distinct Bible organization; but though I rejoice in what your society has done for the past year, I question whether it ought not to be so modified as fairly to represent and fully to meet the wishes of the whole denomination. I trust, however, that the united wisdom of the Convention, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in answer to prayer, have prompted the adoption of the best possible course. The next question, therefore, is-to what object you ought primarily to direct your efforts-what translations in the East claim your aid? 1st. The Burmese, which is the result of the labour of many successive years. It has been published in four vols. octavo, and we are now preparing to publish a new edition, in which the whole will be comprised in one volume quarto This translation is read throughout Burmah and Arracan. 2d. The Peguan, which will be read by a population of about 100,000 Peguans in the British provinces, the neighbourhood of old Pegu and Siam. 3d. The Karen, by Brother Mason of Tavoy,-a translation, which will be read by all the Karens throughout Burmah and Siam, as fast as they become a reading people. The New Testament is, I believe, nearly done. May the translator's life be spared to finish the whole Bible! 4th. The Siamese, by Brother Jones of Bankok, which will be read throughout the kingdom of Siam. 5th. The Shyan, by Brother Brown of Sadiya, which will be read throughout all the northern Shyan states. All the above translations are original, that is, made into languages, into which neither the Bible, nor any considerable portion of Scripture had ever been translated before. I may add 6thly. The Bengali by Brother Yates, which, though not original, having been preceded by Dr Carey's and others, is really a new translation, and undoubtedly the best one ever made into that language. All the translators above mentioned (the present company always excepted,) I know from personal acquaintance, to be able, competent men-philologists, scholars-candid, upright, conscientious searchers after truth-men, who would rather have their right hands cut off, than knowingly pervert a single particle of the word of God--men, who are worthy the entire confidence of the Christian public. Now to support them and their assistants, while perfecting themselves in their respective languages, completing their translations and improving them in successive editions; to support printers, furnish presses, paper, workmen, &c sufficient to meet the increasing deman for the scriptures; and to provide means for the distribution of the books when made, throughout these eastern lands, require large supplies from the charity of the Churches. And as we are all sworn to give, in our translations, to the best of our ability, the word of God, the whole word, and nothing but the word, in defiance of the lady of Babylon and all her progeny; there is no point in the whole visible creation to which we can look for support, but "The American and Foreign Bible Society." Here we stand; we cannot change our position; we must not desert our post: God help us and you! In the preceding I have mentioned six translations only; but every year will doubtless bring a new one. We have the Paho, the Toung-thoo and the Kyen just at our door. And how many are at the doors of Penkok and Sadiya, and on the way to China, and in Great China, and in all Asia, and unexplored Africa, and the islands of the sea, what pen is competent to set forth? The Angel with the everlasting gospel has already poised his wing and commenced his flight. May the prayers and the alms of the church speed him on his glorious career through the wide world! Yours faithfully, BIBLICAL LIBRARY. Ä JUDSON. The following additions have been made since July. King James' Bible, Black letter, 1st edition. 1 vol. folio; printed by Robert Barker, London, 1611; under the superintendence of a Committee of the Translators. (Exceedingly scarce and valuable.) Presented by Robert F. Winslow, Esq. of New-York. La Sainte Bible, printed at Geneva, 1705. 1 vol. quarto. Presented by S. H. Cone. The Calcutta Baptist Missionaries have sent seven copies of the Bengali N. Testament, 8vo. ; besides numerous specimens of the Gospels and Acts, put up together, and separately, for gratuitous distribution, in the Bengali, Hindustani, and Armenian languages. LOSS BY FIRË. On the night of the 30th August, 1838, the printing establishment of Brother John Gray, No. 222 Water-street, New-York, was destroyed by fire. By this providential dispensation, the American and Foreign Bible Society has sustained no little detriment. The first edition of 25,000 copies of the Sunday School New Testament, 18mo. printed as far as 2d Cor. was entirely consumed, and one set of stereotype plates materially injured It will require nearly fifteen hundred dollars to repair the damage, and will probably postpone the publication of the Testament to the latter part of December But He who is too wise to err hath done it, and we believe He also will overrule it for good. Upon His gracious providence, and the kind co-operation of our friends in the Bible cause, we confidently rely for the means to do our full share, as Baptists and as Americans, in the work of Home Distribution. NEW AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. Young Men's New-York City Bible Society, Recognised, August 1, 1838. do. do. do. do. do. October 1st. do. TREASURER'S ACCOUNT. Moneys received by WILLIAM COLGATE, Treasurer of the" American and Foreign Bible Society," 1838. WM. COLGATE Esq. Treasurer, 6 Dutch-street. Rev. CHARLES G. SOMMERS, Corresponding Secretary, 82 Madison-street, N. Y. This publication is periodical, contains a half sheet, and the postage for any distance under 100 miles, is 1 1-2 cents ; for any distance over 100 miles, 2 1-2 cents. Through the interposition of a kind Providence, the Corresponding Secretary of the American and Foreign Bible Society, has again been restored to his accustomed duties. Correspondents are therefore requested, as heretofore, to direct their communications to him at 82 Madison-street, NewYork. With regard to the object which carried him to Great Britain, in July last, he may state, that his labours in behalf of the Canada Baptist Mission and the cause of ministerial education were blessed of God, and that having performed his engagements in that quarter, he devoted the remaining time of his visit in London, principally to the interests of the Bible