Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-07-13

Religions Intelligence.
Th,rty-sir persons joined the Congrega-
tional Church in this place, under the pasto-
raj charge of Rev. Hubbard Winsow last /
Sabbath Eleven of them were students in .
the University. Some eight or ten. male and |
female, were baptiscd Two were recent con /
vcrts from Romanism These are portion Of
the fruits of the recent revival. The occasion |
was a solemn and impressive one.
The Congregational denomination of YER
mont numbers 1875 churches, and Is 600 mem
bcrs and received 7Ij additions the last year
REV Roswell d. llrcucocK, d. u. OF Bow
doin College, has recently become Professor
Of Ecclesiastical History in Union Theological
Seminary of New York city. Mrs Bell,
wealthy lady of that city, has contributed
S25 GOO to complete the endowment Of the
profcssorshp to which he is appointed
TIE Holy BlBLE.--We compile from several
sources the following facts
Two hundred and forty-one editions Of the
English translations of the Bible were pub
lishcd in England between the rcigns Of
Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth inclusive
this created thirst for the knowledge Of the
Word, and induced the Church of Rome to
prepare an edition for the common people
An edition Of the New Testament was pub
lshed at Rheims under the direction of three
great magnates OF that church, and AN edition
of the Old Testament at Douay, which inclu-
dcd the Apocropha. The Douay Bible was
not translated from the original Hebrew and
Greek, and the translation was incorrect in
several particulars. 1t has passed through
ten different editions, and these editions were
revised and corrected as to approximate as
closely rs possible to the Protestant version
The Samaritans have II manuscript copy of
the Pcntateuch, which their rabbi do not
scrupIc to declare belongs to the period Of
Moses, having been written thirteen years
nGter the death Of Moses, by Abishua, the son
of Phneas, who was grandson OF Aaron. 1t
Is kept in a tin case, like large synagogue
roll OF parchment enveloped in Il costly
covering Of crimson silk, with embroidered
golden letters. 1t is the opinion, however,
of competent Judges. who have examined the
manuscripts. that its antiquity does not reach
further back than the sixth century.
Tho Oldest book in the United States it is
said is a manuscript Bible, in the possession
Of DR.. Wltherspoon, of Alabama, written
over thousand gears ago lie describes it
ms follows - The book is strongly bound
in boards of the old English oak, and with
thongs by which the leaves are also well
bound together. The leaves are entirely
made Of parchment, OF II most superior quail
ty, Of iincncss and Smoothncs- LITTLE inferior
to the best satin. The pages are all ruled
with great accuracy, ard written with great
uniformity and beauty, in the old German
text hand, and divided of into chapters and
verses. The first chapter Of every book in
the Bible is written with large capital. Of
inimitable beauty. and splendidly Illuminated
with red, blue, and black ink still IN vivid
color, and no two of the capital letters in
the book are precisely alike
The venerable Mr.. John Carter, Of Lunen-
burg. Mass, has rare edition Of the Bible.
The tradition is that he (A1r Carter) i, the
eleventh generation from John Rogers the
martyr. that this Bible WIS held by the
martyr while at the stake. and that there the
middle Of it was partly burned. The tide
page Of this book is gone and there is nothing
% Gx its edition but the monogram of John
C0wood, who printed four quarto editions of
the Bible, viz in lj49. 1851, lj6S and $50
The Boston Post states that Geo. Liycrmorc
ESD. who las the most extensive collection Of
Bibles in New England has copies Of the two
editions of 1868 and 1862 and this book Il,
not Of those editions IL may be the edition
Of lj49, and if 50 there is nothing improba-
BILE in the tradition, so far as dates are con-
cernel, as the martyr suffered in 1853. This
book, however, is bound up with a common
prayer book which contains an allusion "a
Queen Elizabeth, who reigned after John
Rogers's death. But this is not conclusive
against the tradition, for most of the Bible,
Of the period Of Mary reign, that hay,
come down, arc in pieces for the purpose o
being concealed, and this may have beer
hound at q later period,
The missionary Thomas, after lAborius roi
zone time with Carey in Bengal, exclaimed
:" would give a million pounds sterling, if
had it, to see Bengalee Bible. Oh, wha
an inestimable blessing 1t will be to thcs,
millions The angels Of heaven will lool
down upon it to ill their mouths with new
phrases and adorations.'