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JOHN MUNRO, \ BY ALEXANDER RUSSELL, u t Agent Nova Scotia, AuxUiarif llihh Society. SAINT JOHN, N. B. : H. CHIUB & CO., PRINTKUM. 186!). ^- .1 i. ■m \ MISREPRESENTATION EXPOSED. Last July, there appeared in Halifax a pamplilet bearing the title, " Reasons of Exception to the Circulation of Romish VeKSIONS by the BllITISH AND FOKEIGN BlIiLE SociETY ; by Rcv. A. Sutherland, Scotsburn, and Rev. John Munro, Wallace." The writers had previously assailed the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety. In the Record of the Presbyterian Church for January and May, 1867, they charge the Society " with circulating versions of the Scriptures containing nearly all the essential doctrines of Po- pery." They insinuate that there are " Jesuits" on its committee. En their pamphlet they repeat these charges. The Society is ac- cused of " violating its constitution." Of its committee they say, " It is beyond all doubt that Popery is a constituent element of the very committee itself;" "Unitarians" are on it " beyond all doubt ;" " Socinianism, Puseyism and Jesuitism" are "leavening the com- mittee and shaping its operations." In short, the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society — if these Ministers write " the words of truth and soberness " — is certainly work which any chris- tian should hesitate to connect himself with. Moreover, the writers arc exceedingly anxious to promote the interests of the National Bible Society of Scotland. It was praised in the Record " because it furnished just such Bibles as we require." In the pamphlet an attempt is made to show that it performs more work, at less cost, than does the British and Foreign. All the in- fluence the writers have been able to wield, has been exerted to break up existing Branches of the British and Foreign, and to form societies connected with the Scottish National. In some few places they have succeeded, and the writers are both Presidents of Branch or Auxiliary Societies, in connection with the Scottish. Further, great efforts have been made to circulate the pamphlet : it has been advertised weekly more than four months. Still, fciv copies have been sold ; but they have been lavishly distributed in certain localities. Not only to Presbyterians, but to Wesleyans, Fpiscopaliaus and others, have they been sent — some by post, some by other conveyances. In short, no stone has been left unturned, in many places in the Eastern part of the Province, to injure, as much as the writers possibly could, the British and Foreign Bible Society. Now, if that Society is so bad as these gentlemen represent — if (quoting their words,) " to exonerate ourselves and to prevent our :>\ i I \ I t'liurch being coiuproinised," tliey luivc wi-ittcu, published, iind. unable to sell, have been generously giving away their pamphlet — what have they to say to the fact that about four-fifths of the Min- isters of the church to which they belong support the British and Foreign Bible Society? — that the Synod of which they are mem- bers, in 1866 'unanimously thanked the Society? Nay, if the Brit- ish and Foreign Bible vSociety is so '^Popish in its doings," what shall be said of the National Bible Society of Scotland? Does the latter Society ever remonstrate with its erring sister? I have read several of its reports, and I have seen nothing like it. Article vi. of its constitution says, " it shall. . . .cultivate friendly intercourse, as well as co-operation, with other Bible Societies whose objects and interests are in harmony with its own." I have before me the Scottish Society's Report for 1868. I see no direct reference in it (o any Bible Society hut the British and Foreign; but, there are dm distinct references to it, and not one of them unkindly. On pages 20 and -1, the following occurs: — "The Directors would make irrateful mention of the aid rendered to them in their labours in other countries by the British and Foreign Bible Society, with whom the most friendly relations continue to be maintained. Large numbers of the Foreign Scriptures, circulated by your Society, are obtained lis required from their depots abroad at cost price. The Directors cordially rejoice in the continued prosperity of this parent of all the Bible Societies, and reciprocate the sentiment expressed in a recent letter from its senior Secretary : — ' It is our most ear- nest wish to act in good faith and christian cordiality with your Society, and to offer you any facility which our means and appli- ances can supply. It is for the honour of the Bible and the Tood of our common cause that we should labour side by side in mutual love and confidence.' " Perhaps the Rev. Messrs. Sutherland and Munro will in their next pamphlet kindly explain how, if what they have written against the British and Foreign Bible Society is true, they support and recommend to their people the National Bible Society of Scot- land ? Many to whom I have read the above extract are equally (•urious to read their explanation. But the pamphlet is not true. So far as it attacks the British and Foreign Bible Society it is one tissue of exaggeration and mis- representation. Sometimes part of the truth is given as if it were the whole. In other cases there is no foundation whatever for the assertions it contains. These are plain words, and let my readers note whether or not they are proven. Never did I read such dis- tortion of facts written by professedly christian ministers. Nor am I alone in this estimate of their work. A gentleman in Lon- don, intimately acquainted Avith the committee and Avork of the Society, writing to a friend in Halifax (who handed me the letter,) says, — " A more scurrilous and virulent production it has seldom 1 I f) 1(1. in- nd m- it- lUl the 3ad VI. •se. ;?? been my lot to wade through ; and the feeling uppermost in my inind while perusing it was one of intense pity for the writers, who must have studied their Bibles to very little purpose. .. .To seek to instruct men who exhibit such ignorance would indeed be ' love's labour in vain.' " It would occupy too much time to expose all the misrepresenta- tion which the pamplilct contains. Enough will be given to satisfy the minds of those who wish to obtain correct information on the matter in dispute. On pages 4 and 5 the following paragraph occurs : — " If she " (Presbyterian church) " can countenance her ministers or mem- bers circulating, or defending the circulation, under the name of •' Holy Scriptures," " Word of God," " The Truth," Bibles con- taining the Apocrypha, the work of \minspired men ; the Popish versions, containing the leading doctrines of Antichrist ; or the Unitarian Bible, culled of all that makes the Bible tidings of salva- tion to lost sinners, — then she has no right to impose the vows, or require the profession referred to, without limitations which would virtually nullify them." If these words mean anything, they insinuate that the British and Foreign Bible Society circulate Bibles containing the Apocry- pha, Popish Bibles, and the Unitarian Bible. Let us, omitting in the meantime " Popish Bibles," look at this "Apocryphal story." It is an " old story," so far as Mr. Munro is concerned. I thought he had learned a lesson about his statements with regard to the Apocrypha ; but I was mistaken. I feel tempted to quote a saying of the Wise Man's, but forbear. But I must make certain disclosures which will shew Avhether Mr. M.'s statements are or are not " Apocryphal." Years ago, in Wallace and elsewhere, he asserted that the British and Foreign Bible Society still circulated the Apocrypha. He refers, page 30, to a letter which he Avrotc 17th October, 18G6 ; but he does not find it convenient to say that in that letter he also made the assertion that the British and Foreign Bible Society circulated Bibles with the Apocrypha in Prussia. After the appearance of the communication in the Record of January, 1867, expecting that the "Apocryphal story" might be brought out, I wrote (after I returned home) the following letter : — Truro, N. S., Feb. 13tli, 18G8. To the Committee of the National Bible Society of Scotland, Gentlemen, Permit me as the Agent of the Nova Scotia Auxiliary Bible Society to bring the following circumstance under your notice : Last October, wliile attending a Bible Society meeting connected with our Branch in Wallace, a letter, addressed to the Vice-President, written by Hev. John Munro, was read, from which I make the following extract : " In the Report of the National Bible Society for 1865, page 20, the fol- lowing paragraph occurs : ' The Rev. Daniel Edwards, the Society's hon- I I orary Acfcnt, Brcslaw, lias to contend with serious difficulties arisinj; from the liostility of Luthcrian Ciersymen and Schoolmasters to the circuhition of the Bible without the Apocryplia. Paragraphs have het>n inserted in the local newspapers warning the people against the so-called incomplete Bibles, sold by the Society's Agent. The influence of parties who stand high in the esteem of Ikitish christians has been exerted to deter tlie Prussian Govern- ment from granting the same liccnsos to the Colporteurs of this Society as were secured to the Colporteurs of the British and Foreign Bible Society by the personal authority of the late King.' Now it is evident from this Extract that one Bible Society is favoured by the Prussian Government, Clergynun, Schoolmasters, and the press, because it circulates what they reckon a complete Bii)le, containing the Old and New Testament and tlie Apocrypha. Tkat Jiihle Society is the British and For- eign. I demand tiiat this letter be submitted to your Conmiittee and read at your Annual Meeting to be held this evening in Temperance Hall, &c." Now gentlemen, as Mr. Munro founds his charge on an extract from your Report, permit mo resiKctfully to inquire, do you know anything of the B. &r. B. S. circulating Bildes containing the Apocrypha in Prussia? Has your Agent there transmitted to you any such information? Would you please conununicate to me what you know of tlic matter. I will not defend the B. & F. B. S., if the charge Mr. Munro brings is true. If it is false — and I l)elieve it is — tlicn allow mo lo state that Mr. Munro (whose name a])- jfoars in last lieport as President of tlie only Branch connected with your Society in this Province,) has been employing this statement, with other statements, to create an unfavourable impression against the B. & F. B. S., and to divert funds from it to tlie National Bible Society of Scotland. I do not for one moment think that you approve of this nor after the kind- ly Wiiy you refer in last Report to the work of the B. & F. B. S. in this Province, you would wish any of our Branches to go down (as one of them I fear has partly at least) in consequence of this Apocryphal statement. May I, therefore, respectfully request an answer as early as possible to this communication. You may if you deem it necessary, send this letter or a copy of it to Mr. Munro. I am, gentlemen, &c., &c., ALEXANDER RUSSELL, Agent N. S. A. B. S. Rev. Dr. Goold. Sec. N. B. S. ofS. I cannot tell what tlie Committee said, or did about my letter, but Dr. Goold wrote me the followinir note. The Doctor, it will be seen, lets Mr. Munro down very qenf.hj. But let that pass. 5th St. Andukw's Squauk, Edinburgh, March 2nd, 18G7. Dear Sir, To catch the post of this week, I drop you this note to say, that it was a mistaken inference to draw from the passage in our Report for 1865, that the British and Foreign Bible Society circulated the Apocrypha. Since 182G no Bibles have issued from its depositories, so far Jis I know, contain- ing the Apocrypha. I believe they have been honourably faithful to the pledge which they then gave. I am, yours faithfully, W. H. GOOLD. T cannot say when Mr. Munro received a communication from th ii: f s. % ■■fa Dr. Goold oil this siiliject. But this I kuow, it was SeptcinJx'i' f'ol- loiulnri ere he (liHt)\vrRMl the statonieut, and then only after 1 had in the Presbyterian Witness puhlicly challejigcd him ronrerning if. He never., as Var as 1 am aware, has expressed tiie least regret for hav- in;jf orlfjiiiated and cirrnlatcd sneh a gross misrepresentation. One would think he would scarcely noio venture to mention Apocrypha in connection with the work of the Bible Society. But he has: the insinuation is in the pamphlet. I need hardly say it is utterly and entirely false. It is also insinuated (there is not the slightest proof given,) that the Society circulates a Unitarian Bible. The insinuation is false. Until something more than the groundless assertion of Messrs, Sutherland and Munro can be adduced on this point, it is unneces- sary further to notice it. On page 9 the following occurs : — "Notwithstanding this, however, the London Committee as far buck as 1813, entered into a hopeless correspondence with the British priesthood to obtain their consent to tlie printing and gratuitous circulation by the Society of an edition of the Douay Bible, being the very best of the Romisli ver- sions. When all was in readint'ss, the Kev. Peter Gondolphy, on bclialf of the priesthood, replied as follows : ' The Catholic Clergy will not relax a single principle which has been in exercise to this time * * * * n<»r give a Bible even with notes, into the hai ids of every one who might wish it but at the will, and under the direction of their Superiors.' Prot. Vol I, 2o9; El- liotte on IJomanism, Vol. I, 94. Fhis will show the value of the authority that said, and repeated ' The British and Foreign Bible Society steadily re- fuse to circulate the Douay Bible.' " It is asserted here that the committee of the Bible Society in 1813 entered into a correspondence to secure the circulation of the Douay Bible. The proof given is " Prot. vol. 1," " EUiotte on Romanism." I have not been able to see EUiotte, but I have ex- amined McGavin's Protestant. Sure enough, in it the Rev. Peter Gondolphy's name, and the circumstances pretty much as the writers have giveu them, are recorded, with this (in their estima- tion) trifling difference : it was not the committee of the Bible Society at all! The "Protestant" states that a " number of gentlemen in London, anxious to promote among Roman Catholics the circu- lation of the Douay Scriptures," entered into this correspondence. And the Rev. Messrs. Sutherland and Munro at once come to the conclusion, write, print, and send it to the few who will purchase, and the many who will only accept their pamphlet, that the " Lon- don committee " have done this. Is it not shameful? I "said and repeated" that " the British and Foreign Bible Society steadily refused to circulate the Douay Bible ; " and I respectfully ask the reader who has an opportunity of looking into the " Protestant " to examine this matter. He will then sec whether the two assailants, or the present defender of the Bible Society speaks the truth. A» to whether the Douay Bible is or is not " the very best of the Rom- 8 ish versions," I slinll in the sequel sliow that the two writers are not the most competent Judges. But of all the misrepresentations in the pamphlet, none are mori^ glaring than the following, page 10 : — " IIow the Ci)lportcurs act on the field we cannot say; but the following table will sbew how the Society act in the supply and price of Protestant and Roinish versions, aa may be seen from their report of 1867 : — I'rotestant Bible. TcHtampiit. Italy 1 = Is. 4d. 1 = 7d. France. . . .2 = 2s. 6d. & Cs. 1 = 7d. Portugal 1 = Is. Spain 1 = 6s. 1 = 7d, Holland...! = Is. 6d. 1 Germany. .1 = Is. Gd. Ronilrih Elbl L'. Tcst«.iiont. 