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NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE.

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1s.

Scientia Biblica: containing the New Testament in the Original Tongue, with the Authorized English Version, and a Copious and Original Collection of Parallel Passages, printed in words at length. The whole so arranged as to illustrate and confirm the several clauses of each Verse; with the various Readings and the Chronology. Dedicated, by permission, to the King. Three vols. 8vo. 31. Large paper, 51.

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The Case of Mary Queen of Scots, and of Elizabeth Queen of England, legally, briefly and historically stated. By Hugh Campbell, LL D. 128.

The Life of Cardinal Wolsey, by George Cavendish, his Gentleman Usher, together with his Poems, now first published from the original Autograph MS., with Notes and Illustrations by S. W. Singer. 2 Vols. 8vo. Portraits and Engravings. 17. 18. Sermons.

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CORRESPONDENCE.

Communications have been received from T. B.; G. D.; B.; W.; An Apostoli al Christian; Bereus; and J. E.

ERRATA.

P. 84, col. 2, line 15, for ("in" the, &c.) read, (i. e. the holy spirit).

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89, col. 2, line 33, for "where such diversity," read, where NO such diversity.

99, col. 2, line 15 from the bottom, for "statemant," read statement.

100, col. 2, dele the marks of quotation at the end of the Note.

113, col. 2, line 11, from the bottom, for "Trinitarianism," read, Unitarianisın.

Monthly Repository.

No. CCXXXII.]

SIR,

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Mr. Frend's Proposal of a New Translation of the Bible.

HE approach of our General Anmind the recollection of a plan on which I have frequently meditated, and if you will permit it to have a place in your interesting pages, we shall be prepared for the discussion and for rejecting or adopting it, as may seem most advisable. To the measure itself I cannot anticipate any objection: in the execution of it there may be difficulties, but they do not seem to be insurmountable. My plan is, to have such a translation of the Bible as may be adopted in our churches; and to be superintended in such a manner, that it may be open to every improvement that the advancement of learning in the present and future times may contribute towards it.

It is needless to expatiate on the imperfections of the Bible now in general use, much less to intimate a censure on those under whose inspection it was published. The preface to their translation speaks for itself: and no one who reads it, can doubt that, if the authors of it were now alive, they would gladly avail themselves of the advantages which a greater insight into manuscripts, and a more improved criticism, has produced. The translation does honour to the reign of James the First; and, whatever may have been his faults, his zeal in this cause entitles him to our respect.

The defects in our Bible may be attributed to two causes: the imperfect knowledge of the languages from which the translation was made, and the imperfect state of the text which was adopted as the basis of the work. It is well known how few manuscripts Erasmus had access to when he first published his Greek Testament, and if he could fill up the lacunæ with his own miserable Greek, translated from the Latin, no one in these days can place his text in competition with that which we possess from the labours of Griesbach.

Besides, the Bible in common use is not what it is stated to be in the

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title-page: "The Holy Bible-by his

was its original title, and the command here mentioned, alludes to the command of his Majesty King James, and the care he took of future editions. The publishing of the future editions was very properly committed to the king's printer and the two Universi. ties; but it would be difficult now to find an edition of the Bible agreeing with its original. Many alterations have taken place since that time; and if all the editions of the Bible now in use in the United Kingdom were collated with any one of them taken as a standard, the various readings would probably amount to many many thou

sands.

The translation of the Bible, which I propose, should be without note or comment. Occasionally at the bottom of the page should be a margin, as in Griesbach's Testament, for various readings in the original text. The division into chapters and verses should be preserved in the margin, with a very slight mark in the proper places, which should be such as not to divert the attention of the reader, and occasion that pause, which not unfrequently injures the meaning of the passage.

The publication should be in small parts, into which the Bible may be properly divided; and thus, instead of having one volume, the cottage will possess the whole, in such a number of parts, that every inhabitant of it may, at the same time, have one for his separate perusal.

It should be published in a cheap form, due care being taken as to the size and the clearness of the type.

The execution of the translation I propose to be left to seven persons. These persons shall each mark down what alterations he thinks advisable in the present version: these they_shall interchange with each other, and at a meeting they shall agree on the text to be adopted. Of this text two hundred and fifty copies shall be struck off, to be sent to such persons or pub

lic bodies, as shall appear likely to
inspect them, and return them with
proper observations.
These copies,
when returned, shall be interchanged
by the committee, and on an appoint-
ed day they shall determine on the
text to be adopted for the public at
large. An edition shall then be struck
off and distributed among the sub-
scribers, and a number sent to the
booksellers for sale.

