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REVIEW OF BOOKS.

Statement by the Committee of the Edinburgh Bible Society, relative to the Circulation of the Apocrypha by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Edinburgh, 1825. Pp. 16.

Remarks on the Propriety of applying the Funds of the British and Foreign Bible Society to the Circulation of such Foreign Versions as contain the Apocrypha, in Places where no other Versions will be generally received. London*. Pp. viii. and 32. A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Teignmouth, President of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in Vindication of the Proceedings of that Society against the Statement of the Edinburgh Bible Society relative to the Circulation of the Apocrypha. By the Rev. C. Simeon, M.A. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. London. Pp. 16.

A Statement, submitted to the Members of the British and Foreign Bible Society, on the Impropriety of circulating the Apocryphal Books indiscriminately intermingled with the Inspired Writings. By George Cornelius Gorham, B.D. Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge. London. Pp. viii.

and 40.

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now arrived when our silence, can no longer preserve secrecy, and when, four distinct publications having been extensively circulated, our readers may justly expect to receive from us some information on the subject.

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It is important in the outset to recollect, that, after very mature deliberation, the British and Foreign Bible Society finally determined on adopting the following as the first two of their Laws and Regulations:

"1. The designation of this Society shall be the British and Foreign Bible Society, of which the sole object shall be to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment: the only copies in the languages of the United Kingdom, to be circulated by the Society, shall be the authorized version*.'

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"II. This Society shall add its endeavours to those employed by other Societies for circulating the Scriptures through the British dominions; and shall also, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mahometan, or Pagan."

The question whether, under these rules, the Society was or was not justified in publishing the Apocrypha, does not appear during several years to have come under consideration. In or about the year 1817 some Apocryphas were either ordered, or sent in to the Bible Society's depository without orders; but these Apocryphas are understood to have been cancelled; and the inference, therefore, appears fair, that the then Committee did not deem such publication

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* The printing of the Apocrypha is attempted to be justified on the ground of its being part of the Authorized Version. But the expression the "Authorized Version," which merely means the authorized translation, can only be referred to the Holy Scriptures, and the Apocrypha is no part of the HOLY Scriptures.

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consistent with their rules, or, at of the Apocrypha, it may seem good to least, expedient to be adopted. them.-Edinburgh St. p. 4. And, in fact, the many new versions which it has procured for heathen countries, and the million and half of Bibles which it has distributed in Great Britain, and the first foreign Bibles printed in this country, did not contain the Apocrypha*.

In making grants of money, however, to foreign Bible Societies, or in printing different editions for their use, the question whether the Apocrypha was or was not inserted, and in what manner such insertion, where it existed, took place, seems to have been very much lost sight of; and, in consequence, numerous editions have been printed in foreign countries, in which the Apocrypha was either introduced between or intermixed with the canonical Scriptures. The attention of the Committee was, however, forcibly called to this practice in the year 1822; and, after a long and serious discussion, protracted through three days, it was resolved, on the 19th of August,

That when grants shall be made to any of the Bible Societies in connexion with this institution, which are accustomed to circulate the Apocrypha, it be stated to such societies, that the attention of the Committee having been called to the fundamental Rule of the Society, as limiting the application of its funds to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures; and it appearing that this view of the said Rule has been taken from the beginning by the great body of its members; the Committee, anxious, on the one hand, to keep entire good faith with all the members of the Society, and, on the other, to maintain unimpaired the friendly intercourse which it has had the happiness so long to hold with Bible Societies which circulate books esteemed Apocryphal in this country, request of those Societies, that they will appropriate all future grants which they may receive from the British and Foreign Bible Society, exclusively to the printing of the books of the Old and New Testament, as generally received in this country; such Societies remaining at full liberty to apply their own funds in whatever way, as to the printing and circulation

Cambridge Remarks, p. iii

This resolution appeared in the first instance to set the question at rest; but strong applications were made from foreign countries, and especially from Leander Van Ess, earnestly requesting grants of money for the publication of editions in which the Apocrypha should be intermingled with the Canonical Books; and certain members of the Committee, conceiving that such grants were not prohibited by the above resolution, a vote of 500%. was actually proposed to Leander Van Ess's projected translation of the Old Testament and Apocrypha. This naturally renewed the discussion; and, after four days of patient deliberation, the following resolution, suggested by Lord Teignmouth, was unanimously adopted, in a Committee of ninety persons, on the 20th of December, 1824:

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That no pecuniary grants be made by the Committee of this Society for the purpose of aiding the printing or publishing of any edition of the Bible in which the Apocrypha shall be mixed and interspersed with the canonical books of the Holy Scriptures; and that grants of money to foreign Societies, which are accustomed to publish Bibles containing the Apocrypha, but separate and distinct from the Canonical Books, be made under an express stipulation, and the assurance of the parties receiving the same, that such grants shall be exclusively applied to printing and publishing the Canonical Books only.-Edinburgh St. p. 5.

