Trinitarian Bible Society
Founded in 1831 for the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God Officers and Executive Staff of the Society
President: General Secretary/Chief Executive: The Rev. G. Hamstra, B.A., M.Div. Mr. D. P. Rowland* Vice-Presidents: Operations Director: Mr. G. Bidston Mr. D. Larlham Mr. G. den Boer Resources Director: The Rev. B. G. Felce, M.A.* Mr. D. J. Broome, C.P.F.A. The Rev. Dr. T. Gilmer Mr. D. Oldham Editorial Director: Pastor J. Stehouwer Mr. P. J. D. Hopkins, M.A. Oxf. The Rev. M. Stuart Mr. D. Vermeulen Senior Editorial Consultant: Chairman: Mr. L.Brigden, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc., B.A.(Hons.) The Rev. M. H. Watts* Editorial Consultants: Vice-Chairman: Mr. G. W. Anderson, B.A. Mr. G. D. Buss, B.Ed.* Mr. A. Hembd, M.A.C.S. Treasurer: J. Cammenga, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Pastor R. A. Clarke, B.Sc., F.C.A.* G. Fox, B.A. (Hons.), D.D., Ph.D. The Rev. W. M. Patterson Jnr., B.A., D.D. Members: Mr. G. R. Burrows, M.A.* The Rev. R. G. Ferguson, B.A.* The Rev. J. L. Goldby, M.A.* Pastor M. J. Harley* Mr. A. K. Jones, LLB. (Hons.) Solicitor* The Rev. E. T. Kirkland, B.A., Dipl.Th.* The Rev. D. Silversides, M.A.* *These are the serving members of the The Rev. J. P. Thackway* General Committee.
Cover Picture: ©iStock.com/cenix Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 Quarterly Record
Issue Number: 605 © Trinitarian Bible Society 2013 All rights reserved. The Trinitarian Bible Society permits October to reprinting of articles found in our printed and online Quarterly Record provided that prior permission is December 2013 obtained and proper acknowledgement is made.
Contents
Sabbath School Learning Prize Fund 2
From the Desk of the General Secretary 3
The Prayer of the Leper 7
Editorial Report 9
The Treasury 15
Canadian and USA Schools Project 18
Malta 20
The Word of God among all Nations 29
Quarterly Record Production Team Editorial Director: P. J. D. Hopkins Senior Editor: Dr. D. E. Anderson Editorial Consultant: C. P. Hallihan Graphic Designers: P. Hughes, S. Talas Circulation: J. M. Wilson
1 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
‘…from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures…’ 2 Timothy 3.15 he Trinitarian Bible Society seeks to encourage and enable children in the study of God’s Word Tby means of the Sabbath School Learning Prize Fund. This fund was commenced a number of years ago to encourage English-speaking children and young people to memorise the Holy Scriptures from the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible. Under the rules of the Fund, we provide a list of verses to be memorised by children in two age groups: those ten years of age and under, and those aged eleven to fi fteen. To the younger children who memorise their verses, we present suitably inscribed bonded leather text Bibles with gilt page edges. For the older children, gilt-edged, bonded leather reference Bibles are awarded. Those who have memorised the fi rst set of verses may, upon reaching eleven years, receive the reference Bible if they learn the verses for the higher age group. The Society would encourage all parents, offi ce- bearers and other supporters of the Society who seek the spiritual well-being of the young, whether or not the children under their charge attend a Sabbath school, to request further details of the Sabbath School Learning Prize Fund from the Grants Department ([email protected]) at our London headquarters, or from any of the Society’s Branches (for which the contact details are on the inside back cover of this Quarterly Record).
2 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 From the Desk of the General Secretary
ohn Flavel, one mountainous wave of catastrophic of the most well- sorrows and grief; they, like poor Jacob Jknown of the when facing the likelihood of further Puritans, wrote an loss, cry out, ‘All these things are against excellent and most me’ (Genesis 42.36). readable treatise which he entitled Divine Job was the man of whom God had Conduct: or, The Mystery said, “there is none like him in the earth, of Providence, opened in a a perfect and an upright man, one that Treatise upon Psalm 57.2. feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job For a Puritan writing, 1.8). And yet it was nevertheless poor the title of this particular John Flavel Job who experienced such troubles as book was relatively short very few have ever known. Our trials are and pithy. Its evocative title nevertheless in comparison small; but when balanced encapsulates in just a few words the Lord’s in the scales of Holy Scripture even Job’s people’s comprehension (or rather their lack suff erings, trials and affl ictions must be of comprehension) of God’s ‘most holy, wise, seen to pale into utter insignifi cance when and powerful preserving and governing all compared with the infi nite sorrows and his creatures, and all their actions’, as the suff erings experienced by the pure and Westminster Shorter Catechism question holy Lord Jesus Christ, the ever blessed 11 aptly and succinctly summarises the and eternal Son of God manifest in the wonderful divine ordering and overruling of fl esh. He, to satisfy the righteous claims of God’s providence. divine justice, endured upon the cross of Calvary the full and unmitigated weight Throughout their lives Christians face of the infi nite wrath of God against sin, to many problems. Often these problems are make atonement for His people, that they very personal, complex, perplexing and might receive the promise of an eternal distressing. At times the diffi culties may inheritance. Ought not the consideration seem completely overwhelming. They may of what our Lord and Master endured aff ect the individual Christians directly for our sins put the great burden of our or may be cares that they bear on behalf suff erings and affl ictions in a more proper of others whom they love and for whom light? ‘For our light affl iction, which is but they are concerned. These trials may relate for a moment, worketh for us a far more to their homes, the places where they are exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ employed, the churches they attend or the (2 Corinthians 4.17). cause of Christ more generally. It may be, on occasion, that some of the Lord’s people are In all the very many, various and individual suddenly, and seemingly unaccountably, ways the Lord deals with us, He is graciously faced with mountainous wave after and patiently teaching us by His inscrutable 3 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record hand of providence—as He is in parallel and thus each trial, burden, sorrow and teaching us by His Divine Word—‘For diffi culty laid upon them is carefully and precept must be upon precept, precept most wisely prepared, measured, weighed, upon precept; line upon line, line upon balanced, and lovingly administered by line; here a little, and there a little’ (Isaiah the Good Physician in His infi nite and 28.10), to draw us closer to Himself that we inscrutable wisdom and goodness, for their might ‘believe’ in Him. He would have us to true spiritual health and growth in grace. understand that this is the one basic lesson These are the means the Lord often uses we need to learn, but which we fi nd so lovingly to rebuke, humble and sanctify very diffi cult to grasp: that our God is good, us and to correct, instruct and direct us. infi nitely good and thus wholly and fully He sees our need of being weaned from worthy of our complete and utter trust. By ourselves and from the world around us, these hard and often painful object lessons, and our need for greater spiritual maturity, and by the plain and direct declarations of discernment and growth in grace. He His Holy Word to which we sinfully give so therefore leads ‘the redeemed of the LORD’ little heed, He is teaching us not to have through these many hard, dark and trying any confi dence in ourselves, our fellow paths of which the Psalmist wrote in Psalm men or anything in this world, but that our 107, that they may also be among those whole trust and confi dence must be placed of whom it is repeatedly said in that Psalm alone in Himself—the Triune Jehovah, (cf. verses 6,13,19,28), ‘Then they cried unto God the Father, God the Son and God the the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered Holy Spirit—for all things, at all times, in them out of their distresses’. They then join times of darkness, in times of sickness, in in the refrain of praise and thanksgiving, times of bereavement and in all times of as we see in verse 8, ‘Oh that men would trial and distress. Our complete and utter praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his dependence needs to be placed upon the wonderful works to the children of men!’ Lord, the God of the Bible, and upon Him Of course, the ‘mystery of Providence’ does alone, without any rival. not only aff ect us as individuals in our The seasons of trial and affl iction through private circumstances. It relates very much which they pass do not come upon the to us in all our diff erent relationships and people of God by chance or haphazardly. associations, in our homes, among our They are appointed and permitted for good, friends, in our churches, in our employments wise and holy ends by the God of all comfort and in every area of society, nationally and God of all consolation, who ‘is very and internationally. At the Society also, we pitiful, and of tender mercy’ (James 5.11). His often face many perplexing problems and people are to have fellowship with Christ, diffi culties. Many are the times when we their Lord and Master, in His suff erings; wonder where things will end, and have
