1 estimony of Missionaries 
 
 fpp jp?. 
 
 Bible Convention. 
 
 /rrs. 
 
 AMERICAN AFOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. 
 
STANDARD BEARERS, 
 
 1 HE TESTIMONY OF OUR HONORED AND 
 
 trusted Brethren, as to the 
 NECESSITY OF A BlBLE SOCIETY 
 
 for Baptists. 
 
 Foreign Field. 
 
 Rev. WM. DEAN, D.D.,— 
 
 49 years a Missionary. 
 
 “ N. BROWN, D.D.,— 
 
 47 “ 
 
 “ D. L. BRAYTON, D.D., 
 
 -46 “ 
 
 “ E. B. CROSS, D.D.,— 
 
 39 " 
 
 “ N. HARRIS, D.D.,— 
 
 37 “ 
 
 “ L. JEWETT, D.D.,— 
 
 35 “ 
 
 “ A. T. ROSE,— 
 
 3° “ 
 
 “ A. V. TIMPANY,— 
 
 16 
 
 “ J. McLAUREN.— 
 
 >5 " 
 
 “ E. W. CLARK,— 
 
 15 “ 
 
 “ E. G. PHILLIPS,— 
 
 9 “ 
 
 “ W. B. BOGGS,— 
 
 5 “ 
 
 “ P. H. MOORE,— 
 
 4 “ 
 
 Home Field. 
 
 J. CONANT, D.D. 
 
 Rev. W. J. STEW 
 
 Published bv Order 
 
 of the Board, 
 
 REV. F. A. DOUGLASS, Corresponding Secretary, 
 
 116 NASSAU STREET, - 
 
 NEW YORK CITY. 
 
WHAT IS SAID BY MEN OH THE FIELD. 
 
 Several months ago the American and Foreign Bible Society, through 
 its Secretary, sent to each Baptist missionary in the foreign field a circu¬ 
 lar containing the following questions, which they were requested to an¬ 
 swer. This was done that the Society and brethren who will compose the 
 Bible Convention to be held at Saratoga might learn the opinions held by 
 the men on the several fields, as to the necessity or desirableness of a sep¬ 
 arate Society for doing the Bible work of the Denomination: 
 
 First.- —Have not the millions of our race, perishing for a lack of knowledge 
 of God's Word, or led into error by corrupt translations, paramount claims upon 
 Baptists to give them the pure Word of God ? 
 
 Second. —Accepting the inspired Hebrew and Greek alone as authority, is it 
 not our duty to translate every term susceptible of translation, with the greatest 
 fidelity, in all versions, thus giving, as far as in us lies, to every reader the mind 
 of the Spirit, and expressing Christ’s commands as plainly as they were uttered 
 to the generation who first heard them from the lips of the Master or his apostles, 
 being governed by loyalty to God and fidelity to men alone, and not by worldly 
 policy? . 
 
 Third.— Can the terms of discipleship in the New Testament be translated, or 
 must they be transferred, leaving to the preacher or teacher to explain their 
 meaning ? 
 
 Fourth.— If we may compromise the commands of Christ in the New Testa¬ 
 ment, thus denying God’s right to speak to his creatures, for the sake of so-called 
 peace, may we not for the same reason do it in the pulpit, the press, or the theo¬ 
 logical school, thus obliterating the lines which distinguish us from other 
 Denominations ? 
 
 Fifth. —Shall Baptists, like other Denominations, do their Bible work at home 
 and abroad, through Bible Societies, or without any? 
 
 Sixth. —Should the only Society—the American and Foreign Bible Society— 
 ever formed by a representative convention of American Baptists be obstructed 
 and destroyed without first appealing to the churches, and through them to a 
 representative convention such as called it into existence ? 
 
 Seventh. —As Baptists have been pioneers in Bible translation, projectors of 
 Bible Societies, and of the late movement for enforcing faithful translations in all 
 languages, should they not how unite in a national and international Bible Socie¬ 
 ty, as a symbol and bond of their unity and banner of their progress ? 
 
4 
 
 By direction of the Board of the Society every reply received up to this time, 
 from the foreign field, is now given in the accompanying pamphlet, with a 
 single exception of the letter of Rev. A. Loughridge, that having been 
 already published and widely circulated through the courtesy of the New 
 York Examiner , to which an offer of all the other letters was made , but not accepted. 
 These now are, for the first time, made public; and the Board respectfully 
 request a careful perusal of the opinions therein presented by men who, 
 from their position and many years service, should be best qualified to judge 
 of the necessities of the foreign field. We give first, the following letter: 
 
 Rev. William Dean, D.D., Bangkok, Siam, September \&th, 1882. 
 
 (49 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother: —I send you an affirmative answer to six of the seven 
 questions in your circular for the American and Foreign Bible Society. 
 To this question: “Should the only Society—the American and Foreign 
 Bible Society—ever formed by a representative convention of American 
 Baptists be obstructed and destroyed without first appealing to the 
 churches, and through them to a representative convention such as called 
 into existence ? No. 
 
 As Baptists, we owe it to ourselves and to the progress of Christian 
 truth, to maintain a distinct organization for the faithful translation and gen¬ 
 erous distribution of the Bible in all lands and in every language of 
 the world. The American Bible Society and the British and For¬ 
 eign Bible Society have European salaried agents employed solely for 
 the distribution of the Bible in Asiatic countries. The millions 
 of copies of the sacred Scriptures they are putting into circulation 
 throughout the heathen world have each Baptisma, either transferred or 
 erroneously translated. In China Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Luth¬ 
 erans, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Romanists all render the term by 
 “Soi Loi,” which signifies washing ceremony. 
 
