The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-25


Beloved brethren and friends of the of truth
We solicit your appreciation of movement which
templates procuring and circulating the most faithful
versions Of the Scriptures in all languages We ask your
prayers God for its success and your contributions
furtherance of the object We ask you operate with
in sustaining institution auxiliary to the American
Bible Union and speak flvoably Of the great principle
OF Bible translation to your friends and acquaintance
In making this request think that we act in the spirit
of the vospel which aims to enlighen the human
in the knowledge of God and of his SON. Jesus Christ
We act in the fear Of that injunction which requires that
nothing be added to, or diminished from, the Divine Law
We ask your sympathy your contributions, and your
prayers because conde in your readiness to favor any
wisely directed effort 20 give the whole counsel of God to
pershng world We come to you boldly, feeling that we
plead good We not in the spirit Of secta
ran strife not to mpugn the Christian sincerity
Of those who differ from in Judgment we come not to
enlist you in a crusade against brethren whom you love-
Tar be it from TO cast oboquy upon any who love our
Lord Jesus, and daily pray, Thy kingdom come; thy
viii be done on earth as II Is IN heaven our coming IS
as we trust in the name Of Him who commands to
love another Believe then that while we aim to
lay before you views do it in the exercise OF kind
feeling towards all. In organizing New York Bible
Union for the purpose Of aiding and operating with
the American Bible Union whose object is to procure
and circulate the most faithful versions Of the Scriptures
in all languages hope to be credited for sincerity
when that heart desire and prayer to God for
Christians Is that there be divisions among them
We desire their union We desire thai they all speak the
same thing and that they be perfectly joined together
the same mind and in the same judgment. And
honestly believe that faithful translation Of the Divine
wordone that shall Enthusiastically convey the mind Of
the Spirit-w far TO promote this important object
That false translaons contribute much to perpeuate
the divisions Of the Christian world, Is idea He
that il first In his seemeth Just but his neigh
Dor oometh and searcheth him" They enter upon
mutual examination OF another views each shows
his opnon and the discussion elicits light. Appealing
only 10 the Bible the difference between them becomes
rapidly lessened each shows the other what its teach
ings are The prospect Is fair that they will become per
fccty cemented together in the truth, when 10 the
of the Bible itself decide the contest is found to
he impaired by the imperfect false renderngs which
cucumber e. Indeed there seems to be scarcely
ror either Of doctrine practice which does not ul
rately find shelter under some badly rendered text
mstranslaed term. This difficulty Is sensbly felt by
those who receive the Scriptures their sole guide in
matters OF religion As for those who regulate their
faith by tradition, they not thus straitcned 1t is
true Tradition is still their shelter when driven
from the lag, subterfuge which mstransated text has
afforded But great will be the advantage gained for the
Of union, when traditionists shall no longer
find in misransations Of the Scriptures OF truth a
seeming countenance to their schismatc opinions We
have nothing say against the general excellence of the
received English version Of the Scriptures Our objection
hca against its particular defects These we wish to see
removed becsing that they have been too long source
Of confusion. Whatever power the version in question
has to promote The salvation Of souls resdes in that
ton OF which is faithful representation OF the in
spired original and not in its mstranslat0ns These
the Holy Spirit has honored the Of good
ana i is not too much to say that He can. He
honors nothing but truth He selves upon what IL his
own, ana uses It as the means Of leading sinners