don. I 00 Mason, Chas. L., 50 Mattocks, Miss Maria, New York— L.D. 100 00 Middleton, Betsey, Granville, N. Y. don. 50 Millar, Mrs. Dorcas, Rochester, N. Y., on account of L. M 5 00 Millard. S. S., Penfield, N.Y., on account of L. M 5 00 Mills, J. Doremus, New York— L. D 100 00 Mills, S. Augustus, New York— L.D. . 100 00 Misplee, Mrs. Sophia, New York— L.M. 30 00 Morris, Lucien B., New York — L. M... 30 00 Morse, Harlow, Rnckland, Me don. 1 00 Munroe, John, Elbridge, N. Y.— L. M. 30 00 NichoU, Saml., New York— L.M 30 00 NicholI,Mrs. Saml., New York— I,. M. 30 00 Noble, Rosweli, Granville, N.Y don. 1 00 Noble, Solomon, .. .. ., 50 Noble, Orrin, 50 Ovet, Nathaniel, Ritchfield, Ohio, don.. 10 00 Otis, Sardis, Granville, N. Y don. 1 00 Parker, James, New York— L. M 30 00 Parmly, Eleazer, New York— L. D 100 00 Parsons, Elijah, Sennett P. 0.,N.Y., on account of L. M '. 5 09 Partridge, Rev. Warren, Ohio don. 1 00 Peck, Albert L., New York— L.M 30 00 Pier, Sylvester, New York— L.M 30 00 Piatt, Miss Margaret, New York. ..don. 3 00 Postlej', Chas., New York— L.M 30 00 Postley, Sam. Brooke, New York— L.M. 30 00 Preble, H., Woolwich, Me don. 50 Randolph, Peter, New York— L. M 30 00 Reed, Miars and family, Woolwich, Me. don 1 00 Rhoades, Betsey E., Granville, N. Y., don 2 00 Robbins, Wm., Granville, N.Y don. 58 Roublee, Thomas, Granville, N. Y., on account of L M 5 00 Runyon, M. T., Now York— L. M 30 00 Sanders, Martin, Cortland, Cortland Co., N. Y., CD account of L. M 5 00 5 36 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. Sanford, Miss Lydia, New York. ..don. 5 00 Savage, Eleazer, Granville, K.Y...don. 1 00 Savage, Lucy M., N. Granville, N. Y., on account of L. M 3 00 Serrell, John J., New York— L. D 100 00 Seymour, Miss Eliza B., New York — L.D 100 00 Shaw, Jas.M., New York— L. D 100 00 Simpkins, W., Orangeville, Ohio, don. 1 00 Smith, Edward, New York— L.D 100 00 Smith, Mrs. Edward, New York— L. M. 30 00 Smith, Elder A., Athens, Tennessee, Sept. 25— L.M 30 00 Oct. 1— L.M 30 00 Smith, John J., New York— L.M 30 00 Smith, Rev. Aniasa, Skaneateles, N. Y., L.M 30 00 Smith, Eli C, N. Granville, N. Y., on ac- countofL.M; 2 00 Smith, John L., Middle Granville, N.Y., don 1 00 Smith, Susan A., Granville, N. Y., don.. 50 Somerville, James, New York, on ac- countofL.M 10 00 Stevens, Agrippa, Whitehall, N. Y., on accountofL.M 2 00 Stinson, Miss S., Woolwich, Me., col- lected by her 57 Stowell, Deacon, Garrettsville, Ohio, don 1 00 Syms, Samuel R., New York— L.D 100 00 Swaim, Hon. Thomas, Pemberton, N. J., —L.D 100 Taylor, Jeremiah B., New York— L.M. 30 00 Thomas, Griffith, New York— L.D 100 00 Thomas, Thomas, New York— L.D 100 00 Townsend, Jas. H., N. Y.,— L.M 30 00 " " " to constitute Rev.A.C. Wheat, L.M 30 00 Treasurer of the late Laurens-st. ch., per Geo. F. Hovey don. 13 39 Turneure, A., New York, to constitute Miss Eliza Turneure, L.M 30 00 Valentine, A. W., Weedsport, N. Y., on accountofL.M 5 00 Warn, John, Sennett, N.Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Waterbury, Miss Martha, New York, on account of L.M 5 00 Wells, J. B., Williamsburgh— L.M 30 00 Wheeler, Aurelius, Auburn, N. Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Winter, Rev. John, Massillou, Ohio, on account of L.M 10 00 Wilson, P. F., Weedsport, N. Y., on ac- count of L.M 5 00 Wilson, Wm., Garrettsville, Ohio, don. 1 12 Wood, J. W., Salem, Ohio don. 1 00 WyckofF, Rev. C. P., Weedsport, N. Y., on account of L.M 5 00 Wyckoff, W. H., Brooklyn, N.Y.— L.D. 100 00 THE LIBRARY, The necessity of a good Library for the use of the Board, and especially of the OflBcers and of the Committee on Versions, is apparent. But we do not feel at liberty to use the funds of the Union for the purpose of purchas- ing books. We earnestly request, therefore, that every friend of the Union who has a valuable book which he can spare, will contribute it to the Li- brary. There is special need of books of reference, biblical, historical, and geographical, old editions of the Bible or New Testament, Versions in Foreign Languages, Corrected Versions, Commentaries, and of every thing that may throw light upon the history of Versions, or upon the faults of the English Version, and show the necessity of their correction. BIBLICAL LIBRARY AMERICAN BIBLE UNIOJNf. COMMBNOED JTJLT 3, 1850. Presented by Spencer H. Cone. English Bible, by the American Bible Society, 2 vols, royal 8vo., calf. New York, 1841 Testament and Psalms, by the American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol., Svo., morocco. . . New York, 1849 History of Baptist Indian Missions, by Rev. Isaac McCoy, 1 vol. 8vo., cloth. ..... Washington, 1840 English Bible, by the American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol., 12mo. sheep, (from Imprint of Robert Barker, Lon- don, 1611) New York, 1846 English Bible, by the American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol. 12mo., sheep New York, 1848 The Gospel of Matthew, in Chinese, with notes, by Wm. Dean. ...... Hong Kong, 1848 The Holy Bible, by the American and Foreign Bible Soci- ety, in 2 vols., 8vo, sheep, interlea\ed with writing paper. New York, 1844 Le Nouveau Testament, by the American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol. 12mo., morocco. . . New York, 1848 Vetus Teslamentum Graecum, by the Seventy Translators, corrected by an original copy in the Vatican at Rome, by Leander Van Ess, D.D., 1 vol. 8vo., half-bound. Leipsic, 1824 Bibha Hebraica, by Edward Van Der Hooght, V.D.M., re- vised and corrected by Judah D'Alleraand, in 2 vols. 8vo. half-bd London, 1833 37 38 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. Greek and Latin Lexicon for the New Testament, by Chas. Gottlieb Bretschneider, 2nd edn., corrected and increased, complete in 1 vol. 8vo., half-bound. . Leipsic, 1829 The New Testament, in Ancient and Modern Greek, in pa- rallel columns, by the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol. Svo., sheep. .... London, 1829 The New Testament, in Armenian, 1 vol. Svo., sheep, printed for the Am. & For. Bible Society at Calcutta. 1839 The Acts of the Apostles, in Chinese, by Wm. Dean. 1849 Truth and Error Contrasted, in Chinese, by Wm. Dean. 1844 Hebrew Grammar and Lexicon, by C. F. Frey, 1 vol. 8vo., calf, bd., 10th edition London, 1839 Sermons and Tracts, by John Gill, D.D., 2 vols. 4to., calf, bd. London, 1773 The History of the Christian Church, by Wm. Jones, 2 vols. Svo., calf, bd New York, 1824 Patent Office Report, for 1847, 1 vol. Svo., cloth, Washington, 1848 New York Association Minutes, from 1816 to 1843, in 1 vol., calf, bd. Baptist General Convention Reports, in 2 vols., half-bound, vol. 1, from 1814 to 1831 ; vol. 2, from 1832 to 1846. American and Foreign Bible Society's Reports, 1836 to 1847, 1 vol., half-bound. The Religious Sects of the Hindus, by H. H. Wilson, LL.D. 1 vol. Svo., boards. .... Calcutta, 1846 Indian Church History, by Thos. Yeates, 1 vol. Svo., boards. London, 1818 Twelve vols. Tracts on Various Subjects, Svo., sheep. Exegetical Essays on Words relating to Future Punishments, by Moses Stuart, 1 vol. 12mo., boards. Andover, 1830 The Baptist Magazine for 1849, in numbers. London, 1849 Presented by G. P. Putnam, per S. H. Cone, The Monuments of Egypt a witness for the Bible, by Dr. Francis Hawks, 1 vol. Svo., cloth. . New York, 1850 BIBLICAL LIBRARY. 39 Nineveh and its Remains, by Austen H. Layard, 2 vols. 8vo., cloth. New York, 1849 Presented by Harper ^ Brothers, per S. H. Cone. The Works of Robert Hall, 4 vols. Svo. bd. New York, 1849 Presented by Holman ^'' Gray. The New York Chronicle, for 1849, 1 vol., half-bound. The Christian Review, for 1850. Presented by Sylvester Pier. The Newspaper Controversy about a Corrected Version of the English Scriptures, 3 vols., half-bound. 1850 The Hebrew Messenger, for 1846 and 1847, by C. F. Frey, 1 vol. 8vo., half-bound. .... New York. Presented by Mrs. Eli Kelley, per S. H. Cone. The Biblical Student's Assistant, by Clericus, 1 vol. 8vo., cl. Edinburgh, 1844 Hard Bible Words made Easy, 1 vol. 8vo. cl. London, 1844 Life and Labors of Dr. Morrison, by his Widow, 2 vols. 8vo., cloth London, 1839 The Correspondence of Wm. Cooper, 1 vol. 8vo., bd., calf. Philadelphia, 1824 Luther's Commentary on Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, 1 vol. 8vo., bd., calf. . . . Philadelphia, 1801 Lectures on the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, by Dr. Chal- mers, 1 vol. 8vo., boards . . . New York, 1843 An Exposition of the Apocalypse, by David N. Lord, 1 vol. Svo., cloth New York, 1847 Le Nouveau Testament, by American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol. 12mo., sheep. . . New York, 1848 Enghsh Testament, by American and Foreign Bible Society, 1 vol. 32mo., cloth. . . . . New York, 1846 Sacred Geography, by Warren Cochran, 1 yo\. 4to. New York, 1846 Presented by Miss 'Eliza B. Seymour, per S. H. Cone. The Englishman's Greek Concordance, by G. V. Wigram, 1 vol. royal 8vo., sheep. . . . New York, 1848 40 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. Analecta Theologica, by Wm. Trollope, 2 vols. 8vo., the 2 vols, bound together, russia. . . . London, 1842 A new Literal Translation of the Apostolical Epistles, by James Macknight, 1 vol. Svo., bd. Philadelphia, 1835 Reports of the American and Foreign Bible Society, in 2 vols., half-bound, vol. 1, from 1836 to 1843 ; vol. 2, from 1844 to 1849. Correspondence and Miscellanies of the Hon. John Cotton Smith, late President of the American Bible Society, by Wm. W. Andrews, 1 vol. 12mo., cl. New York, 1847 Presented by Wilson G.Hunt, Esq., 2>er S. H. Cone. The English Hexapla, by Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1 vol. 4to, russia, bd. ..... London, 1841 Presented by Mrs. Robt. W. KeUey,per S. H. Cone. The Baptist Library, in 3 vols., 8vo. cl. New York, 1843 Christian Researches in Asia, by Claudius Buchanan, 1 vol., 8vo., boards. .... London, 1819 History of American Baptist Missions, by Wm. Gammell, 1 vol. 12mo., cloth. .... Boston, 1849 The Knowledge of Jesus, by Alex. Carson, 1 vol. 12mo., cl. New York, 1850 Presented by Mrs. Hester Robinson, per S. H Cone. Collections of the New York Historical Society, in 2 books, embracing 4 vols. 8vo., bound. N. Y., 1811 to 1826 New Testament, by American and Foreign Bible Society, from the imprint of Robt. Barker, London, 1611, 1 vol. 8vo., bound New York, 1840 A New Translation and Exposition of the Book of Job, by John Fry, 1 vol. 8vo., cloth. . . London, 1827 Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, by Edward Dan. Clarke, 1 vol. 8vo., bound. . . . Philadelphia, 1811 Life of Sir Wm. Jones, 1 vol. 8vo. calf. Philadelphia, 1805 Theological Tracts of Rev. John Brine, 1 vol. 8vo., calf. London, 1766 BIBLICAL LIBRARY. 41 National Religion, by Rev. R. Skittler, 1 vol. 12mo. cloth. London, 1838 Presented hy Wm. H. Wychoff. Thesaurus Linguae Latinge, byjlobt. Stephens, 4 vols, fol., bd. London, 1734 Biblia Sacra, cum duplicitranslatione et scholiis Francisci Vatabuli, &c., 2 vols. 4to, parchment. Salamanca, 15S4 The History of Baptism, by R. Robinson, 1 vol. 4to., half-bd. London, 1790 Universal Gazetteer, by R. Brooks, 1. vol. 8vo., bound. Philadelphia, 1804 Presented hy Wm. Weeden, EUzabethport, N.J. , per S. H. Cone. Charges on Moral and Rehgious Subjects, by lion. Jacob Rush, 1 vol. ]6mo., bound . Philadelphia, 1804 Familiar Dialogues on Shakerism, by Fayette Mace, pamphlet, 16mo., covers. . . . Portland, 1838 Presented hy William Leivis, per S. H. Cone. An Institution of General History, from the beginning of the world to the time of Constantino the Great, by Wm. How- ell, 1 vol. fol., bd. .... London, 1G61 Presented hy J. Francis, M.D., per S. H. Cone. The Aged Christian's Cabinet, by Rev. John Stanford, D.D. 1 vol. 8 vo., half-bound. . . . New York, 1829 The Complete Works of Henry Kirke White, by Robert Southey, LL.D., 1 vol. 8vo., half-bd. ' Boston, 1829 The New Testament, 1 vol. royal 8vo., bd., by the American Bible Society. .... New York, 1840 Presented hy a Frie?id, per S. H. Cone. Dr. Wayland's Elements of Moral Science, 1 vol. 8vo. cloth. New York, 1835 Greek and English Lexicon, by J. H. Bass, 1 vol. 18mo. cloth. . . . . . . London, 1829 MEETING OF TEE BOARD OF MANAGERS. Friday, Oct. 4th, 1850. The new Board met at the Society's Rooms, at four o'clock, P.M. The President in the chair. Prayer was offered by Rev. James Belcher. The following By-Laws and Ordar of Business were adopted, and Stand- ing Committees appointed. BY-LAWS. 1. All meetings shall be opened by reading a portion of the Word of God and prayer. 2. All Committees shall be nominated by the presiding oflBcer, and ap- proved by the Board, unless otherwise specially ordered. 3. No moneys shall be paid out of the treasury but by order of the Board. 4. All resolutions, if required, shall be presented in writing. ORDER OF BUSINESS. 1. Reading Minutes of last meeting. 2. Treasurer's Report. 3. Communications of Cor. Secretary. 4 Reports of Standing Committees. 5. Reports of Select Committees. 6. Unfinished Business. 7. New business. STANDING COMMITTEES. Publication and Finance. 1. Eleazer Parmly, 2. Sylvester Pier, 3. James H. Townsend, 4. Samuel R. Kelly, 5. Geo. W. Abbe. Agencies. 1. H. J. Eddy, 2. Stephen Remington, 3. A. C. Wheat, 4. W. S. Clapp, 5. S. S. Relyea. On Versions. 1. Spencer H. Cone, 2. Geo. W. Eaton, 3. W. C. Duncan, 4. Thomas Armitage. 5. Wm. Norton, 6. .James Shannon, 7. Orrin B. Judd, 8. John W. Sarles. 9. Wm. H. Wyckoff. Legacies. 1. Wm. Colgate, | 2. Wm. D. Murphy, | 3. John B. WeUs. Ldhrary. 1. Sylvester Pier, | 2. Wm. H. Wyckoff, | 3. E. S. Whitney. STATED MEETINGS OF THE BOARD. The Board of Managers of the American Bible Union hold their stated meetings on i\i(i first Wednesday of every mouth at the Society's Rooms, at four o'clock, P. M. 42 APPENDIX. ADDRESS OF REV. STEPHEN REMINGTON, PA8T0B or THE STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, NEW YORK. Mr. President : — I rise to move the 8/;ceptaiice of the First Annual Report of the American Bible Union, and that it be printed and circulated by the Board of managers. The Bible being a Revelation of the will of God to man, of all other books should interest us the most. In this sacred volume we "have the mind and will of the Holy Spirit. It contains all that is necessary to our faith and practice — all that is necessary by which to furnish the believer with the reason of the hope that is within him — aU that is necessary by which to comfort and establish him in his way to a better world — aU that is necessary to inspire his hope of immortality and eternal life. But it should be remembered that " God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son," and his inspired Apostles ; and that he spoke to them in a language which they understood, which they recorded in Hebrew and Greek. But we are neither Hebrews nor Greeks, and yet the Bible is for us. It belongs unto us and our children, and we ought to be able to read it for ourselves, and teach its glorious trutlis to our children. Here we have the words of eternal life, which words, in the hands of the Spirit, are the appointed means of our salvation. In view of these facts, need we be surprised that Satan should be offended at any effort to bring out the truth 1 and that he employs all the influence he can command to hold it back ? Is it wonderful that this common adver- sary of God and man, knowing as he does that the word of truth is the mighty lever in the hands of God by which his kingdom is to be ultimately demolished, should make his most mighty effort to prevent its promulga- tion — should set every possible agency at work that he can employ — spit out floods of venom — employ bad men, and even good men, as auxiliaries, if not to cut oflf the streams of Divine truth from flowing out to the world, at least to have them go forth corrupted by human imperfections, so that they may be the less efficacious. 