1 = Od. = oS, uCi. »••••• = 38. 1 = 7d. = 38. 1 = 7d. 1 1 2=88*&10 6 ♦Evidently a typognipliical error. From this it will be seen, that in their six languages there are as many of the corrupt as there are of the faithful v«rsions on sale by the Society, with a very great advantage in favor of the llomish. For example, Martin's Bi- ble costs 6s., while I)e Saci costs only 3s. 6d. In Portugal, though the entire Protestant Bible is printed it is not sold; the Testament costs Is., while the Romish costs only 7d. In Spain, the Protestant Bible costs os., the other only 3s. In Germany there is no Protestant Testament printed by the So- ciety, while two Romish versions of the New Testament are printed and circulated. These facts are undeniable and indefensible. They speak for themselves and require no comment." " These facts are undeniable." Let us see. In the report of the B. and F. Bible Society for 18G7, from Avhich the writers quote, and on page 21, arc the only advertised Italian Bibles and Testa- ments, with their prices affixed, which the Society sells. Then^ is no difference between us as to which version is called Protestant and" which Roman Catholic. Diodati's is the Protestant ; the so- called Romish is Martini's. Now, on the page from which Messrs. S. and M. must have copied, there is no copy of Martini's Bible ad- vertised ; — there is none sold: and, unless these \ iters believed that the committee wilfully stated a falsehood, they knew this ; for, in the Parent Society's Report for 1863, p-age 111, the committee state that not one single copy of Martini's Bible could be had at any of their depots. All were sold. None had been printed since 1824, and there was no intention of issuing more. That no New Testament of this version had been printed since 1852, and no more would be printed. These statements were copied at large into the Pictou Society's report for 1864. Both writers had these reports and knew these facts, and yet they say one Romish version of the Bible is still circulated in Italy ! Further, in the Society's report for 1868, no copy of Martini's Testament is advertised. Be- more no 1 9 fore llieir pamphlet had appeared, the sale of this version had been tilfogether discontinned. France is said to have ten versions of the Protestant Bible at 28. Cd. and 6s. ; one (so called) Romish at Ss. 3d. Here, also, there is no difference as to ivhlch version is called Protestant and which Roman Catholic. Ostervald's and Martin's arc Protestant ; l)e Sacy's is the (so called) Romish. In order that the reader may see how truthfulhj the writers have presented the matter, I take the following list of French Scriptures and their prices from page 20 (from which they copied) of the report for 1867 : — KKENCU. — Bible, Pearl, fcp. 8vo. Mar^r.licf. roan, gt.edges, Oatervald 2 6 Ditto ditto, with rims and clasp, ditto ditto 3 2 Ditto ditto, coloured calf, marbled edges ditto 3 2 Ditto ditto, morocco, gilt edges . . ditto 3 8 Bible, Kuby, 24mo. coloured calf .... ditto 1 8 Ditto ditto, roan, gilt edges . . . ditto Ditto ditto ditto, with rims and clasp, ditto ( 4 4 2 Ditto ditto, morocco, gilt edges . . ditto Bible, Nonpariel, 12mo. slieep .... ditto Ditto ditto, morocco, gilt edges . . ditto 3 6 Bible, Pica, 8vo. Persian bazil .... ditto 3 6 Bible, Pica, royal 8vo. with References, Persian bazil, Martin 6 Bible, 8vo. sheep De Sacy 3 8 Testament, 32nio. roan, gilt edgep . . . Ojtervahl 7 Testamen*^ 24 mo. ro;in, gilt edges . . . dUto 1 2 Testai.iii , 12mo. sheep ditto 10 Testament and Psalms, 32mo, roan, gilt edges ditto 9 ihe four Gospels, The Acts, Ilomanj, and Hebrewf-, 32mo, limp cloth . . (Ostervald) seven portions, each 1 St. Matthew— St. Mark— St. Luke— St. John— The Acts — Epistle to Romans — I. and II. Epistles to the Corin- thians — Epistles to Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippians, and Colossians — Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus and Philemon — Hebrews, James, and Jude — Epistles of St. ® Peter and St. John — Revelation — 16mo. enamelled cloth, red edges . . {Ostervald) twelve portions, each 2 The reader will perceive there arc twelve different editions of the Protestant Bible and four of the Protestant Testament issued and sold by the Society, while there is but one edition of De Sacy's Bible. This is hardly the impression which a perusal of the pam- phlet would leave on the mind. Suppose twelve Protestants and twelve Roman Catholics should each go to purchase a Bible of his own version : the twelve Protestants might each procure a copy differing one from the other in size, binding, or price ; the twelve Roman Catholics would have to content themselves each with one edition, one size, same style of binding and price. This is the way (so far as France is concerned) " that there are as many of the corrupt as there are of the faithful ve; sions on sale by the Society, with a very great advantage in favour of the Romish ! " . h 7 10 Referring still to the French Scriptures, they say : •■' Martin's Bible costs 6s., while De Sac/s costs only Ss. 3d." The writers take the largest size^ highest priced Protestant Bible, and contrasts its price with the smaller Bible of De Sacy. From the pamphlet one would never suppose that the Protestant Bible could be had at Is. 4d., Is. 8d., 2s., 28. 2d., 2s. 4d., &c., while De Sacy's cannot be got less than Ss. 3d. Farther, Martin's Bible is marked " Bible, Pica, 8vo. with references and Persian bazil, 6s. On page 19 the same kind of English- Bible, in size, binding and references, is marked 6s. 6d. : that is, the French Protestant is sold 6d. lower than the same kind of English Bible. Again, the writers say : "In Portugal, though the entire Protestant Bible is printed, it is not sold." Here again there is no difference as to which version is the Protestant and which the so called Roman Catholic. D' Almeida's is the former, Pereira's the latter. Now the Bible Society does not advertise Pereira's Bible for sale. It has no copies of it. There is, however, a " grain of truth" in what the writers say. The Society many years ago did print Almeida's Bible. It was complained of on account of its uncouth idiom, antiquated style, and bad ortho- graphy. All the copies were sold. It was resolved, ere another edition was printed, to have it improved. Had the writers of the pamphlet turned to page 127 of the report for 1867 (from which they quote) they would, had they wished, have read the following : ♦ " The edition of Almeida's New Testament, slightly revised to adapt or- thography and idiom to modern style, has been printed in Lisbon ; and it is intended to print the whole Bible of this translation similarly revised." So much for the assertion " In Portugal, though the entire Protestant Bible is printed it is not sold." "In Spain," say the writers, "the Protestant Bible costs 5s., the other only 3s." Here they found it convenient to take the lowest priced edition of the so-called Roman Catholic Bible. But they did not find it convenient to state that the Protestant Bible is larger then the other, and more expensively bound. To any can- did mind these circumstances would have been sufficient for one Bible selling at 5s., the other at 3s. " In Germany," continue the writers, " there is no Protestant Testament printed by the Society." There is before me on the table on which I write, a copy of Martin Luther's German New Testa- ment, printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society. I have sold several of them in this Province, in Lunenburg County. There ar^ some now for sale at our Depots there. Some time ago I re- ceived a letter from a gentleman in London, intimately acquainted with the work of the Bible Society. He had read the Pamphlet and regarding this point he writes me — "Again in page 10 the fol- lowing statement occurs : " In Germany there is no Protestant Tes- tament printed by the Society ? What will you say, when I tell you I A \ 11 that we have 10 editions, either of the Testament or Testament and Psalms of the Protestant version, that is, that we have 10 different forms in which it is bound and issued." Can misrepresentation go much farther than this ? Messrs. Sutherland and Munro continue : " In Germany, two Romish versions of the New Testament ars printed and circu- lated." They also mark 1 (so called) Romish Bible as printed there, and 1 Testament in Holland. Now, if by " Romish ver- sions " the writers mean versions from the Latin Vulgate, (and if they do not mean this, their words are unintelligible,) then their statement is not true. The Bible Society circulates no versions f 107)1 the Vidgate in Holland or Germany. The writers have named none ; nor can they. I challenge them to name any version of the Bible from the Vulgate which the Bible Society circulates in these countries. There is none. Of the 200 or so different versions in which the Society circulates the Sacred Scriptures, three and one- half only are from the Vulgate. These versions are De Sacy's, Scio's, Pereira's, and a Polish New Testament, which, as it has not been referred to, there is no necessity for my noticing. I again repeat, and I challenge contradiction, only these three and a-half' versions from the Vulgate are circulated. After these exposures of the misrepresentations contained in less than half a page, the reader can judge what credence should be given to the rest of the statements, and perhaps may think with me that, in the following extract from page 5 of the pamphlet, the words I have marked within brackets might be substituted for those used, and the two writers then " make a persoaal application of the whole :" " Is not every person, of whatever position bound to be, faithful [truthful] ? Who will be faithful [truthful], if not the Office-bearers and members of the household of faith / * * How can discipline be exercised with regard to ser- mons containing doctrines inconsistent with the word of God if the circula- tion of Bibles [Pamphlets] containing doctrines [statements] contrary to the whole tenor of that word, is to be countenanced, and still more defended." On page 24, the writers say " only one Presbyterian Minister in all England is known to contribute to the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society. This is rich. Only one ! Is he ''''faithless among the f aithf id f " "Only one Presbyterian Minister in all England, known" to the Rev. Alex. Sutherland and Rev. John Munro, who " contributes to the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society." It may be true that they know only one ; but it is quite a different thing to say, there is only one. In Nova Scotia, Presbyterian Ministers are no-ways backward* in contributing to the funds of the Bible Society ; neither, I believe, are they in Eng- land. Why, even Mr. Sutherland, less .than four years ago, con- tributed. I cannot say that ever I knew Mr. Mvnro to do so, and I will not accuse him of it. But when the writers make such h: j^ r 12 j sweeping assertions respecting non-contributing Presbyterian Min- isters of England, I would respectfully remind them that, perchance, these are like some other statements they have made. I suggest that on this point, as well as on several other subjects, they " un- \ derstand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm." Strange statements are made regarding the London committee, betraying something worse than ignorance. Not .one of them is supported by any proof, unless the bare assertion of these " two witnesses " be received as satisfactory. Space will not permit ad- verting to them all. I will notice a few. Unitarians, Ritualists, Puseyites, Papists, even Jesuits, are on the committee, — so say, or insinuate, the writers. I have visited repeatedly every County of Nova Scotia, am acquainted with every Branch Bible Society in it and its office-bearers, and I unhesitat- ingly assert that neither in Halifax nor outside it, neither in Pictou nor New Glasgow, is there a single Unitarian, Ritualist, Puseyite or Roman Catholic an office-bearer in the Bible Society, or a mem- ber of one of its committees. If not in Nova Scotia, why in Eng- land? These writers have the report of the Parent Society for 1867. I challenge them to turn to it and look at the names of the committee, Vice-Presidents, &c., and say who of them are Unitar- ians, who Ritualists, who Romanists? If they decline this, one will know what weight should be given in future to what they say. Neither the writer nor these defamers of the Society are person- ally acquainted with a single member of the committe ; but the writer has in his possession a letter written by a christian Minister who is personally acquainted with each member, and who for years has been identified with the work of the Bible Society. Referring to this matter, he says : — *' ' They more than onco speak of the rules of the Society having been in- fringed in deference to the opinions or pressure of Unitarians. This is dis- tinctly a false accusation. No Unitarians have ever been on the Committee or influenced the Committee in the course they have pursued. The same may be said concerning the writers description of the Committee as now constituted. We have no Puseyites, or Ritualists among us ; and the state- ment that it is " Beyond all doubt that Popery is a constituent element of the very Committee itself," is as gross a libel and falsehood as was ever penned.'" Passing much that might have been noticed, on page 27 the fol- lowing occurs : — " Another important point is that of financial economy. The last Report of the B. &F. B. S., shews an expenditure of £212,318 sterling in the proper work of Bible circulation, and with this a circulation of 2,383,380 copies or Is. 9id each. The lait Report o^ the Scottish National shews an income of £13,833, with a circulation of 24b,134 copies, being Is. 2jd. each. Or in other words, if the funds of the B. & F. B. S. were managed with the same economy as those of the Scottish, their circulation should be 3,731,800, or nearly a million and a quarter more than were actually circulated. Let the man who can, explain this satisfactorily. We confess our inability to under- stand it ; as both labour chiefly in the same field." 