Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-26
Vermont Bible Society.

Inc sxty-nlntn annual meeting OF tne vermont
Bible Society was held at Mortified, Wednesday,
October 10Th. Hon. Roswell Farnham was chosen
president The new board OF directors is the
same as last year with the exception Of Hon
William A. Dillingham; in the place Of Henry
Mutt, Esq. The society voted to dispense with
the services Of an agent the coming year. Rev
w. S. Hazen was chosen corresponding secretary
President Hamlin OF Middlebury gave a sugges-
tive and instructive address In the evening" on the
Bible as the Light Of the World. Text Psalms
cxix 100, 1.-THE Inference OF thy word giveth
light"
The first point presented was the influence OF
the Bible upon language. When translated into
any unevangelized language its Transforming vi
talizing power very soon manifests itself. The
first translation is always extremely imperfect
heather language must itself be Christianized
before it can adequately express the truths Of the
Bible. 1t is at this point that the missionary
meets his first embarrassment There are no
spiritual meanings to the terms he uses. The
language is material, coarse, gross licentious
1t is barren OF ideas. Its words as limited in
meaning as few in number And yet the lowest
OF human languages can express the fact that
man is a sinner and that Jesus Christ came into
thc WOfiu W fdNt tlnutIs. Inc human soul Is
rarely so degraded that it will not respond to
to these truths. The soul once awakened, 1t
must have new language to express its emo
tons. Familiar words and phrases are used
with new meaning An element OF life and
growth enters the language. As soon as the soul
is born again, language is born again also. The
two act and react upon each other. This point
was drawn out at length with various ilustra-
tons. But the Bible always arouses opposies.
Our Savior said " he came not to bring peace but
sword, and his word is always attended with
this same result 1t Is attacked and ridiculed
Its strange forms Of expression are made sub
jects OF merriment. 1t is also defended. 1t has
its friends. In this fierce controversy language
grows. Each party helps sharpen the others
weapons. The language gradually takes on form,
order, strength The first translation has dis
credited itself by the progress it has caused and
second translation vastly improved is made,
and so 1t will go on to the highest attainsbe
point of human language. All this is the light
OF the world. Even those who reject the Bible
share in this intellectual elevation which comes
through the rapid growth of language. Our
own version and its revisions were referred to in
proof of the influence the Bible has upon Ian
hu"So nhu ehhe thc bioo Will Always Dc iouuu III
the front ranks Of linguistic study and philosophy
second point urged WAS the influence of a
translation of the Scriptures upon education
However gross the darkness Of the people, the
spelling book always follows the New Testament
The common school grows into the high school,
the high school into the college This is the nat
ural, and sooner later, the inevitable OF
things. Wise and sanity men have set them
selves against 1t in vain. The great and revered
secretary OF the American Board endeavored to
reduce the schools to the of their own vernac
ular, thus throwing out English and all other
studies except such as could be prosecuted In |
their own native tongue. The experiment has
been disastrous failure. 1t has been given up |
Not member OF the prudential committee nor
single missionary would now advocate 1t. But |
1t was the solid opposition OF the native mind |
that overthrow it. Enlightened souls of whatever
race or language, having been brought by Bible |
truth into right relations to God and the universe
will not be bound by any narrow theories. Wit |
ness the colleges sprngng up all over the regions
OF successful missions.
Another result OF Bible influences strongly |
dwelt upon was the press. The statement made |
on this point were instructive and interesting but
wv cAtthutu W 10 Noucl-ttut Win our rpdCt. |
Enough to say that the press follows the Bible |
through all the regions of darkness, not to do it,
work, the work Of multiplying copies, but to DIFF
fuse the products OF awakened mind and thought |
A fifth grand result here follows. 1t comes by |
logical necessity. 1t Is an educational and gene
raj literature. This will enter every department |
Of interest the useful arts SCIENCE religious spec
ulative truth The good and the bad will come |
forth together. The conflict Of the ages will be |
born.
sixthly freedom Of thought. Freedom OF con- |
science will come to the front, and that great con-
test must be fought. The emancipated mind |
must and will, have freedom The truth will |
triumph or its advocates must be extirpated. So |
also OF civil freedom. The world is moving on |
towards 1t under Bible lead. Portions Of the |
church have proved false to freedom, but this has |
not settled the question. The Pope has lost his |
temporal power and the Sultan and Car must
lose theirs, or yield to claims OF the Bible,
With this brief summary we must close the re-
port, Its train OF thought not often presented,
but one that must strike every mind as eminently
just and true, proving the Bible to be the book Of
man, and book OF God-"The Light OF the World"