The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-06-19

We see, therefore, that the dissemina.
ton ofthe Scriptures has been very thor,
ough, and that of all the means used
by the Protestant churches for the spread
of Christianity the circulation Of the
text book on the faith has received the
most attention.
The great American Bible Society has
already translated the Scriptures into
many tongues, but it is steadily pro.
ceeding in its work of making the Ri.
BILE accessible in all languages whatso-
ever. Where there is no written Ian.
guage, its missionaries have construct
ed one for the purpose, the intent be.
ing to furnish the Scripture in his YER
nacular to every human creature, so
that no one need be without the LIGHT
of its sacred page. 1t is this aim that
so greatly stimulates the devout to lib-
eral contributions. A Bible for eyerv-
body is their watchward.
Last year the translation of the New
Testament into Japanese was COM
pleted, and the work of translating the
Old Testament was begun. The Ja-
| panese are taking much interest in our
literature, according to all accounts,
but recent reports from English and
American professors engaged in their
schools and colleges indicate that they
show an avidity for our scientific the.
cries rather than for our Christian the.
ology. They are very skeptical peo-
pie, and the teachings of our modern
philosophers have more fascination
for their students than our religious
dogmas. The New Testament, which.
it is announced, is now ready for circR
lation in Japan in various styles ofgstY.
Biography, has, therefore, been antici.
pated by the Western philosophy antag-
onistic to it.
The translation of the Bible into sew
eral of the colloquial languages of
China has also gone on during the year,
but the Chinese are also showing more
interest in our concrete science than in
our religion, and the work of spreading
Christianity in that country has always
been exceptionally difficult and compar-
atively fruitless. In their schools thew
are training young men to assist in the
material development of China by the
Chinese themselves, after the systems
in use in the West, but they are no
more inclined now to go to school to
us to learn religion than they were
when Christian missions first began
their work in China.
The subjugated Zulus will soon have
the Bible of their conquerors printed in
the Zulu language. In India several
denominations are cooperating in trans
lating it into the Telugu dialect. A
Portuguese version of the New Tesla
ment for Brazilian circulation has been
completed during the year. Two of
the Gospels in the Muskokee language
are now in the press. Editions of the
Reval-Esthonian and of the Dakota BIZ
BILE have been printed. A part of Isaiah
has been put into Mpongwe, and the
Gospel of st. John into Dikele, while to
the Spaniards revised edition of the
Psalms has been given.
Meantime the Bible Society refuses to
touch the revised version of the En-
glish Scriptures, which is soon to be is
sued by the University presses of Great
Britain. Its charter compels it to cir
culate the King James version, and its
officers do not advise its alteration until
it has been determined how the revis-
ion suits the churches. That is the de-
cision they were bound to reach; and it
is certain that, however great an Inn
provement the revision may be over the
Bible now in use, it will not be adopted
by the Bible Societies except after
lono strupple.-N. Y. San.