2 APPENDIX. Satan has forethought. His kingdom was not fully organized until in the commencement of the seventh century, when the Bishop of Rome was de- clared universal head of the church. A leading feature in his kingdom then was to dam up the fountain of truth, and to chain the Bible, so that the common people could Aot have access to it. This dam lasted between seven and eight hundred years, when Wickliff dared to pull out a stone by translating the Scriptures into English. It was a small breach in the wall — a few copies in MS. — but when this good man was dead and in Heaven, it was printed and circulated. Though Wicldiff escaped martyrdom in life, yet after death the enemies of the Bible disturbed the repose of his body, and burned his bones. Still the work went on, and in connection with our English versions of the Holy Scriptures we have the illustrious names of Tindal. John Rogers, Cranmer, and Latimore, of blessed memojy, each of whom were burned at the stake for their tidelity for the truth, and now wear a martyr's crown on high. The last and most perfect edition of this blessed volume in the English language is the one now in circulation — commonly called King James's ver- sion. And need I say I venerate it ? I love " That old fashioned Bible, that dear blessed Bible, The Family Bible that lay on the stand." Why should I not love it ? It was the means of my conversion to God. Millions in Heaven, and millions more on the way to that happy land, will forever praise God for it. Essential truth is herein contained, and as a whole it fully answers the inquiry " What must I do to be saved ? But still it is not perfect. On this point there is scarcely any controversy. I need not reiterate what the learned have stated as to the errors in trans- lation, obsolete words, and bad gi-ammar ; all this is before us. What, then, is our work ? Is it to give an improved edition of God's word to the world 1 No — verily. That version needs no correction. It is perfect. It is what is called King James's version of the Bible that we would have corrected, not God's version. In the prosecution of this work, we must begin at the foundation. We must have a standjird — a pure version of the original. And this must be decided upon by great labor and research on the part of our best philological and biblical scholars. The standard once decided upon is to be not for the English language alone, but for all languages. Our Burman, German, Italian. French, &c., as well as English Bibles, must be tested by it. Hence it will be perceived why the "Union" covers so much ground — Foreign as well as English. Our work is to procure God's truth pure and ungarbled, and such a Bible for the world. And is not this a glorious work — the greatest of the age ? I am aware that it has been inquired, " Who are at the head of this move- ment ?" and that it has been responded, " Boys and striplings." Suppose it to be so ; we shall as surely succeed as did the fishermen of Galilee. ADDRESS OF REV. STEPHEN REMINGTON. 3 God often accomplishes great things from small beginnings, and His most efficient work is done when his servants and instrumentalities are hidden behind him. What, venerable President, if we are but boys and striplings ? Is our God too fearful to come out for the whole truth, unless a mighty force raUy to his standard 1 Our " God is a man of war." Gideon's feeble band, headed by Him, made destruction in the camp of Midian ; and the sound of rams' horns, by our God were sufficient to make the towering walls of old Jericho faU tumbling to the ground. Let us then fear not, but be valiant for the truth. In this we are sure that we are right ; let us therefore confidently go forward. I beg of you the privilege, before I sit down, Mr. President, and the indul- gence of this audience, to state, and very briefly attempt to obviate, some of the objections which I have frequently heard urged against the " Bible Union." 1. I have heard a few declare that there is no necessity for a new version of the English Scriptures. But generally such a statement has not been made with deliberation. Men wUl say tilings when excited that they will not repeat in their more sober moments. To such I would say, it seems that King James's version was not good enough for the heathen, and there- fore it is not good enough for us, if a better version can be ©'btained. Do we not need as perfect a version of the Scriptures as the heathen ? Why not ? Are there not as many of us ? Is the English language dying out of the world ? Is it not spreading, and have we not every reason to be- lieve that it is destined to be the leading language of earth ? It is the com- mercial language of the greater part of the world already ; and as commerce, civilization, and the Gospel spread, the Enghsh language must and will go with them. In the original, God made the family of man to be one common brotherhood, all speaking one language ; but sin broke up this brotherhood, divided this happy family, and confounded their language. The Gospel is destined to harmonize the race — bring them together again in one common brotherhood — and back to one language. And what language will that be ? The signs of the times clearly indicate that it will be our own English tongue. If so, is it not even more important that the English translation should, if possible, be more perfect than any other 7 So it appears to me. 2. Another objection which I have heard stated is, that though a new version of the English Scriptures is of acknowledged importance, yet, Bap- tists ought not to lead in this noble enterprise. If they do, it will be called a Baptist Bible. They will translate the Greek' word haptizo and call it immerse, and though the learned say that it means immerse, and nothing else, yet it is not prudent to say so ; besides, it is an older word than immerse, and therefore must have the preference. In my '• Reasons for becoming a Baptist," I state that by careful examina- tion of the word haptizo, and the testimony of the learned, I became fully convinced that it meant immerse, and nothing else. This conviction made me a Baptist. Was I right ? 4 APPENDIX. o. It is not the time for a new version of the English Scriptures, — I have heard it repeatedly remarked by objectors ; — wait, say they, until all evan- gelical denominations can harmonize, then go at it. Harmonize ! I ask, how can they harmonize unless they unite in the truth ? There is a controversy between us. How can it be settled ? God's word must settle it. Let us hear what He says. Let the Bible, every word of it, be translated ; and if it be a Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopahan, Meth- odist, or even a Quaker Bible, so let it be. Only let us have the truth — the whole truth, and nothing but the truth — and we will abide consequences. 4. But we are afraid you will make infidels. Infidels have already ap- plauded you. To this I would reply : Satan has more than once applauded God's ser- vants in order to bring them into disrepute. It was truth when he bore testimony that " these men are the servants of the most high God, who show unto us the way of salvation." But when the demon was expelled, these " servants of the most high God " were thrust into prison. So let us wait and see if infidels will applaud us when the sword of the Spirit is fully unsheathed from the orfginal languages, and from the errors of men. Let us see if it will not become the sharper and the more pointed thereby — and the more mighty in puUing down the strong holds of Satan's kingdom. ADDRESS OF REV. JAMES BELCHER,^ OF ELLSWORTH, MAINE. Rev. J. Belcher, in rising to second the motion to adopt the Report, said that he felt that at this late hour of the afternoon, it would be a mark of wisdom not to attempt to add much to what had been well said. He wished, however, to intrude a very little plain talk from Maine. He regarded the organization of a society for the circulation of the Word of God, under any auspices, as a great fact, affecting the immortal interests of millions of our race ; but he viewed the institution of the Bible Union, as the greatest fact in the history of the world, and of the church of the present century. The fundamental principle of the Bible Union was one that should commend itself to the heart of every Christian believer, every lover of the revealed * We have been disappointed in not receiving the Address of brother Belcher, which he promised to write out and forward to us. As further delay would detain the Annual Report from the press, we are obliged to substitute for the Address itself, thn above abstract which appeared in one of the secular papers of this city. — Cob. Sec. ADDRESS OF REV. JAMES BELCHER. 5 "Will of the Spirit of God. The necessity of giving a more faithful transcript of this Will was proved by the many difficulties that surrounded the path of the Biblical student. The people had experienced this difficulty, and the ministry acknowledged it, again and again, in the necessity imposed upon them to explain ambiguous phrases, and re-translate many passages that in the common version are equivocal. The question seemed very naturally to arise, if a revision of the Scriptures is on aU hands allowed to be necessary in order to perspicuity, is it not the duty of the Christian church to supply the demand ? Is it not right to throw open the sacred oracles, or to refuse to lift that veil when opportunity offers ? It is acknowledged by some that a revision is needed, but they urge that it is '• not expedient." Now, he believed, that the word expedi- ency should not be found in the Christian vocabulary. It would appear more in accordance with our profession, to ask ^directly, What is duty ? and what is best for the cause of Christ ? and in answer God had commanded to write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he who reads may run. But now it was not so — the mind of the Spirit was concealed, by a version being retained that is not a faithful reflex, being in fact composed in part of obsolete language, and in part of Anglo-Greek. He loved the Bible as it is : yes, " The old fashioned Bible, The dear blessed Bible, The family Bible," and because he loved it, desired to see its blemishes removed and its incor- rectness revised. The speaker alluded to missionary translators, and espe- cially to Judson, and asked. Why should we give to Burmah that which we refuse to Anglo-Saxons ? The pure word was wanted for posterity — for those who spoke the English vernacular, which in a few years, it was com- puted, would be spoken by three hundred millions of our race. Mr. B. then spoke of the encouraging success in Maine, and of the indefatigable labors of the Bible Union Agent in that State, believing that the East would soon rise universally in his support, and concluded by recommending the exercise of a spirit of prayer and faith that aU things might work together for good, and the enjoyment of the true Bible Union in Heaven. APPENDIX. ADDRESS OF REV. GEORGE W. EATON, D.D., PEOFKSSOB IN MADISON CNIVBRSITY, N. T. Mr. President : — I have the honor of offering the following resolution : Resolved, That the Word of God should be translated into every language among men, in just such terms as shall most unmistakeably convey the mind of the Spirit as expressed in the original Hebrew and Greek. This resolution embodies, according to my understanding, the fundamental principle of the American Bible Union. The scope of its legitimate action is the practical application of this principle, in its widest extent, without exception and without restriction. The multiplication and circulation of versions made in accordance with this principle, are supposed as a necessary consequence to be embraced in this action. But it is the principle itself with which I shall mainly concern myself in the remarks I shall offer. And in the outset I desire to say that this principle ought not to require (fiscussion or advocacy or enforcement in a Protestant assembly. All who recognize the recorded will of God, as found in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as the only rule of religious faith and practice among men, must admit the duty and urgency of making this Will universally known. God in His infinite mercy has made a revelation of His mind and wUl, in respect to the apostate and rebellious children of men. This revela- tion is addressed to man universally, — to every man in particular. It con- tains a message specifically addressed to every rational and responsible in- dividual of the human race. Upon the reception and knowledge of this Divine message depends nothing less than the eternal life of the soul. " This is life eternal," says the blessed Savior, " that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." To convey this knowledge to all men, God calls for the cooperation of His servants ; and to a higher and holier duty they could not be challenged. To be workers together with God in diffusing the knowledge of His will among the nations of the earth, in modes that shaU unmistakeably convey its true import to every truth-seeking soul, is a privilege and an honor which angels might covet. But how is this to be done? There are two Heaven-appointed modes : 1st — The voice of the living herald, who has himself studied and become thoroughly acquainted with the contents of the inspired message, and goes forth to proclaim it in the ears of men. 2d — The submission of the written word, in the most clear and definite terms, to the eye of every individual, that he may peruse it for himself. Both these means must be ADDRESS OF REV. GEORGE W. EATON, P.L. 7 employed by us in making known the wOl of God. I shall not stop to dis- cuss their comparative importance, but shaU proceed at once to the consid- eration of the latter as the great business of this society. God has been pleased to order His revealed will to be recorded in written language. For this purpose, He selected holy men who, under the especial and immediate direction of the Divine Sph-it, registered His revelations. " Holy men of old wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." ' Hence we hold that the form as weU as the substance of these revelations was inspired. " All Scripture is given by inspiration of God :" that is, is God- inspired, or God-breathed. The original record was made in two languages, the Hebrew and the Greek. From these the Spirit of God chose the terms and modes of expression which were used by the inspired penmen in regis- tering the thoughts and purposes of God. A peculiar sacredness hence attaches to the original record. But in process of time the languages in which it was made ceased to be spoken among men. They became what we term dead languages, and so unsusceptible of change either in phrase- ology or meaning. The revealed truths of God are enshrined in unchange- able modes of expression. They art as fixed lights in an immovable firma- ment. The stereotype of eternity is upon the sacred original. But in con- sequence of being contained in languages no longer spoken, a few favored scholars only can have access to the life-giving truths in the form at first revealed. The millions of the race must remain forever shut out from the eternal fountain of life and salvation, unless opened to them through the medium of faithful translations. We see therefore the necessit}- of multi- plying tra:nslations of the original Scriptures, that all may " read in their own tongue the wonderful works of God." Who cannot perceive from this view that the work of Bible translation is one of transcendent importance ? In no other way can the myriads that people the globe, speaking various languages, be put in possession of the truths which '• make wise unto sal- vation." A translation is the conveyance of the ideas contained in one wi'itten lan- guage into another by the use of words and phraseology belonging to the latter, which, though different in form and sound from those of the former, shall substantially and clearly express the same thing. When the ideas of • the original are reproduced in a translation in such fullness and distinctness that the reader shall receive the same impressionSj and the same kind and amount of knowledge from perusing the latter as he would from perusing the former if thoroughly versed in it, then the translation is perfect. And nothing short of this should be our aim in translations of the Holy Scrip- tures. We may indeed never actually attain to it, but we must be ever- more striving after it. And here I would note a difference which must always exist between the inspired original and every translation, however excellent. The one bears the impress of God's unerring Spirit. It is a Divine production, though 8 APPENDIX. penned by human hands. The highest learning sanctified by humble piety, has been expended upon the sacred text of the original, in order to preserve and perpetuate it in the exact form in which it passed from under the hands of the inspired amanuenses of the Holy Spirit. Vf e may, therefore, feel the strongest confidence in the fidelity and accuracy of the original text, as ap- proved and endorsed by the profoundest Biblical scholars. On the other