18 m Miu- [•chance, suggest "un- imittee, I them is "two krmit ad- s, are on e visited ith every nhesitat^ in Pictou Piiseyite r a mem- jr in Eng- )ciety for aes of the •e Unitar- this. one they say. re person- but the 1 Minister ) for years Referring ng been in- This is dis- Committee The same tee as now d the state- element of 18 was ever 27 the fol- last Report 1 the proper 30 copies or n income of ich. Or in th the same ,731,800, or d. Let the ty to under- Now, without adverting to the fact that the expenditure of the one Society is contrasted with the income of the other, nor prying too cu- curiously as to whether or not the sum alleged to have been expended by the B. & F. B. S. has been all spent in " the proper work of Bible circulation," there are other things to be considered which shew the comparison an unfair one. Both Societies do not " labour chiefly in the same field," as any one may perceive by reading their reports. The B. & F. has extended its operations to countries where the National does nothing. In some of these, Iceland for example, the expenses of Scripture circulation are very great. — Moreover, the B. & F. furnishes the Scriptures to the blind (whicli are very expensive,) not only in the English, but in other languages. Every year it is assisting the bringing out of new translations of the Word of God. It gives away the Scriptures to an extent to which the National does comparatively little. Let one glance at the recorded grants, pages 83-88 in the appendix to the annual re- port, then read through the report of the Scottish National, and say if Messrs. Sutherland and Munro's statement is fair. But there is one fair test of comparison. Take any one country in which both Societies labour : look at the number of copies of Scripture circulated in it by each, and the expense incurred. Now, I am prepared to meet the writers on this ground, and shew that the British and Foreign Bible Society circulates the Scriptures at less cost than does the National Bible Society of Scotland. I have before me both Societies' reports for 1868. On page 33 of the National, I find that in Italy, during the previous year, on an average 18 colporteurs had been employed, who had altogether laboured 933 weeks, and circulated 4328 copies of the Scriptures, at an expense (page 77) of £860 5s. 6d. 933 weeks spent in this work gives a circulation of between 4 and 5 copies a week, less than one copy a day^ while the expense to the Society was nearly 4s. for every copy disposed of. On page 119 of the other report I find that, during the same year, in Italy the number of colporteurs employed by the British and Foreign Bible Society was 34, and these sold 37,906 copies of God's Word, at an expense (page 115, appendix) of £1,522 15s. 3d., or 9|d. each copy ! Suppose two per- sons in Nova Scotia had last year sent each a dollar, one to Lon- don, the other to Edinburgh, with instructions that the money should be expended in circulating the Scriptures by colportagc in Italy. The dollar to tlie N. B. S. of Scotland would have paid the expense of the sale of one copy of the Scripture? ; the dollar to tho B. & F. B. S. would have paid for the sale of nearly five. Both vSocieties in Italy circulate the same version. Wliy such dispro- portion iu the expense incurred, I cannot say. I would not have adverted to this, had these defamers of the Bible Society not in- troduced the question of expense. They had no occasion to do it. It was not even necessary iu " Reasons of exception to the circu- r ni 14 lation of Romish versions," to have alluded to. it at all. And I think when the members of committee of the N. B. S. learn what the Presidents of two of their Auxiliaries in Nova Scotia have done, they will say — " Save us from our friends." Another point : on page 28, adverting to the report of the com- mittee of the Pictou Society, Mr. Sutherland, after courteously stating that " a slander is here insinuated," proceeds, — " Will the committee name the place where Mr. Russell did not obtain a hear- ing ? And further, Scotsburn seems to be the place particularly meant. The Branch there, nearly a year previously, resolved, without a dissenting' voice, to connect with the Scottish National Bible Society. Mr. Russel did what he could to induce them to reverse their former resolution, and had patient hearing to the last word, but no resolution passed, or even proposed to the medling." Here, as elsewhere, Mr. S. gives only part of the truth. In Oct., 1866, 1 visited Scotsburn (it was called Rodger's Hill then,) to plead, as I had done on former years, the cause of the Bible So- ciety. At my former visit in 1865, Mr. Sutherland had publicly intimated the meeting, and rendered all the aid in his power. At this time he refused to give notice of the meeting ; but of this I knew nothing till I had it from his own lips on the forenoon of the day appointed. I was anxious to get a hearing, but there was a difficulty. Scotsburn is a rural district. The only way I could give notice was to go to the school : I went, and intimated a meet- ing in the evening. Very few persons, not more than from twelve to twenty, assembled. They " gave me patient hearing ;" hut they did not form one-tenth part of the Branch Society of the place ! — The reader from this explanation will see, if there is " insinuated slander," where it lies. At the bottom of the same page, referring to the charge made against the Bible Society of still circulating the Apocrypha, Mr. Sutherland says : "It was never spoken of at Scotsburn, Earltown, or River John, the places there indicated." At the meeting held in Mr. Sutherland's church, Scotsburn, Oct., 1866, one of his people, a Mr. Ross, publicly stated that he believ- ed the British and Foreign Bible Society still circulated the Apo- crypha : that a Minister had stated so "in this very church." Let Mr. S. reconcile this with his assertion that " it was never spoken of at Scotsburn." I do not charge him with making the "Apocry- phal statement." Mr. Muuro had been in Scotsburn between the times of my visits. But that ii ivas made, and in his church, Mr. Ross publicly stated in the hearing of all present. There are in the pamphlet many other misstatements and exag- gerations, which want of space and limited time compel me to pass unnoticed. Enough has been " exposed" to prove that in matters of fact these writers cannot be depended on. As a mathematician from a given arc, may easily describe the whole circle, so may the rei M its ^ th leJ 0^ 0( m modern man who ys of the be equal ns, there christian ;ome into jeveral of erians of ccount of by the ish Bible, »w, this is I think it n the six- ►bation of ts favour, iroughout lefore that ruth that, )ly of this )n this ac- lis version ceived the iible with ir infancy 8,t it is no a For uiTing to a 17 version to refute the absurdities and corruptions of Popery, I should i not desire other or better arguments than those I am supplied with by that very version, which one of their own councils has declared authentical." Dr. Campbell wrote the above years before a single Vulgate ver- sion had been circulated by the Bible Society. The reader is re- 1^ quested to weigh his testimony, as well as the testimony of the other authorities given, with the unsupported assertions of Messrs. Sutherland and Munro as to the Popish nature of the Vulgate, and i^ decide &B to which opinion is the ^^ more probable." But the writers say the Vulgate itself i» corrupted. That there are different readings, is granted ; but do not these writers know how numerous are the different readings which scholars have found by collating ancient MSS. of the Scriptures? The real question at issue is this : Is the Vulgate, from which the versions complained of are made, materially different from what it was as written by Jerome ? The Editorial Superintendent of the Bible Society fur- nishes an answer. I give his words : " The book, as it is now usually printed, is not very different from what it was when it left Jerome's hands, due allowance being made for the changes which all works often transcribed must undergo. This may be proved by comparing the printed editions with the copies of the old manu- scripts, which have lately been published by two learned Germans — Professor Tischendorf and Professor Ranke." A few days ago I had a letter from the same gentleman, who has seen the very edifying pamphlet I am exposing, in which he says, " I defy any one to prove a single Romish doctrine^ either from the Vulgate, or from any translations from the Vulgate, which we circulate." Many — not all — of the versions of the Scriptures which Roman Catholics use have been made from the Vulgate. When the Brit- ish and Foreign Bible Society commenced its work on the Continent of Europe, for some years, as the writers say (and it is encourag- ing to find them accurate) , the versions circulated were exclusively Protestant. During these years comparitively little was done by the Bible Society among Roman Catholics. In some countries, however, Roman Catholics had themselves commenced to circulate the Scrip- tures. For example, in 1805-6 a Bible Society had been formed in Ratisbone, a city in Germany, by Roman Catholics, to circulate their own version of the Scriptures, without note or comment. There was no objection expressed then to these versions being cir- culated. All were gratified that Roman Catholics had moved in the work of circulating the Scriptures. Years after, the commit- tee of the Edinburgh Bible Society (in their second annual report) said: "We have lived to see the day when the members of the Romii^h church have, in vaiious European languages, received and \, 18 ri circulated the Sacred Volume, and when even a Bible Society has been established by people of that persuasion." Six years did this Roman Catholic Society exist ; and, unaided by Protestants or by the British and Foreign Bible Society, it had circulated G0,000 copies of the Word of God. At the same time, a Protestant Bible Society had been formed in Germany. It had bccu largely aided by the British and Foreign ; and while the un- assisted Roman Catholic had circulated G0,00& copies, the Protes- tant Bible Society had only disponed of 12,000, and these almost wholly among Protestants. It soon became apparent that if Roman Catholics were to be reached at all by the Society, other versions along with the Protes- tant must be circulated. In each country where a change was in- troduced, for a period of from 7 to 14 years the Protestant version was exdusively used. Then, after the most careful inquiry and ex- amination, and after the matter had been time after time pressed on the committee, from about the year 1813 on to 1820, one ver- sion after another from the Vulgate was adopted and circulated j»long with the Protestant version. There was no concealment of the fact : it was referred to in each annual report. From 1814 to 1820 (when the last Vulgate version was adopted), and from 1820 to 1837, there was hardly a voice raised against the practice. — During some of these years a fierce controversy in connection with the circulation of the Apocrypha was carried on. Some of these Vulgate versions were denounced because they contained the Apocryphal books, never because they were Popish. About 1838, considerable discussion arose in England in connection Avith the subject. In the report for 1839, the committee gave reasons and explanations Avhich were generally considered satisfactory. Other defenders of the Bible Society appeared, and the opposition nearly died out. Little was heard of the controversy in Nova Scotia. A few yfears ago, Messrs. Sutherland and Munro were in blissful ignorance of the whole matter. In Wallace, in 1862, I found Mr. Munro president of the local Branch Society. In 1865, Mr. Sutherland helped me in pleading the cause of the Society in Earltowu and West Branch, River John. But both had read pam- phlets against the Society ; and without inquiring as to what could be said on the other side, besides opposing the work in other ways, " rushed into print," first in the Record, next in the Witness, and then by giving to the world their renowned pamphlet. It has been said that the only versions now circulated from the Vulgate by the Society, are three and one half: De Sacy's in France, Scio's in Spain, Pereira's in Portugal, with a Polish Tes- tament to which, (in the Pamphlet,) no exception is taken. 