This resolution, so deliberately adopted, was objected to by the Edinburgh Auxiliary, as lending an indirect influence to the circulation of vital error; as justifying a similar practice in respect of human comments, the circulation of which would be far less injurious than the circulation of the Apocryphal books; and the Committee of the Edinburgh Auxiliary transmitted, in consequence, a firm and full remon strance to the Parent Society*.

Soon after, a protest of an oppo

Edinburgh Statement, p. 8.

site nature was presented by twenty six members of the University of Cambridge, on the ground that the above resolution "cut off some of the largest and most promising branches of the Society's labour, by giving up, in some quarters, the only way in which any part of the word of God can be circulated, and, in other quarters, the only way in which the Old Testament can be circulated with the New *." On the very day (7th March) on which this protest was read in the Committee without any due consideration of the consequences of such a measure-forgetful of the very long and serious deliberation with which their resolution had been adopted and with a very surprising deviation from that practical wisdom with which their proceedings are usually accompanied-the Committee resolved, "That all the resolutions of this Committee, relative to the Apocrypha, be rescinded."

The effect of this hastily adopted resolution being to leave this most serious question in an undecided state, several members of the Society met in London, and framed a remonstrance; which was signed by twenty-seven persons, and was laid before the Committee on 4th April. In consequence of this appeal, a Special Committee was appointed to consider the whole subject, when, on April 9, 1825, it was resolved, "That it be recommended to the General Committee not to print or circulate the Apocryphal Books; and, at the same time, to use their best endeavours to aid the circulation of the Inspired Volume in all foreign countries, by grants of the Canonical Books, in whole or in part, without interfering with the future distribution of the same, whether with or without the Apocryphal Books.

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And on April 22, 1825, it was resolved, "That the Report of the Special Committee be received-That the above recommendation of the Special Committee be adopted."

This resolution was considered as unsatisfactory by many individuals; since it left the point of money grants unnoticed, and sanctioned the granting of the Canonical Books in parts, thereby giving facilities to the interspersion of the Apocryphal, in the manner objected to. The Edinburgh Committee, on the 18th of

* Cambridge Remarks, p. v.

"should be

May, resolved" to discontinue their remittances" to the Parent Institution, till renewed, " by the removal of the circumtheir "friendly intercourse' stances which led to its interruption."Gorham, pp. 17, 18.

The Edinburgh Committee then proceeded to publish, and privately circulate, their Statement. Some of the Cambridge gentlemen published their Protest, and Mr. Si meon's and Mr. Gorham's pamphlets followed in due course.

A renewed discussion is understood to have taken place at a Special Committee of the Bible Society, without any decisive measure being adopted. Some persons have suggested the forming of two separate funds, the one for the Holy Scriptures alone, the other for the Holy Scriptures and the Apocrypha, and that each subscriber, auxiliary, &c. should pay their contributions to whichever fund they thought proper, It is obvious, that if any proposal of this kind should be adopted, it would carry discussion and dissension into the Committee of every Auxiliary, and permanently alienate the Edinburgh and various other Auxiliaries, by giving a stronger sanction than ever to the Apocryphal Books.

It is, indeed, most evident, that the Bible Society has attained its present eminence, by professing to circulate that, and that only, which all agree to be the pure word of God. It is difficult to say how soon it began in practice to deviate from its professed principles, or how far that deviation has been carried; but it is perfectly idle to suppose that such deviations can be persevered in, without a very serious diminution of its funds, without a public protest, and eventually with

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In this point of view it is most important carefully to investigate the real circumstances of the case, and ascertain, if possible, the practical remedy; and on this account we conceive the publications now before us, and particularly the Edinburgh Statement and Mr. Gorham's pamphlet, deserving of especial attention.

The Edinburgh Statement may be considered as somewhat ultra in After its anti-Apocryphal views. detailing the proceedings of the Edinburgh Committee, inserting a list of the corruptions of the Apocryphal books, and remarking on the Committee's resolution of April 22, which is still in force, the Statement declares, that

The Edinburgh Committee therefore hold, that, to carry into effect this principle, it is necessary that grants of money or books should be given only to those Societies which profess to circulate the inspired books, and the inspired books alone. Without this, they do not conceive that the Christian world can be sa

tisfied. And they again repeat, what they have already stated in former resolutions, that while without it the Bible Societies are actually doing what is wrong in itself, they are at the same time breaking faith with their subscribers, who have intrusted them with such ample means for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures.-Edin. Statement, pp. 14, 15.

This seems going further than circumstances will justify. It would exclude the grant of Bibles and Testaments to a society which distributed Prayer-Books ór Homilies, or the Scotch Psalms, &c. and would thus very materially and unnecessarily cramp the exertions of many religious and benevolent institutions.