hand, a translation is a human production, and must necessarily bear more or less the marks of human imperfection. Undoubtedly the candid truth- loving and devout translator is especially assisted in his work by the same Spirit that dictated the original. But, he cannot claim, and we cannot allow him the gift of inspiration ; and his work, however distinguished for super- lative excellence, can never have the authority of the original, and must in no wise be taken as a standard of ultimate appeal. Nevertheless, a high degree of perfection may be attained by human effort, directed by a sound understanding ; but it is characteristic of this kind of effort that perfection is approximated by degrees and by repeated trials, while all that comes directly from God bears the impress of his own immaculate perfection. Now is there any work under Heaven, in which there should, be such a concen- tration of persevering and holy effort to reach the highest possible perfection, as in that of translating the inspired oracles of God into all languages spoken by immortal and accountable men ? To this kind of effort is this Society professedly and publicly committed before Christendom and the ■world. It is but announcing a simple fact to assert, that there is no trans- lation of the Holy Scriptures now extant, that may not be in many respects greatly improved, and made more perfectly to reflect the divine meaning of the original. We may liken a translation in respect to the original to a mirror. How different the degrees of perfection in different specimens of this convenient production of human art. We have seen mirrors so defective as to give back but a portion of the features of the object placed before it, and the conception of the whole was quite lost. Others reflect it with such dimness or dis- coloration, that though we may catch an indistinct outline, the true expres- sion is not given. In others again such perfection has been attained, that it , is difficult to tell by the eye, which is the image and which the object. A perfect mirror is one which reflects the object placed before it, with all its light and shade, just as it strikes the eye in its real and substantial form. Such a " devoutly wished for consummation " should we piously aim at in the mirrors of the inspired Word, which we provide in translations of this Word for the nations of the earth. They should reflect the heavenly truths in all the fulness, clearness and beauty of the original revelation. Now, Sir, if I understand the restrictions and limitations which other Socie- ties have in their wisdom and discretion imposed upon themselves, yours is the only Society in Christendom which proposes, as its chief olject, this vitally important and responsible work of giving faithful, and, nearly as ADDRESS OF REV. GEORGE W. EATON, D.D. 9 possible, perfect translations of God's Word into all languages among men. Let us do no injustice to other Societies. You occupy a ground which they have wisely and discreetly, it may be, declined to assume ; while they may honestly think that you have I'ashly and profanely rushed in " where angels fear to tread," without furnishing any adequate guarantees of your compe- tency for the holy and awfully responsible task proposed. Their peculiar province is the circulation of the Scriptures in translations furnished to their hands by the labors of others. With them the Avork of translating and revision is incidental and confined to foreign languages, while they do most emphatically disclaim all intention of engaging in this incidental work in respect to the English language. Now, they are doing a noble. work in circulating the Word of God in the best translations which are extant. Let us not impede them in this noble work, but devoutly invoke the blessing of God to rest upon their labors. But the simple truth is, the field of Biblical translation in its comprehensiveness and universality, the American Bible Union has alone ventured to enter and occu2)y. It may be, sir, that this was a rash movement, and that this is not the body that God has appointed for such occupancy; but of two things I have a strong and abiding convic- tion, namely, that as a field for special Christian effort, there is none in this age of more commanding and pressing importance, and hence there is an imperious call on the part of the Spirit and Providence of God, that some competent agency should occupy it. Whether the " Union " is the divinely appointed agent to labor in this field, the character and results of its labors will be the best evidence. But the fact is, in the providence of God, it has fairly entered the unoccupied field, and with my impressions as to the para- mount importance of the object to be accomplished, I must cordially yield to it my humble approval and small influence, so long as I retain my present confidence in the purity and integrity of those who direct and manage its operations. Thus far I have contemplated the province of this Society in its relation to the work of Biblical translation and revision generally. I shall now say a few words upon what many regard as its distinguishing peculiarity — namely its relation to a revision of the English Scriptures. It is indisputably committed to undertake such revision, and will accord- ingly adopt and prosecute all proper and practicable me.1,sures to accomplish it in the best possible- manner. In this respect the Union does occupy a peculiar attitude before the Christian world. Other Bible Societies have publicly and most emphatically disclaimed any purpose of the kind. I will briefly consider two questions pertinent to this subject of revising the Eng- lish Scriptures, and leave the discussion to be prosecuted by one far more able and better prepared to do it justice. 1st. Is such revision desirable? 2d. Is it feasible 7 And here let us discriminate between a revision and a translation. They are by no means identical. I have never understood that this Society contemplates a new translation into the English language 10 APPENDIX. of the original Scriptures, nor properly, even a " new version," but a careful and thorough revision by competent men of the version now in common use, with the specific and sole object of making it ?'?i «// iYs/)arfs a more perfect utterance of the mind of the Siiirit, without materially alter- ing its venerable and familiar phraseolog3^ And this too for the special benefit of the common people who cannot have recourse to the original. This is the specific point to which our first question relates. For my own part, I am free to say that I do not think a new and independent translation of the original Scriptures desirable, and certainly not desirable as a work to be undertaken by this Society ; and for one I should regard it as a misap- plication of its resources to devote them to such an object. We have in the main an excellent translation in our present English Bible, and for this I must say in passing, that we are not so much indebted to " King James translators,''^ as they are called, as many seem to suppose. It is a histori- cal fact, that our " excellent version" is itself a revision, or rather it is a compilation from previous versions. The laudations bestowed upon King James' translators, in connection with our present version, are somewhat misplaced as well as extravagant. They did comparatively but little in the way of translating ; and competent persons who have carefully compared the versions from which they compiled, with the version as it came from their hands, have judged that if they had done more at compiling and less at translating, the necessity of any subsequent revision would be less than it is. lie who maintains that King James' translators were eminently quali- fied to translate the original Hebrew and Greek into English, or that they were as competent to revise the English Scriptures as are the distinguished biblical scholars of the present day, betrays a want of accurate knowledge of the comparative state of sacred philology at that time and the present. Nevertheless, it is a cheerfully admitted fact, and one which should call forth our profoundest gratitude to a gracious Providence, that our common version does possess signal merits, and is worthy of the general confidence reposed in it. I desire not to be misunderstood on this point. I entertain the highest respect and the most grateful appreciation of the " good old Bible as it is." I desire to see no more changes in it than are necessary to correct clearly ascertained errors, to remove acknowledged obscurities, and to bring out distinctly and unambiguously the true meaning of the original. That errors, obscurities and ambiguities do attach to our received version notwithstanding its great excellencies, is not the mere opin- ion of a sect or party. It is a fact well known and painfully felt by aU. who are versed in the sacred originals. It is by no means of uniform excellence throughout. While there are portions of transcendant and almost faultless excellence as clear reflections of the mind of the Spirit^ others do not give clearly, and some fail entirely to give this mind, as expressed in the original Hebrew and Greek. I repeat, this is not a matter of mere opinion of this or that sect. Every scholar knows it to be a fact. ADDRESS OF REV. GEORGE W. EATON, D.D. 11 Now, sir, as I love God's revealed truth, and hold it to be unspeakably important that all men should know it in its fulness and explicitness ; nay, sir, as I love our old familiar Bible, I must insist that it is eminently desirable that these blemishes and imperfections should be removed in order that God's will, as originally revealed, shall be given in all its parts to the English reader, without ambiguity and without mutilation. My under- standing resents as an insult the objection that a pious and judicious attempt to eliminate these defects from our version will give a handle to infidelity. What more effective handle can we give to infidelity than a public admission of these defects, while we at the same time discourage and oppose all attempts to remove them. It is alleged that these defects are not serious, and do not cover up or obscure any important or vital doctrine. In answer, I would say, it is not for w,s to decide upon the comparative import- ance of different parts of Divine revelation. It is all given by inspiration, and is all '• profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." And no finite mind can estimate the mischief to the interests of truth and of souls, of an erroneous or obscure rendering of any part of God's revealed will. We should indeed come to this work of revision with a deep sense of its responsibility and delicacy. We should approach our venerable version with reverence and affection as our best friend, whose blemishes and defects we desire to remove, only that its peerless excellen- cies may be relieved of all eclipse, and the word of God shine through it as a transparent medium, pouring its radiant and unobscured glories over English Christendom, that its millions may walk in the light, and there be " none occasion of stumbling " to any. To my mind there is no object of higher or more sacred moment to be prosecuted by Christian effort in this age of intellectual advancement than such a thorough and careful revision of our common version of the Holy Scriptures, as shall make it (while all its excellencies are untouched or made more impressively conspicuous) in all its parts as exact a transcript of the sacred original as it is possible for the learning of the age, directed by sanctified mind, to make it. We beheve that such a revision of our version is practicable, and that the time has come when it should be undertaken in good earnest. Sacred literature has been cultivated with great assiduity and success by the past and present generation of Christian scholars. The science of Biblical interpretation has reached a state of perfection quite beyond even the conception of King James' translators. There are Biblical scholars of the present time with whom these translators bear no comparison in respect to an accurate and familiar acquaintance with the inspired originals and the true principles of translation and interpretation. Why should not their rich store of sacred learning be laid under tribute, in order to confer the highest possible perfec- tion upon the Bible of the common people, that it may mirror forth to them, in faithful and clearly defined images, the eternal truths of Divine Inspira- tion ? The arguments advanced in opposition to a revised version have not 12 ■ APPENDIX. affected my mind as either forcible or pertinent. I regret to say that loyalty to the paramount autliority of God's word has not seemed to me to constitute the staple of these arguments. It has been urged by some that there is no necessitj^ for a revision in order to make the Bible more " bap- tist'''' than it is — that it is baptist enough without any change, and that as a denomination the Baptists have been wonderfully increasing under the guidance of our present version. What, sir, is it your purpose to make a Baptist' Bible ? Is it the object of this Union to make a version to favor sectarian peculiarities 7 If it be so I can have nothing to do with it. I have understood that it occupies ground which entirely overlooks the plat- form of every sect and denomination as such, and aims simplj^ to secure a version which shall, in the language of the resolution, " convey the mind of the Spirit, as expressed in the original Hebrew and Greek," whatever might be its bearing upon denominational peculiarities. I am a Baptist, the son of a Baptist, the grandson of a Baptist, and my ancestors, as far back as I can trace them in the dim vista of the past, were Baptists, and yet, if a faith- ful translation of every part of God's word should be the means of scattering the Baptist denomination to the four winds, I hesitate not to say, let it be made, let it he made. Let God's truth be utterred, though it prove every Baptist to be in a lie. I am a Baptist, I trust, solely on the ground of an honest conviction, that in the creed and practice of the Baptist denom- ination there is embodied a larger measure of Scriptural truth than in those of other Christian sects. In regard to the word which has given us our denominational appellation, I say let its specific meaning be given, whatever it be ; that it has a specific meaning, it is an impious reflection upon the Spirit of Truth not to take for granted, as it is essential to every positive command that some particular act be designated. If it be to sprinkle, let it be so expressed, if to pour let it be to pour, and if to immerse let it plainly and unequivocally be given thus, though the cry of sectairianism should come up like the voice of many waters from every part of Christen- dom. In carrying out the principle of faithful versions of God's word we must have no regard to consequences, much less to considerations of expedi- ency. " What saith the Lord," must be the engrossing inquiry ; and when this is ascertained, it is to be expressed just in the simplest and clearest terms at command, without any anxious regard to the elegance of the style or the refinements of an elaborate rhetoric. Perspicuity and simplicity are the highest characters demanded in the style of a version adapted for general use. In conclusion, I would express it as my firm conviction, that a Society, based upon the principle embodied in the resolution, must succeed against all opposition, if its operations are fiiithfully directed in humble dependence upon the blessing of God to sustain and carry out the principle. The Union is fully committed before the world to the distinct maintenance of this principle. As an organization it is its sole representative. As God will honor the principle, he will also honor and bless the Society — honestly ADDRESS OF REV. GEORGE W. EATON, D.D. 13 and piously devoted to its assertion and practical application. The most solemn and weighty responsibility rests upon the ofiBcers and managers of the Union, and no labor and expense should be spared to ensure an accepta- ble execution of the great work they have proposed to themselves. They are not expected to do it themselves directly, but it is their province to secure the men and the means competent and adequate to accomplish it. There are eminent living scholars, whose critical knowledge confers the requisite abilitj^ to apply all the resources of their own and of others, which may be necessary to the ascertainment of the original meaning, and whose moral honesty will prompt them to give it to the English reader " in just such terms as shall most unmistakeably convey" it, without fear or favor. Let them be enlisted at whatever cost in the prosecution of this eminently important work. Eminent success in the execution will constitute hj far the most valuable achievement of the age, and this success will be perceived and gratefully acknowledged by all who hold the simple authority of God's word paramount to all other considerations. If the work is badly done, it will be condemned and repudiated. If well and thoroughly done, it will command approval and adoption against every outcry and mode of opposi- tion, from whatever quarter it may come. In nothing can we so confidently depend upon the favor and special blessing of God as in honest and perseve- ring efforts to make his whole revealed will known to all men,' for " His ward He will honor above all His name." And them who honor that word above all things beside He will not fail in a peculiar manner to honor and bless. 