Society. He was enabled to collect for the Biblical library, some rare and valuable works bearing on the subject of Bible translations, a list of which is given in the present quarterly paper. In addition, he may say generally, that the British Baptists highly approve, under existing circumstances, of the organization of our society, and regard the date of its formation, as a happy epoch in our denominational history. Although, as yet, no tangible manifestation of their sentiments has been made, still their language to us is, The smiles of Israel's God be upon your labours, and make you abundantly instrumental in building up the waste places of Zion, and in giving to a dying world, the book of God, pure as it came from the fount of heaven's inspiration. SOCIETY'S PUBLICATIONS. After unforeseen and unavoidable delays, we are happy to announce to our auxiliaries and friends generally, that the first edition of twenty-five thousand copies of the New Testament, for Sunday Schools, is ready for delivery at 12 1-2 cents per single copy, bound in cloth, and at 16 cents in sheep, lettered; the neatest and cheapest New Testament ever published in this city. It would have appeared sooner, but for the destruction of the Printing Office by fire, on the 30th of August last; this, with other circumstances not under our control, has prevented the earlier accomplishment of our wishes. God's ways are not as our ways, neither are his thoughts as our thoughts. He blesses even when he smites. The Brevier 12mo New Testament, comprising two hundred and fifty-two pages, will be ready for delivery in about three weeks. Both these editions of the inspired book, are reprints from King James' version of 1611. No alterations have been made, except where the orthography required to be modernized, including the proper use of the indefinite article. Orders for books, until further notice, may be sent to the Treasurer, No. 6 Dutch-street, New-York. The following are specimens of the type: SPECIMENS OF THE PRINTING TYPES OF THE SOCIETY'S BOOKS. Nonpareil Sunday School Testament. EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. A communication of unusual interest has been received by the Corresponding Secretary, from Mr. Shuck, our missionary at Macao, China, which but for its length, is worthy of being given entire: we are compelled only to His feelings towards the American and Foreign Bible Society, he extract. thus expresses: "I assure you, my dear brother, that my heart greatly rejoices in the success which attends the American and Foreign Bible Society, and I shall still more rejoice to learn that our whole denomination has become united in the idea of both Foreign and Home distribution. I cannot see why your society may not regard the entire world, as the grand field of its operations, and direct its energies accordingly. I perceive, however, from my latest papers, that a few of our good brethren, in America, think differently. From the first agitation of the question I have had but one opinion on the subject, and have delighted to contemplate your new society, as in the majesty of its onward labours, bearing the dual motto, "the Bible translated," and "the Field is the world." Again, relative to the comparative merits of the three Chinese versions of the Bible, Mr. S. remarks: "You are aware, that there have been three distinct versions of the Bible into the Chinese language; the first, by Dr. Marshman of Serampore; the second, by Dr. Morrison of Macao; and the third, by Messrs. Medhurst, Gutzlaff and others; the old testament of the latter not yet quite out of press. Marshman's old testament, is better than Morrison's, but the new, think not so good. The testament by Medhurst and Gutzlaff, is without question, superior to either of the other versions, being more idiomatic, and infinitely better understood by those for whom it was intended. By some of the missionaries in the Archipelago, however, it has been objected to as being too free and paraphrastic; but I, after having read every page of it, like it with some exceptions, particularly the false garb which Baptizo and its progeny are made to wear. Relative to the unintelligibility of Morrison's translation, I will just mention an illustrative circumstance. Mr. Lay, agent for the British and Foreign Bible Society, who is now here, is restricted by his patrons in his Bible distribution in China, to Morrison's translation, and when he was leaving Singapore for China some months ago, Leang Afa, the Chinese evangelist, who resides at Singapore, came to him to bid him farewell, and with solemn countenance addressed him thus, "I am sorry that the christians in England are expending their money exclusively in printing and in employing you to circulate a book (referring to Morrison's translation) among my countrymen, which my countrymen do not and cannot understand." Facilities for increased usefulness. "Since I have been in China, now about nineteen months, I have distributed a very great number of christian books in the streets and shops of Macao and Canton, and on board of the numerous Junks in the adjacent harbours. At one period, and within the space of two weeks, I distributed nearly thirty thousand pages of christian books, no man molesting me. And at this very time, there are abundant facilities for distributing the scriptures and religious books in Macao, Canton, &c.' "With proper encouragement from home, it would not take a very great while, by the blessing of the Master, to have an edition of a gospel or two, or some of the epistles ready for the press." "I am quite inclined to conclude, that it is decidedly better in the present state of the heathen world, to distribute the gospels and epistles separately, as in primitive times. After christian opinions become more prevalent, and to some extent understood, it may be proper and practicable to circulate the Bible in a collected volume, but at present the intellectual and physical faculties of the heathen are too blunt and` indolent, not to be discouraged at the size of our smallest editions of the entire testament. They may, and indeed sometimes do, prefer receiving a large book to a small one, but the perusal of it is quite another thing." By faith and prayer, and holy perseverance, much could now be accomplished under the divine blessing, for China Proper, and I cherish the hope, that American Baptists will very soon afford no small share of holy and vigorous effort towards the |