 The few copies of the New Testament translated by the Baptists render 
 the word by terms which signify to dip or immerse. We may use the Pres¬ 
 byterian press at Shanghai, the Methodist Press at Fuchau, or the wood 
 blocks of the Chinese, if we pay the expense, but never at the expense of 
 the British and Foreign Bible Society, or the American Bible Society, nor 
 the Chinese block-cutter. 
 
 Baptist missionaries have printed editions of the New Testament and 
 portions of the Old Testament on these terms, and we may continue to do 
 so, provided we are supplied with funds to pay the bills, or the Baptists 
 build a printing-press of their own in China. We had one in Bangkok, 
 with Chinese, Siamese, and English type, which in 1851, were all destroyed 
 by fire. Since which time our Chinese printing has been done in China, 
 and our Siamese at the office of the Presbyterian press or the private press 
 of Rev. S. J. Smith at Bangkok, who is printing Siamese books on a large 
 
5 
 
 scale, and has recently agitated the question of procuring a font of Chinese 
 type. We are not wanting facilities for printing the Scriptures, provided 
 we have the money. The British and Foreign Bible Society and the 
 American Bible Society are very generous to make us grants of Bibles of 
 their own versions, but in no case would donate to us an edition of the Bi¬ 
 ble translated by a Baptist, or where baptisma was translated immerse. 
 
 The time has come when the wants of the heathen world for the Word 
 of God furnish a worthy object for the efforts of an American and Foreign 
 Bible Society and the combined energies of the Baptist Denomination. 
 
 At the same time our foreign missions, as by the last Annual Report, 
 are assuming such mammoth proportions and far-reaching promise as to 
 engross the thought and exhaust the energies of any one benevolent 
 society. 
 
 * 
 
 When the old missions, now suffering for want of reinforcements , and new 
 fields of promise now opening for more missionary labor are all supplied, then, if 
 the Executive Committee of the Missionary Union have leisure and ability for 
 extra work, let the burden be rolled upon them; but such are not now the signs of 
 the times. 
 
 Rev. E. B. Cross, D.D., Toungoo, Burmah, December ist, ,1882. 
 
 (39 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother: —I have just received a circular addressed to “The Bap¬ 
 tists of America,’ - which has the sanction of committees appointed by the 
 American Baptist Publication Society, the American Baptist Missionary 
 Union, and the American and Foreign Bible Society; and in a note accom¬ 
 panying the circular, you ask my views on the questions stated by these 
 committees. As there seems time for a reply to reach you before the meet¬ 
 ing of the proposed convention in May, I have the pleasure to express my 
 thanks to God that he has stirred the minds of Baptists of America, and 
 opened a door wide and effectual, as never before, to enter gloriously and 
 unhampered into the greatest work which he has left for his people, to give 
 his own commandments to the nations of the earth. 
 
 “The paramount claims upon Baptists to give the pure word of God.” 
 
 As it is plain that since all other Denominations have entangled them¬ 
 selves with compromises, which make them incapable of translating the 
 great commission of the Saviour, which contains in itself his will and tes¬ 
 tament, there are none left to do it if Baptists will not. Let them honor 
 their Divine Master, and bear his standard when and where others will not. 
 It shall be their glory when the word “well done” and faithful is 
 pronounced. 
 
 “Should Baptists do their Bible work with or without a Bible society ?” 
 
 There will be two views taken of this question, and these views will 
 turn on the single view of the extent and importance of the work itself. 
 
6 
 
 All works of great importance and great extent inspire and draw of their 
 o\\ n force organized bands and companies just in proportion as they are 
 regaided as important and extensive. This is true everywhere, and the 
 children of this world are often wiser in their generation than the children 
 of light. 
 
 If the work is great and important it cannot be carried on in any ade¬ 
 quate sense without a separate organization. This all Denominations have 
 proved. I know of no instance in which one organization or society has 
 accomplished two great objects at the same time. One great object is, and 
 should be, its master; and no man can serve two masters. If it is a great 
 object—and where on earth is there a greater ?—we must take hold of it as 
 a one work. It is not a branch, but a vine. It has branches , but is itself the root and 
 fatness of the olive tree. 
 
 On the field, where a distinctive Baptist Bible society seems to be espe¬ 
 cially needed, it is quite beyond my reach to see that any great improve¬ 
 ment could be made in the constitution of the American and Foreign Bible 
 Society. If it can be improved, may God grant the wisdom to do it. If it 
 is almost, if not exactly what we want, may God scatter the prejudice 
 which exists against it. It is my opinion that this should be done. 
 
 Baptists, it seems, directly projected the British and Foreign Bible So¬ 
 ciety, and consequently the American Bible Society. And this organiza¬ 
 tion of the Bible Union seems almost directly to have been the cause of the 
 New, or Canterbury, Revision. And it cannot be boasting on their part, 
 to say that their versions in China, Siam, India, Burmah, and Japan, are not 
 only pioneer, but have a superiority above all others. In Burmah, it may 
 be said without hesitation, that no Pedo-baptist people can enter the field 
 with rival translations to those already made, or being made, by us, in all 
 the principal languages of the country. All that the Bishop of Rangoon 
 proposed to the American Bible Society to do was to take a Baptist trans¬ 
 lation, and blot out from it the meaning of Christ’s will and testament,* and 
 send it forth a garbled book, in Burmese and Karen. 
 