4 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 cause individually and collectively to make Kingdom. Although this has been the frequent and fervent errands to the Throne headquarters of the Society’s worldwide of Grace to supplicate the King and Head activities from the time of the Society’s of the church for His grace, guidance and inception in 1831, less and less support direction. Whilst this is nothing new, and for the Society is coming from within the is something that has been true of the British Isles. There has been during the last daily activities of those who have worked few years a continuing, signifi cant and for the Society over the years, there are clearly discernible reduction in the fi nancial nevertheless times when matters become resources available to the Society from within dramatically more diffi cult and more the country. Indeed, in recent years we have complex, and are increasingly perplexing seen the Society’s income in the United and urgent! This is so at the present time; Kingdom dramatically decline. At the same and we share the following with all our time, our sales of Bibles and other Scriptures supporters that they might join with us have likewise fallen signifi cantly. In part in petitioning the Lord for His blessing, these reductions in income and sales may be guidance and direction upon the continuing accounted for by the recent world recession work of the Society. and the resultant downturn in the economy The Society has been wonderfully prospered of the United Kingdom and our international under the hand of the Lord for many years, trading partners. However, there is another and consequently the work has grown signifi cant factor that needs to be noted. considerably as we have sought to fulfi l There has been a regrettable decline in the very important task committed to us the usage of the Authorised (King James) of publishing the Word of God among Version of the Bible in the British Isles. all nations. The Lord has been pleased Forty years ago almost all churches in the graciously to provide for the work in a truly United Kingdom would have still used the astonishing way, and it is He alone who Authorised Version. Today, in comparison, has enabled us over the years to go from the truth is that very few churches adhere strength to strength in humble dependence to the version that had been so greatly used upon Him. Today, as we take stock of the of God in previous years; for the most part very considerable need there is among the congregations continuing with the AV earth’s continents for the translation and are small and have an increasingly aged distribution of ‘Protestant or uncorrupted membership, although there are, of course, versions of the Word of God’, we can see a few notable exceptions. remarkable openings and possibilities for the As a consequence of these developments, Society’s further growth and development in the last few years signifi cant changes in a number of diff erent parts of the world. If have had to be made in our activities, details all things were ‘equal’, as they have been for of which have been made known in the the Society for so long in the past, we would pages of this magazine. One of the most without question seek grace to go forward in regrettable changes introduced has been the fear of the Lord, praying for His guidance the reduction, year by year, of our grants and direction, and taking advantage of the programme through which we supply many openings in providence He is pleased copies of the Holy Scriptures free of charge to set before us. to churches and missions throughout However, today, sadly, not all things are the world. This is one of the Society’s core ‘equal’. Although we can see developments activities, and one that we would not wish that are very encouraging in many parts to reduce unless it was really necessary to do of the world, this is not so in the United so. Sadly, the options open to us have been 5 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record few, and the seriousness of the situation has further expansion and growth of the work meant that such a move has been deemed of the Society is something that we must necessary. acknowledge with thanksgiving and praise, Of course, we hope that this reduction in exclaiming with the Psalmist, ‘Not unto us, O the grants programme and the problems LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give we are currently facing generally are only glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake’ of a temporary nature, and that soon (in (Psalm 115.1). the Lord’s gracious providence) there will Further, we must also acknowledge the most be a wonderful turn around: that we will wonderful help the Society has received in be able to go forward and reinstate the amounts by which it has been reduced, recent years and months from its overseas and progress with the expansion plans branches and from the Society’s sister Society that we would all like to see implemented. in the Netherlands, the Gereformeerde After all, it may be correctly argued that the Bijbelstichting, and our friends at FirstBible need throughout the world for faithful and International. Their remarkable support and trustworthy editions of the Holy Scriptures generosity has been greatly appreciated is so very great, and the opportunities and has wonderfully enabled the Society to open to us for the further development continue in its important work in many areas of the work in diff erent parts of the world of the world, especially in connection with are so many. However, it is necessary that the fi nancing of its translation projects— we act prudently. Our liquid resources are which are of such signifi cance for the exhausted. The Society’s General Fund is future—and the publication and distribution in debt. Although we commenced the of the more recently completed major Bible current year with a balanced budget, further projects. declines in income indicate that there will be a signifi cant defi cit at the end of this Therefore, we are encouraged! The Lord is fi nancial year. Therefore, in the coming good; He has graciously gone before us and weeks as we prepare the budget for 2014 we trust He will yet go before us, guiding and some very diffi cult decisions will have to be directing us in the way that we should go. made. Thus, your prayers for the Society’s Yes, it is true, we are concerned and at times General Committee and Management at we are perplexed. We cannot see far ahead, this perplexing and trying time will be truly appreciated. and we have to walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Corinthians 5.7). We need to be prudent, Of course, it would be very wrong to imply and yet the work must go forward! We have that the diffi culties and trials we are currently many lessons to learn. facing are not at times being remarkably balanced by many signifi cant and We kindly ask all our friends and supporters encouraging developments. This is so and to hold up our hands in prayer. Pray that is quite remarkable. These encouragements the Lord may be pleased to give us wisdom, may not all be directly aff ecting our balance grace and direction, day-by-day, and that we sheet (although some are most wonderfully may be truly humble, wholly acknowledging doing so), but they are all nonetheless tokens our complete and utter dependence upon of the Lord’s goodness to the Society and the Lord, and seeking alone the glory, encouragements for its further usefulness honour and praise of His Name in all that we in His cause. Indeed, the most wonderful seek to undertake in the name of the Society! provision the Lord has made in recent years of additional able and qualifi ed staff for the Brethren, pray for us… 6 Issue NumNumber:ber: 606055 – October to Decemberb 2013 nd it came to pass, Awhen he was in a The certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Prayer Luke 5.12 of theLeper by the Rev. G. Hamstra hrist’s power to heal and to save is President of the Society undoubtedly without limitations. CHe delivers from the most burdensome oppression. His compassion is most tender and His strength is superior to all evil. Th e Christ Who came to save possesses a unique combination of pity and power, and this Saviour is the only One to whom we can and must go in our deepest need. He alone does save, and He saves forever. No case was more hopeless and pitiful than that of a leper. None could apply to Jesus in a more helpless condition. However, even for lepers there was a hope and a cure in the omnipotent grace and power of the Redeemer. A leper had not only one of the most serious physical affl ictions: his disease was also a symbol of the loathsomeness of sin. According to Mosaic law—still in force at the time of Christ—a leper was excluded from society and required to live in a separate dwelling. He had to make his presence and condition the special presence of God and the known to all he met. He was forbidden fellowship of His people. No earthly to partake of the public worship in physician could produce the means to the temple and was thus barred from cure a leper. 7 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Th e man who was ‘full of leprosy’ was Fountain of salvation. Th e love and thus without hope. Th e heavy burden power of Christ are without limitations. of his affl iction had led him to despair He can cleanse you. Many think that all of a cure. Yet the leper experienced a they have to do is pray; however, prayer marvellous change. Th e fame of the Lord is no prayer when in the thoughts of Jesus had reached his ear. Th e reports of our hearts we have no confi dence in the Jesus’s message and miracles of healing omnipotence of God and Christ—‘all were good news to him. Deep within his things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, heart, hope revived. Th ere is even a cure believing, ye shall receive’ (Matthew for lepers! Ever since the leper received 21.22; see also Mark 9.23). the tidings concerning the miracles of the Serious as well is the defi ciency when our God-man Jesus, the longing was born in prayers lack humility. Foolish unbelief his heart to meet this gracious Teacher. reasons that our petitions will be heard Th at day arrived. He met the One Who is sooner if we ignore the sovereignty of fairer of spirit than the children of men. God. In his blindness, sinful man likes to One look at the King in His beauty, and be able to constrain God. God must do the leper fell on his face and lay with all what pleases him. his sorrows at the feet of the gracious Th e leper also understood the secret Physician. It was more than mere in this regard. He recognised and courtesy that made him stoop so low. acknowledged the majesty and glory of He recognised and worshipped Jesus of the Son of God. He came in meekness Nazareth as the Christ, the Son of God. and humility without demands. He Th is is evident from his prayer: ‘Lord, if yielded and submitted to Christ’s thou wilt, thou canst make me clean’. sovereignty: ‘If thou wilt’, that is, ‘If it Th e leper knew the secret of true prayer. pleases Th ee’. Some expositors are of His genuine petition was marked with the opinion that the leper’s ‘if’ is an brevity; its contents revealed the beauty expression of unbelief. However the and depth of a renewed heart. Th e leper opposite is true; ‘if’ is not lack of faith but believed: ‘thou canst make me clean.’ He lack of presumption. thus expressed the truth from Matthew Unconditionally, the leper entrusted 19.26: ‘With men this is impossible; but himself in all his misery and helplessness with God all things are possible’. Faith in to the mercy of Christ. Th e Lord works God’s omnipotence is the basis of each as He pleases, at His time and in His prayer that fi nds acceptance in heaven. way. Th e leper believed in the Almighty How precious this comfort is: we power of the Lord and he bowed before never need to be in doubt regarding His sovereignty. Christ responded the omnipotence of the Saviour. Th e immediately: ‘I will: be thou clean’ (Luke evidence is His own testimony: ‘All 5.13). Th e leper was instantly healed! power is given unto me in heaven and Precious faith: if Th ou wilt, Th ou canst in earth’ (Matthew 28.18). He is able deliver my troubled heart from my to provide even in the deepest need. doubts and fears. If Th ou wilt, Th ou canst However fearsome the struggle, ‘the pardon all my sin and Th ou canst make blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us me walk in Th y ways, according to Th y from all sin’ (1 John 1.7). Word and command. If Th ou wilt, Th ou Christ is an unspeakably precious canst provide for me in all my need. 8 Issue Number: 605 – Octoberber to DecDecemberemmber 20201313 Editorial Report by Philip J. D. Hopkins Editorial Director Introduction The printing of these Bibles was completed at various times during the last quarter In the Quarterly Record for July to of 2012 and the great majority were September 2013, which was combined then shipped out to the countries where with the Annual Report for 2012, a these languages are primarily spoken: comprehensive overview of the Society’s the Armenian Bibles to the Republic of Scripture translation and revision projects Armenia, the Maori Bibles to New Zealand was provided within the Editorial Report. and the Ndebele Bibles to Zimbabwe. This From this it will have been readily present report endeavours to provide an ascertained that the Society is working update on what has happened to these throughout the world in a good number of Bibles since they arrived in their respective languages. It is indeed a joy and privilege destinations, and to provide some further to be engaged in such work. background information concerning these As a major update on our Bible translation projects. and revision work was given so recently, it was felt appropriate in this Editorial Report to turn the spotlight back onto the three complete Bibles that were published by The Armenian Bible the Society for the fi rst time last year. It is We were very pleased to now twelve months since it was reported receive recently the following in the Editorial Report for the October to report from our friends at Armenian December Quarterly Record that: Ministries, which has been lightly edited for Those of us on the staff who have publication. been closely involved in these Since the arrival of the Eastern editorial projects were extremely Armenian Bibles at the charity thankful to the Lord when in one headquarters in Yerevan, barely a day remarkable week in July [2012] we has gone by without someone, in were able to place orders for three most cases many people, receiving a complete Bibles, all of them being new Bible. In fact, the fi rst few copies printed for the fi rst time. Following were distributed before they even years of unstinting labours on the got to the headquarters as someone part of many individuals, the Society stopped placed orders at the printers for the lorryrry 20,000 Armenian Bibles, 26,000 on thee Ndebele Bibles (12,000 with Metrical way Psalms and 14,000 without) and to our 5,100 Maori Bibles. Armenian Bible
9 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record building and asked for a few Bibles that he had heard we were transporting! Armenia Bibles have been distributed to individuals and churches. The charity’s van has arrived at a village with the purpose of giving Bibles to those in the village mayor’s offi ce only to have the kindergarten headmistress arrive at the offi ce and ask for a batch of Bibles for her his teachers too. Bibles have gone into own schools and into offi ces and we are copy. rejoicing and praying that they will The next be read and understood. Early in May day he returned, our local director was contacted by very impressed, and asked several schools asking if we would if he could take copies for his attend the graduation ceremonies of extended family members too. He said, ‘I don’t mind paying for it if I have to but I want them all to read this‘. Another old lady came out of offi ce hours and found only one of our children’s workers in the building. She was most upset to hear that she wouldn’t be able to take a Bible away with her. She said, ‘I’ve come all the way across the city for this Bible‘. It gave our Yerevan, Armenia local director the perfect excuse to take her a copy of the Bible to her their schools and give a new Bible to own home and talk to her about the all the graduates. One headmistress message of the Bible too. Another said, ‘We have spoken to the very sweet elderly lady came early graduates and they have agreed that one morning to ask for her own copy they cannot think of anything they of a Bible. Having received her Bible would rather be awarded than a new she was so excited she took it away Bible!’ in her arms praising God audibly as she went. One man, who had arrived at the charity’s offi ce to ask for Since we received that report, the director humanitarian aid, heard that Bibles of Armenian Ministries advised that were being distributed, and asked for there continues to be a regular stream of 10 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 phone calls and of people arriving at their Rangihuna, a Maori Kaumatua,1 and Sid headquarters in Yerevan (the capital of Eames, a European friend, both of whom Armenia) asking for Bibles. During a period had a strong desire to republish the 1868 of six weeks over the summer months Maori Bible. As a fi rst step, these two men when the director and his family were went through a copy of the 1868 Maori based at their headquarters, there was not Bible held at Gisborne Library to see if it was a day when someone had not asked for a a reliable version of the Word of God. They Bible. He also advised that they have about found that the 1868 Bible was as close to 10,000 Bibles left from the fi rst printing the Authorised (King James) Version as it of 20,000. Thus, at the present rate of could have been, and they also discovered distribution it would seem likely that they that the original missionaries who provided will run out of Bibles sometime next year. the Maori people with this translation of the Bible were very sound in doctrine. The 1868 Bible proved therefore to be a good and accurate edition of the Word of God in the The Maori Bible Maori tongue. Much of the following report Although detailed analysis of the 1868 Bible is compiled from information showed that it was a faithful translation of provided by Mr Dick Vermeulen, a Vice- the Scriptures, by the end of the twentieth President of the Society. We are grateful to century copies had become very Mr Vermeulen and others in New Zealand scarce: many Maori believers who laboured assiduously over many years were buried with their to bring the 1868 Maori Bible back into Bibles, with the result print. It should be noted at this juncture that very few copies that the Bible published by the Society last are left. To many year is a republication of the 1868 Maori of our Bible in which, primarily, spelling and readers printing errors have been corrected. that Those of the Society’s staff who work in will London have been gratifi ed to learn over seem recent weeks of the interest generated a strange by the publication of this Bible in New custom, but it Zealand. At least one short article has does indicate the appeared in the local press in Gisborne, value set on the New Zealand, and in addition Word of God Mr Vermeulen was interviewed on by Maori Christians of a Maori radio station about the the past. republication of the 1868 After the two men in Gisborne, Maori Bible by the Richard Rangihuna and Sid Society. Eames, were happy that the 1868 As reported by version was sound, TBS (New Mr Vermeulen in that Zealand) were able to obtain a scan interview, work on of a copy of the Bible held in the National this project began New Library in Wellington. A scan is simply a with two men in Zealand photographic image, and in the case of Gisborne: Richard the Maori not a particularly good one, and 11 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record our aim was to produce his Maori lecturer at the university if he from this a smaller (and would put together a couple of teams of corrected) edition of the Maori speakers to check both the work that Bible. Thus, the scanned had been done and that which was still copy was put through being done. The lecturer graciously agreed; an optical character suitable personnel were found, and after recognition program to a lot of checking and rechecking the Bible produce a digital text that was sent to be typeset. could be retypeset. For This was not the end of the story, though, English-language images, because the Maori Bible text then ended the character recognition program up in the hands of the typesetters in New used was about 98% accurate; however Zealand for several years. Regrettably, a with Maori it produced quite a number of succession of substandard typesetters mistakes which necessitated a long and mishandled the text, producing inaccurate painstaking process of correcting the text work. It was no surprise when the scenario before any other work could be done. ended with the closure of the typesetter’s
Gisborne