3Iar- tini's was circulated. It is now discontinued. The Latin Vulgate itself is not circulated. De Sacy's version is more than 200 years old. It was the pro- 19 iety has unaided , it had le time, It had the un- Protes- 5 almost re to be Protes- was in- t versiou T and ex- ; pressed one ver- ;ircuhited dmeut of 1814 to L'om 1820 [•actice. — ;tion with ; of these ained the lOUt 1838, with the e reasons tisfactory. opposition • in Nova ro were in in 1862, 1 In 1865, Society in read pam- vvhat could ither ways, itness, and d from the } Sacy's in Polish Tes- ken. Mar- in Vulgate as the pro- duction of the men of Port Royal, — the men whom the Jesuits hated so much — the men who clung to the doctrine of Agustinc on the subject of Divine grace, in opposition to the doctrine of human merit. These men pleaded for the full instruction of the people in all the doctrines and precepts of Christianity and that for this purpose they should he furnished with the Holy Scriptures in their own tongue. This version was condemned by Pope Clement IX. in 1668, and by Pope Innocent XI. in 1679. Since that time it has often been interdicted by Romish authorities, as too favour- able to heretics — that is, Protestants. De Sacy revised it in tJie Bastile while suffering a two years imprisonment from the Jesuits. Ilis character as a translator has been thus drawn : " In a critical knowledge of the sacred text he may have had many superiors, but none in that exquisite sensibility to the grandeur, the pathos, the superhuman wisdom and the awful purity of the Divine original, without which none can truly apprehend, or accurately render into another idiom the sense of the inspired writers." The writers of the Encyclptedia Britannica say of De Sacy's version : " It is the best French translation which has yet appear- ed." A distinguished Professor in Cambridge University has pro- nounced it " the best version of the Holy Scriptures in the French language." Calmet has shewn his sense of this fidelity, by adopt- ing it as the French text in his valuable commentary. Missionary operations are carried on among the Roman Catholics of Lower Canada. De Sacy's version of the Scripture is used. The Bap- tist Churches in Nova Scotia have a Mr. Normandy labouring among the French Acadians. De Sacy's version of the Scriptures is used. Rev. Mr. Chiniquy, who has done such a great and good work on this Continent, uses De Sacy — a few years ago — possibly still — exclusively. In Spain, so late as the year 1786, there was not a single printed version of the whole Bible. Some particular books had then be- gun to be published by Scio, and the version was completed in 1790. At an earlier period after the Reformation, some Protest- ant versions were printed at Antwerp, B^sle, and Amsterdam. Few of them had been introduced into Spain. Hence, when Scio issued his, it could not have been to counteract the influence of any Protestant version circulating. There was no conceivable motive for his labours but the Scriptural instruction of his countrymen. This version — not any Protestant one — has been adopted by Mr. Bagster, for his Polyglott collection of Bibles in modern languages. In his prospectus, Bagster calls it " the elegant and correct trans- lation of Scio." The Portuguese translation of Pereira is the only native transla- tion, and the only one adapted to the present improved state of the language. Its author was one of the most learned and distinguish- ed men who flourished towards the close of the last century. So (.'T 20 far from being a bigotted Paf ist, ho appears to have contributed to the expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal, and to have maintained in his writings opinions subversive of the paramount authority of the Holy See. Throughout life his perfect orthodoxy was suspect- ed by the more rigid Roman Catholics. This version has been placed by Bagster in his Polyglot Bible, and by the Pope, among the number of " prohibited books." Of these three versions, De Sacy's was first circulated by the So- ciety. There are two Protestant versions circulated in France. Curiously enough, French Protestants cannot agree on one version, " one large body demanding the more literal version of Martin, and another the more idiomatic version of Ostervald." In these circumstances it was not to be wondered although Roman Catholics should decline both. De Sacy's version, however, has been largely circulated, and with the most gratifying results. I could fill page •after page with proof of this. Take the following, from a defence of the Bible Society (Lon- don, 1857,) by John Radley, Esq., a member of the committee. After quoting a mass of evidence furnished years previously on this point, Mr. R. says : — '* During the last fifteen years such testimonies have multiplied, and hare flowed in almost from week to week ; as may be gathered, so far. as space allowed, in the Monthly Extracts and Annual Reports of the Society. But there are broad and open facts corroborative of this testimony. In Belgium there are some twenty congregations collected of converts from the Church of Rome, entirely from the reading of De Sacy's French Testament, under a Divine teaching. In France a very much larger number of Churches have been gathered, in connection with the Evangelical Societies of Paris and Geneva, by means of this very version : and of the eighty, or any large number, of the pious colporteurs labouring throughout France, nearly all of them owe their conversion from Popery to the reading of De Sacy's version. We have lately been told of a wonderful religious movement in the city of Ghent, brought about by a colporteur of the Society, and a congregation of ft>om 700 to 1000 persons attracted to the preaching of the Gospel : and still more recently the colporteur Van Dorp reports more than forty persons who, since he began his colportage in Rotterdam, have thrown off the yoke of Rome, to take upon them that of Christ. Among the French Canadians, we are told, the demand for copies of the French Scriptures is on the increase, and there are symptoms of growing dissatisfaction with the errors and priests, of Rome : but from Quebec we have very recently been warned, that no copies, except of De Sacy's version, will be acceptable." It was some years after aid was given to De Sacy's version, that Scio's was circulated by the Society. The following is what Mr. Radley says of it. The reader will bear in mind that these words were written about twenty years ago : " Turn we to Spain, a land hermetically sealed against the introduction of the Scriptures, where all our efforts of late years have been in vain. There we have lately attempted to bring out, at Madrid, an edition of Scio's version, for every other was sternly forbidden by the Civil authorities ; but i i. 21 itrlbutod to maintained uthority pf as suspect- has been )e, among by the So- il France. ne version, )f Martin, In these Catholics len largely i fill page ety (Lon- ommittee. nously on i, and hare ir. as space iety. But 'n Belgium the Church aent, under r Churches 38 of Paris r any large early all of 1^*8 version, the city of regation of I : and still ty persons the yoke of ladians, we e increase, md priests, d, that no iion, that Jirhat Mr. 5se words troduction n in vain. I of Scio's ities; but even this was forbidden by the ecclesiastical censors, on tlic ground that the notes were not attached to it. Yet even there, Lieut. Graydon had the prir- ilegc, some twenty years since, to dispose of, at f\ill coct price, from twelve to fifteen thousand copies of the Scriptures in Scio's version, or in the Cat- alan version (also Arom the Vulgate), throughout the cities on the Mediter- ranean coast : and now wo are told by the Epanish Evargelization Commit- tee of nearly 4000 persons in one of these cities, who have abandoned Papal worship, and who assiduously read and study the Holy Scriptures as their sole rtUe and standard. A higher testimony than this to the value of Scio's version can hardly be desired. *'■ In connection with Spain, it may ])e added, that Mr. Dufflcld has, within the last year, been sent as an Agent to Spanish America, where he has met with the most extraordinary success. Before he left England, he was re- joicing in the prospect of a new edition of Valera's Protestant version, with a modernized orthography, to which the Committee are pledged as soon as it can be prepared ; but, fearful lest any supplies of such a version should be sent, he has written to deprecate their introduction, or any thing to inter- fere with the version of Scio, which alone would be accepted." Referring to Pereira's version, in the same page, Mr. Radley writes : — '' Portugal is as dark as Spain ; and beyond the occasional introduction of a few copies, there have been no opportunities for circulating the Scriptures in that country. But in Madeira, a dependency of Portugal, a large distri- bution of the Portuguese Scriptures was made some years ago ; and the reading of these Scriptures, in connection with the labours of Dr. Kalley, was the means of gathering a large number of converts within the pale of the Protestant church. Nobody can have read the awful tale which the Rev. Cams Wilson has given of the persecutions in that island without a thrill of interest, resulting in the emigration of no less than 1,500 converts, under Protestant pastors, the greater number settling in the United States, and the rest in Trinidad ; while in Madeira itself we are told of other hundreds tliat would throw off the mask of Romanism if they dared, and are reading in secret the precious truths of the Gospel. Mr. Wilson is particular in stat- ing, that the version which was instrumental in producing these effects, was no other than the Roman-Catholic version of Pereira. And when at length there came a mandate from the Queen of Portugal, in harmony with the judgment of the Patriarch Archbishop elect, approving of the version, and recommending its circulation, we may be sure that no such sanction woidd have been given to the Protestant version of Almeida. In the Portuguese states of South America, considerable demands have been made for Pereira's version of the Scriptures ; and so many and so urgent have been the calls for an agency, that Mr. Corfield has been sent to that country : but when, some time back, the Committee wished to obtain a circulation for the Prot- estant version of Almeida, the cases of Scriptures were either returned as unsaleable, or the copies were distributed gratuitously, because none would buy them." Although the circulation of Martini's version is now discontinued, a few particulars regarding it may not be uninteresting to the reader. The Protestant version of Diodati, recommended to the Committee by Dr. Adam Clarke, was first circulated in Italy. It had always their decided preference. For a long time Roman Catholics would scarcely receive it. Nay, so intense was the opposition to it that ^ 00 ' if Italian printers at first refused to print the book. So late as l!^48, the printer undertook the work on the express condition that Dio dati's name should be omitted from the title ^age. The late Henry Drummond, so well knovvn for his uneompromisin*^ opposition to Popery, was travelling years ago in Italy, aud seeing the impossibility of extensively cireulating Diodati's version, at his own expense got a large number of Martini's printed and circulated. Thi» was before the TJritish and Foreign Bible Society had moved in the matter. Mr. Drumraond's benevolent undertaking was soon followed by strong representations to the Bible Society from various quarters, stating, the demands for this version in various parts of Italy, Turkey, and on the shores of the Mediterranean. It was recommended by Professor Orclli, of Coire, for the sake of the Roman Catholics, in preference to the version of Diodati. The Malta Bible Society pleaded for it, in preference to the version of Diodati. There are in this Province two Clergymen (one of them a minister of the same church as the writers of the Pamphlet) who have laboured in Malta. Both have spoken in strong terms of the good resulting from the cir culation of Slartini's version. One, (the Presbyterian Minister,) at a public meeting last year, in my hearing denounced strongly these attacks made on the Bible Society. There is a change in Italy now. For years Diodati's version has been more and more willingly received. It was becoming less and less necessary to continue to circulate the uooer. The Committee, always anxious to promote in every country the circulation of the best versions that will be received, have for five or six years back dis- continued to circulate the Old Testament ; and now the New Testa- ment of this version is given up also. As to the character of the Vulgate versions circulated, some re- marks must be made. A long array of objectionable passages is given in the Pamphlet. Let us look at them. Before proceeding, however, it may be as well to make the confession that neither the present defender of the Bible Society, nor its two assailants, under- stand the French, Spanish, or Portuguese languages — the only lan- guages in which the objected versions from the Vulgate are circulated. Many have thought, and not a few have said, that this circumstance alone, should have deterred the Reverend Gentlemen from meddling with the matter. But Messrs. S. & M. were resolved not to stick at trifles. Besides, on the 11th page they very j^/roperly say " Neither shall we quote in the languages of these versions, which would only be a dead letter to the great body whom we address," and at the close of the list of objected passages given they modestly : "challenge any man qualified to deal with the subject, either to disprove or explain away, a single fact of all we have adduced." In the Presbyterian Synod in 1867, while one of them was declaiming against the Bible Society in general, and De Sacy's version in particular, quoting (as .'itc as 1848, on that Dio JOinproinisin*^ ud seeing the at his own circulated, lad moved in followed by >us quarters, aly,. Turkey, nmendcd by Jatholics, in ibie Society There arc in of the same ed in Malta, roiu the cir linister,) at ongly these version has ng less and Committee, ition of the irs back dis- New Testa- d, some re- passages is proceeding, neither the nts, under- e only lan- ! circulated, rcumstance 1 meddling to stick at ' "Neither vould only it the close illenge any or explain resbyterian the Bible uoting (as 23 he alleged) one erroneous text after another ; one of the members (a good French scholar) called on the speaker as ho was repeating a particular passage •* to give it in French," Amid the (juiet smiles of some scores of Ministers ho admitted hr could not. The reader may be curious to learn how, since all the knowledge " thu three of us " possess of these languages, may be summed up — speaking !ilgcbrically — as a negative quantity, how these two have got on and how I am to proceed. IJut patience, good reader, '• where there is a will there is a way." I shall endeavour, and that in a sent- ence or two, to explain the matter. * There liave been several pamphlets written against the Bible So- ciety (see lleasons &c., 19th page) though none (that E have seen) like this last. From these Pamphlets Messrs. Sutherland and Munro have taken most, if not all, of the passages they give. There have