 If Baptists have no rivals in the promptness and excellence of their 
 translations, their place certainly should be in the front rank of those who 
 aspire, and liberally and earnestly labor to give the Bible to every 
 creature. 
 
 Oh, who can arouse the body of Christ’s people who abide by his word 
 only, and fire them all with the spirit with which he has fired the few, even 
 those who have led the world in the organization of Bible societies; and in 
 giving translations of superior excellence and faithfulness in every field 
 which they have entered! The few call to us from their graves ; cry, rather, 
 from their abode in heaven, and the few others from the weary field of their 
 labors. Their locks maybe white and their hand trembling, but they hold 
 
 * By transliterating the Greek word Bafitisma, spelling the word into the Burmese and Karen New 
 Testament, by using Burmese and Karen Letters—the same as is done with Roman letters in our English New 
 Testament, instead of translating as Judson and Mason did, Baptazein. 
 
7 
 
 up firmly the banner of God, and call to us, Onward, onward, O Baptists! 
 Why stop ye? Why slink as weaklings and dastards from your place? 
 Give it not up to those who have never claimed it. Fall not back to the 
 rear, nor shame the faces of those who call to you from heaven, or from the 
 field of their toil and want. You have called them your leaders. Their 
 names are your watchword and your glory. Arouse, O people of the hon¬ 
 ored dead! Awake! Come to the place of duty and your birthright. Let 
 it not be said that a people who claim to be peculiar in their adherence to 
 the Bible, and who furnish men to be first of all to translate it without 
 compromise, and plan for its universal distribution, should nevertheless be 
 most confused and weakest of all in their combination and concert to 
 carry out their own professions in regard to it. 
 
 Rev. Norman Harris, D.D., Hamilton, N. Y., October , 1882. 
 
 (37 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 My hearty affirmative answer to all your questions, save one. Certainly 
 retain the American and Foreign Bible Society. 
 
 Rev. D. L. Brayton, D.D., Rangoon, British Burmah, March 8 th, 1883. 
 
 (46 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother:— I am most deeply interested in this Bible question, 
 and have been thinking much of the convention that is to meet in May. 
 Having spent so many years in efforts to impress upon the Pwo Karens the 
 great truths of that holy book, and for more than forty years having spent 
 more or less time every year in laboring to put its precious words in their 
 language; and from personal experience and observation knowing some¬ 
 thing of the importance and vast magnitude of the Bible work, I feel much 
 interest in regard to that convention. I do earnestly hope and pray that 
 the result will be a distinct society for Bible work; a society which will 
 devote its energies earnestly, undividedly, and continually to the great and 
 responsible work of giving a pure Bible to the nations of the world. I am 
 not anxious about the mere name of the society. That is a small matter 
 But the work to be done! Who can measure its height or fathom its depth ! 
 What a boundless ocean is here spread out to our view ! If there be the 
 right men to manage such a society they certainly will find work enough 
 to engage their largest powers and to fire their most ardent zeal Instead 
 of lowering the importance of the work in the eyes of the people, we want 
 them to feel that it is of such vast proportions that its dimensions are ab- 
 solutely beyond the power of human computation, 
 
 It seems to me that those who want to put this great work into the 
 hands of our good Missionary Union, lose sight of the vastness of the 
 
'8 
 
 work in itself considered. That in so doing they are actuated by the purest 
 intentions, I would not for a moment question. But sincerity is no evi¬ 
 dence of being on the right side. Paul verily thought that he ought to do 
 many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth ; yet that did not 
 make him right in his conduct. The moment you put this into the hands 
 of the Missionary Union, you belittle the work in the eyes of the multi¬ 
 tude, and thousands will say, “Well, if in addition to all their multiplied 
 duties, the Missionary Union can take on this Bible work, then that work 
 can not be of any great consequence.” We need a society which will be at 
 perfect liberty to put forth its entire undivided efforts to this one great work. 
 And among the first things necessary to be done would be to give us a 
 faithful translation in English. It is, indeed, appalling to think of the 
 result of an unfaithful translation in the English language. In the educa¬ 
 tional work of the world there are abundance of facts to show the rapidity 
 with which the English language is spreading among the nations of the 
 earth. A scientific writer has lately said, “ The English language is rapidlv 
 becoming the language of the world.” 
 
 Hence when we make a correct translation, and our converts, many of 
 whom read the English Bible, compare our translations into their language 
 with our English translation, they are puzzled, and no wonder, for there is 
 a cause. 
 
 Hence I do hope and pray that we may have a society which will’have 
 the moral courage and determination to do the right thing in regard to our 
 English Bible. Should this be done, that there are those who would raise a 
 hue and cry in a sneering tone, “ A Baptist Bible!” I have no doubt. But 
 suppose they do wail and writhe, what then ? Are we, as Baptists and 
 soldiers of the cross, afraid of a little ridicule ? If a faithful translation 
 should give us a “Baptist Bible,” where is the blame ? If any one has any 
 fault to find he should go to headquarters, to Him who gave the Bible, and 
 there present his objections. The faithful translator certainly can not, on 
 that account, be in the fault. No, my brother, let us go ahead for the Mas¬ 
 ter. We are not laboring for ourselves, nor for this generation alone ; our 
 work will have its influence as long as earth’s generations continue to 
 come and go. 
 
