Article 6. All Life Directors shall have the privilege of participating in the deliberations of the Board, and such Life Directors as are members in good standing of Baptist churches, shall be members of the Board. The report of the committee on Bible distribution was taken up, and after a free and animated discussion, article by article, was adopted. The Delegates from Auxiliary Societies were requested to furnish the Secretary with a list of names. NEW-HAMPSHIRE. DELEGATES. Otsego Bible Association-Lewis Ray Cornish Flat Bible Society-D. Bud-mond, Nath. Post. wright. VERMONT. Vermont B. Society-Enoch T. Winter, Elijah Hutchinson, W. G. Johnson. Fairfield Association-S. Fletcher. MASSACHUSETTS. Fall River Baptist Bible Society—Asa Bronson, Thomas I. Wells, John Eddy. CONNECTICUT. Hartford Association-I. L. Hodge, H. D. Doolittle, E. B. Atwell. Connecticut State Bible Society-B. Cook, jr. I. Cookson, I. H. Baker, Ñ. E. Shailer, R. H. Neale, J. B. Gilbert, Turnbull, E. Denison, L. Howard. Essex and Champlain AssociationW. I. Cutting. Baptist Church, Cazenovia VillageLewis Leonard. Bible Society of York, Livingston Co.Wm. Arthur. Broome and Tioga Bible Society-A. Wheelock. Baptist Church, West Troy-F. S. Parr." Baptist Church, Staten Island-S. White, G. Fountain, A. Reed. Bible Society of the 1st Bap. Ch. N. Y. R.-S. Pier, Joshua Geer, Nicholas B. Lyon, Stonington Union As.-Alfred Gates. New-Haven Baptist Association—Josh. W. Eaton. Stamford Bible Society-W. Biddle, Henry Little. NEW-YORK. Pearl-street Bible Society, Albany-B. T. Welch, F. Humphrey, Wm. Adams, Daniel Peck. Hudson Bible Society-Moses Field, C. W. Watrous. Bible Society of Albany county and vicinity-J. G. Wasson, W. A. T. Dale, C. Van Loon. Rensselaer county A. and F. Bible S. B. M. Hill, Norman N. Wood, Evert Ostrander. Bap. Mis. Con. of the state of N. Y.Elon Galusha, I. Olmstead, Evert Ostrander. Poughkeepsie Bible Society-Thomas Wilks, Jas. M. Miles, Jenney. Madison Association Bible SocietyJohn Peck, Lewis Leonard, John Smitzer, James Edmonds, jr. Bible Society of Hamilton InstitutionR. M. Prentice, I. T. Seeley, E. C. Brown, E. Ely, A. Ten Brook, D. I. Lloyd. Washington Union Association-N. Fox, D. Harrington, H. T. Baldwin. Dutchess Association-L. W. Webster, I. Bevan, F. Winter, P. Roberts, jr. B. B. St. John. Oliver-st. Bap. Ch. N. Y.-Spencer H. Cone, Thomas Garniss, Wm. Colgate, Thomas Purser, Wm. Williams, R. Pegg, Geo. Colgate, John Colgate, Jno. West, L. Davies, G. N. Bleecker, Jacob Smith, James Wilson, R. King. South Baptist Church B. S.-Charles G. Sommers, N. Caswell. North Beriah B. S.-D. Dunbar, W. Church. 18th-street Baptist Ch. B. S.-I. L. Hodge, J. B. Halstead. Stanton-st. Bap. Ch. B. S.-George Benedict, J. N. Wyckoff. 1st Brooklyn Bap. Ch. B. S.-Silas I. Ilsley, E. Corning, E. Lewis. Seneca Association Bible Society-Jas. McLallen. NEW-JERSEY. Bible Society of Burlington-George Allen, Jas. E. Welch, Samuel Aaron. New-Jersey State Convention-J. C. Harrison, C. W. Mulford, C. J. Hopkins. Bible Society of the 2d Bap. Ch. Middletown-W. D. Hires. Sussex Baptist Association-I. Moore, T. C. Teasdale. Paterson Bap. Bible Society-Z. Gre nell. PENNSYLVANIA. Bible Society of Philadelphia city and county-R. Babcock, jr. I. M. Allen, B. R. Loxley, C. B. Keyes, J. M. Linnard, On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously Resolved, That all moneys in the treasury be applied to home or foreign distribution of the scriptures, at the discretion of the Board of Managers, except where the donors have specially designated them. Adjourned to Saturday evening, 7 o'clock. Prayer by Brother J. B. Taylor, of Virginia. A large number of Life Directors, Life Members, Annual Subscribers, and Delegates from Auxiliary Societies, assembled in Oliver-street, on Tuesday, 24th April, for the purpose of hearing from the brethren the views of the denomination in different parts of the United States, with reference to the future operations of the Society. The meeting was one of unusual interest. The day was spent in a free and full interchange of opinion upon the Bible Cause, and in frequent addresses to the Throne of Grace. The spirit of devotion, and an ardent desire to glorify God and promote the best interests of the human family, were delightfully manifested, and prepared the way for the harmonious sessions of the Society, and of the General Convention, which occupied the remainder of the week. "Behold! how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" April 28th, 1838. The Society met, pursuant to adjournment, at 7 o'clock, P. M. The President in the chair. The 35th chap. of Isaiah was read by Brother Mason, of S. C. Prayer by Brother B. Sears, of Massachusetts. The following abstract of the treasurer's account, was presented, and on motion of W. Southwood, of Virginia, seconded by John Peck of New-York, was accepted. 