The great bulk of these changes were made New Zealand offi ce and all the work being manually by Mr Vermeulen, who corrected moved to their UK offi ce. However, rather as much as he could and then sent it on than risk further delay and confusion in to Richard Rangihuna and Sid Eames, the move, the Editorial Department were who went through it again and picked up able to obtain the partially typeset fi les anything he had missed. Partway through and editorial staff in London then worked this process, because Mr Vermeulen could around other duties to complete the not understand the language he was typesetting of the Maori Bible in-house. working with, he decided to take a Maori Repairing the poor work of the earlier language course. After four years’ study typesetters and making all the corrections he gained his diploma in Te Reo Maori, took months of additional work. After which was a great help to him in the work the typeset fi les were checked several of correcting the Maori Bible text. Sadly, more times to ensure that there were no Richard Rangihuna became ill during the mistakes, we were very thankful when a course of Mr Vermeulen’s Maori studies fi nal edition of the typeset text was signed- and was not able to carry on checking off and sent to the printers in mid-2012. It over the text. Mr Vermeulen then asked was a happy day when the printed Bibles 12 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 were received initially at Tyndale House also one of our English Bibles. on 20 September 2012, thus bringing to Since copies of the Maori Bible were a conclusion a chain of events that began shipped to New Zealand, our branch there fourteen years earlier. has prepared an attractive pamphlet which As an addendum to this account of the provides interested persons and purchasers history behind the Maori Bible, our General with useful background information Secretary recalled how he helped TBS (New concerning this Bible. In June, TBS (New Zealand) in their eff orts to obtain a good Zealand) fi nished work on a special website, original copy of the 1868 Maori Bible from www.paiperatapu.maori.nz, designed which a scanned image could be taken. to raise awareness of this important On one particular occasion, he was taken publication and to promote the Maori Bible to see the copy of the 1868 Bible in the more actively. In recent months a number library at Gisborne. Sadly, the librarian of copies have been sold; many copies have treated him with great suspicion and was been given away to individuals, and some not at all keen that he even have sight of have been given to public libraries. In the the Bible. She also emphatically declined to coming days, our friends in New Zealand give the Society permission to use it for the hope to carry out prayerfully a range of purpose we wanted—of reproducing it for further activities with the aim of ensuring a Maoris throughout New Zealand—on the wide circulation of this much needed Bible. grounds that it was a ‘sacred “holy” Maori In an email concerning the promotion of book’! Understandably, he went away the Maori Bible, Berend de Boer, Chairman disappointed by this superstitious regard of TBS (New Zealand), concluded, ‘The for a book, the sacred contents of which reception has been positive’. The Society as they did not comprehend. As a result of this a whole is very thankful for the labours of encounter, our General Secretary and each our friends in New Zealand and we rejoice of the directors of TBS (New Zealand) were with them in the opportunities aff orded more determined than ever to give the now that the Maori Bible is a physical Maori people the Holy Bible in their tongue! reality. We pray that the Lord will use these Interestingly, once copies of the Society’s copies of the Scriptures to get glory to edition of the Bible arrived in New Zealand, Himself in the salvation of lost sinners and Mr. Haringa, the secretary of TBS (New in the strengthening of saved sinners. Zealand), sent the following sequel to this incident: This will interest you: I went to the Gisborne Library to off er them a The Ndebele Bible copy of our Maori Bible. There was In the autumn of 2012, a a diff erent lady in charge than the total of 25,261 copies of the one you met years ago and she really Ndebele Bible left the printers’ premises was pleased to receive a copy as in the UK for their end destination in they had lost their copy. I gave them Zimbabwe—11,633 of these included the a presentation copy which stays in Ndebele translation of the 1650 Scottish the library, and a standard copy to Metrical Psalms for singing. As of the be put on the shelf to be lent out. In time of writing in August 2013, the great addition, one of the staff members majority of the Bibles shipped have now bought a copy of the Maori Bible and been distributed within the Ndebele- 13 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record speaking parts of Zimbabwe. for members, supporters and friends of the Society to continue in prayer for As reported in the ‘Desk’ of the Quarterly the blessing of Almighty God upon His Record of April to June 2013, the TBS Ndebele Bible with Metrical Psalms is now Own Word that is now in the hands of being used as the standard pulpit and pew Bible in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland (FPCS) churches in the parts of Zimbabwe where the congregations are not Xhosa or Shona. In addition, people—often from Zimbabwe other churches and denominations—in villages local to FPCS manses have been coming in their droves to obtain a Bible. Demand has been so great that a limit of one Bible per household had to be set. Numbers of Bibles were also distributed to schools and other institutions. In an email dated 14 August 2013, the Rev. Alasdair MacLean of the FPCS in Zimbabwe advised that few Bibles thousands of individuals in Zimbabwe. remained in the manse at Ingwenya; he was The majority of these people are unknown sure that this also applied to the other FPCS to our main contacts in that country, but manses which were serving as distribution they are known unto God, and we look points. He added that ‘individuals still ask to Him to bless each and every copy of for Bibles, but as almost all are circulated the Scriptures wherever they are in the and most are already committed, it is no land of Zimbabwe. Many copies will be in longer possible to fulfi l the individual humble village homes, some in the hands requests’. of schoolchildren, others in the hands As can be seen from this relatively short of earnest and faithful believers, but in account, the scale of distribution has been all cases ‘the word of God is quick, and enormous—just over 25,000 Bibles have powerful, and sharper than any twoedged been distributed in the space of a few sword, piercing even to the dividing months—and still there is demand. When asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints funds become available the Society is and marrow, and is a discerner of the keen to initiate a further printing of at least thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Hebrews 20,000 Ndebele Bibles; the actual quantity 4.12). of the two editions to be printed will be guided by consultations with our friends Conclusion working in Zimbabwe. Just ten months after the launch of Whilst distribution of these Bibles has the Ndebele Bible at a public service in largely ceased, as they have almost all been Bulawayo on 17 November 2012, some given out, it would surely be appropriate 25,000 copies of the Word of God in this 14 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 language have been distributed far and of New Zealand. May all these Bibles prove wide in Zimbabwe. Additionally, during to be a lamp to the feet, and a light to the roughly the same time-period, some 10,000 path of those who read them (cf. Psalm copies of the Armenian Bible are in the 119.105). hands of many diff erent individuals and Endnote: families in the poverty-stricken Republic of 1.Kaumatua is the title of a Maori elder, a man of Armenia. Furthermore, many copies of the standing among the people. Maori Bible are in homes in diff erent parts
The Treasury by David J. Broome Resources Director
s we move through 2013, the Lord is leading the Society (in the UK) very much into the question that Elihu asked Job in Job 37.16: ‘Dost thou know Athe balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?’ We receive precious encouragements from time to time as we see little glimpses of the fruit of the work; as He sends us promising new staff to replace those who are leaving us; as He provides much needed resources just at the point when we most need them; as we see His hand in developing circumstances that have all the hallmarks of being the handiwork of Him ‘which is perfect in knowledge’; and most of all, from the gracious promises of Scripture.
However, in the balancing of all this mercy, the fi nancial situation in 2013 is more challenging than the Society has seen for many years, as our Heavenly Benefactor is seemingly withholding His hand, particularly in relation to income from legacies and donations. It is as if He is withholding in one part of His providence to try our faith and keep us dependent; and yet He is providing in another part, lest we be discouraged. As He says, ‘so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55.9).
15 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Over the past year or so, we have been forced to borrow signifi cantly from our Restricted Funds and the Golden Thoughts Calendar Endowment Fund, and in May the decision was taken to suspend all non-essential production of Bibles and other materials—for the remainder of 2013, at least—in order to maintain our routine activities. Concerning the very limited cash resources that we have we feel much like the disciples in John 6.9: ‘but what are they among so many?’ But we read in an earlier verse, ‘he himself knew what he would do’ (v. 6) and there lies our confi dence for the future.
Our supporters may well ask: what is the Society doing about the situation, for surely the Lord is speaking in it? We could not agree more! The General Committee and the Management are persuaded that the Society must hear the voice of God in these His providential dealings. There are various aspects to this reinvigorated prayerful self- examination that we are undertaking, but we feel persuaded that we must look at all the diff erent assets that the Lord has provided us with over the years and ensure that we are being good stewards of all of them. To this end, the General Committee have recently approved a project to examine the options for the future of our UK Headquarters at Tyndale House.
