Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-22
THE BAPTISTS AND THE BIBLE.

A somewhat interesting event IN the his
tory of the Baptist church is the dissolution
of the American and Foreign Bible society.
Fifty years ago numbers of the Baptists be-
gan 10 urge the necessity for having Bible
which should read in the way that Baptists
understand it. They resolved at that time
Ito give to the heather the pure Word of
God in their own languages aud to furnish
their missionaries with all the means in their
power TO make their translations as exact
representation of the mind of the Holy Spirit
as may be possible, and to endeavor by earn.
est prayer and diligcnt study TO ascertain the
precise meaning of the original text, and 10
express that meaning US exactly as the ma
ture of the languages into which they trans
late the Bible will permit" In 1866 re-
translation of the Bible was decided on and
the Baptist Bible Union was formed, for
which subscription amounting to the mag
niticent sum Of half Il million dollars was
made. With this money agents were sent to
all parts Of the world to procure books that
would be needed in the work. They were
instructed TO obtain every necessary work,
whatever the cost. Wherever the originals
could be got with money they were
got, and in default of this the best
possible copy was obtained. 1t took -four or
five years to get this library together, at n
cost Of about $3.50, 900. When completed it
contained 1913 volumes of the Church Fathers,
Of tI,n n Ill,
lures, 124 ancient versions of the Bible, 1903
translations and parts of translations, S0l
commentaries, 293 leAicons and grammars of
the languages in which the Bible and the an
cient versions had been published, 223 vol
umes of Biblical history and 272 volumes of
Greek and Roman history. In the meantime
the Union had secuted the services of the
best Biblical scholars in the denomination
among them Rev. DIR. Thomas j. Conant
one of the best Hebrew and Greek scholar.
in the world Rev. A. c. Kendrck, of Roch-
ester; Rev. II. b. IIackett, and others al
most equally famous. The work Of retrans-
lation was naturally long one, and it was
not until 1865 that the new translation was
copyrighted and the first volume was issued
in 1866.
At this time trouble began. The American
Bible Society, to whose exchequer the Bap-
lists, with other Protestant denominations,
at one time subscribed, was presumed to be
catholic in its principles, supported by all
and influenced by no particular denomina-
ton. The Baplists however, conceived that
the Presbyterians had the strongest voice in
its management, and this impression was
confirmed when inc American Bible Society
refused money and assistance to the Bap.
lists for the circulation of a version of the
Bible in which the Greek word "baplizo'
was translated into foreign tongues in &C.
cordarce with the Baptist Interpretation
The Baptists then seeded from the Ameri
can Bible Society and formed the Amer
can and Foreign Bible Society. When the
retranslation was completed and printed, the
American and Foreign Bible Society was ex
pected to distribute 1t but it was found
then that that society was chartered only for
the distribution of the kisg James Bible.
There was talk of procuring modification o
the charter, but it was not done, and the edi
lions otthe rettansation were few and scaut
Finally, al the recent meeting at Saratog,
of the Baptist Bible convention, composed Of
delegates from every part Of the Unite,
States and almost every part of the world
it was decided by vote of 400 to 80 tina
the denomination did not need II separat
Bible society, The charter Of tn,
society will therefore be cancelled Il
once and its effects turned over to tn
Baptist Publication Society, whc
has it's headquarters in Philadelphia. 1t ha
but little to turn over, however, for its effect
have dwindlcd sady-Le insisting, indeed, o
only II few copyrights and $4,000 in cash
The magnificent and costly library wa
some time since sold for Sl5, 0GO-but tn
difference between this sum and its cost cal
hardly be call, lost, for its purchaser is l.
give it to some Baptist institution of learn
ing.
King CetewayO wears nothing but q Dlu,