14 APPENDIX. ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, PRESIDENT OF BETHANT COLLEGE, VIRGINIA. Men, Brethren, and Fathers in Israel! Through the kind providence of our Heavenly Father, and by your Christian courtesy, I have the honor to appear before j^ou, and to ad- dress you, on this most eventfiil and interesting occasion. Regarding your Bible Union as one of the important events of the age — one of the most promising signs of the times, most auspicious of future good to the church and to the world — I cannot but feel exceedingly happy in being permitted to appear before you in the defence and advocacy of that great undertaking so dear to us all, which proposes and promises to give an improved version of the Living Oracles of the Living God in our vernacular, as spoken at the present day. Unaccustomed to apologies on any occasion, for reasons at this day gener- ally understood and properly appreciated, I have, nevertheless, deemed it reasonable to apologize to you for the manner in which I am now about to address you. I have, during a ministry of forty years, never before read a sermon or an address, of my own composition, upon any religious subject, in the presence of any congregation. Indeed, I have never before written but one such discourse, and that was not to be read but recited. But the fects and documents to be alleged and considered, on the present occasion, are so numerous and critical, that I deem it due to myself and to you, that I should first write, and then read to you, whatever I have to submit for our mutual consideration. It is usual, now-a-days, to have a text or a motto to everj^ sermon on every public occasion. On the present I will select a few mottoes : " Go you into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature — teach them to ob- serve whatsoever I have commanded you ;" Jesus the Christ " gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time ;" " The mystery of Christ, kept secret since the world began, is now made manifest, and by the writings of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, is now made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." — Paul. But the Bible, the whole Bible, is my theme. And what is the Bible ? The Bible is the book of God. God is not only its author, but its sub- ject. It is also the book of man. He, too, is the subject and the object of ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 15 the volume. " It has God for its author ; salvation for its end ; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter."* It spans the arch of time, which loans upon an eternity past and an eter- nity to come. It came to us through the ministry of angels, prophets and apostles, and is to be transmitted by us, in all languages, to nations and generations yet unborn. It contains treasures of wisdom and knowledge beyond all the learning of earth, and all the philosophy of man. It not only unveils to us the future of time, but lifts the curtain that separates the seen from the unseen, earth from heaven, time from eternity, and presents to the eye of faith and hope the ineffable glories of a blissful immortality. It is to us, indeed, the book of life ; the charter of "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." It has already measurably civilized many nations and empires. It has enlightened, moralized, sanctified and saved untold millions of our fallen and degraded race, and will continue to enlighten, sanctify and bless the world, until the last sentence of the event- ful volumes of human history shall have been stereotyped forever. But alas for the unfaithful stewards, the inconsiderate and presumptuous sentinels of Zion, who, instead of guarding the ark of the covenant, set about allegoriz- ing, mystifying, and nullif3nng its sacred contents ! The infidel Jew and the pagan Greek first withstood its claims, resisted its evidence, and denied its authority. They alike conspired to hate, to re- vile, and persecute its friends. But vanquished in debate, overcome by its advocates, many of them at length formally admitted its pretensions, ab- jured their errors, and bowed in homage to its dictates. Still, influenced more or less by their former opinions and early associations, they mystified its doctrine, corrupted its simphcit}^, nullified its precepts, and encumbered it with the traditions of the world. Thus, by degrees, a vain and empty philosophy beguiled its friends, neutraUzed its opponents, and secularized its institutions. In a little more than three centuries from the birth of its Founder, the doctrine of the cross was so perverted and corrupted as to ascend the throne of the Roman Caesars, in the person of Constantine the Great. The sword of persecution was then sheathed, and, by an imperial ordinance, toleration vouchsafed to the Christians, and their confiscated estates restored. This event was, most fallaciously and unfortunately, contemplated as the triumph of the cross over the idolatries of pagan Rome ; because, forsooth, the emperor of Rome, while commanding its armies, had seen, or ih'camed that he had seen, at high noon, a golden cross standing under a meridian sun, inscribed, in hoc signo vinces — " under this symbol you will triumph." Thus, as a military chieftain, he was converted to the faith, and, under the banner of a painted cross, led his armies to a final triumph. The paganizing of Christianity in the person and government of Constan- tine, and in his council of Nice, inflicted upon the church and Christianity a 16 APPENDIX. wound from which they have not yet wholly recovered. This early defec tion, obscuring and paralizing the understanding, and corrupting the heart of the Christian profession, also greatly influenced Bible interpretation, and, by degrees, introduced a new theological nomenclature ; of which sundry monuments, both eastern and western, aiford melancholy proof. Down to the first Oecumenical Council, the Christian Scriptures were translated into various dialects. They were not only read, in whole or in part, in Hebrew, Greek, and Syriac ; but also in Latin, Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Persic, and other tongues. The spirit of translating is as old as the celebrated day of Pentecost. When first the gospel was announced by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, it was spoken in all the languages then represented in Jerusalem. " How is it," said the immense concourse, " we do hear, every one in his own native tongue — Parthians, Medes, Persians ; inhabitants of Judea, Cap- padocia, Pontus and proconsular Asia ; Phrygians, Pamphylians, Egypti- ans, Cyrenians, Africans, Roman strangers, Cretes and Arabians — we hear them speaking, in our own tongues^ the wonderful works of God !" Ask wc any other warrant or example to inspire us with the spirit of translation^ or to guide and authorize our efforts in this great work ! The inscription upon the Saviour's cross was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and certainly, for reasons at least equal, if not superior to those which called forth this inscription, his resurrection, and all its consequences, should be given in tongues as numerous and as various as the languages of those to whom this glorious message of salvation is delivered. No one de- nying this, we need not argue its claims as a matter of doubtful disputation. Nor need we undertake to show that the missionary spirit is essentially the spirit of Christianity, and that wherever a church is planted in any country, to it should be committed the oracles of God. It is, however, worthy of special notice, that God himself simultaneously spoke and wrote the legal and symbolic dispensation. He not only preached the law, but wrote the law, with his own hand, and gave the autograph to Moses, of what ho had spoken to him in the mount. In the same spirit of wisdom and philanthropy, the apostles spoke and wi'ote Christianity in sermons and epistles. Even our Saviour himself made John the amanuensis of the seven epistles to the Asiatic churches. For accurate and long preservation of words and ideas, the pen and the parchment, the stylus and the wax, the chisel, the lead and the rock, are indispensable. Hence, neither the new nor the old dispensation was left to the chances of mere oral communication or tradition, but they w^ere written by prophets and apostles, or by their amanuenses, and given in solemn charge to the most faithful depositories — the primitive churches — with solemn anathemas annexed, to protect them from interpolation, erasure or blemish, from the hand of man. But the languages in which the Holy Oracles were originally wi-itten ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 17 died soon after the precious deposit had been committed to them. This death, however, became the occasion of the immortality of that precious deposit. Living tongues are always in a state of mutation. They change with every generation. The language of WicklifFe, of Tindal, of Cranmer, of James I., is not the language of this country nor of this generation. Wick- liffe's version needs now to be translated into the English of 1850. JBut the Greek of the New Testament, and the Hebrew of the Old, having ages since ceased to be spoken, have ceased- to change; and therefore, with the lan- guages of that age, are stereotyped the general literature, the philosophy, the poetry, the history — the classics of the Greeks and Romans ; together with the Septuagint, and other Greek versions of the Jewish Scriptures. Next to the deluge, not only in proximity of, time, but in its calamitous influence on the destiny of man, was the confusion of human language at the profane and insolent attempt to erect a temple to Belus, and a city to prevent the wide dispersion of Noah'-'s progeny. The monumental name Babylon, awakens in every thoughtful and sensitive heart a series of painful reflections on every remembrance of its grievous associations. But for it, as among all animals without reason and conscience, there would have been, through our whole species, but one language and one speech. It has thrown in the way of human civilization and moral progress, barriers that neither can be anni- hilated nor overcome. It has more or less alienated man from man, making every one of a different dialect — more or less a barbarian to a great portion of his own species. As one of our most moral and evangeUcal poets has said of mountains,we may say of language ; for languages, like mountains, inter- posed, ' M.akc enemies of nations ; who else, Like kindred drops, Iiad mingled into one." Till then, the vernacular of every child was that of all mankind, and was a part and parcel of humanity itself, to interest him in every one of his species as his own flesh and blood. But foreign tongues indicate a foreign origin, with which, most frequently, some ungrateful associations arise, that estrange and alienate from the claims of a common brotherhood. But, most of all to be deplored, this divine judgment has thrown very great obstacles in the path of the evangelical ministry. It was, indeed, as observed already, miraculously overcome by the gift of tongues, instantane- ously conferred on the apostles, at the time of the -coronation of the Lord Messiah. They had access, at once, to many nations, whose representatives returned from Jerusalem richly laden with the word of life to their coun- trymen. But the necessity that was overcome on the memorable Pentecost still exists, more or less, as a very formidable obstacle to the conversion of the human race to one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one communion ; and must, of necessity, be overcome. And here we state our first argument in favor of translations of the Holy Scriptures into all languages spoken by 18 APPENDIX. man capable of receiving, in their vocabularies, the precious oracles of the Living and True God. But I am met at the threshold, with the assertion that this is a subject in which all Christendom is agreed, and that it would be but a waste of time to discuss such a question. The necessity of translating the Living Oracles, of the Living God into all the nations of earth, as the means of their con- version and salvation, I am told, is universally conceded by Jew and Gen- tile. But have they, in any other way than theoretically, conceded it ? The Jews' religion and revelation, now called the Old Testament, was not designed for all mankind, in the same sense as the Christian revelation and religion are designed for all mankind. The Jews' religion was specially given to one nation for its own sake. It never was essentially a proselytmg institution. Its genius and nature restricted it to the natural seed of Abra- ham. There is no precept in it commanding it to be preached or promulged to all the world. Still, the Jews' institution had in it the elements of Chris- tianity, and, on that account, it is invaluable to all the Christian kingdom. They, too, have set us an example ; for when the Jews were sown through different countries, they had their oracles translated into the language of these countries. Hence, the first translation made in Egypt by the seventy learned Jews, all natives of Egypt, assembled in Alexandria, not by com- mand of Ptolemy Philadelphus, but during his copartnery of the throne of Egypt with his father, was designed to give to the Jews throughout the world a version in the then prevailing dialect. Thus originated the celebra- ted Septuagint. This, however, preceded the Christian era only 285 years. But the necessity of improved versions is rather our present subject, and with reference to this, the Jews are worthy of our regard. They were not all satisfied with this venerable and invaluable translation, though the best ever made into the Greek tongue. It is honored, and consecrated, too, by the fact that it is quoted in the New Testament, and is thus sanctioned by the holy apostles themselves — a correct exponent of their own Hebrew original. Philo the Jew, Josephus, and the primitive Christians, also gave it the sanction of their approval. Notwithstanding all this, many learned individuals, both Jews and Chris- tians, took exceptions to some parts of it. suggested corrections and emen- dations numerous and various. Accordingly, Aquila, a Jew, who once pro- fessed, but afterwards renounced Christianity and relapsed into Judaism, undertook and finished a new version in the forepart of the 2d century. Ilis chief objection to the Septuagint was its too periphrastic character; and, avoiding this alleged defect, he became literal to a fault. It was, however, read with interest as early as the middle of the second century of our Christian era. Almost contemporaneous with this was the version of Theodotion, an Ebonite Christian, who supposed that a rather freer version than that of Aquila was desirable. Next to his appeared the version of Symmachus. More ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 19 skilled in Hebrew, according to tradition, than Theodotion, he makes many alleged improvements, but borrowed too much, and rather indiscreetly, from his predecessors. Besides these private versions of the Hebrew scriptures into the Greek ver- nacular, no less than three anonymous Greek versions appeared before the middle of the 2d century; which, because of the columns they occupy in Origen's Enneeapla, are called the 5 th, 6th, and 7th versions. Thus the Sep- tuagint. which reigned without a rival for some three centuries, till the close, we°may