 Let us be honest with God. Let us do with our might what our hands 
 find to do ! Time is short. Our opportunities to work for the Master will 
 soon be gone ! May we all be prepared to meet the account in peace ! 
 
 Rev. E. W. Clark, Amguri, Assam, 27 th September, 1882. 
 
 (15 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother The Annual Report of the American and Foreign 
 Bible Society, with the sermons of Drs. Winkler and Armitage, just now 
 received. Many thanks. The Examiner deserves the thanks of the Denomi- 
 
9 
 
 nation for some rebukes it has administered to the American Baptist Publi¬ 
 cation Society, notably in its report of the Anniversary Meeting at Indian¬ 
 apolis in 1881, whereby it called attention to the somewhat overweening 
 ambition of that society, and its little regard to the interests of other 
 organizations, if only its own could be promoted. I am hoping that the 
 good sense of the Denomination will recognize the fact that it would be 
 unwise to further inflate that society by giving to it the home Bible work. 
 
 The Executive Committee of the Missionary Union, have for the last 
 three years or so, kept it pretty well before our churches in America, that 
 they were able to collect and provide for the Bible work in our foreign 
 missions The committee has had an opportunity to see what it could do 
 with little or no opposition, as I suppose. In the meantime foreign mission 
 work has been prosperous and calling for larger appropriations. There 
 has been commercial prosperity at home. In short, the committee has had 
 a rare opportunity to show, by increase of collections, that the Missionary 
 Union was able to carry the Bible work in addition to its other work. 
 
 What has been the result ? The last Annual Report of the committee 
 calls attention to the fact that there has been no increase of contributions 
 from the churches. This is astonishing. Circumstances all favorable for 
 a large increase, yet none ! Why, the usual work of the Missionary Union, 
 let alone Bible work, has been loudly calling for more missionaries and 
 more money contributions for Bible work also solicited, and this in times 
 of general prosperity at home ; yet no increase in the gifts of the churches 
 to the treasury of the Missionary Union. 
 
 I think it would be a capital thing if the Baptists of the United States 
 would unite in one Bible Society, extending a welcome to the Canadian 
 Baptists, if they are disposed to join the society. 
 
 Rev. E. G. Phillips, Tura, Assam, September 18 th, 1882. 
 
 (9 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother :—Mr. Moore, our Mission Treasurer, has sent me your 
 circular, “ To the Baptists of America,” with the request that I send you 
 my answer to the seven questions given. 
 
 To the first I would say, Yes, because the second and third must be 
 answered decidedly in the affirmative, and other Denominations do not 
 seem willing to answer them and so live up to the answers. I fail to see how 
 we can be truly loyal to Christ, and not translate every word susceptible 
 of translating, giving the idea given by Christ as closely as possible. 
 
 To the fourth I would say, Yes, with the added remark that the supposi¬ 
 tion is decidedly contrary to reality. 
 
 In answer to these four questions, I suppose the voice of the Denomina¬ 
 tion would be well nigh unanimous, the question being as to through what 
 
IO 
 
 channel the work shall be done. This brings me to the fifth question, as to 
 the answer to which I feel less certain. So far as Bible work in foreign 
 lands is concerned, I believe that our work could be done through our 
 Missionary Union, with less expenditure of means and men, and be done 
 equally well, or better than if done through a separate society. The only 
 question is, Would the home part of the foreign work, that is, the collec¬ 
 tion of funds, be carried on as efficiently ? Would the decrease in the 
 collection of funds, if made by the Missionary Union, more than counter¬ 
 balance the saving, on the score of means and men consumed in the work¬ 
 ing of a separate society ? Such a decrease ought not surely to occur. The 
 answer of this may better be left to those better acquainted with work in 
 the churches. 
 
 I should say, that if, in the opinion of those qualified to judge, Bible 
 work, foreign and home, would be better maintained if conducted by one 
 society, than if done through the Missionary Union and Publication 
 Society, and enough better so as to more than make up for the extra 
 expense in men and means necessary to conducting a separate Bible 
 Society, I would say that such a society ought to be maintained, otherwise I 
 could see no good reason for so doing. I certainly see no reason why the work 
 accomplished here would be any different, whether the funds came through 
 the Missionary Union, or through a Bible Society. I would think the same 
 would be true at home. 
 
 I pray that the wisest plan may be decided upon for the whole work, 
 that which will result in best bringing the blessed book in its purity to the 
 greatest number of the race. 
 
 Rev. P. H. Moore, Nowgong, Assam, India, nth September, 1882. 
 
 (4 YEARS A MISSIONARY ) 
 
 Dear Brother Your letter of the 26th July was duly received. I 
 think we can all agree that we ought to carry out a vigorous Bible policy, 
 but, according to my best judgment, the same amount of force expended 
 through the Missionary Union and Publication Society, will accomplish 
 much more than if expended through a separate society. If these two 
 societies have neglected Bible work, let them be stirred up to new zeal. 
 
 Arguments for more Bible work are not necessarily arguments for more 
 societies. 
 
 I believe in utilizing more fully the channels already opened, instead of 
 opening new ones before they are required. 
 
Rev. L. Jewett, D.D., Madras, India, September 30 th, 1882. 
 
 (35 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 It seems to me that our Bible work demands two societies, one for the 
 home and one for the foreign work, in order that when the agents come 
 before the churches to take up contributions, those who give may know 
 for what they are giving, for home or foreign work. 
 