been several " defences " of the Bible Society issued, and I may say no charge of any importance but has been repelled. Since these gen- tlemen have taken what suited them from these sources, to assail the Society, there can be no valid objection to my going to the replies that have been made — some of them years ago — to meet there as- saults. In the passages -jvon, the writers quote not only from the Vulgate, but from the Doujiy; dexterously trying to intensify the feeling caused by their objections, by quoting versions which the Society does not circulate. The Latin Vulgate, I repeat, is not circulated, and the Bible Society never did circulate the Douay Scriptures. Hence it is not necessary to refer to quotations from the Vulgate or the Douay. Only those given from the three versions circulated will be noticed. Further, it will be inexpedient to combat in every case the writers commentary on the passages given. Because, first of all the Bible Society circulates the Vulgate version — and all their Scriptures — •' without note or comment," consequently that Society cannot be re- sponsible for inferences that Messrs. Sutherland and Munro draw from any passage. And because, secondly, during the past season, many persons saw — though all wiio saw, did not read — certain theo- logical opinions, and even inferences drawn from texts of Scripture by Mr. Sutherland, and having seen these will hardly think him a safe commentator. One other remark. As many texts, from our (perhaps unsurpassed) English Bible might be taken and by subjecting them to a similar process, as the passages from the Vulgate versions in the Pamphlet have received, strange things might be extracted. Whether it would be right to do so with our authorised versioii let the writers say? Whether these Vulgate versions have been fairly dealt with let the reader now judge. The first passage quoted by the writers is Gen. iii. and 15 : " She shall bruise thy head, &c.'' They apply this to the Virgin Mary, and 24 1 ! i I say " upon this is founded the great power of the Virgin in Heaven to command her Son and procure favour for her worshippers." Now 1. If, as the writers assert, " The Hebrew, the Greek version, and the Vulgate of Jerome all read Ee,' our authorised Bible must be astray, for we find in it, Gen. iii. and 15 : " it shall bruise thy head." 2. Let the following words be weighed; the writer who penned them, an English gentleman knew what he wrote : " We concede at once that * She ' is not the reading of th^ Hebrew, for although the pronoun (without points) is identical with that used in the 12th verse, * >S'^€ gave me of the tree and I did eat,' yet the gender of the verb de- cides, that in the present instance, the ambiguous pronoun should be rendered He or it, no She * * And yet this very ancient version (Latin Vulgate) gives us this various reading in its very earliest edi- tions, long before the appearance of the Sixtine and Clementine edi- tions with their Papal sanctions. And when we are assured that this was the reading of Ambrose, of Augustine, and the early Fathers of the Western Church, the presumption is, not that they derived it from the Vulgate, but that they found it in the still more ancient version, or versions of the Old Italic, which were current before the time of Jerome. With such a reading current in the Western Church for 1,500 years — before the worship of the Virgia was estab- li'^hed, and long before the gross fable of her assumption was palmed upon the crenulity of mankind — it is manifest that their could not be any corrupt design to favour the later idolatries of Rome." 3. The promise made to Abraham runs in three different forms : " In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." " In thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." And " In thy seed shall all the families, &c. "; but when the promise is given in the form personal to Abraham himself, we say ftt once that Abra- ham shall bless the world through his seed,- Jesus Christ. 4. Romish commentators have admitted that Eve, not Mary, is meant, and that by her seed, Jesus Christ, the head of the serpent is bruised. Calmet says it should be rendered "seed of the woman shall bruise thy head." De Sacy, Scio, Pereira, and Martini, in thoir notes, use language pretty similar. The note on this passage, even in the Douay Bible, is remarkable : " Ipsa, * the woman,' — so divers of the Fathers. Others read it ipsum, 'the seed'; the sense is the same, for it is by her seed, Jesus Chrisit, that the woman bruises the serpent." The second passage given is Luke i. 28 : " Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you ; you are blessed among all women." It is added, ^^All is an addition by the translator." Here I cannot do better than repeat the reply I gave on this point (Recerd June, 1867.) Neither of the writers attempted to controvert it. I do not think they will try it now. in Heaven to 8." reek version, I Bible must II bruise thy ►enned them, cede at once the pronoun verse, ' She he verb de- n should be ent version earliest edi- nentine edi- ■ed that this Fathers of ^ derived it ore ancient '' before the e Western 1 was estab- was palmed ' could not ae." ent forms: "In thee And " In se is given that Abra- fc Mary, is ! serpent is he woman ni, in their ?e, even in ' divers of ise is the cruises the grace, the is added, etter than Neither they will 25 *' l)e Sacy's version of Luke 1, 28, " I salute thee full of Grace," is also re- garded as teaching Mariolatry. Say the writers " Here tlie fullness of Divine grace is ascribed to her, necessarily implying Divine Worship." If so, what about our own version ? In the marginal reading of the English Bible I find "Hail tliou that are graciously accepted," or "Hail thou that art much graced." If DeSacy's teaches Mariolatry, may not the writers detect some- thing like if in the maginal readings of the £nglidh Bible ? But, are not Stephen, and Barnabas said to have " been full of faith and of the Holy Ghost?" Surely the " grace" as well as the " faith" was given ? The orack rould not have been Mary's inherently. How could a French Roman Ca- tholic, possessing the wAoZc word of God, reading that '* There is none right- eous, no, not one," " that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," that " thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve," how, I say, could the French Koman Catholic reading these, and many similar texts of God's Holy Word be prevented to Mariolatry ? It >:eenis inipossible. In point of fact no such case has ever been proven." Admitting; that the " all " is unnecessary. Does not Do Sacy put the word in italics shewing that it is not in the original ? Are there not in the English Bible, many words not in the original, which the translators have given ? Are not some of these unnecessary ? — some of them even blemishes ? Did Messrs. Sutherland and Munro, in their Bible readings, ever come to Judges iv. 24 '/ '' Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kcnite be, blessed shall she be above women in the" tent." Will they say whether blessed among nil women, or blessed above all women, is the stronger language ? Further, let any French scholar read De Sacy's rendering of I Tim. ii. 25, and he will see that the Virgin Mary, the Saints, the Pope, and the Priest are all excluded from any share of man's salvation. Christ, and Christ only, is the alone Mediator. The next passage given is from De Sacy, Ex. xx. 5 : " You shall not adore them nor render them supreme worship." " Supreme,*' it is added, " is not in the Vulgate." And De Sacy, by introducing it, is charged with teaching " that others besides God may be worshipped." Now, I ask the writers, Has the English word '' Worship " always the same meaning ? They tell us (page 23) — and surely it is won- derfully liberal in them to say it — '• To Episcopalians as such we have no objections in the world." Well, the Marriage service in the Knglish Prayer Book has " worship " in it. Is religious worship meant '{ But leaving the I'rayer Book, let us take the Bible. In llevelations xxii. 8, where St. John says, " I fell down to worship be- fore the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things." Which worship the Angel forbade, and in Acts x. 25, where we read ''And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him," which worship the Apostle also refused — there can be no doubt, but religious homage was intended. Well, when our Saviour tells us. Matt, xviii. 26, "The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him," [his King] t-?nd Luke xiv. 10, '• Then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with •26 |i H iij il f thee." Did he mean religious worship ? I think Mr. S. & M, will hardly venture to say he did. Then supposing the version had been for an English reader, would the word *' supreme " have been altogether superfluous ? And as " the three of us " are ignorant of French, and De Sacy understood the language thoroughly, may it not be as well to suppose there was a necessity for his using the word " supreme " ? The writers proceed. ** Col. xi. 18, * Let no one take from you the prize of your career affectins to appear humble by a superstitious worship of Angels' — De Sacy. The Vulgate and Douay have no word corresponding to superstitious, and so expressly forbid anj/ wor- ship of Angels. De Sacy, by the addition of that qualifying word, clearly implies that the propper worship of Angels may be given them." The " Vulg-ate and Douay expressly forbid any worship of Angels." Well that is comforting. De Sacy teaches this worship by the use of the word " superstitious." Observe the excellency of the logic em- ployed. Because, say these gentlemen, the Vulgate and Douay omit the word " superstitious " they " expressly forbid any worship of Angels." " De Sacy by the addition of that qualifying word [Super- stitious! clearly implies that the proper worship of Angels may be given them." Well now, will the writers tell us where De Sacy gives the proper worship of Angels ? Which Book, Chapter, Verse ? Will they inform us what De Sacy means by the " proper worship of Angels ?" Toll us gentlemen, either in French or English ? If in the former language, some kind friend " may give us the interpreta- tion." But until this desired information is procured we will pass on to the next passage. " Psalms xcix. 5, " Exalt ye the Lord our God and adore his foot- stool for it is holy." " The earth is God's footstool.*' If this passage teaches Idolatry, it teaches that the earth is to be worshipj>ed. If it teaches Idolatry, no Koman Catholic that I have ever read or heard off, has learned the lesson, for no Komanist has been found worship- ping the earth. On this passage I give the words of one well com- petent to deal with it. •' The earth is God's footstool ; so that if the passage is to be taken literally, this translation (which is identical with that of the Septuagint) signifies that the earth is to be worship- ped because it is holy, and our own marginal reading " it is holy " would favour this doctrine, * * * The passage is highly figurative and intended to set forth the Majesty of God." I come now to one of the most important passages quoted — Heb. xi. 21. The writers give: "By faith Jacob bowed himself low before the rod of authority, and adored the top of his staif," as the literal rendering of De Sacy. Assuming it to be so, although 1 confess I have slight misgivings, let us look at the text. The Eng- lish reader will observe that in our version it is, " By faith Jacob . .. .worshipped leaning upon the top of his staff," and that leaniwf J* T 5. & M. will jader, would ? And 88 understood there was a •om you the uperstitious ay have no d any wor- ing word, y be given of Angols." ^ the use of logic eni- )ouay omit worship of ord [Super- jls may be Sacy gives 3r, Verse ? worship of sh ? If in interpreta- rill pass on ■e his foot- his passage md. If it i or heard d worship- well coni- that if the s identical e worship- . is holy " figurative ted— Heb. mself low ff," as the Ithough I The Eng- lith Jacob at Icaniuff 27 is in Italics, that is, there is no word corresponding to it in the original Greek. The " Bishop's Bible " (the one in use before our present version) had "And worshipped God toward the top of his sceptre." Coverdale, (1535) "And bowed himself towarde the toppe of his cepter." Tindel, (1526) " And worshipped on the toppe of his ceptre. Wickliif has " And onouride the highness of his gherde." (yard, rod). Luther has "bowed himself toward the top of his sceptre." The Genevan version was the first which in- troduced (he words " leaning upon " which were followed in our authorised version. From an authority already quoted I give the following : — " The passage itself is not without its difficulties. In the first place, from the different senses attached to the Latin word adora. When in the corres- ponding passages, Gen. 47 and 31, it is said that 'Jacob bowed himself on ills bed's head,' the same Hebrew, Greek and Latin word is employed, as when in the following chapter, Joseph is said to bow himself \n the presence of his father ; and as when elsewhere Abraham is said to have bowed him,' self before the people of the land — as in innumerable other places. The word signifies at one time, a mere act of obedience or homage ; and at another, a sacred and religious act of divine worship ; and hence it is not easy to determine in which sense the bowing or worshipping of Jacob is to be understood. Our own vei'sion seems intentionally to have left it doubt- ful ; for where as both the Genevan Bible and the Bishop's Bible had inserted the word ' God ' (which is not in the original) thus determining the sense it was rejected by our present translations. It is to be remembered that St. Paul refers in this verse to two transactions — the blessing of the Sons of Joseph on one occasion, and the worshipping on the top of his staff on smother, and it is difficult to conceive wiiich was the special act of faith in the latter transaction, with the recollection that Jocob was eminently a man of prayer (he who wrestled with God and prevailed), unless it was in the recognition of Joseph, as raised up of God for the deliverence of his people. The difficulty is increased by the reading which St. Paul has adopted, word tor word, from the Greek translation of the Septuagint, in which we have ' the top of his staff,' instead of ' his bed's head.' The word * leaning ' being wanting in the original Greek, everything seems to turn upon the use of the Greek proposition * , governing as here the accusative case, which, ac- cording to the best grammarians, signifle motion towards, and is most usually rendered to — unto — against — towards — rather than tipon ; of which we liavi' niany examples in the writings of St. Paul ; as ' his kindness to- wards us — your gathering together unto him — increase unto more ungodli- ness — turned unto fables — go on unto perfection — faith towards God; in which the same proposition "* is employed, governing the same acciisative case, as in innumerable passages ; and this proposition in the sense of towards is that which the Bishop's Bible employs in the parallel passage of Genesis. De Sacy may have felt all the difficulty of the passage, and, apparently to guard it from abuse, he has rendered it, as we have shown, rather para- phrastically. The learned Calmet, with great candour, alludes to the vari- ous interpretations that have been given of the passage; and commenting upon the text of De Sacy, says — 'thus several good interpreters understand the text in this place, and in Genesis — Jacob full of faith, profoundly bowed himself before the staff of authority, or sceptre, which Joseph bore, recog- nising in this token the divine authority of Jesus Christ, of whom Joseph was the type, or the royal authority which the tribe of Ephraim should pos- ♦ A Greek word is the quotation here for which we liad no type.