Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-19
BAPTIST PUBLICATIONS.
The Right Of the Society to Revise tn
Scriptures Questioned.

L
AN INTERESTING QUESTION RAISED AT TIE CLOSE OF
THE ANNUAL MEETING To-DAY-THR ADDRHssKs
TO-DAY REV. DIR. HATCHER wANm 10 GET
HEALTHY-LooKNa AND wELI-PAID coLPoRTHrRs
AT woRK-THE ELECTION OF oFFIcHRa
"You would hardly think that there were four
thousand Baptists in the CITY," remarked Presi-
dent Grocer, ofthe American Baptist Publication
Society. as he smiled upon the very small audience
assembledin Calvary Baptist church when the
Publication Society was called to order for its
second days session. at half past O'Clock this
morning. During the morning, however, many
tardy Baptists stroed In, and the church was well
filled. The morning sessions are devoted almost
entirely to business relating to the administration
OF the affairs Of the various societies. SO many
Baptsts not directly Interested the affairs OF
the societies spend the day in sightseeing and
looking upon the glories OF washington in May,
and 60 out at night to hear the addresses The
first half or hour or so this morning given to
prayer and song. The Divine blessing was asked
upon the board Of offcers, and upon all connected
with the publication work. Dr. Grif1lth, the sec
retary called for special prayer upon the Sunday
sponsibility of those engaged in writing and print
ing Sunday school books. "There Is no book In
the world" he said, '.read as much as o sunday
by nearly as many people as a sunday school book.
Many OF them are read by f1fty-twO different
people year" In response to Dr. Grimth's sug.
OF such literature.
The lrst business OF the day was
THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The committee on nominations renominated the
old Officers, as follows: President Mr.. Samuel A.
Grocer; vice-presidents. Thomas Armitage, DID,.
New York; H. H. Tucker, LID, Georgia; Mr.. Ed
ward Goodman, Illinois, L. d.; Mr.. Joshua Levering,
Maryland; secretary, BENJAMIN Griffith, DID;
recording secretary, J. Howard Gendell, esq.,
treasurer. Col Chas. II: Banes; managers, Geo.
Adoniram j. Rowland, D. D., Isaac c. Wynn. D. D.
Jesse 3: Thomas, D. D., Wayland Hoyt, D. d., Rev.
Geo + kees, Rev. Willard h: Robinson, Rev. Lewis
Kaiser, John T. Beckley ID. D., Rev. J. b. G. Pdge,
Eoenezer Morgan, VIM Bucknell, B. +. Dennisson,
w. Fredk Snyder, Hon. Chas. +. Abbot, Hon.
GATES Jones ID Gaagaa
:: Stevens, Harry s. Hopper, Samuel j. Creswell,
Rev. Messrs Farwell, Of New Jersey, and Allen,
OF Ohio, were appointed tellers and went through
the form OF taking a ballot, which resulted in the
unanimous election OF the officers named.
An Invitation from the Union Temple church, OF
Boston, to the society to hold its next annual
meeting in the fremont Temple, Boston. was
referred with the invitation received from Chicago
yesterday, TO the board of managers.
The committee on enrolment, through its chair
man, Rev. j. j. Bronner, reported that there were
present % life directors, 166 life members, ia
delegates, and 455 visitors, some of whom are
delegates making total OF $40, representing 80
states. There were two delegates from England
ADDRESSES.
The first formal address OF the day was delivered
by Rev. C. II. SpaldIng, of Boston, Mass, whose
theme was "What this Society does for Sunday
Schools
Mr.. Grocer made a brief address, thanking the
society for the honor OF reelection as president OF
Rev. J. d. Fulton, the author Of "why Priests
Should Wed" spoke for five minutes on the Ques-
ton OF Sunday school literature He gave instances
considered 9
Roman Crtholic sunday schools, and urged that
their Sunday school literature should show ''the
and prepare the children TO tight the battle which
we, as American citizens, win have to hight"
:, Key; Rev: Dr. J: M Frost Of Selma, Alabama, de-:
Sunday Schools In Training Converts"
THE DEVILS coLPoRrEURs.