 Bible societies make the work of collecting money embarrassing to 
 their collecting agents. I speak from knowledge of facts. The American 
 Baptist Missionary Union has agents at home to collect money for the 
 entire work of foreign missions. And they have agents in the foreign 
 field to preach, to teach, to translate the Scriptures, to prepare tracts and 
 books, and to distribute all these publications. No class is hidden from 
 their sight. I think the A. B. M. Union is the society best fitted to do our 
 foreign Bible work. 
 
 What society shall do our home Bible work ? I think Dr. Griffith’s 
 report of the Baptist Publication Society Bible work points out the way in 
 which all Baptists can agree to work together, and have the different trans¬ 
 lations of the Scriptures on the same shelves. 
 
 Remarks .—I don’t think Baptists should desire a Bible Society in order 
 to do their work as other Denominations do theirs. These great, rich Bible 
 societies cannot print Bibles with notes and comments, though these are 
 useful, as they are on the Greek and Latin classics, and as needfnl. They 
 can spend money on colporteurs to sell Scriptures, but they cannot raise 
 up the colporteurs and fit them to do their work honestly. They can not 
 spend a penny on schools for the masses who can not read the scriptures. 
 
 Rev. A. V. Timpany, Cocanada, South India, September 23d, 1882. 
 
 (16 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother :—It seems strange that any one in this day of the 
 world should question the utility and necessity of Bible Societies. Certainly 
 there are none but some Baptists who do this. 
 
 It is pretty plain, I think, to any one who has given the slightest atten¬ 
 tion to this subject, that we Baptists cannot expect fair treatment in Bible 
 work with Pedo-Baptists. It all comes to the same thing in the end—sur¬ 
 render of our principles. If you American Baptists do not have a society 
 whose only duty it shall be to circulate pure translations of God’s Word, 
 we foreign Baptist missionaries will have to go back, sooner or later, to 
 where we have been. Be thankful for such favors as we can get from 
 societies which care not a fig for our convictions, and only want our money, 
 and that we disturbers of Christendom keep quiet. 
 
12 
 
 Rev. John McLauren, (Pres Theo. Seminary), Samalcotta, Telugu 
 Mission, South India. (15 years a missionary.) 
 
 I do believe the millions of our race have special claims upon Baptists 
 to give them the pure Word of God. 
 
 a. Because Baptist principles alone represent the mind of Christ. 
 
 b. Because Baptist translations alone reflect the mind of the Spirit. 
 
 I believe it our most sacred duty to translate every word in the original 
 capable of translation by its most exact equivalent in the vernacular into 
 which the translation is to be made. Life and duty do not depend on untrans¬ 
 latable words. God did not so cripple His own revelation. 
 
 The terms of discipleship in the New Testament have exact equivalents in 
 every language on the face of the earth , and, therefore, can be translated. To 
 transfer is to obscure, and to obscure is to incur God’s displeasure. Trans¬ 
 ference implies a reliance on the teacher for the truth. This is Priestism, 
 Popery. This is not a Baptist principle. I cannot understand a Baptist 
 compromise of God’s Word. To me it is awful, unthinkable. 
 
 Baptists ought, like or unlike others, to do their Bible work throughout 
 the world, through a Bible society. Let the Baptists of North America unite 
 in an International Bible Society to give God’s Word as God gave it to the 
 whole world. 
 
 TELUGU MISSION. 
 
 Rev. W. B. Boggs, in charge of the Theological Seminary writes :—. 
 
 (5 years a missionary.) 
 
 Ramapatam, Nellore District, India, [ 
 
 September, 1882. f 
 
 Dear Brother :—Your letter of July 24th, and also the circulars by a 
 previous mail, have come to hand. I have read with deep interest the ser¬ 
 mon of Dr. Armitage, preached before the society. The Bible work of 
 Baptists is, or ought to be, one of such vast dimensions, considering the field, 
 that it seems most reasonable that it should be done through a society or 
 societies. To decide upon the fullest data, the widest experience, and the 
 most profound wisdom, what the best way is, will, I presume, be the chief 
 object of the approaching convention. May the wisdom of God be their 
 guide. 
 
 Could the Baptists of North America, at this very time when there 
 exists much enthusiasm in reference to Bible work; when a crisis has been 
 reached where some decided course of action must be taken ; could all the 
 Baptists of North America now unite fully, heartily, determinedly , in a great 
 purpose and endeavor to realize the fulfillment of the motto of the Amer¬ 
 ican and Foreign Bible Society, viz.: “The Bible in all languages, and for 
 all people,” it would be one of the grandest steps ever taken by them —would 
 
13 
 
 confer untold blessings on the world, and redound to the glory of God. 
 May the Author of the Bible now direct His people to the adoption of the 
 best way to give His light to the myriads in darkness. 
 
 Rev. Nathan Brown, D.D., Yokohama, November , 1882. 
 
 (47 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Baptists should do Bible work through Bible societies, in all great heathen 
 countries; and probably the same plan will be more effective for Christian 
 countries also. Every reason which existed for the formation of the Amer¬ 
 ican and Foreign Bible Society, now exists for its continuance. 
 
 Baptists are, it appears to me, specially called on to go forward in the 
 great work of Bible translation and distribution already begun, by means 
 of national, international, or sectional societies, as they may deem most 
 efficient for the progress of their work. These societies will be a banner 
 and bond of denominational unity that could never be maintained under 
 any system of sectarian compromises. 
 