— Printer. i V M' ^8 8ess. Others translate the Greek — worshipped God^ resting on the end of his staff, and the Greek may very well receive this sense. Jerome and others, attached to the Hebrew, rendered it — he adored God, turned towards the bolster of his bed ; but St. Paul, in the Epistle, always follows the Septu- agint version.' The interpretation of De Sacy has been followed by most Bomau Catholic commentators of any note, not excepting Fereria, in tin- notes attached to his Portuguese version : and by many Protestants it has been thought a good rendering of a difficult passage. We have no particular partiality for the reading of the Vulgate in this place ; but it seems to be perfectly harmless, with the interpretation given to it by Roman Catholics, as a simple act of obeisance to Joseph. Tlie pas- sage of Scripture generally cited in support of the worship of images arc taken from those places in the Old Testament in which honour is gi^en to the temple, and its symbolical representations ; and to tlie abuse of all such passages we oppose the direct prohibition of the Second Commandment." One other remark with regard lo some of the following quota- tions from De Sacy : They are not all (I state it on the authority of a French scholar) correct. Nearly all, I have reason to fear, are so rendered by the writers as to convey the most imperfect meaning which the words of De Sacy are capable of bearing. The next quotation is 1 Peter, i. 9 : " Obtaining the salvation of your souls as the end and prize of your faith.". .. ." De Sacy adds both to the text and doctrine of the Vulgate. Prize is d re- ward of merit." Then what of our English Bible ? Is it St. Paul, or do our Translators, teach the doctrine of human merit? — 1 Cor., ix. 21. " I press toward the mark for the PRIZE of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ?" The next passage in De Sacy is, say the writers, " so glaring that the Romish editors of Cologne left it out of their edition of 1793." That is, De Sacy was too Eomish for Rome. I am in- clined to think this is equally credible with the information drawn from McGavin's Protestant. There was a couplet in one of our Scottish school books forty years ago, which I would commend to the study of the writers : — " Lest men suspect your talc untrue. Keep probability in view.'' The words, the writers add, " are only found in the Brussels edition by the British and Foreign Bible Society." Will the writers please make it convenient to tell whe7i this Brussels edition was issued? — and if it is still circulated? There may then be some- thing further said on the subject. I very much doubt the correctness of the next quotation from De Sacy : Rev. viii. 3-4, — "And there was given him much per- fume composed of the prayers of all the saints," &c. ; " and the smoke of the perfume composed" &c. Now, supposing De Sacy'h words arc literally rendered, the word composed is marked in Italics as not in the original. Will the writers please turn up their Eng- lish Bible and read the words in the margin — " there was given to 29 t the end of Jerome and ned towards rs tlie Septu- rcd by most reria, in tlu* ;tants it has Igate in th'iM tation given . Tiie pas- images arc is given to 3 of all sueli ndment." ing quota- i authority on to fear, t imperfect ring. ! salvation " De Sacy e is d re- t St. Paul, ?— 1 Cor., :' the higli so glaring edition of I am in- ion drawji one of our >mmend to 3 Brussels he writers lition was I be somc- itiou from much per- " and the De Sacy's I in Italics their Eng- 13 given to him much incense, that he should add it to the prayers of all saints," &c. Where, after all, is the great difference ? Take De Sacy's, with its word not in the original, but marked as supplied, and our marginal reading : there mav be a material difference. I cannot perceive it. The next passage is Kph. v. 22 : ''This is a great sacrament, say I, in Jesus Christ and in the church." Some misgivings, after all, seem to have arisen in the writers' minds about the word sac- rament. They add : *' None of the Komish versions faithfully translate this word as in the Vulgate : and cither the Vulgate does not attach the same meaning to the terra, or else sacraments arc very numerous and very strange in the church of Rome." Aye, there is a difficulty here. Roman Catholics believe in seven sacraments — not more. There is no necessity whatever — even to get at the meaning of a word — to make people worse than they are. Do the writers know that in Valera's Pro4estant version, circulated I believe by the National Bible Society of Scotland the " Rainbow " is called a sacrament. •' To Episcopalians as such," the writers "have no objections in the world." Well, this is what one, ;»' christian gentleman and scholar, says on this point : — Then there is the word sacr amentum^ or sacrament, especially in Kphc- sians v. 32, which offends very many, as though it countenanced the many sacraments of the Romish Cliurch ; but, as we think very needlessly. The Council of Trent defines a sa(;rament to be "a symbol of a sacred thing, " and a vissible form of invisible grace;" and our own Church more fully describes it as *' an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, given " unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the " samd, and a pledge to assure us thereof." But neither of these senses ap- ply to the interpretation of the word as used in tlie Latin Yulgate or the versions in question. Cranmor and our Reformers distinctly admit, as we must all admit, th«»t " the Scripture showcth not what a sacrament is ; never- "theless, where, in the Latin text, we have sacramentum, there in the "Greek text we have mysterium ; and so, by Scripture, sacramentum may "be called mysterium, a thing hidden or concealed.' In further explana- tion, we may cite the great Calvin, who tells us, " that whenever the author "of the old common version of the New Testament wanted to render the "Greek word * 'mystery,' into Latin, especially where it related to divine "things, he used the word sacramentum; as in Ephcsians i. 9; iii. 3, 3; "CoUossians i. 26, 27; 1 Tim. iii. IG, and elsewhere. In all these places, " where tlie word ' mystery ' is used, the author of that version has rendered " it sacrament. He would not say arcanum * or secret,' lest he should ap- " pear to degrade the majesty of the subject. Therefore he has used the " word ' sacrament ' for a sacred or divine secret. In this signification it " frequently occurs in the writings of the Fathers ; and it is well known that " Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which the Latins denominate sacraments, " are called mysteries by the Greeks — a synonymous use of the terms which " removes all doubt." So then the word sacramentum is used in these ver- sions in the sense of mystery, and can be properly understood in that sense alone. When, in the Communion Service of our Church, and in the Homil- ies, the word '* mystery " is employed with a sacramental meaning, we do not * A Greek word is the qnotatiou here for which be had no type— Printer. 80 ■ I .. I ' ! ii I 'J count matrimony among the sacraments, because the Apo!ther cases, r employed alee ropent- of the most a feeling of e, is lost in 5 word "re- nvertissez- Repent and •pentisrcn- I think that ilt to be far panitentiam" occurs again and again in the Old Testament, lung before the dream of such a sacrament, and it can only bo understood in the sense of a cull to repentance. That uieniorable Council go on to lay, that there is still no sacraniont of penitence (or penance) for the unbaptized; hut it applies solely to the lapsed and to sinn committed after baptism. Now, upon this distinction, it will be difficult to interpret the phrase ''faitet'penitence,"yr\nch never once occurs throughout the Gospels, tlie Acts, or the Epistles, with any reference to penance, or its hollow sacrament. The strongest and most direct use of the phrase will he found, when the stern voice of the holy Bap- tist summoned the Jewish people to repentance ; or when St. Peter, on the memorable day of Penticost, and a second time in the temple, repeated the sayie call, in tones so solemn as to find their echo in our own day, and throughout all time : but the appeal was made to the unbaptized., and only m tlie preparative or pre-requisite to baptism, in which no reference to penance lis a sacrament could be understood or implied. The notes of De Sacy him- self on these passages are as truly Protestant as we could desire, and scarce- ly less edifying; insisting throughout upon a true conversion of the heart to God, and well knowing tliat such a phrase in these cases would not sustain the claims of the confessional. The Komish priest may, for purposes of his own, take these two words apart from their connexion, and issue his mandate for the performance of penance, and an ignorant populace may respond to It : but no simple-minded, still less any serious reader of liis Bible, will or can read these words with their context without detecting the delusion practised upon him ; or in any other sense than of a call to a godly sorrow for sin, without mention of confession to a priest, or any need of his absolution : un- der a full conviction that none can forgive sins but God alone, and that His only sacrifices are that of " a broken heart and a contrite spirit ;" and we Welicve no greater blessing can be conferred upon the Papal nations, than by giving them the Scriptures in their own versions, freed from the injurious notes with which they have been encumbered, and which versions, under the teaching of the Divine Spirit, have been found " able to make men wise unto salvation, through faith whicli is in Christ " Jesus." " The doctriue of a New Testament Sacrificing Priesthood," Do Sacy is next charged with teaching. One or two passages are and it is added : " De Sacy does not translate the word in the Vulgate at all ; he introduces a word never applied in the Vulgate to any rank in the Christian Church" and about seventeen lines fur- tiier down the writers give a sentence which, when I read I was unable to conceive what they meant, or what the sentence was in- tended to convey, " If there were no priesthood countenanced in the Scriptures, what would become of a system of which the priesthood is the very soul?" Passing, however, this luminous sentence, the writers, (because De Sacy use the word Priest,) say '*' Sacrificing Priest is meant." How do they know ? *' To Episco- palians as such ' they ' have no objection in the world." But if the word " Priest" necessarily means " Sacrificing Priest" then, when the English Prayer gives the three orders of the Ministry as held by Episcopalians — " Bishops, Priests, and Deacons," and when the otRciating minister is, in the same Prayer Book frequently called "Priest" — "Sacrificing Priest" must be meant! Do they not know that whatever a Ritualist might hold, such a meaning of the word " Priest" is repudiated by every Evangelical " Pishop, Pres- 86 bytcr, and Deacon " of the Church of England. It is Mihon f think who says, ♦' Presbyter is Priest writ largo." But surely these Ministers should have known that" the word priest is only a contraction of the word presbyter, or elder; and there can be no valid objection to the word itself, so long as we are not taught that the Priests of the New Testament are successors of the Priosts of the old. * * * Priestcraft is the root of Komanism, * * * there is not a single passage to uphold it in the Vulgate, which never colls the Minister of Christ's Church by the name SacerJos, or Sacrificcr." If there is no Sacrificing Priest taught in these versions, there can be iio Sacrifice offered, hence the force which the writers thinic Do Sacy's rendering of Heb. i. 3, x. 12, is not only weakened but de- stroyed. I have now reviewed nearly all the passages given from De Sacy. Quotations from his version, with some readings from the Vulgate and Douay (neither circulated by the Society) are alone objected to. The unnoticed quotations of De Sacy would have been adverted to had space permitted, and had their so called blemishes been really import- ant. The reader must now judge as to whether the attack, or the defence — so far as the objected passages are concerned — has been most successful. Looking at the kind of criticism employed by the writers, and their sweeping dcnounciations of the passages, I repeat that if similar treatment were applied to many passages in our Eng- lish Bible, strange things might be evolved. Doubtless it is possible in any version to " wrest the Scriptures." Every version should be judged as a whole. So will the (circulated) versions be judged by every candid mind. Not what this, or that passage, isolated from the rest, may be supposed to teach ; but what the version is as a whole. The writers sum up as follows : " The