10. ROMAN CATHOLIC TRANSLATION.

The Roman Catholics, no longer able to prevent the people from having the Scriptures in English, determined to print a translation of their own. Accordingly, in 1582, an English translation of the New Testament from the Latin Vulgate, was printed at Rheims; and at Douay, a translation, from the Latin, of the Old Testament, in two volumes, the first in 1609, the second in 1610. We take no further notice of this translation, than simply to state that it was undertaken to serve the purposes of a party, and that many words, through pretence of peculiar dignity or sacredness, were not expressed in English.

11. PRESENT ENGLISH VERSION.

Our attention is next directed to the English version. of the Scriptures, which still remains in common use. James I of England succeeded Elizabeth in 1603. His accession to the crown furnished the Puritans with occasion to solicit reforms in ecclesiastical matters. The king accordingly appointed a conference of bishops and of the principal men who had complained of prevalent corruptions. On the second day of this conference, Dr. Reynolds, the leading man among the Puritans, made a motion to his majesty, that a new translation of the Bible might be prepared, alleging that in some places the translations which had been authorized were incorrect. As the result, the king, in 1604, commissioned several learned persons of the two universities, with some others, to consult together, in order to make a new and more correct translation of the Bible, which should be ratified by his royal authority, and be used throughout the realm, to the exclusion of every other. Fifty-four persons were appointed for this purpose; but only forty-seven were actually employed. These were divided into six classes, which were to meet at Westminster, Cambridge, and Oxford; and among them the whole Bible was distributed. They were also empowered to obtain assistance from any persons whose studies had been such as to qualify them to aid in translating the Scriptures.

By the king's order, the following rules were to be strictly observed:

"1. The ordinary Bible read in the church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the original will permit.

2. The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names in the text, to be retained as near as may be, accordingly as they are vulgarly used.

3. The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, as the word church not to be translated congregation.

4. When any word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most eminent fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the analogy of faith.

5. The division of the chapters to be altered either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity so require.

6. No marginal notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words, which cannot, without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the text.

7. Such quotations of places to be marginally set down, as shall serve for the fit references of one Scripture to another.

8. Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter or chapters; and having translated or amended them severally by himself where he thinks good, all to meet together, to confer what they have done and agree for their part what shall stand.

9. As any one company hath dispatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously; for his majesty is very careful in this point.

10. If any company, upon the review of the book so sent, shall doubt or differ upon any places, to send them word thereof, to note the places, and therewithall to send their reasons; to which if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general meeting, which is to be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work.

11. When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority to send to any learned in the land for his judgment in such a place.

12. Letters to be sent from every bishop to the rest of his clergy, admonishing them of this translation in hand, and to move and charge as many as being skilful in the tongues, have taken pains in that kind, to send their particular observations to the company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford, according as it was directed before in the king's letter to the archbishop.

13. The directors in each company to be the deans of Westminster and Chester, for Westminster, and the king's professors in Hebrew and Greek in the two universities.

14. These translations to be used when they agree better with the text than the Bishops' Bible: viz. Tyndal's, Coverdale's, Matthewe's, Whitchurch's, [that is, the Great Bible, printed by E. Whitchurch,] Geneva."

Another regulation was afterwards added, which provided for employing three or four of the most eminent divines in securing the due observance of the forementioned rules.

Arrangements thus made, the work was commenced in 1607, and occupied nearly three years. When it was completed, three copies of the whole Bible were sent to London, namely, one from Cambridge, one from Oxford, and a third from Westminster. A new selection of persons was then made, of two from the companies at each of the places where they had been employed. These six were commissioned to revise the whole work, and out of the three copies to prepare one, which should be committed to the press. The task of these six men was performed in three-quarters of a year. Last of all, the whole work was revised by Dr. Bilson, bishop of Winchester, who prefixed arguments to the several books; and by Dr. Smith, afterwards bishop of Gloucester, who wrote the preface.

The translation was first printed at London in 1611, and dedicated to the king.

The process then through which this translation went, may be thus briefly described. First, each individual translated (that is, making the Bishops' Bible the basis) every book which was comprised in his division. Secondly, the version to be adopted in each portion was agreed upon by all the members of that company to which the said portion had been assigned. Thirdly, the labors of each company were revised by every other company. Fourthly, the whole was committed to the committee of six. Lastly, came the revision by Dr. Bilson and Dr. Smith.

R.

ARTICLE VI.

THE APPROACH OF THE MILLENNIUM ARGUED FROM THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

In regard to the Millennium, men cherish various and contradictory opinions. It is a subject upon which the Christian church is not agreed. Many discard the doctrine. Others cherish notions loose and vague. The most sublime predictions, the most glowing promises, the most soul-cheering prospects are thrown away by them as figures of fancy. The missionary cause is robbed of means which it would receive, but for the idea which to some extent prevails, that the conversion of the world is not in accordance with the design and plan of Jehovah. Now the Scriptures seem to us to teach, that the time will be, when the message of the gospel will be communicated to all the tribes of men; when Christianity will be the religion of the race, and the great mass will bow to its teachings. This universal diffusion of truth and holiness we denominate the Millennium. Without stopping to argue any question in regard to the nature or duration of this period, we propose to show that the period predicted in the Bible, when the religion of Jesus shall have subverted all other systems, is at hand. The first grey dawn of the morning has already come. The approach of this period we wish to argue from the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. We are living in the midst of troubles. Portentous and fearful signs are abroad in the world. The wisest men ask, in wondering anxiety, "What will the end of these things be?" Worldly wisdom is staggered at the aspect which society presents, and the minister of God, the statesman, and the warrior can only exclaim, "How inexplicable the darkness." By comparing the voice of Inspiration with the testimony of passing events, the Christian can discern the dawn of a brighter and more glorious day. Standing on his watch-tower, and hearing from north and south, from east and west,

the cry, echoing from the mountains and ringing along the shores, "Watchman, what of the night?"-he can point to the fulfilling of the prophecies, and say, "The morning cometh."

1. A universal impression exists upon the minds of men, that wonderful and important events are about to transpire. This impression is found in different parts of the world, and is cherished by men entertaining different religious sentiments, and possessing different degrees of mental culture. True, it does not exist every where under the same features. In our own country it embodied itself, some time since, in the delusion of 1843. And those who did not embrace this delusion or countenance its absurdity, were not free from the general impression, that an important era was at hand. And this impression still rests upon the minds of thousands.

In Europe the impression has assumed another form. The conviction has rested on the minds of the mass of the people, that all the governments of that continent are to be overturned, the thrones broken down, and the tokens of royalty to be scattered beneath the wheels of the car of revolution. Kings and beggars, tyrants and slaves, alike cherish this idea. It is this notion, which has been gathering strength for the few past years, and is now shaking Europe to its centre. The fearful riots and tumults there, are the legitimate offspring of this impression, and all the armies and navies of the world will be unable to quench the flame which it has kindled.

In Africa and some of the darker parts of Asia, this idea has assumed still another form. The people there have a distinct impression, that their systems of religion are to be subverted, and their long established worship overthrown. Indeed some of the heathen tribes have traditions which assert, that in about this age of the world, men from another country, with paler faces than theirs, will come and plant a new faith, before which their own will wither and die. By the darkened minds of the heathen the new religion is expected, and thousands will welcome it with joy.

Under God, this impression has done much to open the way for the introduction of the gospel. Our missionaries meet this impression almost every where. The heathen