 I am always delighted and encouraged when 1 see such excellent arti¬ 
 cles in The Watch-Tower as those of Brother Rose and others in favor of 
 the American and Foreign Bible Society (or another just like it), whose sole 
 business it shall be to scatter the Word of God. 
 
 Rev. A. T. Rose, Providence, R. 1 ., April 28th , 1883. 
 
 (30 YEARS A MISSIONARY.) 
 
 Dear Brother: —I am profoundly impressed with the absolute import¬ 
 ance of the most perfect translation possible, in the English as well as in 
 all other languages. I believe there is an immense Bible work at home 
 and abroad that we ought to do, and for this we need a distinct Bible Society. 
 I endorse heartily the principles of the American and Foreign Bible Society 
 as it now is. I am in hearty accord with brethren Bennett, Brayton, Cross, 
 Smith and others of Burmah ; and of Brown and Dean and others whose 
 letters I have read, all praying for a distinct Bible Society. Mrs. Thomas, 
 33 years in Burmah. says, “The work of distributing tracts and Scripture 
 portions ought to be forthwith increased a hundred fold.” (See “Helping 
 Hand” for April.) I fully endorse Mrs. Thomas. Rev. D. A. W. Smith, 
 of the Rangoon Karen Theological Seminary, writes to Dr. Cross: 
 
 “The present activity of the American Baptist Missionary Union in 
 Bible work, is a fruit of this controversy, rather than permanent enlight¬ 
 ened conviction; and if the American and Foreign Bible Society should 
 cease to exist, I fear the A. B. M. Union would grow lax in a work for 
 which they receive so little pecuniary encouragement, and which opposes 
 some of their announced convictions.” 
 
 I fully endorse the above opinion of Brother Smith. 
 
14 
 
 Rev. B. W. Whilden, for many years a missionary in China, under the 
 auspices of the Southern Baptist Convention, responds in the most 
 emphatic language to the circular approving of a distinct Bible Society for 
 the Baptists of America. 
 
 It will be seen, from the foregoing letters, how largely the weight of 
 opinion preponderates in favor of distinctive Bible work, and how decided 
 are the convictions of most of the missionaries of the largest experience. 
 Drs. Dean, Brown, Brayton, Timpany, Cross, Harris, Boggs, McLauren, 
 Whilden, Clark and Rose, speak with the emphasis of profound conviction 
 in declaring the necessity of a Bible Society for Baptists. Of the four who 
 question the necessity for such a Society, one (Rev. P. H. Moore) admits 
 that the Missionary Union, which he thinks might do it, is not performing 
 efficient Bible work for want of means, and he regards the probability of 
 its obtaining such means as being extremely doubtful. A second (Rev. E. 
 G. Phillips) while believing the Foreign Bible work could be done through 
 the M. U., questions, if without a Bible Society the home part, the collec¬ 
 tion of funds, could be carried on as efficiently, and believes that if it could 
 not, a separate Bible Societ} r ought to be maintained. The third (Dr. Jew¬ 
 ett) objects to all Bible Societies, because they “cannot print Bibles with 
 notes and comments,” nor “spend a penny for schools.” A fourth whose 
 experience of missionary - work extends over a few years, deems no 
 Bible Society needed, because it is inexpedient to multiply channels of 
 benevolence. 
 
 Compare these hesitating and qualified utterances with the ringing 
 words of the great majority of missionaries whose opinions have been 
 given, and it will be seen that wherever deep convictions exist, born of long 
 experience and extensive observation of the needs of the heathen world, 
 they find expression in earnest desires for a Bible Society for American 
 Baptists. 
 
 We give below, but two of the many letters we have received from the 
 Home field, in response to the circular, calling for a “Distinct Bible Society” 
 to do the Bible work of the Denomination. All say in substance, most 
 emphatically, a Bible Society for Bible work ; a Missionary Society for 
 mission work ; a Publication Society for publication work. Each has its 
 own sphere, and to fill that sphere ought to be its ambition. That Dr. Conant 
 should be pronounced in his belief in the need of a Bible Society, and in 
 his love for the American and Foreign Bible Society, certainly not any of 
 our own Denomination, or even of other denominations will be surprised. 
 Neither should any biblical scholar wonder when reading his able article 
 below, to find him in so cogent an argument, insisting upon the translation 
 and not transliteration of Baptazein in the English Bible, as well as in all 
 other languages. 
 
i5 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y., March pth, 1883. 
 
 Rev. T. J. Conant, D.D., writes as follows:—I submit the following as my 
 personal views on the question of a Bible Society. Certainly we need a 
 Bible Society, and I think it should be the one already existing—the 
 American and Foreign. This I hold for the following reasons: 
 
 First. — It was called into existence by the action of the whole Denomi¬ 
 nation, in a convention assembled from all parts of the country. 
 
 Second. —It originated in the open and avowed withdrawal of Baptists 
 of America from the self-styled American Bible Society, on the sole 
 ground that its funds, contributed by Baptists in common with other 
 religious bodies, were wrongfully withheld from faithful translations of 
 the Bible by our missionaries, and granted only to such Bible translations 
 as can be made to subserve Denominational interests. 
 
 Third. —The substitution by Baptists of another Bible Society in place 
 of it, would seem to be an acknowledgment that the position then taken by 
 them was an error, and that there was no ground for it, or for the implied 
 rebuke of the action of the American Bible Society. 
 
 Fourth. —The Society has claims on the grateful remembrance and con¬ 
 tinued support of all Baptists, for its timely aid in printing and publishing 
 the translations of Judson and Yates, and of others of our missionaries in 
 heathen lands. 
 