say, of the 1st century of Christianity, has, in some one hundred and fifty years, no less than six Greek rival versions, all the fruit, we must suppose, of a desire for an improved version. It may be observed, that the author of the 6th translation of this class, as arranged in the Hexapla of Origen, was evidently a Christian. So far, then, as the learning, judgment, and piety of the authors of the six Greek versions of the old Hebrew Testa- ment affoi-d an example or argument, it is decidedly in favor of our effort to have an improved version, at least of the Christian Scriptures. We do not, indeed, regard every new version, whether undertaken by pubhc or private authority, an improvement. But there is little ground to doubt that these six versions, together with the Septuagint, would enable any person of the genius and learning of Origen to furnish a better than any one of them. Hence it is that Origen's Hexapla is regarded as one of the most valuable offerings of the 3d century to the cause of Biblical translations. But the necessity of original translations, and of improved versions of former translations, has much more to commend and enforce its claims upon public attention, than the customs of the Jews or the spirit and character of their religion. Christianity, or the gospel, in its facts, precepts and promises, was divinely commanded to be promulged throughout the whole world. Neither its spirits nor its design is national or secular, but catholic and spiritual. It is a dispensation of divine grace, adapted to the genius, character and condition of mankind, as they now are. It grasps in its broad philanthropy the human race, and throws its benignant arms around all the nations of the earth. It is, therefore, the sin of the church, if there be one of Adam's sons who has never heard, in his own tongue, the wonderful works of God. . In its hale and undegenerate days, the gospel was borne on the wmgs ol everywind, and, as far and as soon as possible,.it was promulged by the Uving tongues of apostles, evangelists and prophets, from Jerusalem to the confines of the most barbarous nations ; and on equal terms tendered to Jew and Greek, Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free. It was not only spoken, but written and translated into every language accessible to those to whom were committed the oracles of God. For this purpose God gave plenary inspiration to the first heralds of the cross, and, therefore it was accurately announced to the inhabitants of the Ultima 20 APPENDIX. Thiile, in word and writing, as to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the radia- ting centre of the Christian church. But it must be written as well as spoken, because the word in the ear is evanescent, compared with that word written and pictured to the eye on parchment. The command to preach the gospel to every creature, is not ful- filled, when only spoken to those whom we see and who can hear. Were speaking the only way of preaching, then the deaf could never have the gos- pel preached to them. In that case, Paul could not, with truth, have said that "Moses was preached every Sabbath day, being read in the syna- gogues." We sometimes converse with the present as well as the absent, by signs addressed to the eye. Words spoken are only for those present. Hence the necessity that an age of apostles and prophets should be an age of writing as well as of speaking a finished language. And such was the era of the Jews' religion ; but still more emphatically, such was the Christian era. The great revelations of the Bible originated in ages and countries of the highest civilization and mental advancement. Egypt was the cradle of the learning and wisdom of the world when Moses, the prophet, the lawgiver and oracle of Jehovah, was born. From Egypt radiated the light of the world under the reign of the Pharaohs. And Moses was profoundly read in all the learning of the Egyptians. He was therefore chosen to speak to his contemporaries, and to write for posterity the oracles of God. Jesus the Messiah was born at the city of David ; educated neither in Egypt nor in Nazareth, but from heaven, by a plenary inhabitation of a divine nature and a divine spirit. He taught in Jei-usalem, in the temple, and in the presence of the Rabbis, and Scribes, and Elders of Israel. Christianity was first preached, instituted and received in Jerusalem, and thence radiated through Asia, Africa and Europe. It was written in the most finished lan- guage ever spoken on earth, so far as a copiousness, a richness of terms, a perspicuity, a precision, as well as a majesty and grandeur of style, enter into the constituency of language. Hence the pen, alike with the tongue, was employed in giving utterance and free circulation to the word of Life, from its first promulgation to the final amen of the apocalypse. The Holy Spirit and the spirit of the gospel did not cease to work with the age of the apostles. Preaching and teaching, writing and translating from language to language, the word and works of God — the sayings, the doings, and the sufferings of the Saviour — began and prosecuted Avith un- tiring energy and assiduity by the original apostles and evangelists of Christ, was still continued, with zealous diligence, by the succeeding age. Peter was not the only man of his day that said, " I will carefully endeavor that you may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remem- brance." This was the spirit of all the family of God, capable of such an instrumentality. ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 21 In the 2d century, we find the whole Bible, Old Testament and New, translated into the Syriac tongue. The oldest, most literal, simple, and exact version in that language, is called the Peschito, or the Literal, because of its great fidelity to the original text. In after times, other versions were published in the same tongue. Egypt was favored at an early d&y with two versions— one in the Coptic, for the lower, and one in Sahidic, for the upper Egyptians. Of thfe Arabic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Persian, Gothic, Sclavonian. and Anglo-Saxon versions, we cannot now speak particularly. Suffice it to say, that the philanthropy of the gospel, wrought more effectually than that of the law, in giving version after version of the law and the gospel to the nations and tribes that embraced it. At the commencement of the Christian church, the Roman empire stretched from the Rhine and the Danube, on the north, to the Sandy Deserts of Arabia and Africa on the south ; and from the River Euphrates, on the east, to the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Over this vast extent of territory their language was, more or less, spoken. Important, therefore, it was, that the Living- Oracles should find, in that tongue, a passport to every province that acknowledged the supremacy of Rome. Versions of the gospels and epistles, in that tongue, early began to multiply. One had obtained a free circulation through parts of Africa; but after considerable competition, another, of acknowledged superiority, began to triumph over all its Roman rivals, under the name of the " Itala," or " Old Italic." "When Jerome had risen to some conspicuity, the Itala was pronounced canonical. This version, containing both Testaments, was made from the Greek. Hebrew scholars, capable of correctly translating the Hebrew Bible, could not then be found. The first half of the 2d century is generally agreed to have been the time when the Old Itala first made its appearance. During that century, it was certainly quoted by Tertuhan. But, as Home judiciously remarks, before the 4th century had closed, alterations and differ- ences, either designed or accidental, had equalled in number the interpolations found in the Greek versions before corrected by Origen. Pope Damasus assigned the work of revision to Jerome, who conformed it much more to the Greek. But this only induced Jerome to attempt a new version of the Old Testament, from the Hebrew into Latin, for the benefit of the western church. Still, notwithstanding the reputation of St. Jerome, and the authority of Pope Damasus, the version was introduced by slow degrees, least weak minds might stumble. But through the partiality of Gregory I., it gradually rose to ascendency, so that ever since the 7th century, under the name of the Vulgate version, it was extensively adopted by the whole Roman church. The Council of Trent, convoked by Paul III., A. D., 1545, continued under Julius X., and consummated under Pius IV., A. D., 15G3, after a session of eighteen years, decreed it to be authentic, and commanded that the Vulgate 22 APPENDIX. alone should be read, wherever the Bible is commanded to be read, and used in all sermons, expositions and discussions. Henceforth it was of equal authority with the originals : so that it was as lawful to correct the originals by the Vulgate, as the Vulgate by the originals. Romanists still prefer to translate from the Vulgate, rather than from the originals. In course of time, the Old Itala and the Vulgate became so mixed up that both fell into great confusion, and were interspersed with many and great errors. Hence originated Stephens' seven critical editions of the Vulgate, extending from A. D., 1528, to A. D., 154G — a period commensurate with the sessions of the Council of Trent. The Doctors of the Sorbonne con- demned them, and ordered a n^w edition by John Hortensius, of Louvain, which was finished in 1547. But yet another improved version was called for, and finished in 1586, with critical notes, by Lucas Brugensis. Finally, however, it was condemned by Pope Sixtus V.. who commanded a new edition, and having himself corrected the proofs, he pronounced it, by all the authority of his chair, to be the authentic Vulgate ; and, issuing a folio edition, commanded it to be adopted throughout the Roman church. But notwithstanding the labors of the Pope and the seal of his infallible decree, this edition was discovered to be so exceedingly incorrect, that his successor, the infallible Clement VIII., caused it to be suppressed, and pub- lished another authentic Vulgate, in folio size, in 1592, differing, more than any other edition, from that of Sixtus V. These facts are a full refutation, if we had nothing else to allege, of all the pretensions of Bellarmine and the See of Rome, in favor of the Vulgate. Some learned men, of much leisure, have marked and counted out several hundreds of differences between these two authentic and infallible translations ; many of them, too, of a very grave and serious import. Thus stand the two infallibles — Sixtus V. and Clement VIII., in direct contradiction. Other improved Latin versions, from time to time appeared, to the num- ber of some ten or eleven, half of them by Protestants and half by Romanists. Of those made by Catholics, that by Erasmus, and of those made by Protes- tants, that by Beza, is prominent. So far the spirit of improved versions, obtained down to the era of the Protestant Reformation. We have not yet noted the growth and prevalence of this principle in Germany or in our mother land and language. These are matters rather too familiar to deserve much notice at present. Still, that we may farther demonstrate the very general acknowledgment of the moral and Christian obligation to print and publish in writing, as well as by the tongue, the oracles of God, and that in the most correct and improved style and use of language, we must, at least, notice the interest that Germany and Great Britain have taken in this work. As the art of printing is the fruit of German genius, we might, in the absence of history, presume that the Bible would have been amongst the first fruits of the press, and that it would have a freer course through ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 23 German}' than in any other country in Europe or the world. And sucli, in part, is the fact. The Bible was first printed and published in Germany, and in the vernacular of its inhabitants. In 148G a German translation from the Vulgate was printed, the author of which is unknown. In 1517 jNIartin Luther began first to publish and print scraps of the Bible, which he continued until he got through with the whole book. His translation of the whole Bible, from the Hebrew and Greek originals, assisted by JNIelancthon, Cruciger, and other learned professors of Hebrew and Greek, was first issued from the press in 1530, and passed through three improved editions before the close of 1545. From Luther's version of the Holy Scriptures no less than ten versions were derived, and it became the occasion of many others. But this justly celebrated work of the great Reformer was its-elf improved, at least revised, by the Zuinglians and Calvinists, and numerous new editions of it circulated through Germany and its dependencies, down to the year 1G59. Besides that of Luther, other versions were printed and circulated on the continent. The Zurich version, Piscator's, from that of Junius and Tremel- lius, with several Romanist versions. We pass from Germany to Britain. Authentic history we have not of the commencement of translations into the languages spoken in Great Britain. Saxon versions of parts of the Holy Oracles were made in that island as early as the beginning of the eighth century. Adhelm's name is associated with a version of the Psalms as early as A. D., 706. The four gospels made by Egbert, appeared a few years after, and that was followed by a translation of the whole Bible by the venerable Bede. Two centuries after, appeared a new version of the Psalms, by King Alfred. An unknown individual translated into English the whole Bible about the year 1290 ; copies of which are yet extant in some public libraries. In A. D., 1380, John WicklifFe translated the whole Bible, from the Vul- gate into the current English of that day ; it was first printed in 1731. To William Tindal we are indebted for the first printed English Bible. It was issued from the press at Antwerp or Hamburg, A. D., 1520. His revised English Testament appeared in 1534. In 1535 ^liles Covcrdale gave a new English version of the whole Bible. This was the first Bible allowed by • Royal authority. The fictitious Mathew^s Bible, issued from politic reasons under this name, was, for the most part, Tindal's version disguised. This edition, printed abroad, appeared in A. D., 1537. 