1837 TREASURER'S REPORT. WM. COLGATE, in acc't with the AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. April 21. To balance transferred from the American and Foreign Bible To amount of receipts from Auxiliary Societies, Associations, DR. $4855 14 33859 52 Aug. 10. By appropriations to the Baptist General Convention, in the United States, for Missionary purposes, to aid in printing and circulating the Sacred Scriptures, in the following languages, viz. $38714 66 CR. Dec. 2. June 6. By Baptist Missionary Society, London, for printing and circulating the Sacred Scriptures, in the Bengali, and other languages of India, 5062 43 By Amount of Salary and Travelling expenses paid to Agents, 2839 03 By Paper and Binding, Annual Report, Quarterly Papers, &c. 894 41 17 24 By Counterfeit Bank Notes, 15 00 By loss on a Bill of Exchange, purchased by the Rev. R. B. 308 50 19078 05 $38714 66 The undersigned having audited the above account, find it correct. NEW-YORK, APRIL 28th, 1838. The balance in the Treasury is composed of the following items. The President, Spencer H. Cone, of New-York, then addressed the meeting. BRETHREN, AND FRIENDS OF THE BIBLE CAUSE! To the God of all grace and all consolation, we would render heartfelt thanksgiv ings for the privilege of celebrating the Anniversary of the AMERICAN AND FOREIgn BiBLE SOCIETY, under circumstances of so much mercy. During the past year, the meet ings of the Board of Managers have been characterized by uninterrupted harmony; brethren and sisters in various parts of our beloved country, have made arrangements efficiently to co-operate with us in our work of faith and labour of love; notwithstanding the pecuniary embarrassments of the times, more than thirty-three thousand dollars have been paid into the Treasury; and the almost unanimous voice of the denomination has directed us to aid, according to our ability, in printing and circulating the sacred scriptures IN ALL LANDS. Animated by these cheering considerations, we are constrained, like Samuel, to erect our Ebenezer between Mizpeh and Shen, and joyously exclaim, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us ! The providential events connected with the origin of this Institution have been so frequently and fully exhibited, that I need not repeat them. It is nevertheless expedient and proper to reiterate the fundamental principle upon which the Society is based, that it may be impressed indelibly upon the public mind. THE BIBLE TRANSLATED is our PRINCIPLE, and the MOTTO of our holy enterprise. And why should the announcement of this principle excite either surprise or indignation? It is neither new nor wicked; it has been sanctioned by bishops and learned men; by the good and the great, of different names and of different climes; and by no one has it been more candidly or explicitly stated, than by the venerable President of the American Bible Society. In his last annual address he thus speaks. "Our duty, my brethren, is both imperative and plain. We cannot be too particular in admonishing all who receive our aid in the work of translation, to conform faithfully and minutely to the originalsto beware of incurring the awful guilt of adding to or taking aught from the Divine Word-to bear in mind the momentous truth that he who is employed in transferring the messages of Heaven from their originals to another language, is bound to exercise the same accuracy and fidelity in rendering, that the inspired penmen were in recording, the communications of the Most High." To this language we accord our hearty Amen! CONFORM FAITHFULLY AND MINUTELY TO THE ORIGINALS-how pure and scriptural! and how strikingly in contrast with the rule, " to encourage only such versions as conform in the principles of their translation, to the Common English Version!”—a rule which is essentially the same as the Roman Catholic Decree which proclaimed the Latin Vulgate to be the Infallible Standard. Let those work under this rule who choose to do so; we cannot-we dare not. The Word of God must not be bound; let it have free course and be glorified. We are aware of the fact, that our separate action in the Bible cause has been ascribed to pride, to sectarianism, to passion; some have recklessly named motives still more offensive. But a satisfactory answer to all these unkind allegations will be found in a patient continuance in well-doing; and believing that our witness is in Heaven, and our record on high, we may confidently hope so to conduct the affairs of the Society, as ultimately to disarm opposition of its