The Cambridge Remarks are drawn up with considerable care and ability. We doubt, however, how far the editors were justified in publishing the names which were originally appended to their protest. At all events, the question is one which must be decided on the ground of argument, and not of authority. But their argument is defective as to its main point: it

assumes that there are places where
foreign versions, containing the
Apocrypha, may
Apocrypha, may be circulated
where no other versions will gene-
rally be received, and it describes
such places as comprising

The whole continent of Europe and the rising states of Greece. In Asia-Armenia and Syria, including Palestine. In Africa the ancient and interesting churches of Abyssinia and Egypt. And nearly the whole continent of South America, which at this critical moment presents the most promising fields of labour: and an opportunity, which, if now neg. lected, may not return again for ages. Cambridge Remarks, p. 16.

But this very point requires proof. The evidence appears to us insufficient. Some of their own wit

nesses allow, that the New Testa-
ment, at least, may be very exten-
sively circulated. There is every
reason to conclude that the Penta-
teuch, the Psalms, and various
other parts of the Old Testament,
might be dispersed in those very
regions; and that in this way the
whole of the funds of the British
and Foreign Bible Society might
be employed in distributing the
any mix-
pure word of God, without
ture of human traditions*.

Mr. Simeon attempts to prove that the Society's rules allow the Committee to circulate the Apocrypha; and that the example of St. Paul in circumcising Timothy justifies the mixing up of the Apocryphal with the Canonical Books.

We think he has completely failed in both points. It may be in some cases expedient to adopt an indifferent ritual observance, even though that rite may be liable to be misunderstood; but to send forth that As the word of God which is NOT the word of God, appears to us utterly unjustifiable +.

*See Mr. Gorham's Statement, p. 34.

It will of course be said, we do not send forth the Apocrypha as the word of God ;—but how is it distinguished from the word of God in the Italian, Portu gueze, Spanish, and French, &c. Bibles, of the Bible Society? It is mere gratuitous assertion to state that the Catholics

Mr. Gorham's pamphlet contains far more information than all the others, and is deserving of very high praise. He brings forwards important facts relating to the intermingling of the Apocryphal and Inspired Books, to the separation of the Apocryphal from the Inspired Books, and to the practice of the Bible Society in printing or aiding the circulation of the Apocrypha intermingled with the Inspired Books. He then states objections to the circulation of the Apocryphal Books intermingled with the Inspired Writings, as inconsistent with the laws and fundamental principle of the Society, and as violating integrity of conscience and the principles of Protestantism; and ably refutes some popular arguments, by which the practice objected to is advocated. We earnestly recommend this pamphlet to the attention of our readers, as containing the grounds especially on which, as Churchmen, they ought

know the difference: this is not true of one Catholic in a thousand.

"As I walked down the hill, I asked our guide if he had a Bible. He told me he had, and that he read it constantly. I asked him a few questions about the Old and New Testament history; when I discovered that his Bible was a pamphlet of eighteen or nineteen pages, drawn up by the priests. He had no idea that there was any book such as we mean by the Bible so sad is the ignorance of these poor people."-Wilson's Letters, i. 49.

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"The Bible is almost unknown (Italy). A friend who visited Rome a few years back, told me he met a Roman lady of distinction there, who had never heard that there was a book revealed by Almighty God, which we call the Bible; and who contended for a long time with him that he must be mistaken in supposing that there was: 'For,' added she, I must in

that case have heard it.'"-Wilson's Let

ters, ii. 120.

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to oppose the intermixture of the Apocryphal Writings with the Ca-> nonical Books of Scripture.

For here be it remembered, that in Roman Catholic countries, &c. the Apocrypha is MIXED UP with the Inspired Scriptures. It is not: printed separately, with " Apocrypha" marked in the running title, as in our English Bibles; but the books are interspersed with the Canonical Books; nay, in some instances are parts of chapters of the Inspired Books: thus, Tobit and Judith follow Nehemiah; the Rest of Esther comes in at Esther x. 4; Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus follow Solomon's Song; Baruch succeeds Jeremiah; the Song of the Three Children comes in in the middle of the 3d of Daniel; and Susannah and Bel and the Dragon close the Book of Daniel; and these are printed without any mark of distinction; and if any one shall not receive them for Sacred Scripture he is under the anathema of the Roman Church.

"In this respect modern Catholic Bibles are more deceptive than even the Vulgate; for the Fope, and the Council of Trent, left the notes of St. Jerome, in the body of the sacred text, pointing out the mutilations; but these notes have, in more recent times, disappeared altoge ther; and thus some of the most absurd parts of the Apocrypha have merged into the holy volume. St. Jerome tells us, that, according to his custom, he had marked' these Apocryphal interpolations 'with a dagger' (†). It would be well if the insidious place they occupy were still so denoted. (See the Vulgate, in Esther x. 4.) The number of monitory notes so expunged from the Vulgate, in modern translations, is eleven!"-Gorham, 27.

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Were the Apocrypha printed separately, as in our Bibles, the question would be of minor importance; but, as printed in RomanCatholic countries, it cannot be distinguished by ordinary readers from the inspired volume, and is calculated to excite objections to the Divine authority of that book of which it appears to be a part.

We should, however, still object to its circulation by the Bible Society. The sole object of that So

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