'Cranmcr's version of the New Testament, with its last corrections, appeared in 1530. The Geneva version in 1557; the Bishops' Bible in 15C8 ; the Rheims in 1582; and the Authorized Common Version in 1611. Concerning these, with the excep- tion of the last, we will not now speak particularly. The time usually allotted for a single address, is not more than sufficient to name and describe the numerous and various versions through which the Holy Scriptures have passed. We have not even named all the versions 5 24 APPENDIX. made in our own vernacular. Wc have simply made selections for a specific purpose. Those named are sufHcient to show that the professed Church of Christ has, in all ages, acted upon the principle that the scriptures should be accurately translated, and more or less circulated, amongst at least a portion of the people. Protestants say, through all the people. Romanists have said, and still say, only through a portion of the people. But the precise question now before you, my Christian brethren, is not, whether the Scriptures should be translated into every tongue spoken by mankind, but whether they should be translated into the current language of every age. Indeed, you take the ground that the Scriptures are not translated into any language, unless the true import of the original text is perspicuously and faithfullj^ given in the living language of the people. For this reason you justly olyect to the translation usually called " The Author- ized Common Version." You say it is not authorized by God, because he would not authorize an erroneous version. A king, a court, a parliament, a political corporation, or a secular church, authorizing any version, correct or incorrect, you regard as an assumption, on their part, of spiritual juris- diction over the consciences of men ; you regard it as a species of spiritual despotism, of ecclesiastic tyranny and usurpation. That a Christian community may adopt any new version, or authorize any number of its members to prepare a version which shall correctly and perspicuously set forth, in the currency of the age, the import of the original Scriptures, you cheerfully admit. But that such is not the commonly re- ceived and frequently'' styled the "Authorized Version," you conscientiously think and affirm. That this is a rational, scriptural, and Christian position, in our judgment, we most religiously avow. But before proceeding further, let us summarily and distinctly state the premises already submitted : I. It has been alleged, that the command to "preach the gospel to every creature," implies that it must not only be spoken, but written in the lan- guages of all nations. II. That such was the judgment and understanding of the apostles and primitive evangelists of Christ, is proved from the fact, that both the apos- tles commissioned by the Saviour, and certain evangelists not directly com- missioned by him, both spoke and wrote the gospel. The gospels preserved, written by John Mark and Doctor Luke, are imperishable monuments of this fact. III. That Jesus Christ commanded his communications to the churches to be written^ and to be carried by messengers, called in our common ver- sion angels of the churches, and to be by them delivered to the churches, is also another evidence of the same fact. IV. That the gospels and apostolic epistles were to be translated into the languages of the nations and people to whom they were sent, is evident — first, from the miraculous gift of tongues conferred at the commencement ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 25 of the church in Jerusalora, and continued to the end of the gospel ministry, contained in the inspired writings. We not only observe that this gift was instantly and simultaneously bestowed on all the apostles, for the purpose of translating the whole Christian revelation into all the languages of the people addressed by them, but also continued with them to the end of their lives. It was also bestowed, supornaturally, on Paul, born out of due time, and in a superabundant degree, so that he could speak in Gentile cities, in more tongues than any other member of tliose churches, though many of them, also, possessed this supernatural spiritual endowment in eminent measures. V. The necessity and importance of translations, in order to the ends of the Christian mission, is also shown in the care taken by all the writers of the New Testament, to translate every foreign, word and quotation intro- duced into their writings. For example, the word Messiah is interpreted to aliens from the commonwealth of Israel ; so are the words Cephas^ Si- loam, Tabitha, Elymas, Talitha-cumi, Barnabas, <^c. VI. The necessity is further shown, that in the primitive churches there were official translators immediately raised up for the emergency. " To one class," says Paul, " is given the gift of tongues ; to another, the interpreta- tion or translation of tongues." VII. An apostolic edict is given by Paul, on the subject of interpretation. 1 Cor. 14 : 27 — " If any man speak in a (foreign or) unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at most by three (sentences at a time), and let one translate ; but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church." Are not these conclusive evidences that the Church of Christ, in the dis- charge of its duties and obligations, must have interpreters of Scripture, and make translations commensurate with the wants of mankind ? Regarding this, henceforth, to be an established point, we shall advance another step towards our goal. It is, perhaps, rather a formality on our part, than a necessity imposed on us, to show that we are as much obliged, and by all the reasons and authority hitherto adduced in favor of origina' translations, to amend, improve, and correct obscure, imperfect, and erroneous versions of particular words and passages in existing translations, which, in the main, arc true to the original, and in terms well adapted to the under- standing of the reader, as we are to give new versions in languages and dia- lects into which the gospel has never been introduced. But this, on grave reflection, must appear to all. a point already ahnost, if not altogether, universally conceded. Our object, in the preceding part of our discourse, (and a rather dry and irksome task it is,) in giving a sum- mary view of the labors of the Christian ministry and the church, was to show that the necessity of amended versions, as well as of new versions, ■was felt and acted on in every century of the Christian Church, and by the most enlightened and gifted portions of it. True, many of these amended versions were made from the original tongues, but not as the fii'st versions 26 APPENDIX. from these tongues were made. These amending translators had other ver- sions from the original, in the same language or in other languages, which they understood, and with which they compared their own version, and were, more or less, led by them on many occasions, adopting the verbiage of their predecessors. It is questionable whether we have ever had two in- dependent and original versions in one vernacular. But this is no defect in them. It is often an advantage. For, in all such cases, we have two wit- nesses instead of one, of the verity and appropriateness of the last version. We have only one step farther to advance in this direction. "We must affirm the conviction, that we arc, as Christian churches, bound by the highest and holiest motives and obligations, to use our best endeavors to have the original scriptures exactly and faithfully, in every particular, to the best of our knowledge and belief, translated at home and abroad, into the vernacular, be it what it may, in which we desire to present them to our fellow-men. Any thing short of this is a sinful and most condemnable negligence or indifference. It is a clear and unambiguous transgression of the supreme law of Christian morality — viz: " All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets." " Speak to them all that I command thee," is the oracle of God to his prophet. " And," says Paul, " the things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men that shall be able to teach others also." We must neither add to, nor subtract aught from, the word of Jehovah. But there is another attitude in which this subject must be placed before our minds. Passages of scripture will, translated into any one language in one age, cease to be a correct and intelligible translation to the people of another age yet speaking, at least in name, the same language. Our English versions demonstrate this in a very clear and satisfactory manner. No one, unskilled in the history of our vernacular, can easily appreciate the changes it has undergone during even the last three centuries. I will furnish, by way of illustration or demonstration, an example or two of these changes. We shall first give a specimen of the hundredth Psalm, found in the preface to the English Hexapla. It represents the English language five hundred years ago : "Mirthes to God al erthe that 63 Serves to louerd iu faines. In go yhe ai in liis silit, Jn pladnos that is so briht. Whites that loiierd God is he thus, He us made and our self noht us, His foke and shep of his fode : In gos his yhates that are gode : Iu schrift his worches believe, In ynipnes to him yhe schrive Heryhes his name for louerde his honde In ul his raerci do in streude and strende." ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 27 In 1380, Wickliffe's version, now before me, gives the Lord's Prayer — Matt. G : 9 — in the following orthography and orthoepy : " Oure fadir that art in heuencs halowid be tlii name, thi kingdom come, to be thi wille don in erthe as in lieuenc, g(!ve to us this day oure breed, ouir other subst auncc forgeue to vs oure dettis, as we forguen to oure dettouris, ledo us not into teniptacion ; but delyuer us from yuel, amen." We shall now add a specimen from the Rheims Translation, first given to the world in 1582 — 268 years ago. It is the Commission, Matthew 28 : " Al power is glun to me in heauen and in erthe ; going therfore teach ye al nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of tlic sonne and of the holy ghost, teaching them to ob- serue al things vvhatsoeuer I haue commanded you, and beliold I am with you al daies." We need scarcely say that such a style is awkward, uncouth, and unintel- ligible ; and had the Holy Oracles continued in this garb till this day, and our language and literature, in other departments, have progressed as they have, the reading and study of them would have been very uninteresting and unacceptable to our contemporaries. If in no other respect faulty — if every word and sentence had been a perfect exponent of the mind of the Holy Spirit — other terms and formulas of speech, or, in other words, a new and modernized version of them, would have been indispensable. But this is not all that may or must be urged in behalf of a new, or rather, an improved version. The word of God was not, a century or two since, as well understood as it is now, by the most enlightened and reformed portions of Protestant Christendom. Biblical literature, criticism, and science, compared with the times of WicklifTe, Tindal, Luther, Calvin, Zuinglie, Beza, Cranmer, Coverdale, Archbishop Parker, Edward VI, or James I, have greatly advanced. The last seventy-five years have contributed more to real Biblical learning — have given to the Christian Church larger and better means of translating the original Scriptures — than had accumu- lated from the days of Tindal to the era of the American Revolution. We are, therefore, better prepared to give a correct and faithful version of the Sacred Scriptures, at this day, than at any former period since the revival of literature. We have, also, a more correct original from which to translate, than thej'- had at any former period since the art of printing was invented. The Greek text of the New Testament has been subjected to the most laborious investigation ; and after the most rigid scrutiny and com- parison, a much more accurate original has been obtained. With these advantages in our favor, we are better furnished than at an}^ former period, to enter upon a work of this awful and momentous magnitude and responsi bility. But, that we may be more deeply penetrated with a sense of its necessity and importance, we must give a few samples of the aberrations and mistrans- lations of the commonly received version ; and first, we shall read the usual title-page of the Christian Scriptures : " The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.^'' 28 APPENDIX. While all the words found in this title are found in the text itself, the title itself is no part of the text or volume, but is an ecclesiastical name put upon it, as an index to its contents. It is, therefore, an index to the mind of those who prefixed it to the volume, and much aflects their reputation as to a clear and comprehensive knowledge of the writings it contains. I assume that no one, well instructed in the volume itself, could have given to it this title. A testament or will^ with us, is now, and for a long time has been, appro- priated to one particular instrument, setting forth the final disposition of a person's estate. But in that case, it indicates that the testator is dead, and that this is the last disposition he has made of his effects. How. then, does this apply to a volume containing not only the memoirs of Jesus, but writ- ings of six of his apostles and two of his evangelists ? Again : Is the testa- tor dead ? That he died, is true ; and that he continued dead a few hours, is also true ; but that he ever lives and never shall die, is m.ost gloriously true. Again : Did Jesus, during his life, make two testaments or two wills ? This is called, not a New Testament, but the New Testament of Jesus Christ. Where learned they the contents of the Old Testament of Jesus Christ ! Have we a copy of his iirst will ? Now, if no such document ever was, is now, or shall hereafter be, why, in reason and in truth, give it such a cognomen, rather such a misnomer ? There is no such will or testa- tament on earth as the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He never made an old one, and he is not dead, but lives forever, a priest upon his throne, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Nor would it relieve the title page from the error, had it been styled " The New Covenant of our Lord Jesus Christ,^'' for that would indicate that he is the author of two covenants, which is not the fact. There is no old covenant of Jesus Christ, and, consequently, there cannot be a new cove- nant of Jesus Christ. It might, in both grammatical and logical propriety, be called the New Institution, or the New Covenant by Jesus Christ. But that, too, is an exceptionable use of the figure synecdoche, which puts a part for the whole, or the whole for a part. To get rid of a consecrated error, is sometimes very difficult. We have chosen to designate the book by calling it " The Sacred Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists of Jesus Christ." This is strictly true, and, in our judgment, enough. True, we may, after a good example found in Acts vii., briefily call the whole volume " The Living Oracles." It would be important, could we classify under appropriate heads the dif- ferent species of subordinate errors found in the common version ; but in such a discourse as the present, we could not give a specimen of each. At present, we dare not presume to give even a miniature specimen. It would require much more time and reflection than we have at command. I shall, therefore, as they occur, give a few cases, that may suggest to some one of more leisure and capacity the necessity and expediency of such an effort. ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 29 First then, we shall name and illustrate an instance or two m the use of the Greek article, ho, hee, to. Though apparently a small matter, there are some serious errors in the use of the article. A Greek noun, with the arti- cle is always definite ; without it, always indefinite. in Matthew xvi., 13-18, the moral and evangelical foundation of the Christian Church is stated by its Founder in a very formal and inspiring manner The question was, " Who do men say that I the Son of Man am'i'' Peter responds, " Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, others Jeremiah, or some one of the prophets." •' But who do you say that I am r Simon Peter answering, said, " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." After pronouncing a benediction on Peter, he said to him, • Thou art a stone and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Now, to have answered this interesting interroga- tory by saying, " Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God," would have given quite a different idea. It would have been merely a personal name, as Sergius Paulus, John Mark, or Simon Peter. And so has the common ver- sion made it on another and a very important occasion. 1 Cor. iii. 11, Paul is made to say, " Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The church, according to this version, is built upon Jesus Christ, and not upon the faith ''Jesus is the Christ^ as the true original reading and the common Greek text have it.