 Fifth. —The Society has a history inseparably interwoven with the labors 
 of our foreign missionaries for half a century, in giving the Word of God, 
 faithfully translated, to all the heathen lands. 
 
 Sixth. —This history belongs to the Denomination which called the 
 Society into existence, and should not be wrested from it, by blotting out 
 the name and memory of the Society itself. 
 
 Portland, New Brunswick, April 16th , 1883. 
 Rev. T. J. Stewart, writes as follows:— 
 
 Dear Brother: —About our great Bible meeting. As the time ap¬ 
 proaches, I am feeling anxious. I do trust that the Great Head of the 
 Church will give grace and wisdom. 
 
 Recent discussions ought to sharpen the sword, which I trust, is soon 
 to cut us away from pedo-baptist concessions. The Bible, the whole Bible, 
 and nothing but the Bible, must be our motto. My opinion is, that we as 
 Baptists must translate the whole Bible according to the best ability 
 among our men, and put that Bible in our pulpits, and stand behind that 
 Bible and preach Jesus. We must raise money and publish that Bible in 
 all the world, and give God’s truth to the nations of the earth. Oh, what 
 a grand opening before us to serve the cause of truth. I believe that we 
 
j6 
 
 should equip the American and Foreign Bible Society, and as a Denomi¬ 
 nation stand by that Society with our prayers and our money, I think all 
 other societies should retire from the field, and give the American and 
 Foreign full sway. 
 
 There is plenty of work for the other societies to do, without publish¬ 
 ing the coming Bible. 
 
 Baptist people here are waking up, and want to know where cheir 
 money is going to which is paid into the British and Foreign Bible 
 Society, and as far as I am able, I tell them. 
 
 These provinces are ripe for the sickle, a good harvest could be reaped 
 here for Bible work. But things must be simplified and made plain. If 
 there is to be proper Bible work, as I hope, things must not be misunder¬ 
 stood, but if money is solicited for publication societies and all the rest of 
 it, things will then become mixed, and nothing will be the result. Our 
 ministers think I ought to attend the coming meeting. Will you please 
 inform me of the date of the meeting. I have learned that it is to be 
 held in Saratoga. 
 
 TRANSLATE, OR TRANSLITERATE, WHICH? 
 
 In social, political, religious life, in the arts, sciences, and commerce, in 
 all the grand forces that appear in the advancing and pre-eminently 
 Christian civilization of the present age, dead issues pale before the living, 
 throbbing epoch, foreshadowing a coming day of a greater effulgence 
 because of the reign of the King in his glory, than our poor, dark world 
 ever saw. The Word is not returning void. The Word of the Lord is at 
 the root of the Tree of Error. All revolutions and progress are born of 
 and grow by the Word of God unto perfection. The Author of the Book 
 is not dead, but ever liveth. The Book of God, made in the East, for the 
 East, is in the East (as well as the West). Its presence in India precipitated 
 the Sepoy Rebellion. Out of the ashes of a mission house, and books, and 
 Bibles consumed by the fire lighted by that rebellion, ascended from the 
 hearts of a little company of missionaries the prayer that gave to the world 
 “The Week of Prayer,” which like the zones, belts the globe. The Book 
 studied, proclaimed, loved the world around, hence what may be most 
 appropriately termed the Great Bible Revival now gathering into itself all 
 the tributaries of true Biblical knowledge—all deep, spiritual and vivifying 
 forces in its onward flow around the world, no Satanic agency of idolatry, 
 superstition, and infidelity can arrest. All these combined, would be as 
 futile as a single human hand to arrest the floods of the Amazon as they 
 slip to the sea, or the plunge of the waters of Niagara as they leap to the 
 abyss below. “ Go make proclamation of the good news to all the world,” 
 is the Master’s great command. “All power is mine ; the victory is sure ; 
 
17 
 
 I will reign from sea to sea, and, being lifted up will draw all men unto 
 me.” Whosoever is faint-hearted let him gird himself with the promises of 
 Jehovah. 
 
 The world waits for a pure and faithful copy of the Word of God in all 
 its myriad tongues. The Holy Spirit will never use other than His own 
 inspired thoughts for the regeneration of sinners and the sanctification of 
 saints. Hence a pure Bible is of infinite moment. No Bible society is 
 worthy the name whose one purpose is not to give such a Bible to all the 
 race. 
 
 But such a Bible means a fully translated Bible, certainly not excepting 
 the English Bible. How emphatic the answer in the article below to the 
 pertinent question, Shall we Translate or Transliterate the Original Scrip¬ 
 tures—the former wherever possible—and if the former, are we not com¬ 
 pelled to translate Baptizo and its cognate forms by Immerse and Immersion, 
 and to discontinue the use of Baptise and Baptism in the English Bible ? 
 