I should propose that the Gospel of Matthew should be first taken in hand, the doubtful chapters being printed in italics; and in succession the Gospels would be given in their order, then the Acts; then the Epistles, divided as the committee may think proper; and so on till the whole Bible is published. The time this will take it is not necessary to enter upon. Better to take too long than too short a time for this work; and I should hope that there would be no want of assistance in so useful an undertaking.

The committee I propose to be permanent, changes taking place only as to its members. It must be permanent, as there will be an annual call for new editions, which they will inspect certainly with not less care than has been employed on those now in use.

The expenses of the undertaking will not be so great as is imagined. Each part will come out in a cheap form, like those little books which are now put forth every day with so much advantage to the public. More expensive editions may be given, when there appears to be a call for them.

I propose two modes of subscription, individual and congregational; and I should hope that there is not a minister in our connexion who would not devote one sermon to the work in a year; and an adequate number of copies, in the judgment of the committee, will be sent to him for the use of his congregation.

The committee, above-mentioned, is to be employed solely on translation. Having agreed on the text to be printed, their task is done. arrangements for publication require The care of a different kind, and for this purpose I propose that a general committee shall be formed, consisting of about twenty persons. Their business is to superintend every thing relative to subscriptions and expenditure, the keeping of the accounts, the appoint

ment of bankers, treasurer, booksellers-in short, every thing relative to the publication. With them rests also the appointment of the committee of translation. Auditors also should be appointed; and in the annual report of the proceedings a clear and plain statement should be given of subscriptions and expenditure. We shall find no difficulty in forming such a committee, as we have persons among us to whom we can confide such a task, and who will perform it with zeal and fidelity. The consciousness of being most usefully employed is the sole reward of both committees.

objections, to many of which were exThe plan will, of course, meet with posed the translators of the Bible now in use, and which are mentioned in their very excellent preface. But the fact is, we wish to have our Bible as perfect as circumstances admit: should we be the means of exciting others to undertake the task, and they should do it better, we shall rejoice. Our object is gained. Ayaon spis yde Bga,

τοισιν.

I have thus laid before you the outlines of the plan, which it is my present intention to propose more in detail at our General Meeting, and every suggestion for its improvement will be thankfully received by

W. FREND.

(Translated from the German of Schiller.) The Mosaic Mission.

[We give the following paper, with which we have been favoured by a correspondent, as a literary curiosity, not at all pledging ourselves to its doctrine.]

Т

HE

foundation of the Jewish remarkable events recorded by history, state by Moses is one of the most memorable for the strength of intellect memorable still for its consequences by which it was accomplished, more to the world, which endure even to this period. Two religions, bearing habited earth, Christianity and Mahosway over the greatest part of the inmetanism, both lean on the religion of the Hebrews; and but for this, there never would have been either a New Testament or a Koran.

Yes, in a certain sense it is incontestably true, that we are indebted to the Mosaic religion for a great portion

of the illumination we at the present day enjoy; for by its instrumentality, a precious truth, the doctrine of the Divine Unity, that unassisted reason could only have unravelled by a tedious process, was preliminarily diffused among the people; and by them preserved as an article of blind belief, until, at length, in clear minds it ripened into a rational idea. Thus was a considerable part of the human race spared the sad wanderings to which a belief in Polytheism must lead, and the Hebrew constitution preserves the honourable distinction of not placing the belief of the wellinformed in direct opposition to the creed of the people; a circumstance of universal occurrence among the enlightened Heathens. Observed from this point of view, the events of Jewish story become an important portion of universal history, and neither all the wickedness commonly attributed to the nation, nor all the labour of the ingenious to debase it, shall impede our doing it justice. The meanness and abjectness of the nation can no more destroy the elevated desert of its lawgiver, than it can annihilate the vast influence justly claimed by the people in the history of the world. As an impure and common vessel, in which, however, something precious was to be preserved, should we esteem it. We should honour it as the channel, with all its impurity, chosen by Providence for the conveyance of truth, the noblest of all possessions; and by the same power destroyed, as soon as it had served its destined purpose. In this manner we shall neither, on the one hand, impress on the Hebrews a value never theirs; nor, on the other, rob them of the merit to which they have an unquestionable claim.

The Hebrews, as is well known, entered Egypt a single Nomadic family, not exceeding seventy persons, and there first became a people. Du ring a period of about 400 years, spent in this country, they increased to nearly 2,000,000; of whom 600,000 were considered able to bear arms when they quitted the kingdom. In the course of this long residence they were separated from the Egyptians, both by the dwelling-place assigned them, and by their pastoral ocupation, which rendered them objects of aversion to

all the aborigines, and excluded them from participation in the civil privileges of the Egyptians. They governed themselves according to the pastoral mode, the father being the sovereign of his family, the patriarch of his tribe; thus creating an empire within an empire, the alarming increase of which at length awakened the solicitude of the kings.