influence, and prejudice of its sting. The importance of union among christians, in their efforts to evangelize the world, is not only cheerfully acknowledged, but we do desire with all our hearts constantly to promote it; and nothing is to us more evident, than that the principle involved in our Bible operations, is the only one that can ever accomplish this desirable result. All enlightened men admit that the Bible is not a Sectarian Book. It is the One Book of the One Living and Triune Jehovah! It reveals but one pure and undefiled Re B 66 ligion, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism." Who, then, does not perceive that if all christians understood and obeyed the commandments of the Bible, they would keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? No longer carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, but receiving and loving the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, that TRUTH would make them FREE from all the diversified forms of human error, and the inevitable consequence must be CHRISTIAN UNION. All attempts to secure this object by an abandonment of minor differences and " non-essentials;" or by so constructing translations "as that all religious denominations may consistently use and circulate them," must prove ineffectual. They leave imperfect human beings, whose opinions are as various as their faces, to decide what truths are worth cleaving to, and what truths may be disregarded, and union is the promised fruit of such procedure. Upon the head and front of schemes like these, absurdity is strongly marked. My brethren, our principle is the true one. SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES is the direction of the Great Teacher ;-there is the Judge that ends the strife, when wit and reason fail. And that the Bible may be an intelligible guide, it must be faithfully translated by sound Philologists, not by selfish sectarians. Translators must abide by the honest canons of just interpretation, and like Tyndall, defy the Pope and all his laws; and when the design of that skilful and devout pioneer, shall be fully attained by still more holy and competent linguists, and the scriptures shall be plainly laid before men's eyes in their mother tongue, so that the boy who drives the plough may understand what he reads; when the unadulterated word of God shall be practically received as the Infallible Standard, then shall the Watchmen on Zion's walls see eye to eye, and the host of God's elect lift up the voice together; together shall they shout Hallelujah, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! Ephraim shall no longer envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim," and upon the banner of every tribe belonging to the true Israel of God, shall be inscribed in characters of gold, CHRISTIAN UNION! The Baptists have not usually enjoyed a large portion of worldly goods, and therefore have been frequently obliged to make great efforts and sacrifices to maintain a separate ministry of the gospel. Why have they thus acted, when there have been so many learned and evangelical preachers of other denominations, upon whose ministrations they might have waited at comparatively trifling expense? Confessedly because they believed themselves to be witnesses for God, and under the most sacred obligaIn this character, tion to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. they have borne testimony, even unto the death, to the ORDINANCES as well as to the DOCTRINES of the Lord; and however the statement by some may be ridiculed or impugned, we do nevertheless most steadfastly believe, that this distinct Baptist ministry has been blessed of God, not only to the conversion and edification of millions of deathless souls, but to the promulgation and establishment in the earth, of the truth as it is in Jesus. From our distinct Bible organization results equally beneficial may be confidently anticipated. We shall be instrumental in multiplying copies of pure versions of the scriptures, and of counteracting the effects of corrupt and mutilated translations. I hold in my hand a copy of the Bengálí New Testament, translated from the Greek, by the Calcutta Baptist missionaries, printed at the Baptist mission press, for the American and Foreign Bible Society, in 1837. This is our first fruits unto God. Many thousand copies of this edition, in separate gospels and in entire volumes, have been already circulated, at the expense of this Society. Permit me now to show you a copy of the Chinese New Testament, lithographed in Batavia, under the superintendence of Rev. W. H. Medhurst, of the London Mis"In sionary Society. Upon the cover, one of our missionaries has thus written. |