Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-03-02
For the Arkansas True The Eng1ish Rihle


 of place. The motives which induced me to make that publication were the following: In my missionary excursions some months since, learned that Tn some parts of our State certain persons-all of one peculiar religious belief were iaborng assiduouslv to make the impress sion that the Bible in common use was unworthy of confidence. While in Fort Smith and Van Buren, several gentlemen of highly spectable character, of different religious persuasions. and some not i'll connection with any church. assur- ed me that an agent of the Bible Revision As soclatlon had, in their hearings, represented our Bible as ridlculoes and absurd, and an indgnity to the Most High. This 1, of course, regarded as not only untrue, but an unworthy attempt to undermine the confidence of the ninety nine hundredths of sincere and humble christians whose daily consolation and support are drawn from the Divine Word.
 consequently, in compliance with request from very respectable source delivered a lec- ture in the first mentioned place, giving my views on our transaton the substance of which was induced to publish for the same reasons 1 which led me to deliver it.
 From the above statement 1t will be seen that did not needlessly give that article to the pub | he. perceive, moreover from the attention 1t has received, as well as from the nature of the remarks which 1t has ecited, that its character has been more highly appreciated than had expected. When much strength is laid out in attacking weak points, 1t affords the best evi- dence that the important ones are regarded as lmpregnable.
 For this reason I suffered the effusions of all anonymous writer to pass unuoticed
 h yonr paper of the l6th inst, 1 notice an article over a responsible si ignature viz: J. Ed munds Corresponding Secretary of the Bible | Revlson Association, which merits repv-and here, Mir. EdItor permit me to remind you and the readers Of your journal, that the principal | oDJect winch had m vleW in that article, was to prove to pIain readers that we are in posses sion ot Bible of very great excellence. in winch the plan of salvation is clearly set forth. did not say it was pelJect Probably no trans | lation ever will bel said in so many words that perfection was not claimed for it. ac- mltted that 1t had some faults but that they were comparatively few and unimportant-and will now say, what would not have said but | Tor the ado that has been made--that 1 do not | take my opnons on this point from second hand authority. For more than thirty years 1 have been In the habit of reading the Scriptures Ill the Hebrew and Greek languages. and the longer have studied these, the more thorough has teen my conviction of the general correct neas of our English verson-and will also say, that by far the greatest amount of fault 1 hmdlng have ever known, has been by men who could not read word of Hebrew or Greek, or who were very superficial in their scholarship. It Is easy to sheer at King James Bible" but It Is another thing to make betterone, nor have any hope ot soon seeing one which will com mand the ten thousandth part of the confidence which this one does
 might also state for the information of some | Mr. |, ty lh newspaper articles must be consulted To avoid treSpas,ing upon the courteses of an editor, no more of an author should be quoted than justice requires. This sometimes affords occasion for cavlllin9 to those who dwell upon small ponts. They may ask why did he not give the whole?
 Mr. Edmnnd's lst exception 10 my piece is, that m my caption l have called his new yer slOh hahsfgt0n. If l have done wrong will | beg pardon, for confess 1 do not know what they intend to call it. 1 had noticed that they speak ot having translators employed and I ! presumed that the loorE of translators might be called c translation.
 cord ally thank Mr. E. for his statement, that J. ". NJ. has done d good work in quoting the 1 oPmons of several candid and eminent scholars Tn iavor oi our version. Truly it is good and | pleasant Tor brethren to dwell together in unity My anonymous friend could see no good thing in my piece from first to last. Brethren will sometimes differ in opinion. Mr. E. asks. If tnlhk II lar dealing to quote such opinions without giving the views of the same scholars on the necessity of correcting its glaring faults mistakes and perversions" I answer not at al, my dear sir, if we know that they have given such views. "J w. NJ. has summoned the great bishop Lowth as a witness?" Yes but l summoned him to testify alone to the lan- guaEe of the Scriptures
 Mr. F. takes peculiar exceptions to my sav Ing, that the most systematic opposition ever made to thls version, was that which commence ed number of years ago. by a portion of the 6aptlSt church, In consequence of a refusal of the American Bible Society to furnish aid to | trafslaton Tn which the word baptize was con- lessedy about to be rendered by a word sirr,i- | iylng to lmmerse," and here canddlv CO., fess made mistake, alas. for our imperfectious, But, my friends, don't be too greatly concerned for me may vet outve the effects of it. Let me now tell you what it was. 1 as vou see represented the Bible Society as refusing to aid a translation aboH to be ueaf{e upon Baptist nrin | cples. But the fact was this-the society re- tusei aid to print and circulate a translation dlfeplg nade upon Baptist principles There ! was no question as to the society hal1na refused o,d, nor in regard to the reasons frr their with- holding aid. In both these and all other points was right. But, l Inadvertently represented the society as withholding aid to otrnnslote. when l should have said to print and circulate. Was not this an inexrusable mistake?-almost on a par with that of the man who slaudered another l by saving that he had stolen B0nzJnzet when if had been fairly proved that he had only stolen Bombazinei
 Yet, in sober truth, this is the amount of the weghtiest objection which Mr. E. has brought against my piece. Had 1 used the words print aad circulate instead of trons7ate he would have lost his opportunity to show his skill in enume- ration, together with his short-lved triumph of presenting me as guilty of eight mistakes in one short paragraph. He knew that the difference was mere qWbbe, equal to the lowest trick in law. Justice compels me to make this state ment. In his zeal to count mistakes he chages to me what belonged to the Bible Society. if done at a0 Thus he says: 18th 7he 4naericaa Bible Society violafef its constitution" etc.--vet this he makes out my 8th mistake
 shall here quote short article from the Bib Heal Repertory, con6rmatory of the above ac- count:
 In the year 1885, one of the Baptist mis- sinnarles wrote from Calcutta to the secretary of the American Bible Society, inquiring whether | uioiitN touhi be oDtdlneu rom that society to aid in printing and circulating the Bengaee Bible, tr"nslatet on Baptist principles. The sub iect was submitted to the board on the 9th of August, 1885. It was discussed freely at that meetng'
 The result was that aid was refused. Now 1t does not avail the worth of a straw. so far as this discussion is concerned, whether the society d;d right or wrong I referred to it, in the first place, merely to show that in consequence of that action of the Bible Society, the Baptist de- nomination withdrew, and formed one of their own, called the American and Foreign Bible S'clety' This society, ora part of it, at lergth resolved to publish revised edition of the En- gllsh Bible. During one of their discussions upon that point, oa one occasion, one of their speakers exclaimed, "who knows that the 49 translators were such very learned men? Where are their learned works? Their critical and ex- tensive knowledge? Cannot (brethren) allow the possibility of 49 Baptist meeting together and making an amendment in the version of tha