Whilst this building was a wonderful provision from the Lord almost twenty years ago, it is only fair to say that the offi ce accommodation is now considerably larger than our current needs demand, as the number of staff full-time in the offi ce has reduced by about a third during that period of time. This signifi cant change is mainly due to lower staff numbers but is also partly due to the advances in technology which allow many staff who commute long distances to work at home part of the week. (A good number of our staff have a journey of at least ninety minutes and come from widely scattered parts of the country.)
In addition, Tyndale House is now in need of considerable refurbishment, having had very little substantial work done on it since the Society arrived. Furthermore, in this age of ever increasing energy prices, Tyndale House is a large and ineffi cient building to heat. But most importantly, when these factors are combined with the fact that it is a prime development site worth several million pounds, it behoves us to look at whether we are now using this resource which the Lord has already given us to its best purpose. Thus we are considering the possibility of selling this building and moving to smaller facilities.
We are also conscious in undertaking this review of Tyndale House that there may be an immediate concern among our supporters as to where the Society’s Headquarters might end up being situated. We would seek to reassure all our friends that should the General Committee take the decision to sell Tyndale House, new premises close to our present location will be sought, as we recognise that it is well-connected to the main transport hubs serving London and the surrounding area. Initial research indicates that more suitable premises are available in the local area and at prices considerably below what we believe Tyndale House to be worth.
16 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013
In considering this possible sale, we turn back to Scripture for our guidance and fi nd, as ever, that it is highly relevant. The passage found in 2 Kings 4.1–7 speaks directly to the situation, particularly the latter part of verse 7—‘And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest’. It is apposite in several ways:
The supply of oil that the widow was told to sell was provided by the wonderful multiplying hand of God, just as was Tyndale House when the Lord gave the Society this valuable asset for such a bargain price some twenty years ago.
We are told that the widow had nothing left except her pot of oil—the Society, in the UK at least, has very few assets left now which can be drawn on for the continuance of the work, except Tyndale House.
The widow had to sell her oil; whilst we would not want to pre-empt the review that will be undertaken, nor run before the Lord, it does seem that He may be indicating that we should sell Tyndale House.
Just as the widow repaid her debt with the proceeds of the oil, if we sell Tyndale House we would hope to buy another property that will suit the Society’s current needs for considerably less than we sell for, and then we shall be able to repay our ‘debts’ to the Restricted Funds and Golden Thoughts Fund.
As the widow had to live ‘of the rest’, so we believe that the remainder of the proceeds would be a support to the work going forward. We believe it will be to ‘us and our children’, because we have confi dence in our God that He will continue the work of the Society which He has maintained for over one hundred and eighty years now. Of course, even if we fi nd ourselves in a new building, we would still be very much dependent on the Lord to continue providing through the instrumentality of His people.
We seek a place in your prayers that the General Committee and the Management may be given much wisdom and clear guidance in these important matters, and indeed in all matters concerning the Society.
We remain deeply thankful to all our members, supporters and friends for their partnership with us in this work, practically, fi nancially and in prayer. We gratefully acknowledge receipt of anonymous gifts totalling £3,738.43 for the period April to June 2013 (Matthew 6.4).
17 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Canadian and USA Schools Project By Adrian Stoutjesdyk General Secretary, TBS (Canada)
‘Go to a TBS meeting? You’ve got to be kidding! That’s just for old people, isn’t it?’ Regrettably, few young people attend our public meetings. And yes, most of the attendees are past middle-age. However, recently two Christian schools, one in the Canadian province of Alberta and the other in the American state of Michigan, have successfully involved their teenage students in TBS activities.
n a clear day, the students at in which the Society is involved, in a Calvin Christian School in remote area of the Philippines. To help OMonarch, Alberta, can see the students start thinking about this project, distant peaks of the Rocky Mountains. a committee at the school used this Every quarter of the school year, the middle school classes arrange a fundraiser for a specifi c mission topic. About a year ago, Mr. Fred Neels asked the Society to suggest a specifi c project his students could adopt. Mr. David Larlham and Miss Anne Newman at Tyndale House, London, kindly supplied a PowerPoint Rocky Mountains presentation about an outreach activity information to prepare an attractive hallway bulletin board. Since I was in the area to attend the Canadian Branch’s Annual Meeting on December 8, school administrators gave me the opportunity to speak to the students about this project. I also referred to it during the Annual Meeting that evening. During the following week, students
18 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013
‘passed the collection can’ daily. Each according to John (Evangelio según Juan). day, a few students from higher grades Teachers then organized an eff ort to helped count the money and distribute these booklets to Spanish- post the totals. Since the speaking residents of Grand Rapids. students exceeded their goal Some children made special trips to the of Can$1,000.00, the school administrators gave them an shopping mall to fi nd Spanish speakers extra-long recess! and to give them a copy of John. arly in 2013, Mr. Tim TenElshof and the Mission ECommittee at Plymouth Christian School in Grand Rapids,
Hallway bulletin board
In the end, the children and their parents raised approximately US$4,000. This will help fi nance the printing and distribution of Evangelio según Juan in Colombia. Michigan, organized an activity for students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. The students learned about the Society’s work with the Spanish Bible. For every dollar the children raised, a small photocopy of the cover of the Spanish Gospel according to John was taped to the wall in the school hallways. The school William Greendyk giving out copies also sold TBS coloring of Spanish John books and bookmarks. Soon the walls were literally plastered with thehe ThThank you, staff and students at small pictures, and the TBSBS CCalvin and Plymouth Christian materials were all sold out.ut. scschools! Your activities helped Evangelio según Juan While speaking to the students become students, Mr. William Greendyk, more familiar with the General Secretary of TBS (USA), the Society and our challenged the students to become work. It is our hope that ‘outreach workers for a day’. All were they will continue to be given a copy of the Spanish Gospel involved. 19 TrinitarianTrinitarian BiblBiblee Society – Quarterly Record Malta MELITA by C. P. Hallihan
General Introduction he Maltese islands, lying in the Mediterranean Sea on similar Tlatitude to Pohang, South Korea, or Middle-of-the-Mi 1 Nashville, Tennessee in the USA, Malta EarthEar Sea have are the peaks of bebeen sharply an underwater aware of thethe centralcent strategic limestone ridge Ras San Dimitri signifi cance of Malta. (Did stretching south O the climate cause the Greeks to decide not to from Sicily. Because COMINNOO there is no fresh make a colony in Malta water and very low such as they 0kkm 2km Baay maintained rainfall, fauna is very limited, in both Bayay number and size. in
Nevertheless there are extraordinary Ghajn Tuffieha Ba monolithic tombs in Malta suggesting M A habitation from around 3000 BC, in Valletta keeping with elsewhere round the Mediterranean. All those that ever did business in the great waters of this
arsaxloDelimarra Pt kk B Sicily ay for so long?) The Phoenicians, master maritime traders, called the island 20 Monolithic ruins Issue Number: 605 – October to Decemberecembeer 2013
Malat, or ‘safe harbour’. With the fallout capital was Mdina, where descendants from the siege of Troy,2 they moved their of Norman families still live today. Under power base from the Biblical cities of Tyre, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor from 1519 Zarephath and Sidon, to Carthage in North to 1556, perhaps best known for his role in Africa where they became embroiled opposing the Protestant Reformation, the with the growing power of Rome. islands became part of the Spanish Empire. Carthago delenda est—‘Carthage must be It was Charles who granted the islands to destroyed’—was the Roman slogan , and the Knights of the Order of St. John. Malta’s
Valletta