 The following article is taken, by permission of its author, Dr. Conant, 
 from a paper read before the Conference of Baptist Ministers, New York, 
 May 17th, 1880, in which we have the answer to this vital question :— 
 
 “ A question has arisen among us, in regard to the transfer or the trans¬ 
 lation of the Greek word Baptizo and its cognate forms, etc., Baptisma. It is 
 contended by some of the advocates for transferring, that these words can 
 not be translated. It is the ground taken by our opponents long ago. Find¬ 
 ing themselves worsted in the argument from Greek writers, they took 
 refuge in an assumed religious sense in the New Testament ; a sense which 
 can be expressed by no merely secular word. And we are asked to believe 
 that our Saviour commissioned his apostles to go into all the world, with a 
 message which cannot be translated into the languages of the world ; so 
 that none can ever hear or read the message in their own tongue. Others 
 claim the transfer, because the action expressed by the word cannot cer¬ 
 tainly be determined ; and we are asked to believe that our Saviour 
 requires of every disciple a certain act of obedience, and no one can ever 
 find out what that act is. It is also claimed on the ground that with this 
 transfer all sects can use the same version, and we are asked to surrender 
 our fidelity to God’s Word, for the questionable advantage of such a ver¬ 
 sion that decides nothing on the point at issue, and leaves the way open to 
 endless controversy. Translation decides the controversy and ends it j for only 
 one translation can be given it. Our opponents can debate the meaning of the 
 word as long as we can, and print ten books to our one. But we can trans¬ 
 late the words in the New Testament, and they can not. Bring it to that 
 test, and the controversy is ended. The writers of the New Testament 
 wrote to be understood, and as they wrote in the Greek language, they 
 used the Greek words as they were understood by those to whom they 
 wrote, who spoke and read that language. To deny this is to accuse them, 
 either of ignorance, or of a deliberate purpose, to mystify or befog their 
 readers. How these words were understood, has been shown by the latest 
 
i8 
 
 and most trustworthy Greek lexicons ; as well as by abundant citations of 
 theii use in Greek writings, including those of the Church fathers, during 
 the whole period in which the Greek was a living language. Only the most 
 ingenious sophistry can evade the truth. The same meaning is expressed 
 in the ancient versions ; in the oldest Latin version, quoted by Tertullian 
 in the second century and by Cyprian half a century later ; in the ancient 
 Syriac, last half of the second or early in the third century ; in the Gothic, 
 last half of the fourth century ; and in the modern European versions, the 
 lower Saxon, 1470-80 ; one of the earliest German, 1473-75 I Luther’s 
 German version of the New Testament, 1522 ; Dutch version ; Swedish 
 and Danish ; and in all versions for the learned, where the meaning is pro¬ 
 fessedly given. 
 
 This meaning, immersion, is recognized in the requirements and prac¬ 
 tice of the three oldest and most widely extended branches of the Christian 
 Church ; the Eastern or Greek Church, the Western, or Latin Church, and 
 the Anglican Church ; all requiring immersion in the ‘Sacrament of Bap¬ 
 tism,’ with the proviso in the Anglican : ‘ unless the child be unable to bear 
 it,’ immersion. The Church Fathers, both Greek and Latin, founded their 
 instructions on this meaning of the words, and on the practice of the 
 Church in accordance with it ; Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, Basil, Bishop 
 of Caesarea, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Tertullian, Presbyter o 
 Carthage. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. And this meaning of these Greek 
 words is claimed by eminent men in different branches of the modern 
 Church ; by Alexander de Stourdza, of the Greek Church, bv Maldonatus, 
 and by Estius, both distinguished scholars in the Roman Catholic Church ; 
 by Bishop Jeremy Taylor, of the Church of England ; by Luther, Calvin, 
 and Zwingli ; by Limborch, Professor of Theology among the Remon¬ 
 strants ; by Turretin, German Professor of Theology ; by Meyer, and 
 Fritzsche, Lutheran ; and by Connybeare, and Howson, of the Church of 
 England. With such a cloud of witnesses in the long past and in the pres¬ 
 ent, we need not feel that we are waging a solitary warfare. More are they 
 that are for us than they that are against us. I conclude with the state¬ 
 ment of the following well ascertained facts : 
 
 First. —That what we claim to be the true and only meaning, viz., Im¬ 
 mersion, of the Greek word Baptizo, and of its cognate forms, has often 
 been proved by the uniform usage of Greek writers, both Pagan and 
 Christian. 
 
 Second. —That as has now been shown, it accords with the religious 
 instructions of the earliest Christian writers ; and also with the require¬ 
 ments and practice of the whole Christian Church, till within a compara¬ 
 tively recent time. 
 
 Third. —That Immersion, or its equivalents, is the rendering of ancient 
 versions sanctioned by the use of the Church, and still retained in the ver¬ 
 nacular versions of Northern Europe. 
 
i9 
 
 Fourth .—That it is the only rendering of the words in any version 
 sanctioned by early use in the Church, and is the only one used by scholars 
 in their versions and expositions for the learned. 
 
 Fifth .—That recent and living scholars, without distinction of ecclesias¬ 
 tical relations, unite in asserting Immerse and its cognate forms to be the 
 true meaning of the Greek words. Such a rendering belongs to no one 
 branch of the Church. It is Catholic ; sanctioned by all that can entitle 
 any rendering to universal acceptation. Whatever else may be said of it, 
 it cannot, with any show of reason, be called sectarian. 
 
 Finally. —We, as a Denomination, are intrusted with a high mission ; 
 being the only body of Christians throughout the world who stand by the 
 New Testament requirement of a Baptism (immersion), on personal pro¬ 
 fession of faith in Christ ; symbolical and representative of his burial and 
 resurrection, and of the believer’s burial with him, and rising again to 
 newness of life. It behoves us to be faithful to this mission ; and to carry 
 this Divine teaching, clearly and unmistakably expressed, wherever we 
 send the Word of God, in our own and all other languages .”—See my work 
 on “Baptazeinf pages , 88-90. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
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