Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-04-16
CONFUClAM CLASSICS
AND BIBLE COMPARED
(Sent Out by the Secretaries Of American
Ribla SOciefy.o HtHs H

(SeNt Out " the secretaries OF American
Bible Society.)
The recent formal affirmation OF
Confucianism as the religion OF the
Chinese republic has aroused much in
terest. First ard last some 35,0 DOG
volumes of scripture have been put into
circulation In China. Possibly ar I'M
preston that the empire is being flood
ed with bibles was one a for 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 cas- If the two.
books are to be compared, Is that the
writings OF Confucius are written in
the classical form Of Chinese, under
other hand the bible is translated into
the classical form and many simpler
forms that. the common people can
study for themselves.
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, the bible
societies printing The fruit Of this labor
In many editions. In 1872 a committee,
of which DR.. Schereschewski was q
member, prepared for the bible socie-
ties a translation of the new testa-
e into Mandarin. This was the
first serious attempt to give the bible
to Chinese who could read che classical
language but indifferently. The Man
DARN is h court dialect, understood
BY some three-fourths of the popula-
ton of China. Later DR.. Scheres-
chewsh translated into Mandarin for
the American Bible society, and at it's
expense the whole old testament. This
WAS issued In 1874, and for so years has
been the version in most common use in
China.
Since 1890 two committees chosen by
missionaries in general conference have
been engaged, with the cooperation of
h bible societies in unifysng the var
fous versions one committee working on.
the classical or Wonli and the other
upon the Mandarin version. In 1912 a
new bible was issued which brought
together the union Mandarin new
testament with the Scherescfewski
version OF the old. This will be the
bible most used In China until the.
Mandarin committee completes it's
work abort three years from now. The
ished by the other COMMITTEES about the
same time.
These different versions are printed
by the British and Foreign, the Ameri-
can, and the Scottish National Bible
societies as needed. The expense Of
sIoHaAhSlOH, the 6AIAE1eS 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.
This enterprise, IL which mission
aries and bible societies have patiently
ana persistently worked 40 yoke-fei-
lows during 30 many years. has O.
greatness. not to Say Nandure, which
needs no emphasis. Should q test
como 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 IL no doubt how those Will decide
Who have the bible.
10 this great work the American