the ensuing Punic Islands give a kaleidoscope of history, Wars, spread over along with the legacy of European culture, one hundred and Mediterranean traditions and Arabic twenty years (with impact. elephants!), left Malta wholly part of The Hospitallers and the the Roman world. Great Siege With the separating The ‘Order of the Knights Hospitaller of the Roman Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem’ had been Empire in AD 395, founded in 1100 to defend and care Malta, surprisingly, fell to the rule of for crusaders and crusader territory. Constantinople (Byzantium), the more When the crusader powers were distant eastern-half of the Empire. From dispossessed of Jerusalem and the 870 to 1090 Malta was under Arab rule. In ‘Holy Land’ in 1291, the Hospitallers 1091 the Normans—yes, the 1066 kind moved, or rather were moved in hard of Normans—extended their Sicilian fought resistance to armed hostility, to dominions by defeating the Arabs of Cyprus, then Rhodes, and fi nally the three Malta, just in time for Christendom’s inhabitable Maltese Islands. These they crusading calamities. From Norman later secured from Emperor Charles V England and Norman France, to Sicily and for the rent of two Maltesea falcons then Malta, was one of the plain paths to per year; there they became thee ‘Outremer’3 and Jerusalem. The medieval Suleiman the Magnifi cent 21 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Knights of Malta. The Knights had a violent expected cruelty. Resistance continued relationship with Muslim powers, both at Fort St. Angelo. Despite the strength parties holding that promises, leagues, and viciousness of the Turks, promised safe conducts, etc., made to ‘infi dels’ reinforcements and supplies failed to were not binding. Atrocities multiplied, arrive; demoralised by disease and with and some of the most shameful stains of the coming of winter, the Turks began to Christendom still bear bitter fruit in the weaken. On 7 September came the Gran Middle East. Soccorso, Great Relief from the Great Siege. This led to the appearance of a great fl eet off the coasts of Malta on 18 May 1565. Suleiman the Magnifi cent had despatched from Turkey over two hundred ships, bearing more than forty thousand men with horses, cannon, ammunition, food and water, to deal with these pestilent knights and their 48th Grand Master, Jean Parisot de la Valette. La Valette had gathered together some fi ve hundred knights along with four thousand Maltese fi ghters and three thousand mercenaries from Spain and Italy. The Turkish Looking out over the Grand Harbour from Fort St. Angelo fl eet came to Marascirocco (modern Marsaxlokk) and the knights went to the Fort of St. Elmo. It survived siege for thirty- Eight thousand Roman Catholic troops one days in what has come to be known arrived to bolster the nearly nonexistent as one of the bloodiest sieges in history, Maltese army. A week later the Turkish and its fall on 23 June was marked by the general, afraid that his ships moored
Painting depicting the siege of Malta and an engraving of Grand Master Jean Parisot de la Valette
22 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 in Maltese harbours would be settled in Malta; British rule there was taken, ordered his men to confi rmed by the Treaty of Paris in abandon their positions 1814, and lasted for one hundred and sailed back to Turkey. and fi fty years. The Suez Canal was Suleiman made plans to opened in 1869—the solution of return to Malta, but his Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps death the next year put an end to Napoleon’s transport problem came to his dreams of conquest. The seventy years too late. Malta therefore elderly la Valette set about Maltese cross ironically became Britain’s staging post reinforcing the islands to India, and a large dockyard industry and built a new city on the heights of developed as a huge part of Malta’s Mt. Sciberras, dominating the Grand stability, just as sail was giving way to Harbour; it was named after him as steam. Valletta. Here I declare an ‘interest’: my grandfather
Flickr/Jexweber These knights enriched the islands served in Valletta as a Naval Sick Berth with works of art, furniture, silverware Attendant during the First World War and sculpture. No less important, if less (1914–1918), and returning there well known, is their place in the history remained his dream for the rest of his life. of medicine. Their Sacra Infermeria My father renewed the family connection in Valletta was the foremost hospital and aff ection, staging through Valletta of Europe in its day. Since the nineteenth century, the order has reinvented itself as a religious and charitable organisation. Because of the order’s activities the eight- pointed Maltese cross has come to symbolise safety and support provided by services such as fi refi ghters and ambulances (note the symbol of the English branch of the order as seen in the St. John Ambulance Service). There are less transparent aspects of the activities of the order and its knights; we shall not pursue that here.
Modern Times Bomb damaged streets of Valletta In a comprehensive strategic misjudgement, in 1798 Napoleon seized with the RAF in the latter part of the Malta on his way to India via Egypt. During Second World War (1939–1945).4 his short tenure of Malta Napoleon did what he could to turn it into a French The strategic importance of Malta, department, the Grand Master having hindering supply lines to North Africa, eff ectually surrendered authority. The was a bone in Hitler’s throat. The heroic Battle of the Nile the same year had seen defence of the island and the resilience of Nelson put an end to the India project. its people led to the award of the George Another year on saw British troops Cross, instituted by King George VI in
23 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record 1940 to acknowledge troops and navies from Malta outstanding civilian was requested. Parliament courage—and equal in enacted important changes honour to the military to the constitution, and on Victoria Cross—to the 13 December 1974 Malta island of Malta: that is, was declared a republic to the entire civilian within the Commonwealth, population. In a letter with Mamo serving as the of 15 April 1942 to fi rst president of the Republic the island’s governor, of Malta. Strenuous eff orts at Lieutenant-General that time to align with Libya Sir William Dobbie,5 King as a ‘friendly power’, rather George VI declared: ‘To than Western powers, led to honour her brave people even more active hostility I award the Stone plaque commemorating the towards British military George Cross awarding of the George Cross presence and use of dockyard to the Island facilities. The last British Fortress of Malta to bear witness troops left Malta, and on 31 March 1979 the to a heroism and devotion that Union Jack was fi nally lowered. will long be famous in history’. The Governor answered: ‘By However, Malta realised its need for God’s help Malta will not weaken foreign trade—lack of fresh water, limited but will endure until victory is agriculture and farming provisions and won’.6 almost no domestic energy sources require that it be dependent on outside In 1947, the islands were granted sources. Tourism plays a large role in the £30 million to help rebuild, but it economy; events of 11 September 2001 took several decades and further impacted heavily on the number of visitors Lieutenant-General restructuring once the British Sir William Dobbie from outside the country, but numbers in forces left Malta for the economy subsequent years have improved greatly. to be restored. Such histories as I Malta is represented at the United Nations, have read make observations such as, ‘early and is active in European and world aff airs. farmers would have had to bring with them It gained membership of the European almost everything they needed to survive, Union in 2004, and adopted the euro four from domestic animals to grain’.7 years later. After WWII the movement for Maltese self-determination grew steadily stronger, Maltese Language and and independence was granted on 21 September 1964. In 1971 People the Labour Party headed by The Maltese language (Malti) supposedly Mr Dom Mintoff won the general has Phoenician beginnings, not strange election, with Sir Anthony if you consider the Mediterranean Mamo appointed governor- geography, but is recognised as part of general—the fi rst Maltese the Semitic language group with Arabic, citizen to hold such a position. Hebrew and Amharic.8 What makes Almost instantaneously the Maltese remarkable amongst Semitic total withdrawal of all foreign languages is that it is the only such Dom Mintoff 24 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013
in everyday life. The locals are reputed to become very loud about their passions—family, religion, politics, anything. This sometimes brings accusations of rudeness from tourists, but anxious publicity pamphlets explain that the Maltese are loud-spoken anyway and that raised voices should be taken as part of island life (as known in other countries, including parts of the UK). Religion
Shopping along Valletta’s high street Freedom of religion is acknowledged, but Malta is 98% Roman language written in Latin script. Maltese Catholic. However, only about 50% of the became an offi cial language only in population now attend religious services 1934, somewhat displacing Italian (still with any regularity. Each town and village widely spoken—66%); ability in English is has its own parish Roman Catholic Church, widespread (88%) so that Maltese, English, and often multiple church buildings are Italian, and to a lesser extent French, are in scattered across the locality. Many of these ordinary use. buildings date from the 17th century, and Over centuries the people of this provide fi ne examples archipelago have been caught up with of Baroque architecture. Arab, Sicilian, Spanish, French and English Much of the population cultural infl uences, as well as the endless takes an active part in interaction of a large seaport community. the local village festa, Perhaps it is a form of self-defence then marking the feast day that the population is socially conservative. of their local patron Malta’s culture is now essentially Latin saint. Inevitably, the European, with, of course, the British shipwreck of the admixture; any Semitic legacy is said to be apostle Paul on Melita linguistic rather than cultural. However, (Malta) is part of the language shapes the way in which we think very fabric of religious and express ourselves, and is itself a major tradition on Malta. cultural infl uence. And when they were Latin European infl uence is the major escaped, then they source of Maltese culture because of the knew that the island virtually continuous cultural impact on was called Melita. Spires and domes of Valletta Malta over the past eight