* Now, there is just as much diff-ercnce between Jesus Christ and Jesus the Christ, as between John Baptist and John the Baptist, Paul Apostle and Paul the Apostle, George King and George the King. It may be loyalty or treason, as the case may be, to say George is the King ; but neither the one or the other to call any man George King. Infidels talk fluently concerning Jesus Christ, but they will not, in the proper meaning of the terms, say, '' Jesus is the Christ.'' The same law of interpretation applies to the use of the word spirit. Pneuma is simply spirit ; to pneuma. the Spirit. Frequently the Holy Spirit and the Spirit, indicate the same person. But without the article, unless some qualifying adjunct be annexed, it means simply a spirit, or the spirit of a man, and not the Spirit of God. There is no article in the following instances : '' If any fellowship of the spirit ;" " Which worship God in the spirit ;" " You live in the spirit f^ " Through sanctification of the spirit ;" " He carried me away in the spirit ;" " Immediately I was in the spirit." In all these cases there being no article in the original, there should be no definite article in the translation. But in the following cases the article is found : " The sword of the Spirit;" « The fruit of the Spirit ;" " Let him hear what the Spirit saith ;" " Keep by the Holy Spirit which dw ellcth in us." In these and many such the * Gricsbach repudiates the article ; but the best Greek texts have it. It is ho Christos in my London Polyglott, as it is iu Matthew xvi. 17, iu the received text. 80 APPENDIX. article indicates that it is the Si^irit of God that is meant. " That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." This is a striking example; i^e Spirit here means the Holy Spirit of God ; and that which is born of it is spirit, a new spirit) or a new heart, disposition, or temper. But there is a perspicacity of mind and a delicacy of taste essential to a precise and accurate transference of some ideas from one tongue to another, which is peculiarly necessary in the case of translating Greek nouns without an article, and for which no rules of grammar can be furnished. Our translators did not alwaj^s display this endowment in an eminent degree. They sometimes employ an indefinite article where they should have employed none. The most common mind can perceive a difference between 7nan without an article and man with an article, between assuming that man cannot do this, and that a man cannot do this ; between God and a godj between Spirit and a spirit. I will instance this in the common version ; — '' God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." "We would render it, God is Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. For so translating it we might even plead the example of the same translators in other cases. For example, they render two pas- sages from the same Apostle as I have done this. " God is love," and not God is a love ; God is light, and not God is a light. And even in the ex- ample cited from John 4 : 24, they translate in this manner : — " Tliey that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth ;" not in a spirit and in a truth. We might say as they do of God, — An angel is a spirit ; but not that an angel is Spirit. To say of an angel that he is Spirit, is by far too august and sublime. God alone is Spirit, God alone is light, God alone is love. We shall next give an instance or two of the mistranslation of particles, or the connectives of speech. Take, for example, the particle ote, which occurs many hundred times in the apostolic writings. The more frequent meanings of this conjunction are, because, for, that; which of these three shall be preferred in any given passage, must always be discretionary with the translator, and must, therefore, depend upon his judgment and taste. But the sense of some passages is very much changed or impaired bj^ the in- judicious selection of an unsuitable representative of the original. Hence we have long since decided that no translator, however extensive his learn- ing, however well read in other books, however orthodox his creed in reli- gion, can suitably translate the New Testament, unless he have a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the whole remedial scheme of the gospel, and the peculiar genius, spirit and character of the Christian Institution. Take an example or two in the case of this particle ote : Paul to the Romans, ch. viii., 20-21 : '• For the creature (more properly mankind) was made subject to frailty, (rather than vanity) not willingly, but by him who subjected them to it. in hope (because) that mankind will ADDRESS OF ALEXAADER CAMPBELL. 31 be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the sons of God." How awkward to say, in hope, because, instead of, in hope that ! Another instance to the same effect is found in 1 John, iii. 2. In the common version : " We know not what we shall be, but we know that when he appeareth we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." This ver- sion indicates that our simply seeing him, would transform us into his image. This is a cew revelation. But how much more in harmony with the whole record, to prefer that to for, and read it, AVe know that we shall be like him — that we shall see him as he is ! There are hundreds of instances of this use of ote, in the New Testament and Septuagint. In the gender of pronouns we have also sundry analogies. A very remarkable instance occurs in Dr. George Campbell's version of the begin- ning of John. In his version it reads : " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by it, and without it, not a single creature was made. In it was life, and the life was the light of men." Now, although the laws of the language will justify the translation, " this was in the beginning," there appears no necessity to change the masculine into the neuter, especially as Dr. Campbell regards an allusion here to the viii. ch. of Proverbs, to the beautiful personification of wisdom given in that passage. The laws of rhetoric, as well as grammar, will justify our trans- lating it in harmony with the gender of Logos, and with the style of Solo- mon in the passage alluded to. I always dissent from this learned, candid, and elegant translator of the four gospels with great reluctance, and with much diffidence. Still, in this case, as the word became incarnate and dwelt among us, and was " God manifest in the flesh," I prefer, after considerable vacillation, to render it, " All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men." Paul seems to rise above himself, when the uncreated glories of this most sublime personage appears before his mind. " For by him," says he, " were all things created that are in the heavens and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; all things were created by him, and for him ; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist ; and he is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the first fruits from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence : for it pleased the Father, that in him aU fulness should dwell." But we must notice another species of errors, in the use of the auxiliary verbs and signs of moods and tenses in our language, when translating cer- tain forms of the original verbs. For example, may and can. might, could, woidd and shoidd, are used in our potential mood, for the present and im- perfect tenses. Now, as there is nothing properly corresponding with 32 APPENDIX. these iu the origiual Greek, it becomes discretionary with the translator whether he choose, in one tense, may or can, and, in another tense, might, could, would or shoidd ; yet we know that there is a very great diflercuce of meaning, with us, between may and must, and should and could, &c. We have one example of this, which, though not directly in point, illus- trates how much depends on the use of proper exponents of these varieties, in harmony with the sense or scope of a passage. We read it in Hebrews ii. 9 : " But we see Jesus, who was made but little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Who can see any necessity for being crowned with glory and honor, that he should, or in order to, his tasting death for all ! But, properly rendered, we see a great propriety in his being crowned with glory and honor after he had tasted death for aU, as Professor Stuart very properly renders the passage. But I have wearied you and myself, in thus rambling over so large a field, and shall only, on this topic, add another chapter of errors and difficulties into which most translators have occasionally fallen ; and that is in the subject of punctuation. The original text itself is frequently erroneously pointed, and, of course, the translation is likely to be also at fault in this particular. As a specimen of this, and to illustrate this species of error, I will only quote one passage from the Xew Testament. It is found in John v., 31-47: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me, is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man ; but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light ; and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John ; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you ; for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honor from men ; but I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not : if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only ? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father ; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust ; for had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" Though as read from the common version this address loses much of its ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 33 beauty, propriety and force, it is one of the most clear, forcible, and irresist- ible appeals to the understanding and conscience, ever spoken. 1st. He modestly waives his own testimony in his own case, and submits this rule of moral decorum, that, in any matter of superlative importance, no one should use or depend on his own testimony in support of his own pretensions, and that any one so acting would be unworthy of credit. 2d. lie alleges the testimony of John the Harbinger as his first argument, and enforces the regard due to it from their own respect for John, without any commendation of John to them on his part. " You yourselves, un- prompted by me, sent to John to know what he had to say of himself and the ]\Iessiah ; consequently, of my claims and pretensions." od. After commending John as a brilliant and shining luminary, he mod- estly waives even his testimony, and urges a greater evidence, though them- selves being judges, John's testimony was the best human testimony ever submitted. 4th. He appeals to his miracles, which they and their contemporaries had already witnessed and tested, thereby showing and conceding that any one claiming credit on supernatural pretensions, ought to submit supernatural evidence. He then recognizes and establishes a great law of evidence, viz : that the proposition and the proof should be homogeneous ; physical proposi- tions physical evidence ; moral propositions moral evidence ; supernatural propositions supernatural evidence. 5th. He then adduces the literal oracle of God himself, that God had actually, sensibly, and audibly recognized him, and at one and the same time addressed their eyes and their ears. " Did you never hear his voice 7" saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." " Did you never see his form ?" alluding to the symbol of the descending dove, and its perching itself on his head, in the presence of the people. But who could learn this lesson from the common translations ? The common version, and almost every other, makes our Saviour speak like a simpleton. After appealing to his Father's positive oral testimony in his favor at the Jordan, in the presence of a crowd, they make him say, " You have never, at any time, heard his voice." After appealing to the symbol of the Divine Spirit in the descending dove, they make him say, " You have never, at an}- time, seen his form," or outward manifestation of him. And, farther still, he is made to contradict a fact, in saying that they had not heard his declaration — that they had " not his word abiding in them ;" whereas, placed interroga- tively, it is, " Have you forgotten his declaration ?" "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Their position was that they never had heard God speak of him ; that they had never seen him attested by any outward mark ; that they had no recollection of ever hearing any confirmaLion of his pretensions. To all which he, knowing their thoughts and reasonings, said, '' Have you never 34 APPEXDIX. heard his voice ? Ilare you never seen his form ? Have you forgotten what he said ?"* The Saviour's dimax in the argument is beautifully simple and subhme : 1. The testimony of John. 2. His miracles. 3. The public acknowledg- ment of his Father. 4. The visible descent of the Holy Spirit. 5. And finally, the Jewish Scriptures — the law and the prophets. The common version mistakes the imperative mood for the indicative. It reads, " Search the Scriptures," instead of, " Ye do search the Scriptures:^ " Now," adds he, " these are they that testify of me. He then explains their unbelief. They would not come to him ; they would not place themselves under his guidance, because — 1. He did not seek the honor of this world. 2. They were destitute of the love of God. 3. He eame only in his Father's name, seeking his glory. 4. They believed not the writings of Moses, while professing that they did. 5. Their stubborn prejudices, growing out of their notions of a worldly Messiah, a temporal political kingdom, and a national hierarchy. It would be long to enumerate the errors that have resulted from mis- punctuation, as well as from the other sources already named. Punctuation is, indeed, a species of commentary, as well as capitals, chapters, verses and paragraphs. Much depends upon all these, as respects our proper under- standing and translating these ancient and venerable documents. We have, in the above example, selected a strong case, and expatiated upon it at length, to show how much depends on the proper use of points, in giving significance to words. Another class of errors in the Common Version, of still more serious im- portance, in cases of words having dificrent significations, is the selection of inapposite and inadequate terms to express the meaning of the Spirit, and the design of the original writer. In illustration of this we will select the word paracleetos, so frequently occurring in our Lord's Valedictory Address to his Apostles, reported by John, chapters 14, 15, 16. In the common version it is represented by the word Comforter. In this discoui-se and in another place by the term advocate. By Dr. George Campbell it is here translated monitor; and by some other translators, instructor, guide, etc. Now of all these terms, advocate is the most comprehensive and generic. An advocate may guide, instruct, admonish, comfort, console, &c., but a comforter does not generallj- assume the character of an advocate, &c. But we have more to commend its preference in this context than its generic * I have examiiiRd the London Polyglott prpsented to me in Scotland, containinfr an Hebrew versior nave uAaiiiniRn me i/onuon roiygioii prpsenteu to itie in fcotiana, containinfr an Heorew on of the New Testament ; the received fireek ; the Latin Vu1?ate ; the French, tiie German, the Spanish, tlie Italian, and the English. I have also examined the English Hexapla, containing' the versions of Wickliffe. Tindal, Cranmer, Geneva, Rheims, and the Common Version ; also the improved Greek text of Griosbach, of Scholz, of Mills, and sundry Latin versions, especially that of Beza, of Junius and Tremellius, with other English versions, and, jndning from their punctuation, not one of theni has properly understood this speech. Dr, (ieorge Campbell is thb only one, in my judgment, down to his tinje, that properly comprehended and punctuated it. So far as my library extends, he has been followed, in this punctuation, only by the authors of the Bible containing 20,000 emendations, by Boothroyd, and partly by Thompsoii. ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. aO import. The work assigned to him by our Saviour decides his claims as paramount. He promises that when the Holy Spirit comes to act under Christ's own mission, he will reprove, convince, and teach the world. He will shew its sin, Christ's righteousness, and God's judgment. He will guide his apostles into all the truth. He will bring all things that he had taught them to their remembrance. He will glorify the Messiah in all his personal and official relations. There is, indeed, an inelegance, an impro- priety, in the sentence as rendered in the King's version. '• He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." It might be asked,' how could he reprove the world of righteousness ? That he might reprove the world because of its unrighteousness is evident. That he might convict the world of its sin and unrighteousness, and convince it of Christ's right- eousness and of the ultimate judgment, we all can conceive. I dwell on this passage with more emphasis, because the office of the Holy Spirit is the most essential doctrine of the whole evangelical dispensa- tion. The mission of the Lord Jesus by his Father, and the mission of the Holy Spirit by the Son, after his glorification in the heavens, are the two most grand and sublime missions, in the annals of time or in the ages of eternity. Jesus Christ came into the world to reveal the character of his Father. The Holy Spirit came to the church to glorify Christ and to sanc- tify his people. Jesus came to magnify Jehovah's empire, to sustain his law and government, and to make them honorable to the universe ; — to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to obtain an eternal redemption for us. But the Spirit came to be the Holy Guest of the house that Jesus built for an habitation of God through the Spirit. He is another advocate for God, another demonstration of his infinite, eternal and immutable love. The memorable Pentecost, after Christ's ascension and coronation as Lord of all, fully attests the truth, and reveals the import of the special advocacy of the Holy Spirit. He opened the new reign with brilliant displays of his glory, gave great eloquence to his apostles, and confirmed his pretensions and their mission, by an eloquence and power that brought three thousand Jews to do homage at his feet. We have dwelt upon this error, not so much because of its mere verbal inaccuracy and incompetency to indicate the mind of the Spirit ; but because a most solemn and sublime fact is involved in it, which, when developed and established, entrenches far into the territories of a cold Unitarian rational- ism, and also invades the wide and waste dominions of a wild and frenzied enthusiasm. If any one, however, should question its philological propriety, I will refer him to the fact, that the whole family of paracleetos is translated by even King James's authority, in keeping with these views. Thus the verb para- kaleoo is rendered, to call for, to invite, to exhort, to admonish, to per- suade, to implore, to beseech, to console. And its verbal parakleesis is also rendered a calling for, an invitation, a teaching ; and parakleetos, OG APPENDIX. 1 John i. 2, is rendered, an advocate. But no one terin fully and adequately expresses all that is comprehended in the mission and work of the Holy- Spirit, in the remedial dispensation. It not only imparted all spiritual gifts to the apostles, prophets, and Jewish evangelists of Christ ; but in becoming the Holy Guest of the church. He animates, purifies, and comforts it, with all his illuminating, renovating, and sanctifying efficacy. But there are other sources of error, growing out of the grand and fearful apbstacy which has spread its sable wings and its leaden sceptre over a '•slumbering world. The progress in Bible translating, in Biblical criticism. in liberal principles, in the free discussion of all questions concerning state and church polity, have, more or less, broken the spell of human authority — aroused the long latent energies of the human mind, and begotten and cherished a spirit of inquiry, before which truth and virtue alone can stand erect, with a portly mien, an unblenching eye, and sn unfaltering tongue. Errors long consecrated in hallowed fanes, backed with monarchical and papal authority, lauded by lordly Bishops, canonized by hoary Rabbis in solemn conclaves, and confirmed b^ the decrees of Oecumenical Councils, are being disrobed of all their factitious ornaments, and exposed, in their naked deformity, to the wondering gaze of a long insulted and degraded people. The inquiry of the people is beginning to be, What is truth 7 not who says so. "What saith the oracles of God 1 not what council has so decided. We must be judged every man for himself. We shall, therefore, judge for ourselves. The Christian mind, since the era of Protestantism, has been advancing with a slow but steady pace; an onward and an upward progress. Its noble and splendid victories in physical science — in useful and ornamental arts — in free government, and in social institutions, have increased its cour- age, animated its hopes, and emboldened its efforts to find its proper emi- nence. It has not yet fixed its own destiny, limited its own aspirations, nor stipulated its subordination to any human arbitrament. In the department of religion and divine obligation, it has tried every form of ecclesiastical polity, every human constitution and variety of partizan and schismatic theology and every scheme of propagating its own peculiar tenets. Nor has it yet found a safe and sure haven in which to anchor, in hope of coming safely to land. It will not surrender nor capitulate on any terms dishonorable to its own dignit};-, nor compromise its convictions for the sake of popular applause. The questions of the present day are more grave and momentous, in their bearings on church and state, than any questions propounded and discussed in former times. Even the very text of the Holy Bible has been submitted to a more severe ordeal and test than at any former time. And that the Holy Oracles of salvation shall go forth in their primitive purity, into all lands and languages, is now firmly decided by the purest, most enlightened, most generous and noble-hearted men in the world. Hence the inquiry for the old paths — the ancient landmarks of truth and error. ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 37 You, my Christian brethren, assembled here on the present occasion, in one of the noblest causes that ever engaged the human faculties, or fired, with pure devotion, the human heart, have, in your horizon, the illustrious aim of giving to the world abroad a pure and faithful translation of the Living Oracles. You will have no fellowship with any compromise — with any scheme that merely builds up a party, or seeks the applause of those who have, for the sake of " a fair show in the flesh," done homage at the shrine, or yielded to the false oratory and special pleadings, of a self-seeking, a self-preferring, a self-aggrandizing spirit. You will show no partiality for consecrated error, because of the good, and learned, and charitable people that advocate it, or because of the flatteries of those Avho fear your example, as weakening their authority and impairing their hold on the smiles of the world. Y"ou are determined to carry the work of translation to its proper metes and boundaries. You will have no privileged, canonized and time-consecrated terms, exempted by prescription, privilege, or concession, from the tests of language.the canons of criticism, and the laws of interpretation. The most consecrated ecclesiastic terms — the aristocracy of terminology, occasionally, too — the strong-holds of error — you will not exempt from the statutes of of interpretation — from the umpirage of lexicography. You will pass no special statute in favor of the two houses of baptizo and raniizo, nor the aristocratic claims, exemptions and privileges of either, but bring them into court, and give them a fair trial by the canons and laws of criticism, before the high court of inspired apostles and prophets. That class of errors which gives the particular currency of one age the power to nullify the legitimate and constitutional currency of another, will receive no favor at your hands. For why should ordinances, prescribed by divine authority, be reversed, altered, amended or adjusted by any human tribunal, to suit the prejudice or caprice of worldly conformity ! This spe- cies of Protestant Popery is just as abhorrent to your morals, to reason and revelation, as any other form of it. Let us, then, still more gravely look at the issues to be made on the present occasion. Protestant Christendom has acknowledged one faith, one Lord, two baptisms, many Lord's tables, and several forms of church polity growing out of these unfortunate and unhallowed traditions ; and one of the capital devices of Satan is, to blink some matters of grave moment and give others a factitious importance. Positive ordinances are belittled by most parties, who have substituted human institutions for divine enactments. They enthrone their beau ideal of the Christian virtues under the name of " Christian Charity,'' and dese- crate divine ordinances under the name of '' Rites and Ceremonies." But let me say it once for all, and most emphatically, that divine ordinances are the very marrow and fatness of the Christian institution — the embodiment of its spiritual promises, joys and consolations. They are like the sun, moon 38 APPENDIX. and stars, those divine ordinances of nature in which, and through which, God communicates light, and life, and health to the soul. They are as the dew, and the sun shine, and the early and the latter rain, to our hills and vallies, that make them verdant and fruitful, and vocal with the praise of the Lord. Zeal for divine ordinances is the best criterion, and always was the most conclusive test of a standing or a falling church. The Lord, by Malachi, said to the Jewish community in their decline : " From the days of your fathers you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah." The highest commendation that could be given of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of the Baptist, was that they " were blameless observers of the command- ments and ordinances of the Lord." "What then pleased the Lord, will please him now. The ordinances of sun, moon, and stars, differ from one another. They are, indeed, all luminaries. Each one of them, however, has its own magnitude and its specific use, as well as its own position in the universe. So of the ordinances of grace, ^hey are all fraught with bless- ings to the intelligent believing recipients of them j but each one of them has its proper place and its peculiar influence upon those who scripturally submit to it. But, out of that place, they are unmeaning rites and useless ceremonies. They alike mock God and the recipients of them. They, therefore, not only glorify the wisdom and grace of God who scripturally teach and dispense them, but also promote the sanctification and happiness of those who receive them. " Therefore," says the great Teacher, " whoso- ever shall violate, and cause others to violate, one of the least of these my precepts, shall be of no account in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and teach them, shall be of great esteem in the kingdom of heaven." In speaking of the classiiication of errors of translation, we left, for special consideration, one class of errors which, with the members of the Bible Union, at this peculiar crisis, is worthy of special regard. It is that to which your new institution, my Christian friends, owes its origin. You and those who have compelled you to form a separate and distinct organization, alike agree in the necessity of an improved version. You do not saj'^ a new, an absolutely new version ; nor have I ever supposed such a thing necessary or desirable. I, as well as you, love the Anglo-Saxon Bible style ; and who, that has read it from infancy to manhood, does not love it ! Love it, I say ; not merely admire its simplicity, its force, its beauty, its easy apprehension ; but delight in its charms, and in its thousand agreeable associations in our memories and in our hearts. They, too, from whom you have been compelled to separate in this parti- cular work, admire and love it. I have long regretted that most of our approved versions, as they are called, should have needlessly changed the style and verbiage of the Anglo- Saxon of King James. My views are that no change should be made but ADDRESS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL. 89 what faithfulness to the original requires. True, indeed, there are many antique, quaint and ungrammatical phrases; such as, "We do you. to wit;" '•I trow not;" " Our Father which art in heaven ;" " He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit," &c., which a moderate complaisance to gram- mar and literary taste would correct or amend. But while tithing these " mint, anise and cummin," we would rather call ^''our attention to the weightier matters of the Common Version. Its authors, indeed, much more deserve the character of judicious copyists than that of learned and independent translators. King James and his ecclesiastical courtiers, were much more in love with Geneva than Jerusalem, and very happily copied and anglicised the Geneva Version, and paid a due degree of reverence to his majesty's inhibition from touching, with their un- clean hands, the old fashioned and canonized " ecclesiastical words," and by these means, as faithful servants of his majesty, they left in Greek, or in Geneva style, hosts of words, with the whole baptizo family, unamended and untranslated. That 7-antizo and baptizo are Greek . words, wanting only half a letter, no man of self-respect and of literary pretensions will deny. And that they are both of frequent occurrence in the Levitical law, is universally conceded. But our pedo-baptist friends are slow to learn that, in not one instance in the whole Septuagint Version, is baptizo and rantizo interchanged, Their families were never on friendly terms of intercommunication. They lived together for fifteen hundred years and never once intermarried, nor did baptizo ever employ rantizo, nor rantizo baptizo, down to the forty-third generation, to do for one another any one service. Nor did anjr Jew, from Moses to Christ, rantize by baptizing, nor baptize by rantizing. In English, no Jew ever once tried to dip by sprinkling, nor to sprinkle by dipping. This incontrovertible fact, in a law which contained many typical observances of the greatest exactness, must stand through all coming time, as it has stood through all past time, an irrefragable evidence of the folly or weakness of any one presuming that these two words can. by any grammatical, logical, or even rhetorical possibility, indicate one and the same thing. This fact is, with us, most conclusive and satisfactory proof that no man can be a faithful and competent translator of the divine oracles, in an age of controversy, as to the initiatory action which Christ commanded, who does not select a term to represent it in the language into which he translates, as definite, precise, and immutable as the original teriji baptizo ; and that the Latin immerse, a»nd the Saxon dippan, from the Greek dupto, to dive or dip, does exactly represent the original Greek, there cannot be the shadow of a doubt. There is no need whatever to multiply proof beyond this single fact, although we have volumes of evidence at our command. With us Baptists, it is, at least, but a waste of time to argue that we never can have a fiithful, true, and intelligible version of the scriptures until this word is thus translated. Every intelligent Baptist, every well educated man 6 40 APPENDIX. of no religious party, knows this to be a fact — a fact as true and veritable as that Jesus is the Christ. And shall we, knowing this, presume, before heaven and earth, to give to the world, or to circulate through the Christian Church, a false or an equivocal translation, through the fear of men, or that lame and blind charity which caters to the unreasonable prejudices of socie- ty, and covets the honor that comes from man, as necessary to aid either the Holy Spirit or the Oracles of God in the work of converting sinners to God or the church from her idolatry ! To assume, as some of our Baptist brethren have virtually assumed, that baptize is an English word, and not a translation of a Greek word, is to say that the whole New Testament is translated, whenever the Greek words are printed or written in Roman characters. This is, so far as I now remem- ber its details, the marrow and the fatness of the whole controversy at the late American and Foreign Bible Society, in this city. We sometimes transfer and neutralize words, as we transfer men from one nation to another ; but then we do not say that every naturalized or adopted citizen has been translated from Europe or Asia into America, as Enoch and Elijah were translated to heaven. The Romans, from whom we got the word immersion, did not transfer it from the Greek language. It was, with them, a translation of haptisma ; and can we adopt this transla- tion from the Romans, and then call both it and the word which it repre- sents, equally a translation from the Greek into our proper vernacular ? But waiving, on the present occasion, anj^ discussion of the merits of this question — any attempt to show that, in the judgment of the whole literary world, the term baptizo was translated by the Romans imviergo, and that immerse is a verbal from immergo, ages since adopted into our language, and used as synonymous with dip, another naturalized Greek word, trans- mitted to us from our Saxon forefathers ; the meaning of which every child in Great Britain and in the United States understands as well as it does the words bread and water, we proceed to state that the terms church, conver- sation, communion, fellowship, repentance, charity, bishop, deacon, pres- bytery, angel, covenant, testament,