New-York tribune., 1882-04-10
BAPusTs IND TIE BIBLE.

DIR. MACARTHUR sAYS-TALKs WITH OFFICERS
OF TIL SOCIETY.
A notice given in most Of the Baptist
churches Of this city AMI Brooklyn yesterday of a
meeting of Baptists 10 be held on Thurs
day evening in the Calvary Baptist Church
for the purpose of forming an organization
to print and distribute the Bible in this and
foreign countries. printed call for the
meeting has been circulated stating that the Aneri-
can Bible Society, by its continued refusal TO circu-
late the translations of Carey and JudsOn, has
made il impossible that there shall be any cOopera
tOn Of Baptists with that society. The call Is
signed by twenty y-one prominent and wealthy Bap-
tst laymcn, including John b. Trevor James j.
Colgate, Charles Pratt George II. Andrews, John
II. Deauo, William A. Caldwell, E. c. Burt, J. B.
Hoy, John @. Prebie, James Pyle, William Phelps
Gardner H. Colby. o. d. Baldwin and Samuel Col
gate. The Rev Drs Wavand Hoyt J. B. Thomas.
Edward Bright J. F. Elder, Edward JudsOn and
others are expected to address the meeting
The Rev. r. :. Macarthur pastor OF the Calvary
Baptist Church, gave to a TRIBUNE reporter on
Saturday history of the differences between the
Baptist denomination and the Bible Society, aud
also an outline Of what the denomination
proposes to do henceforth. lie said " 4
bylaw was adopted by the American Bible
Society. which includes all the larger
Protestant denominations by which II refused
to aid the circulation OF any translation Of
the Bible in which the Greek word baptizo' was
rendered a. 10 mean immcrsc. Then the Baptists
as whole, Withdrew th-ir support from the society
and founded the American and Foreign Bible
Society Among those who remained were the Rev.
Dr. Wayland and tn. late Hon. Nathan Bishop. The
Rev. DR.. Cone was one of this number. and he
with others. wished 20 make translation Of
the Bible The American Bible Society refusing
10 DO this. he ard others left IT, and start a The
ffef fIf Z IN fifa
translation OF a good part OF the Bible, and did
mnch 10 pave the way Tor tie Cdnernury revision.
The two Baptist sOclciie- thus formed failed 10 en-
list The confidence aud benovOlence of the den0m-
ina ion, partly because they were rival establish
ments. They therefore gradually died ont, and
ceased L. DE regarded a. lenoIunat tOnal enterprises
ant so tAc Bapti5ts have done little work in cir
cu.afing the Bible. except through the Baptist Pub
lcation society ami the American Baptist Mission
ary Union. The Bibles We have circulated have
gone largely 10 the South among the siX million
Freedmen, a large majority Of whom belong TO our
determination.
The American Bible Society, about four years
ago repealed the bylaw winch Objectionable
~ the Baptsts. and this was construed by some Of
the latter 10 indicate that the society had recedcd
from il position and would welcome the Daptlsts
back Subsequent events proved this not t. be the
case. About eighteen months ago an application
was made by the Baptist Missionary Union 70 the
Bible society asking for aid in circulating the
Bible translated into Burmese by AdOniram udson,
and it was refused because the word baptHo
was translated lmmerse' The American Bible
Society Is very rich and utra-cOn,e ervatiVe or
ganizaton; and IL has retained bundcrs IN Its
versions Of the Bible because II was too conservative
to change them Baptists would be glad TO
work with II and support II they could do 80 con-
sIstentIy. They were prominent IN founding pro-
noting and enrching the society, and would
rather there would be division IN Bible Work.