Vulgate and the Romish versions fail to set forth the total depravity of man's fallen nature by the omission, addition and change of words, — improper use of words and tenses, the meaning of many important passages of God's word is entirely perverted." Again, " All this and much more like it is sent forth by the British and Foreign Bible Society for ' Inspired truth,' ' Word of Life,' * Holy Scriptures, ' Word of God.' Is there a single individual who has felt the pcwer of divine truth on his own soul, and realized his responsibilitic s lo God who will say that the Modern Vulgate is a faithful Bible, or Romish versions true transla- tions, even of the Vulgate; or justify the Bible Society in sending forth the mass of Popish dogmas, practices and corruptions of the Word of God which these versions contains? Such as (1) The wor- ship of Saints, Angels, Images and relics. (2) The merit of faith, prayer, alms and good works. (3) The dogmas of celibacy indulgen- ces, and purgatory. (4) The Sacraments of Matrimony and penance. (5) The priestly heriarchy. (6) Withholding the Scriptures from S7 ). lilton r priest can bo taught I PriostH I* there rer ealh n'Jicer." ^ero can (inic Bo |but do- Sacy. ^ato and The to had import- er the as been by the repeat ur Eng. possible ould be igcd by rom the whole. Romish ture by F words word is is sent truth,' here a is own lat the ;ransla- ending of tho le wor- ^ faith, lulgen- nance. s from the people. (7) Perverting the meaning of the Word of God. (S) Many large additions to tlio Sacred text." So write the Kev. Messrs. Sutherland and Munro of versions cir- culated which they cannot read. It is not likely their pamphlet will be translated into the French language. Ifut suppose it should, and a French Roman Catholic (one who has heard Rev. Mr. Chinniquay preach from this version) who has been awakened, and is enquiring *• what is truth," reads and ponders it ? Would the pamphlet guide aright, or would it mislead him ? The enquirer had — as hundreds of his countrymen have — from reading De Sacy's Scriptures begun to doubt of *• the worship of saints, angels, images, or relics " — of '* pur gatory," merit of good works," &c. Father Chinniquay's preaching was increasing and strengthening these doubts. Ho finds thcsct wri- ters stating in the most unmistakable language that all these — and almost every Romish error — he ever believed — is in Dc Sacy. What, could he think ? Well ; the Pamphlet will not be read in that lan- guage. Rut as a rotestant, I should blush to find an intelligent Roman Catholic reading it. Protestant controversalists, have again and again met Roman Catholics on their own ground, — combatted their errors, from their own recognised scriptures. Messrs. Suther- land and Munro not only relinquish this ground ; but their belief is here identical with ♦' Rome's own faith." I doubt not but that many Roman Catholic Priests would heartily indorse their view that these doctrines of their church are taught in their Scriptures/ Nor is this the only point on which they and Rome are at one. The spirit manifested in parts of the Pamphlet against the JJible So- ciety is such as I have never seen in any similar production, — except in the language of a Papal Bull. Reading the pamphlet my thoughts reverted to the words of a former Pope thundered against the Society. " We have been truly shocked at this most crafty device — Bible Societies — by which the very foundations o( religion are undermined. We have deliberated upon the measures to be adopted by our Pontifi- cial Authority in order to remedy and abolish this pestilence as far as possible, — this defilement of faith so imminently dangerous to souls." These writers denounce the circulatioa of Vulgate versions. The Priests sometimes burn them. Last December at the Gulf Shore, Wallace, I addressed a meeting on the work of the Bible Society. Some of the audience were Mr. Munro's people. Before separating a half controversial conversation about the disputed versions arose. I mentioned, that the Priests not unfrequently burned them. An old gentleman replied in words which I cannot recall, but their purport was : — That it was no bad thing after all the Priests did. I said " surely you should not say that, Mr. Munro would not burn them — at least he does not say so in his Pamphlet," ^^ But I would*' very emphatically rejoined the old gentlemen. Probably he had " became wiser than his Teacher ;" though it is no wonder that one putting 98 ■ir iraplicit; faith in Mr. Munro's assertions should af^ree with the Homisb Priest in burning De Sacy version of the Holy Scriptures. But havin<:; read what Messrs. Sutherland and Munro have written against these Vulgate versions, it may be well to listen to what others think. The Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society — Thirty-six christian gentlemen — some of them (at least) able to read the hcriptures in the languages circulated, when this question was agitated thirty years ago, said : "Your Committee would remark, that, great as may be the variations between the English and the Portugues, or any other version circulated by the Society, they all teach substantially one and the same Truth — they set forth the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the com- nmnion of the Holy Ghost. They all proclaim who and what the Saviour it, — His proper Deity — His one great Sacrifice for sin — His Intercession with the Father — His cominpr again to Judgment — man's guilt, condemnation, and helplessness— the Holy Spirit's grace, power, and work. They are all, your Committee solenmly believe, able to save the souls of men : "to make men wise unto salvation, through faith whicli is in Christ Jesus." They all say, •' Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life ; and they are they which testify of Me." On these points they think they can produce evidence Avhich is unexceptionable. The Pope, and the whole Roman Catho- lic hierarchy, know and feel that these versions are the Word of God ;— they know, and they feel, that they do bring light among the people ; — they feel that these versions cut '* like a two-edged sword." A greater joy could not be caused at Rome, than that which will be occasioned by this fresh at- tack upon the labours of the Society." Another gentleman, well qualified to judge, writes this year. (I commend his words to those who have read not only Messrs. S. & M.'s pamphlet, but other pamphlets which they have circulated.) " You now see that Popish doctrines are not to be found in the Vulgate versions, even though there are some texts which at first sight seem mis- translated on purpose to uphold them. You see that the mistranslatians have been grossly exaggerated in the pamphlets which you have received, and that they do not interfere with the general tendency of the work. Need 1 add, thdt all the passages to which we Protestants look, as upholding our own views, are to be found in these despised versions ? Protestantism takes its stand on the Bible as the Word of God, and as the final arbiter in all re- ligious discussions. The Bible is, in one sense, the Vicar of Christ, for it is the utterance of Jlis will, so far as that will has been revealed. Protest- ant doctrines are c/erywhere 'n the Bible, Popish doctrines uowhore. Read the Epistle to thj Romans and the Gospel according to St. John in one of the " corrupted" versions, De Saci, for instance, and see how the grand foundation of Chistianity stand forth unimpaired. Mark how the glorious doctrines of justifiction through faith, salvation through the blood of Christ, access to the Father through Christ's intercession, the indwelling of the Spirit of God in the believer, a free and a present pardon for the chief of sinners when he accepts the atonement, — doctrines in behalf of which our Protest- ant forefathers shed their blood, — shine forth in all their splendor in these Vulgate versions. And if it is so, why should the Bible Society be troubled and hindered in its course when it circulate these books among Roman Cathc^lics in the name of the Lord Jesus ? I know we ought to respect tender consciences and religious scruples. But have not Romanists any conscience s« K 80 Imisb (itten thers Itj- [read was with I, and your men H> at all? Aro they not acting according to wlial they have been taught in refus- ing Protestant versions? Are they not systematically trained in the belief that Protestantants are unbelievers, and that Protestant versions of the Bible are full of deadly errors ? And if this is the case, is it the business of the Bible Society rudely to disregard those prejudices, trample upon those scruples, and to thrust Protestant versions upon men whether they will take them or not? I have been u reader of the Bible Society's Reports for years and years, and I know nothing more cheering, amidst the troubles in which our own country sometimes appears to be involved, than to take up these Reports and see how, by the instrumentality of this Society, the Word of Ood is slowly but surely making its way through the world, and shall I re- fuse to have a hand in this glorious work, because the Society sells Vulgate versions to those continental Roman Catholics who have been brought up to reject Protestantism ? No. I will gladly help to give them the more imper- fot translation, because I know that the reading of it has so often proved a blessing to their souls, and because I am aware that it has often led to their purchasing the less imperfect, that is the Protestant, version. And as for condemning the Society for its conduct in this matter, I will rather learn to exercise a generous confidence in this policy, knowing that they v^dll nerer lose sight of the importance of substituting the Protestant versions for thofld which were made from the Vulgate whenever it becomes practicable." Let the reader now carefully ponder the following facts : I. It! the countries where the versions of De Sacy, Scio, Pereira, and Slartini have been circulated, Protestant versions had been intro- duced. They are still as extensiveFy as possible circulated. II. It is, as has been said, long (more than 50 years now) since these versions (or some of them) were JSrst circulated by the Society. Although the fact was never concealed but in every Report avowed, for about twenty years, hardly an objection was urged against the work. III. The British and Foreign Bible Society did not make any ol" these versions, nor did they introduce them among a people whero they had not been before. They merely promote their circulation ** without note or comment " where more or less copies had been cir- culating with notes, some of which notes were perhaps good, others the reverse. IV. Even those Vulgate versions have only been circulated by the Society, when bettf^r versions would not be taken. The 'Colporteur has invariably bet^ii iustructed to take whenever practicable the Prot- estant version with the so called Romish version — to o£fer the former first. If it was purchased, well. If it were refused, offer the other, rather than let the individual or fam'ly remai" without any copy of the Word of Gcd. V. Other Societies, Individuals, even Churches, havo circulated these Vulgate versions. For example. Before tlie British and Foreign Bible Society had moved in assisting the circulation of Dt Sacy's version in France, the Philadelphia Bible Society had priat- ed a large edition of it for gratuitous circulation in Louisiania — of whoso population three-fourths wore auid to be lioman CatholiofW 40 I The Russian Bible Society had completed the printing of De Sacy's version for the use of French Roman Catholics, before the Com- mittee of the Bible Society had moved a step in the matter. The American Bible Society brought out a large edition of Scio's ver- sion for distribution among the Roman Catholics of Mexico be- fore the British and Foreign had assisted with that version at all. And as has been said the late Henry Drummond of whose Protes- tantism there was, and is no doubt, at his own expense got out an edition of Martini, when he knew that Dioaditi would not be taken , The Douay Bible has never been circulated by the Bible Society. Its character has been thus stated : — *' The Douager lihemish translation ; appears to be justly chargeable with many wilful perversions of the sacred text, sometimes by its forced render- ings, and sotnc'times, as in the phrase of " doing penance," by the literal translation of an idiom foreign to our language. It was avowedly un- dertaken for the purpose of counteracting the English translations then in use ; its authors do not scruple to tell us, in the Preface, that it was prepared with a view to displace what they are pleased to call "profane translations," and in order that the " impure versio: " of the Protesants might be laid aside. Tlie notes attiiched to it are often of the worst and most virulent de- Hcription : and wlioever will take the trouble of examining the version itself, will liud enough to justify the historian ITuller, when he said, that *'itis a " translation which needs to be translated," and that '• its editors by all means " laboured to suppress the light of Truth, on one pretence or other." The Society for Irish Church Missions to the Roman Catholics, has made a large distribution of this version. Its members saw that our authorized version would not be received. They circulate the Douay and God's blessing has followed their efforts. