New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-12
Nsm4lork Dailp Gribuare
LETTER FOR THE BIBLE SOCIETY.

which meets on Wednesday and no, being able 70 do
II in any Of The weekly religion. pspers, ask the
favor Of ,pe skipg through your paper:
TO THE BiBLE SOCIETY.
To the members Of Il abou. 10 assemble rnsy De a.
lowed to cay, tina. deem your meeting one of extreme
mportspce 10 its bearing on the interests Of Gods
Truth. On the character, dignity, aud pro.p ,ri,y of
YOUR Society On the progress If sacred Learning snd
on the honor and reputation of American Theoogi>ns
You have 10 determine whether 10 publishing the YER
ion or # Gods true Book into the English
lar gusge will continue to publish it-ss ia years
past YOU have been doing with your best attempt TO
DC blish nearly as possible s simple, trus form
spo if with the edition to the pure scriptures of some
II erey human productions called " accessories, that
YOU Will publish such as are in accordance win Gods
irutb: or whether you will be yourselves the slaves
ana will instruct youc agents TO be the slaves OF b4r-
bar,ms or ahtiqusted bunders.
All was peaceful and prosperous your Society uu-
til the beginning OF lset year. when sharply written
pamphlet sgatst your doipgs, sscribed TO . young
High Churcbman Of Baltimore, WAS published. This
was followed by q visit TO your agents or Board 10
New.York by deputatlon from the Maryland Bib,e
ss frightened . majority of your Committees and
agents. and drove your learned Committee OF Versions
away from your service, compelling them in setre-
spec to resign. The remainder Of your agents resolved
to stop the distribution OF the excellent edition OF the
Bible pre- pared with immense labor aud To return
the lantiqutted headings, &c. made by King Jsmes's
forty men, divided in SIX companies, nearly two
Gel tuss and half ego. VIII you participate IN the
fright ar sanction the doings Of your agents That
s tue question for you to settle.
1.-THE whole matter eeems TO turn upon the point
maintained by your respected secretary that the Con-
stitutcn ofyour Society In reality orbds you to PUB.
lsh any " accessories" variant from those 10 King
Jamet Bible, and binds you to publish tina. version
with its accessories as 81 whole. His words are;
1.-THE English Bible ss whole, with text and acces
sores and as 10 common use by our Protestant d.
nomp atoms in 1885, WAS the true and lawful basis
oftbeir union in the American Bible Society 10 1876"
The disproof Of this point is as follows:
l. The very words of the Constitution ID tue inst
article are decisive: "The sole object Of the Society
"sball be to encourage wider circulation OF the H1y
" ScriptuTss, without note or comment. Ihs only
copies in the EDgish language to be circulated by
"use." The Holy Scriptures" meau q IDS inspired
Book of Truth AID nothing else. The "ver'i'n IL
the trar ss,on of that book into the Eogsh language
But what was the 50 the English Bible, a, a ctolei'
Ii was the Holy Scriptures With "accessorles With
dedication, preface, the headings, and contents,
margin al readings &C.. and ALSO the Ap0carypha,
which is part Of Gods Book though translated by
the fourth company Of King ames trans stors Inc
Apochryuha was 3 much part of King Jamess BIb'e
as the New Testament was. 1t was first omitted by
Came the Browuist, and not by authority In lOoI.
1t in common use, even 10 this country, ss part
Of the whole English Bible when your Society Was
founded But was your Society fouoded on the agree
mt mt to circulate the Apocrypha 1t not, then the
FL slith Bible as a rhoie, NOT the basis OF your
Unon. Nor were the other accessories the oas's,
for they are Versions, no trapsations no part OF
Gods inspired Book. ~
Do YOU feel bound to publish King James, Bible
"ss a WHOLE" including the accessores-that Bible
I" in common use" in this country linen ouef t3r
you to publish my own King James's BIole which
has been in my hands more tnan tfty years, prnted
IN this country, in common use here when your 81
ciety was founded, in 1876 Let US gee what 1t con-
Scriptures" next, the Apocryphai next, msgiaal
notes ard references an index of remark able pas
sages, in twenty-four pages a table OF ohl;es
measures weights and coins; table OF proper names,
with sig plfications; catalogue of the Apostles and
their successors; index of the years from Adam 70
Christi table of kindred and affinity; Palestine de-
scrbed and Browns Concordance to the Holy Scrip
lures in nDetyfour pages, With some other natters
Here is fine parcel and quantity of " accessories,
mo king up, whole, the Bible IN common use,
WITH King James's name on the title..ptge. DO you
feel bound TO give the public reprint OF this
=. Dr. Brigham states that during his own period OF
service the Society has frequently circulated the Bible
n.fk0ut "aDy accessory"-thst s. the pure version.
But in this case not the Bible, !" as whole
the whole version of the Holy Scriptures-dis.rb-
uted Else the Society has often vOl sted, with the
appreciation of their Secretary the first and leading
article Of their constitution. No otner argument caa
be necessary. The Secfetarys point Is disproVea.
TIE Committee Of Versions has not tranpled on the
constitution by amending and improving the ant
anated or false he .dpgs aud accessories OF the Old
English Bible Why, then, will you not, when you
new appoint new set Of agents. instruct and order
Committee Of Versions
The Eng h version is not so sacred in itself as some
deem it; for the English Dssenters complain OF 1t as
introducing the words church, easter, bishop, *,
with some art, and in order to make the apostles
bishops as assigning bshoprc 70 Judas iscsriot;
and the English Churchmen complain OF many pas
ssges a. iDperecy faltey translated, rendering
revision or new version desirablesuch rs DR.. Water
land, bishop Lowtb, Archbishop Seeker, and Others.
All ca mmeLtators give new versiocs ot passages.
Iey version /, not your business yet will here say,
am persuaded the time will come Ehen the various
intelligent seos of Christians in this country Will ieel
them. elves as competent as King James, WAS lwno
nut man TO desth for his Christian tab, uniteily
to select large body Of learsed and excellent men to
make new v. r-iop whose work shall b. greatly Tor
he interest Of Gods truth, and for the hJnof OF Tree
America al d Of American theooeicsl science. ,
In the meanwhile it is limited duty To give tae
public the old English version in its purest and best
forn with improved accessories If vita any.
have in vain sought for the names, except three
or four # the forty leaned meau OF the Eash
Church VITO go years ago began their Iaoors On the
versl,n or tran.ia,ion, which they made in three
yesrs But have no reason to think that fhey were
40 learned and competent for their work as y0u' se
Con mittte Of Versions. The Christian world 10 TWO
or three centuries has made some progress 10 learn
ing in biblical criticism, i'll the proper construction Vi
the Diyise Word. Why, through the terriers oi d
false clamor will you throw away the isDors ot sew,
eral yesrs Of your own COMMITTEE WY WI, -
throw away the best edition which has ever been pu1
lshed of the Bible in English Shall Tree, iadePena
,nt America be deemed incapable OF MAKING aoy
i'm pro sement in the accessories to Inc Oh Eoei'n
Bible Of King James AZ AniH''