centuries: Malta And the barbarous shares the religious beliefs, traditions and people shewed us no little kindness: ceremonies of its Sicilian and southern for they kindled a fi re, and received European neighbours. Maltese declare us every one, because of the present themselves friendly and welcoming, the rain, and because of the cold… In Mediterranean temperament very evident the same quarters were possessions 25 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record of the chief man of the island, whose in Westminster Cathedral (January 2013) name was Publius; who received but is active in Malta—indeed, it was here us, and lodged us three days that the fi rst School of Evangelisation of courteously. (Acts 28.1,2,7) the Renewal was held in 1985, and it was this school’s missionaries who travelled According to tradition, the apostle had to Rome in the fi rst evangelistic mission taken refuge in a cave in Rabat, now of the movement.10 No wonder then that known as St. Paul’s Catacombs. Paul this long adherence to Roman Catholicism, having cured Publius’s father of serious together with geographical proximity, has made Malta a favoured retreat for recent popes (a papal Camp David, perhaps?). Because of British infl uence and association, the Anglican (Episcopalian) and Methodist churches are well settled, though always in minority. From the late nineteenth century, transatlantic infl uence brought not only various forms of Pentecostalism, but also Christadelphians and Mormons to the islands. More happily, The Evangelical Alliance of Malta was founded in November 2007, the only St. Paul’s Catacombs body serving evangelical Christians in Malta. fever, Publius supposedly converted to Islam was introduced to Malta with the Christianity and became the fi rst Bishop Muslim capture of Sicily in 870, and the of Malta. The Cathedral of Mdina is said islands remained almost exclusively Muslim to stand on the site of Publius’s house. until the Norman Conquest of 1091, at With such a ‘grain of truth but loaf of which time Malta was offi cially settled as unsupported fancy’ alongside the biblical a European Christian power. Muslims were history sketched above, it is no surprise still allowed to practice their religion until that the Roman Catholic Church in Malta is the thirteenth century, when the Muslims one of the most conservative in the world. were expelled from the country. Today freedom is acknowledged, but Muslims Although the constitution secures freedom in Malta are mainly foreigners. There is of faith and practice to others, only well one mosque, founded in 1978 by a Libyan established expat gatherings of Anglicans governmental association, and a Maltese and Methodists are really recognised. Koran, produced by the Franciscans (!?) in ‘Scope for evangelistic outreach is in the 1990s. practice severely limited, and even tacitly discouraged by mainline Protestant bodies I remind you of my favourite quotation themselves’.9 Evangelism of a kind does from The Translators to the Reader of 1611: happen: the Roman Catholic Charismatic ‘But what piety without truth? What truth Renewal has not only had celebrations (what saving truth) without the word of
26 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013
God? What word of God (whereof we A Maltese priest, George Preca12 (1880– may be sure) without the Scripture’.11 If 1962), laboured to produce a Bible in the you were concerned and involved with language. He used the Latin Vulgate text the furtherance of the gospel in Malta, as his basis, and was further hampered by you would surely feel the need of a his view that, although Protestants were reliable, authentic, authoritative Bible pioneers in Biblical studies, they wrongly with which to arm yourselves against failed to harmonise their doctrines with such Roman, Muslim and the tradition of the Roman church. Oh secular opposition. dear! Aware of his own limitations, Preca willingly deferred to and encouraged Peter The Bible in Malta Paul Saydon (professor and monsignor), who translated a Bible from Hebrew and Missionaries to the Arab world, notably Greek with reference to the Latin Vulgate. Eli Smith and Cornelius Van Dyck, used This became the classic Maltese Catholic Malta as a kind of acclimatisation stage, Bible. and found help with early language studies before going on to Bible translation Evangelical translation labours for Malta in Syria. The needs of Malta for a Bible in the latter part of the twentieth century were not so well addressed. The Roman take on the atmosphere almost of a Cold Catholic Church, in such a conservative War struggle—until freedom of religion bastion, would not be in need of a Maltese was offi cially granted in 1975, Protestant vernacular Bible until quite recent times. translation work had to be carried out in secret. From 1963 Karm Zammit, a one- A fi rst Maltese Bible translation eff ort time politician, worked on a translation, was the production of the four Gospels which he undertook using the Authorised in the 1790s by Mikiel Anton Vassalli. He (King James) Version as his basis, and was a linguist, political agitator, and anti- with frequent reference to the Greek and Roman Catholic (although not necessarily Hebrew and sound translations in other Protestant). His work was dismissively languages. TBS undertook to publish referred to as the ‘Kafi r version’. In 1822 Zammit’s work, but transmission of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) had sheets of drafts to TBS in London and the published a Maltese Gospel according exchange of comments and revisions were to John translated by Giuseppe Cannolo, fraught with diffi culty. Our past Secretary, a native of the island, and went on to T. H. Brown, spoke of some anxious trips, publish the Gospels and Acts in 1829. But and I am aware of at least one English when the Vassalli Gospels were revised in National Service sailor who was able to the mid-nineteenth century by Michael combine leave from Malta with Camilleri and completeded as a New covercovertt ppostalostal Testament (with the Bookook of Common Prayer also in Maltese), these were published in 1847 by the SPCK. Camilleri’s text continued to be published in various editions and portions byy the BFBS from 1870. TBS edition of the Maltese Bible 2727 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record service for Karm to TBS—no Internet then! Endnotes Finally the New Testament was published 1. As the Latin mediterraneus translates. in 1971 and the Bible in 1980, the latter 2. Your choice: 1100–750 BC; but note that David, being reprinted without change in 2006 Solomon, Hosea and Isaiah do fall within the limits of as a stopgap. Now the text has been ‘Homeric’ history! digitised, revisions and corrections are 3. I was captivated by this word as a youngster, not being made—in easier conditions and yet having any French: to see it simply as ‘overseas’ with simplifi ed means of communication, and Norman jargon for crusader Palestine. and accepting the general drive in Malta to 4. Designated for airfi eld construction with the 13 invasion of Japan but the atomic bomb dropped standardise the language. before they arrived; they sailed on home round the world: another dream. Afterword 5. Lieutenant-General Sir William George Sheddon Dobbie, 1879–1964, was part of our outstanding A Maltese journalist writing about heritage of military commanders who were openly Bible Christianity and Roman under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of him Catholicism commented recently, Lord Mountbatten said, ‘he prays aloud after dinner, invoking the aid of God in destroying our enemies. …As Scripture says in John 14:6, This is highly approved of by the Maltese, who have Jesus’ word is the only way because the same idea about God, but I would prefer an ‘He is the Way, the Truth and the Life’. effi cient Air Force here’ (John Bierman and Colin Smith, The Battle of Alamein [New York, NY, USA: Instead of viewing Christianity as a Viking Press, 2002], p. 39). competition between Catholics and 6. ‘1942: Malta gets George Cross for bravery’, BBC: Evangelicals, we need to rise to the On This Day 1950–2005, news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/ higher calling of joining hands and hi/dates/stories/april/15/newsid_3530000/3530301. seek Bible truths and learn to support stm, accessed 19 August 2013. Pentecostal/Evangelical Christians in 7. ‘History of Malta’, Search Europe, www. Malta and around the world because searcheurope.com/countries/malta/history.shtml, accessed 19 August 2013. they are truly feeding their fl ock 8. Modern linguists, however, relate Malti to the with real nutritious spiritual food. Arabic dialects of western North Africa—which still Unfortunately, this is an unreachable puts it in the later Phoenician area of Carthage. dream due [to] the great divisions 9. J. D. Douglas, ‘Malta’, Evangelical Dictionary of World arising from the unhealthy potpourri Missions (Grand Rapids, MI, USA: Baker Books, 2000), of religion and politics in the Catholic p. 596. Church, more so now that the 10. ‘IPCE Mission Malta’, Institute for World Jesuits are at the helm of the Roman Evangelisation ICPE Mission, www.icpe.org/maltaMC. Church.14 html, accessed 20 August 2013. 11. The Translators to the Reader (London, England: And what do you think of Trinitarian Bible Society, 1998), p. 10. this?this? A special edition of 12. Made a saint by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. the Roman Catholic New 13. See the ‘Editorial Report’, Quarterly Record no. AmericanAm Bible, St. Joseph 603, April to June 2013, pp. 11–12, for a brief account Edition,Edit put out for the of the visit of the General Secretary and Editorial membersme of the Knights Director to Malta in March of that year. of Malta. Indeed, all the 14. Anthony Zarb Dimech, Malta Independent, ‘The politics of Catholics and Evangelicals’, www. morem reason for the independent.com.mt/articles/2013-03-31/ SocietySo to push ahead letters/the-politics-of-catholics-and- withw our revised Maltese evangelicals-1295548417, 31 March 2013, accessed edition!e 3 July 2013.
