Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-27

remarkable Bible scholar. although we'll
nigh helpless physically through incurabe
paralysis, for more than fourteen years
pounded on the typewriter with the soli-
tary forefinger whose use he retained
preparing every word of both testaments
for his monumental translation into the
Easy Wen Ii dialect of Chinese, thus
making the Bible accessible to scores Of
millions of people who speak that tongue.
Bishop Schereschewsky sat in the very
same chair for nearly twenty years, work
ing with amazing persistence and requiring
two secretaries to keep pace with him. At
his death few weeks ago he was plan
ming twelve years additional work
When the Bible society working in Natal
South Africa, began the translation of the
New Testament into Zulu It was almost a
task of despair. The mental capacity of
the Zuius was of the lowest order and
they had practically no terms to express
spiritual truths. There was no proper word
for God" and of course, none for such
abstract terms as faith" holiness, &"
worship" conscience" honesty" etc. A
spiritual vocabulary had to be created, and
existing words applied to material things
had gradually to be twisted around with an
ingenuity truly amazing.
But at last the Zulus possessed a com
plete Zulu Bible IN one volume, which was
available for the millions of African saw
ages who ranged from the borders Of Cape
Colony on the south TO the shores OF Lake
Nyassa on the north. and from the Indian
ocean on the east to the western borders
Of the Transvaal and Rhodesia on the west.
In scores Of places the same wonderful
work is in progress. No man can fail to be
impressed by the sight Of one of these
manuscripts. which entail long, dreary
years OF thought and infinite labor. And
yet the Bible society sells a we'll made
Gospel for cents a copy a New Tesla
ment for 8, and a complete Bible for Is
cents. The work of the society Is not done
for profit. and Bibles are sold at actual
cost, or less, many thousands OF them be-
ing distributed free
The task OF translating the Bible into
some OF the thirty-tour languages and dia-
lects OF the Philippines was begun within
two weeks after Admiral Dewey's victory
at Manila. Today complete Testament in
Tagalog, nocano and Pampanga may be
had. while the Pangasinanes, Bicols, &C.
buans and Levteans now read the Bible IN
their own tongues through the Gospels
shipped out and spread broadcast IN the
1900 islands OF the Philippine group
This leads us 70 a still more interesting
and romantic phase OF the worh-the dis
tribution OF the Bibles in remote and saw
age lands. The men who do this work are
explorers, who sometimes fail by the way.
victims OF Wild beasts, disease hostile saw
ages and the forces OF nature. ranging
from lightning 10 tempestuous seas This
distribution cost more than S2O0OOO last
year, Notwithstanding the value received IN
barter and cash
The American Bible society employs a
small army OF from 400 TO 800 men OF in
telllgence and ability. These in turn en-
pioy great numbers OF native colporteurs
who travel inland upon waterways, over
mountains, through forests, with their
packs on their backs or with strange cara
vans Of men OF beasts OF burden.-Circle
MaRayina