Such a distinct body of people in the heart of the kingdom, leading the lazy life of shepherds, closely connected with each other, but having no common interest with the state, might, in any hostile invasion, become dangerous, and be easily tempted to take advantage of the weakness of the state, where it played the part of an unoccupied spectator.

State policy, therefore, counselled that the strangers should be narrowly watched, that they should be employed, and measures taken to diminish their increase; they were oppressed with heavy labour, and being thus rendered useful to the state, selfishness united with policy to augment their burdens. Inhumanly they were reduced to public vassalage, and special task-masters appointed to drive and maltreat them. This barbarous conduct, however, did not prevent the increase of their strength and numbers. This, in a healthy system, would naturally have led to their distribution amongst the other inhabitants, and to the concession of equal rights; measures prevented by the universal aversion entertained for them by the Egyp tians, a dislike still further increased by its necessary consequences. When the King of Egypt cleared the province of Goshen on the Eastern side of the Lower Nile as a dwelling-place for the family of Jacob, he could scarcely have calculated on 2,000,000 of successors, who were to find room there. The province was probably of no extraordinary circumference, and the grant would have been sufficiently magnificent, if, in making it, regard had been paid to only a hundredth part of these descendants. As the abode of the Hebrews did not increase with their population, it must have become more and more narrow with each suc ceeding generation, until, at length, in a manner highly prejudicial to health, they must have been compres

sed in the most confined space. What could be more natural than that the very consequences should ensue which are inevitable in such a position, namely, the greatest uncleanliness and contagious diseases ? Here, therefore, was the first foundation laid for the evil, which even to the present day adheres to the nation, but must then have raged in a fearful degree.

The most terrific plague of this climate, leprosy, prevailed amongst them, and was perpetuated in successive generations; the sources of life and increase were gradually poisoned, and from an accidental malady there sprung an hereditary predisposition. How general this calamity became, is shewn by a multitude of legislative precautions, while the concurrent testimony of profane writers, of the Egyptian Manetho, Diodorus of Sicily, Tacitus, Lysimachus, Strabo, and many others, who knew little of the Jewish people save their national disease, proves how universal and how deep an impression it must have made upon the Egyptians.

This leprosy, therefore, the natural consequence of their confined habitation, their bad and scanty food, and the ill treatment they experienced, became reciprocally cause and effect; those who, as herdsmen, were despised, and as strangers avoided, were now, as tainted persons, shunned and detested. To the fear and dislike, therefore, which had previously been fostered by the Egyptians, were added loathing and profound, repelling contempt. With respect to beings so alarmingly stigmatized by the Divine wrath, every thing was held lawful; and no hesitation was felt in setting them without the sacred pale of humanity.

What marvel that barbarity increased in the self-same ratio with the visible effects of barbarous treatment, and that they punished, with everincreasing severity, the wretchedness they had themselves created?

The evil policy of the Egyptians would only remedy the error already committed by means of a new and more gross delinquency.

Here Schiller relates the order for the destruction of the male children, and proceeds:

In this manner, indeed, the Egyptian government must at length have

accomplished its purpose, and had no preserver interposed, would have witnessed in a few generations the utter extinction of the Israelites.

But whence could this preserver of the Hebrews arise? Not easily from amidst the Egyptians; for how should one of these devote himself for a nation to which he was a stranger; the language of which he neither understood, nor would take the trouble of acquiring, and which must have appeared to him alike incapable and unworthy of a better destiny? From amongst themselves still less; for what had the Hebrews been made in a course of centuries by the inhumanity of their oppressors? The rudest, the most ill disposed, abject people of the earth, rendered savage by the neglect of 300 years, made desponding, and soured by long and slavish oppression, debased in its own sight by a cleaving hereditary infamy-unnerved, disabled for all heroic enterprises, and finally sunk almost to the rank of the brute by long uninterrupted stupidity; how from such a neglected race could there issue a freeman, an enlightened head, a hero or a statesman? How could one be found amongst them, fitted to procure respect for so despised a nation of slaves, to inspire self-estimation in a people so long oppressed, and to confer superiority over their refined masters upon so ignorant and rude a horde of herdsmen? As impossible was it that a daring and magnanimous spirit should arise amongst the Hebrews of that period, as amongst the most abject caste of Hindoo Parias.

Here must the great hand of Providence, which unties the most complicated knots by the simplest means, overpower us with astonishment; not, however, of that providence which breaks into the economy of nature by the forcible entrance of miracle, but of that which has prescribed to nature herself an economy operating extraordinary effects with the most noiseless means. A native Egyptian would have wanted the necessary incitement of natural feeling for the Hebrews to induce him to stand forth as their avenger; a mere Hebrew must have been deficient in strength and talent for the undertaking. What resource then did destiny employ? She se

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