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is engaged in similar work. In page 10, British Messenger, Jan. 1868, (Peter Drummond, Stir- ling), the following words occur : " The system of Colportage has now been spread over almost the whole Island ; and the Presby- terian Church alone, already employs twenty-nine agents in Lein- ster, Munster and Conuought. ' Visited 84 Roman Catholic families in six montlis,* one of them states ' and in almost every house left a Douay Testament.' " (Query. Might not the authors of the Pamphlet issue " Reasons of exception to the circulation of a Romish version of the Scriptures, by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland?" Should they decline this, could they not recorrf" a Pro- test V* They may rest assured it would do no harm.) VI. No Bible Society which has not circulated more or less ex- tensively the Scriptures in versions from the Vulgate, has done much in the way of giving the word of God to Roman Catholics. If this statement is incorrect, will the Writers shew its inaccuracy? — Specifying the Sociey, shewing, Wten, where, and to what extent it has distributed among Roman Catholics, protestant versions ex- clusively ? k jun- ^he rer- jbe- lU. fes- an ten, ^'ty. 4 41 VII. No case has, so far as I know, been even alleged of a Protestant having been perverted by reading these Scriptures, or a Roman Catholic confirmed in his errors. Now, if after these ver- sions have been circulating for 50 years, no such case can be fur- nished. Is it not the strongest proof that these versions are not popish? The Writer of the Pamphlet have "uttered many hard words" against the Bible Society and DeSacy's version. Had that version been the Mass hook instead of the Holy Scriptures, I scarcely see how they could have said more bitter things of it. But in all the Pamphlet, — from beginning to end — (including the Appendix) — (here is no cas€' furnished of any one having been perverted by De Sacy or by any other Vulgate version. In 1867, Mr. Munro went to the expense of advertising in a Halifax News- paper, a number of Pamphlets published in London against the Bible Society. He was, publicly challenged to produce from any of these pamphlets one case of perversion. He did not attempt it then ; he has tried it now. Few, who read his Pamphlet, will doubt but that he would have done it had it been possible. But while no case of perversion has been alleged ; numberless instances of God's blessing attending each version circulating are known. The reader is requested to recall what on former pages is said on this point. The cases given are few compared with those which might have been adduced. If, as the Writers say (page 4) " It would be contrary to all our ideas of the blessed God that he would own and bless as his truth, anything but what is his truth." Since God has so largely blessed each version circulated. What is the inference we are warranted to draw of its character? VIII. In 1816, Pius VII publicly denounced the Bible Society. Did any Pope do this before ? I believe not. The Society had been in existence twelve years, but during nearly all this time pro- testant versions were exclusively circulated. Then, so far as I am nware, the Pope was silent. About the time the Vulgate versions tvero adopted^ the Pope spoke out. Each succeeding Pontiff (the present not excepted) has followed Pious VII. example. Let the r ader ponder this. TX. Supposing the work of circulating these Vulgate versions were immediately discontinued, Bible circulation would be very largely decreased. The following was written by De Pressense more than twelve years ago, after he had laboured for the Society in France 23 years : I AM fully and deeply convinced, that as respects France, there is urgent necessity for the continuance of the distribution of Catholic versions, even tliough >ve may at the same time seek to increase as much as possible the circulation of Protestant versions. On this head I have not the shadow of a ioubt as respects the version of De Sacy. Wore Protestant versions only to be distributed, disastrous coniequences for the work in France would be the Immediate result. For— 42 (1.) It would be generally impossible for the Colporteurs to get their hooka stamped, or the authorization to sell thera. Now you are aware that without the accomplishment of these formal acts, the work of colportage cannot be pursued in this country. Were each one of our, Colporteurs to present copies of Protestant versions only for the purpose of stamping, and as we have Colporteurs in nearly every one of the Departments, it would very speedly be asserted in the offices of the Prefects tliat a work of Protestant propagandism was aimed at. The Colporteurs are not, and cannot be re- garded as aught else than as venders of the Sacred Scriptures, used both by Catholics and by Protestants ; — as persons who do not avowedly set out with the stamp of this or that religion, and who do not proclaim tliemselves as the instruments of a Protestant Propagandism. Such being the case — and I vouch for its accuracy — were you now to withdraw the version of l)e Sacy from the catalogue of books which our Colporteurs have to present for the purpose of stamping, — were you to make up this catalogue solely of Pro- testant versions, I can assure you that in three-fourths of the Departments at least they would not obtain the authorizations, which thus far they have obtain ?d r/ith so much ease. (2.) it would, moreover, augment the difficulties thrown in our way by the Romish clergy. These do all in thdir power to i)revent their parishioners from purchasing the Scriiptures : they would, in such a case, increase their efforts, and, it is quite evi . \\t, with increased success, when able to say that the work of the Colporteur u ' in anv way concern the Boman Catholics, but only the Protestants, sin ^c books offered by them were of the Pro- testant version only. (3.) It would further increase the difficulties on the part of the purchasers. Although., in France, there are no prejudice against the Evangelical religion, there is in many minds a serious prejudice against an official Protestantism. In order not needlessly to offend a population who have been brought up as Koman Catholics, our Colporteurs present themselves as Christains, — as men who practise the religion taught in the Book which they sell. This procures them an easy access everywhere. The Scriptures are purchased, and in my forthcoming quarterly Report I shall acquaint you with some par- ticulars of th.e good affects which are produced by these distributions, even when it is the version of De Sacy that is circulated. Verily, can the sup- pression of the distribution of this version be even thought of? I am well aware that some of your countrymen, who have interested themselves in the distribution of copies among the soldiers, have written to you to the effect, that tliere was not the least difficulty in distributing copies of the Protestant version. What was thus said on this sulyect was quite correct. But please bear in mind, that nothing can be concluded from such a special case that could in any way invalidate what I have said above. In fact, these distributions among the soldiers were carried on gratis, or at very reduced prices ; so that in almost e^'cry case the book supplied was consid- ered as a present. N(nv those who were thus favoured would have "given evidence of very bad grace had they not accepted, without remark or objec* tion, the Book so freely offered to them. And further, all these soldiers were completely beyond the influence of the Priests, and nearly all of them were unaware that Martin and Ostervald were Protestants. About the same time, Mr. Kirkpatrick, Depository for the So- ciety in Brussels, wrote : CoNCEUNiNo the dissemination of De Sacy's version of the Scriptures in Belgium, I beg to state that I do not think the time has yet come when such distribution can be dispensed with altogether. At present, as you will have noticed by our accounts, the circulation of Protestant versions in this country V 48 far exceeds that of the Roman C.ithoiic Scriptures. Yot there are many conscientious Catholics who willin{,'Iy receive the latter, when they would on no account open a book with the nanie of David Martin on the title-page. I believe that an immediate and entire withdrawal of De Sacy's vereion from our distributions would be very injurious to our work, nor do-I think that such a withdrawal would be possible at the present moment. The reading of De Sacy's frequently leads to inquiry for the Protestant version. De PresseusJ^ writing to the Committee, says : " Since the question relating to the circulation of the version of De Sacy has so much occupied the attention of the Committee, I have endeavoured, as far as this was practicable, to collect infor- mation as to the number of Protestant Bibles which have been ap- plied for after reading the New Testament of De Sacy. While certainly keeping within the limits of what is really the case, I can state that for the last quarter, for instance, the number had exceed- ed 200 copies. And judging from the declaration of all the per- sons who have arrived at such a decision, 't is quite positive that these Bibles would not thus have been applied for if the New Tes- tament of De Sacy had not in the first iustance been supplied." X. The nations of Europe that about 300 years ago became Protestant, continue so. Those that were Roman Catholics then, are so still. If these versions are to be at once and totally discon- tinued, what can be done ? In some of these countries the preach- ing of the Gospel is (or until lately Avas) interdicted. In some a tract coidd scarcely be given away ; but in all these countries the Word of God can be circulated. Should anything be done to hin- der its circulation? XI. It might be shewn by the testimony of the Foreign Agents of the Society that, if in all countries the circulation of these Vulgate ver,« Eighty-Two Languages or Dialects in which the Society has pro- moted the Distribution, Printing, or Translation of the Scriptures, Directly - - in 138 Languages or Dialects - ) ij, ^ 1 jg^ Indirectly in 44 ditto i 60 lit* The number of Versions (omitting those wliich are printed in ditTeront (yharactcrs only) is 220. Of these, 168 are Versions prepared since the year 1804. (iii) The Circui-ation of the Scriptures shewH also a great increase; — l)urin(^ the first four years the number was - 81,167 copies. Last year alone, at home and abroad • 2,400,776 " The total from the commencement - • 55,069,865 " Other Bible Societies, aided in former years by grants from the funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have been instrumental in distributing more tlian Forty-one Millions more ; so that the circulation, by means of these combined Societies, amounts to upwards of Ninety-six Millions of copies of the Holy Scriptures, in whole or part. It is not too much to say, that by the tranalution, printing, and circulationof the Bible, within the present century, the Records of inspired Truth have been rendered accessible to about Six HiTNiiUEi) Mlllions of the human family. Such is a brief summary of the operations of the British and Foreion Bible Society. These statements are given, not in the spirit of self-boast^ ing, but with humble thankfulness to that gracious God, who has condescended tu employ tlie Society to do His work, and thereby to accomplish Uis purposes- KECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE. Ueceipi 8 During the Past Year : — For the General Purposes £93,898 6 3 For Bibles and Testaments £86,819 17 11 For India and China £1,186 13 5 For Building Fund £5,029 7 For Paris Exhibition Fund £663 9 6 Total £186,597 13 1 Kxpenditurk : — During the past year £200,879 8 8 Engagement to the present date £112,027 17 7 Expenditure from commencement £6,365,926 1 10 • <] FUTURE EFFORTS. If it was originally necessary to form such a society, it has become doubly imperative to perpetuate its labours, and to extend them, if the expectations that have been raised are to be realized, and that trust faithfully discharged, which, in the good providence of God, has devolved upon the Society. Christian Ministers at home, and Christian Missionaries abroad, are looked to it for supplies ; and many who are engaged in the work of Education rest their hopes upon it, as the means of affording religious instruction to the voung; — and shall they ask in vain? Never were there such openings for the introduction of the Scriptures, in every part of the word. The Society still stands in need of the unremitting exertions of its friends, for the accom- plishment of its high and sacred purposes. In the emphatic language of a former Bishop of Calcutta, it niay now be said, with greater emphasis than ever, that " India, with its millrons, waits for our labours." China, with its eountlesa population, has received, during the past year, One Hundred and Seventy Thousands copies of the Scriptures, Central Europe more than Six Hundred Thousand topies. Northern Europe One Hundred and Sixty Thousand copies, and France more thaa Ninety Thousand copies. Italy has receiyed nearly Forty-nine Thousand copies in the same period, making a total of about 270,000 copies in eight years. Turkey is largely indebted iivery year to the Society for a liberal circulation of the Scriptures in nearly thirty languages. Africa, North, Souvh, and West, the Islands of the Pacific, Now Zealand, Australia, Madagasca, the vast Provinces of British North Anjerica, Mexico, South America, the West Indies, and other portions of the Ik 4 T» /] 51 world arc deriving from tlie Society, a constant tupply of the word of Qod adequate to meet the increasing demands that arise. In nearly all th^se countricH enlarged operations are eittier commenced or contemplated. We must not forget that other influences are abroad. Romanism is com- passing sea and land to make its proselytes, even fi-om our l*rotest«nt com- munities and our Missionary settlements ; and on the other hand Infidelity is fearfully at work to corrupt all private morals, to overturn the social system, and to destroy the best hopes of man. Who than, can think of the pMt labours or present prospects of the Society, and at tiie same time remember his own fleeting opportunities for usefhlness, without remembering the divine iiviunction— "Whatsoever thy hand flndeth to do, do it with thy might 1" "Work while it is called to-day: the night cometli wherein no man can work ?" The concluding request to the friends of the Bible Is : Give all you can spare yourselves ; Obtain what you can from others ; l*rat for the success of the society ; ami in doing so, you will not only perform a duty, but enjoy a privilege, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus : ** It IS MORE BLESSED TO «IVR THAN TO RECEIVE." V A ll^ 71 . T7"^ -^7 -^^— ..„, ^^ ^„,^ "'„"■' " — J^»W^ «ilf«i«i »> ; • M- Fage 8, 1 10, it ti 2^. 27, 81, 86, 40, EBBATA* ne 8, for " ten " versiona read ** two " versiou^/ * 3, for " contrasts " read " contrast." ' 16, for " l»er8ira*s Bible" read "AlmeMa's Bible/' ' 24, for *• their" read "there." ' 48, for "proposition" read "preposition." ' 4, for " Matt. xvi. 28 "read " Matt. xxvi. 28." ' 34, for " passages are ^ead " passages are givwiw" * 12, for ♦* Douager ^^^a^ " Douay/* *^-= 1 i .t.h n.