The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-04-16
CONFUCIAN CLASSICS
AND BIBLE COMPARED
CSent Out by the Secretaries Of American
~ 80 a Bible Society 81"

CSent Out by the Secretaries Of American
r. .sst Bible Society .
The recent formal affirmation OF
Confucianism az the religion OF the
Chinese republic has aroused much IN
terest. First N last some 3b,OOo,Oo1
volumes OF scripture have been put into
circulation In China. Possibly an I'M
preston that the empire Is being flood
ed with bibles was n q Tor an
official announcement In any case
this affirmation raises the question in
many minds, which teaching has the
most practical results? ..&
One aspect Of the case, X n TWO
books are to be compared, 10 that the
writings OF Confucius r written In
tho classical form OF Chinese, under
stood by the educated only. On the
other hand the bible Is translated into
the classical form and many simpler
forms that the common people can
The printing Of bibles for China has
been continuous during 100 years, Nor
rison's new testament in the classical
form having been printed in 1914. Dur
ing a generation the Improvement OF
the classical version was the objective
of many missionary ~linguists, he bible
societies printing the fruit OF this thor
In many editions. In 1872 a committee,
of which DIR. Schereschewski was a
member, prepared for the bible socie-
ties a translation Of the new tesla
ment into Mandarin. This was the
first serious. attempt to give the bible
to Chinese who could read tho classical
language but indifferently. The Man
DARN is the court dialect, understood
by some three-fourths Of the popula-
ton of China. Later DR.. Scheres-
chewski translated into Mandarin for
the American Bible society, and at its
expense the whole old testament. This
was Issued in 1874, and for 90 years has
been the verson in most common use in
China.
since 1890 two committees chosen by
missionaries in general conference have
been engaged, with the cooperation OF
the bible societies in unifyang the var
ious versions one committee working on
the classical or Wenli and the other
upon the Mandarin version. In 1912 a
new bible was issued which brought
together the union Mandarin new
testament with the Echereschewskt
version OF the old. This will be the
Mandarin committee completes its
work abort three years from now. The
union" classical version will be fin
ished by the other committee about the
same time. .-
These different versions are printed
by the British and Foreign, tho Ameri-
can, and the Scottish National Bible
societies as needed. The expense OF
translation. including the salaries of
such missionaries as give their whole
time TO the work, are divided between
the three bible societies. Meanwhile
the scriptures have been translated for
the bible societies into a number of
| local dialects beloved Of the common
people OF different districts. H..
This enterprise, In which mission
aries and bible societies have patiently
ana persistently worked az yoke-fel-
lows during 80 many years. has a
greatness, not to say Grandure. which
come where the Chinese people will
have to choose between the wise saws
Of Confncius, which comparatively few
can read for themselves. and the bible,
which speaks clearly to the humblest.
there Is no doubt how those win decide
who have the bible.
no this great work the American