The object of the meeting on Thursday evening IS
TO take steps 10 carry Oh the work OF distributing
Bibles more encrgeticaLy than we have en- doing.
his viii probably be done through our Publication
Society, whose Headquarters are in Philadelphia,
and our Missionary niOn whose headquarters are
III Bosom. At the meeting there VIII also
probably be some expression of opinion
as 10 hat we deem he narrow policy of the Bible
Socie+v II is very probable that the Baptists will
circulate, along with tie King James version, the
new version with the recommen1a, ions OF the
American reyisers Incorporated INTO the text as in
he edition edited by the Rev. Dr. Roswell D. |
secretary Of the Baptist Publication Society as
suTed the reporter that Juds0ns Translation was the
only Burmese Bible, and was acknOW leged bv |
every u be ascnoary and true translation. The
Bapists" he said have large majority of the mis-
S1Iar,s in Burnah The Bible societv are ti, IN
by their constitution TO circulating IN English only |
the version OF 1911. In trans .atIon, however. !
translation OF the (IToeA All competent scholars |
agree that he Greek word baptlZO means 10 i'm |
ne Sc. The American revlsers of the Canterbury !
revision. only Two OF WnOn were BaptIsts. give the
version that believers we've baptized ia water !
john Is. Trevor. james B. Colgate and George H. |
Andrews were also seen by the reporter They SAID |
they were heartily Ia IayOr of the Baptist move
nent. but they referred tie reporter 10 others
information. ~
sion lis vice-Vrtsidcnt, SAID: have only lust seen
the circular issued by highly pected members Of
the Baptist Church. 1 Jhlnk The society had no nc
tlcc OIL the NOV cet ioIeaIiuo cd III u. 20 far
/ know, 10 action has been sought by the Baptsts
OF the sOce IN reference To circulating the ver-
sions of Carey and udson. such communication
would Ocr aluly have been received with respect
ana sincere sympathy iy the society. and with the
desire 10 do All thai the constitution of the society
would permit To meet the wishes of the Baptist
bretureu. Ii Is known that III It's charter the
American Bible Socieiy Is limited, il the pub
hcatIon Of the scriptures IL English. to the King
aInrs version NItApG al alteration OF Its cnarLr
The .Occty could alter its usage IN regard to the
English Bible In regard To the Scriptures in
LeItheu languages, all possible latitude has been |
ami vail continue 10 be allowed, ] DO not doubt
Ouc of the secretaries of the American Bible So
clcty said m regard to the movement OF the Bap-
tis,s: They Withdrew their active support
iu I~35. although they have had Two
members III our Board until recently one Of whom
was tie late Nathan Bishop, LID. When appl-
cation was male 10 Us a year and halI ago Tor 1d
in circulating JudsOns burmese Bible, We wrote 70
the Bishop Of kangOOn, who replied that they
", re compelled 10 use the JulsOu translation as
there was no other but that Il was often very en-
baUasslng, hen reading IN he New les ament.
to come across the wor4 lmnerse," and have to
mode Of baptism, II was MOI the only one The
Bible society has been wiling to transfer the
English word Daptize INTO this version. and then
10 circulate II. III Is tfuc tnal We cIrDu uatc ia Gct
mauy LutheTs Translation in which baptlZO Is
rendered tautcu, meaning 20 dip. But there 1t |
has come 10 Le used like our word baptIze and is
USED signify all ihe forms OF baptism by All de-
nominations. our constitution prevents rs IRON clr
culaLug any but the hing James version III English, |
and bylaw provides that all translatlOus must
equal il ia catnolIcIty that all Protestant de-
nominations can use them. The British Foreign !
Bible Society j. governed by the same restrictions
lhc relations OF tue b1p isis O. TINS body nave never
OceA discussed before the Board during the eight
years that ! have been here. Ihe question .
Jf the Judson version Of the Bible into Burmese was
referred, about three months ago. 10 The Committee
"a Versions, which included EplscOpaIIIn, a |
OngrcgatIonalist. Lutheran. a Methodist. a he
formed, Presbyterian and Baptist member. The !
reported THAT tie version lacked the
ssary catholcity, AHA tAat ended the matter. The