The next address was by Rev. DR.. william E.
Hatcher, OF Richmond, who spoke OF "Colportage
by States" DR.. Hatcher spoke extemporaneously,
and there were many bright passages in his speech
that Kept his hearers smiling. He said they ought
them so completely In the work OF colportage
He referred to what he called the devils
c0lporteurs, who are handsomely uniformed
and the best places at railroad stations and
on the steamboats, The average colporteur
for Christian publication houses in his part OF the
country, he said, is pale, limp, bloOdess, sapless
man, man who has tried everything else and
failed, whose very looks and voice furnish the most
lanty, whose crumpled collar and neglected linen.
IS an Offense to women, fright to children and
disgust to men. II tell you" he said, III we be-
eve stock OF that sort will help TO bring the King
dom OF God, we are mistaken. The Kingdom Will not
come In that way. know we have The heavenly
treasures In earhern vessels but II the vessels are
cracked or turned bottom upward, 1t will not hold
the treasure" He spoke also OF cOlporteurs whose
piety was principally in their gait and their voice,
and urged that they could accomplish no great
work until they put first-class men in work and
paid them creditable salaries
Resolutions OF thanks were adopted and the
society was about TO adjourn when DR.. j. NJ. Cald-
well, formerly president OF Vassar College raised
question that created
QUITE SENSATION.
DR.. Caldwell called attention to a circular an.
nouEcing and soliciting subscriptions to pay the
expenses OF the revision OF the Old Testament as
being undertaken under the auspices OF the So
ciety. He said that he would like TO know how
far the society, or It's board, responsible for
this work. claiming that If SO the society was not
acting In harmony with the action OF the denomi-
national convention In Saratoga in 1888 which
declared that the society's work should be the
printing and circulation OF the scriptures In exist
ing forms and not engage In work OF revision.
Dr. Griffith said that as he understood the ac-
ton II anyone contributed money for revision, the
society should SO apply 1t. DR.. Griffith was sub
jected to considerable questioning. He said the
society was not responsible for or did not give its
authority TO anyone soliciting subscriptions to
pay for such a revision, but when the money
press on the revision when published. The board
OF course, was not compelled to receive designated
funds for any purpose but when such a fund was
contributed for what the board considered a good
thing, reasonably good thing, the board would
apply 1t as requested. The view OF the board was
that any good revision OF the Bible was a good
thing In the light OF commentary.
DIR. Caldwell maintained that in receiving funds
for the revision OF the Scriptures and not for its
publication. was going quite beyond the province
of the society.
DR.. Biting, the Bible secretary of the society.
said he believed the action OF the Baptist conven-
tiOn OF 1883 meant that to this society was CON-
United the work OF publishing the Scriptures in
any language. or in any form that might be re-
requirements Of Baptists In this land. He
for the publication OF the Scriptures,
When putting their imprint ON the book they
merely did 1t as publishers, and were not thereby
committed to either side or a controversy The
society was not under obligation TO circulate a
new revision, or push It, but II was under obliga-
ton to have the revision prepared II 1t were asked
for and paid for.
NOT PREPARED FOR so REVOLUTIONARY DECLARE
TION.
DR.. A. H. Strong of Rochester Theological Semi
nary, who maintained that the society had been au
thOrized only to publish and circulate existing
versions, said had not been prepared for so
revolutionary a declaration that the society could
engage in publishing any revision that was asked
for, or that II ch0Sed to take out.
DR.. Caldwell offered a resolution that a commit
tee OF fve be appointed to consider whether this
society would authorize the board TO proceed not
only in the publication but In the translation or
revision OF the scriptures. There was no end to
the number OF versions that even cranks might
submit to this society for publication He desired
n