28 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013
The Word of God Among All Nations
Although certain phrases and expressions used in these letters may not be doctrinally accurate or in correct English, we reproduce the letters essentially as received, knowing that the Lord is using His Word to the glory of His Name and the furtherance of His Kingdom as the Scriptures are distributed among the nations of the world.
EEurope gospel booklet in each bag. One teaching assistant was thrilled as her mother had given her a Bible many years ago which she had since misplaced. FromF a school in Kirkby, MMerseyside, England I gave the Bibles to our Year 6 students and they were gratefully received. I have AnotherAn year over! The classroom enclosed a photo of my class after the is very warm but thankfully we have a presentation. The distribution of Bibles balcony and a door that can be propped from your Bible Society has become an open to allow more air in—even with accepted and welcomed tradition for our that it was still very hot. I gave the Bibles Year 6 leavers. The feedback is always out to the staff members who were not positive and you hear of many accounts of here last year. It went well and I included a their continued usage. One of the children who had received a Bible was giving me a daily update of his progress through Genesis. He is reading three chapters a night. Many past pupils continue to visit and one girl said that she kept a special memory box next to her bed, which contained her TBS Bible, which she read each day. Her brother, who was in my class at the time, wanted to read it. Without asking he would ‘borrow’ the Bible and return it when he had fi nished his reading. She knew he was doing this as her bookmark would Year 6 students with their new Bibles be in a diff erent place. The day
29 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record fi nally came when he received his own we put through the door with a note TBST Bible, much to his delight, and now to point them to our three churches. wouldw no longer have to share his sister’s Unbeknown to us, we began in a mixed Bible.B The Word of God exhorts us to, ‘Cast Muslim/Geordie area (I picked the street thyt bread upon the waters: for thou shalt alphabetically), so it was an eye-opener fi nd it after many days’ (Ecclesiastes 11.1). for us, and we heard some choice OnlyO eternity will reveal the rewards of language, some of it directed specifi cally theset endeavours. at us. I was thinking that I need many more FromF Durham, Co. Durham, England gospels. I’m not sure whether I can press I missed your delivery this morning by my grant in that direction, or whether 202 minutes and was gutted, as I planned you can give me a discount if I buy 200, or tot go out this evening with Bibles. But whether asking for a discount is cheeky, amazingly,a as I had other parcels coming and I just pay the 40p each—I don’t mind. forffo school, I left a note on my door for thet postman to deliver them to any From a ministry at the Royal neighbour,n and the Yodel man came back Cornwall Show, England inin the afternoon and saw my note, and leftle them with my extremely burly Polish Please fi nd enclosed completed grants neighbourn downstairs, who carried the form and a short report on the Royal enormouse box upstairs into my fl at for Cornwall Show witness this last week. mem when I came home, just in time to go I was very excited as the show opened outo with them! Thank you so much for with the best weather that we had sendings them out. It’s wonderful to see ever had in the last 30 years. I had four thet settee full of Scriptures: it reminds me helpers on the fi rst day and from the ofo piles of Christmas presents when I was outset there was an exceptionally good a child (mine were always on the settee), atmosphere; the children were hindered onlyo much much better. I have planned to by teachers in previous years taking gog out with a man from my own church the children where they wanted them (as((a I did this evening), a lady from another to go, rather than letting the children church,c and a young African preacher choose for themselves. This year the fromf the Gospel Hall up the road. children appeared free and able to decide and at least one teacher came ThisT evening we knocked on about 50 into the tent allowing the children to talk doors,d and were both surprised that freely and take literature. We had many peoplep didn’t snap our hands off to opportunities to speak with many adults, receiverre them, but rather just laughed one who confessed that she felt bad ata us for being Christians (the Lord saw, that, although sending her children to anda will remember). But we did give church and even going with them herself, outo one Bible—to a Muslim! We also they had no Bible in the house! I quickly metm some needy people who we later supplied her two children with Bibles prayedp for (as we promised) and several and colouring books. This enabled me to whow had questions which we attempted have a challenging conversation with her. tot answer on the doors. The gospels We all had conversations with people of werew a magnifi cent idea—thank you for all ages and the TBS table was attractive thatt too—as we gave a few to young to many who openly asked questions peoplep who weren’t sure, and others about the 400th anniversary poster
30 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 which I again had felt led to put above always give people calendars, hot tea aandnd the table. One incident which may make sweets along with calendars and Scriptureture you laugh was that on the Saturday one tracts. People enjoy getting the presentsts of our workers forgot to pick up the milk, very much. At the end of 2012 the choirir so we had no milk for our tea. I asked her was invited to a nursing home. After thehee to go and look around the showground concert the calendars were given to all for somewhere we might be able to get the people living there. They were veryy some, but none of us were sure of fi nding happy and thankful. In February 2013 anywhere to buy a bottle. As she walked we distributed the additional calendarss down the aisle between the displays less received from you to the people who than one hundred yards from our tent came to another concert organized by ourour she met a lady carrying a four-pinter. She church. We are very grateful to you for thetthhe informed her that we had no milk and service you do. May God bless your worksrkkss asked where to fi nd somewhere to buy for Him. a bottle. The lady replied please take this one and refused to allow her to pay for FromF a contact in France it. Only a simple thing but the Lord does provide. DearD friends, I am very impressedsseed by the high quality of your materials at such reasonablee prices. The parcel was professionally packed, all materials received in pristinenee condition. Many thanks.
FromF Bologna, ItalyI IIr received your parcel a very few days after placing my order and am very much pleased both
Calendar distribution in Lithuania From Šiauliai, Lithuania For some years our church has been receiving calendars from you for free and using them to spread the Gospel. For three years the joined choir of the evangelical churches have sung in the centre of our city before Christmas. During the concert we
31 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record withw your service and your products. YourY customer service was very courteous,c your handling of my ordero very professional, and the packagingp adequate. The Metrical PsalmsP are very well-done, easily readablerre thanks to the choice of ink, paperp and font. The Westminster ReferenceR Bible is amazing. A couple ofo years ago, I was looking for a good studys Bible and found a short article ono the Internet announcing the futuref release of your Westminster Nigerian children receive Bibles ReferenceR Bible. I have been looking your eff orts, till the earth be fi lled with forwardffo to owning a copy ever since, the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as anda was not disappointed when I got it the waters cover the sea and all nations inin the mail. The sturdy gift presentation come and worship before Him, and glorify boxb was an excellent idea and is very His name. wellw designed to protect the Bible and carryc it around. The leather is of the highesth quality just as advertised. The placingp and choice of verses in the very AAfrica fi rst pages is very appropriate and well thoughtt out, like the sober plainness ofo the cover. The font size feels right FromF Aba, Abia State, anda the summaries at the beginning of NNigeria eache chapter are a very nice touch, but I SincereSi greetings of love and especiallye love the double margin layout, thanksgiving from the people of Nigeria whichw I fi nd both pleasing to the eye to all of you at Trinitarian Bible Society. anda useful for the accommodation of all ‘Withhold not good from them to whom thet cross-references provided. Plus, the it is due, when it is in the power of thine concordancec and several ribbon marks hand to do it’ (Proverbs 3.27). ‘Strengthen area quite practical. Simply holding this ye the weak hands, and confi rm the BibleB feels perfect, let alone reading it! feeble knees’ (Isaiah 35.3). ‘He that hath InIn closing, I might add that I regard you mercy on the poor, happy is he’ (Proverbs asa the best and most trustworthy Bible 14.21). The true religion that is pure and publishersp that there are because not only faultless is to take care of the orphans and ofo your products, which are always top widows. These Scriptures have become quality,q but also (and most importantly) of real in our lives and compel us to total youry commitment to the ‘circulation of the commitment in our ministries among the ProtestantP or uncorrupted versions of the poor and needy people, that we labour to WordW of God’, your high view of Scripture, bear the infi rmities of the weak and not to doctrinald orthodoxy, evangelism and the please ourselves. We are very thankful to gloryg of God, as so beautifully stated in God for you. youry society’s aims. In our eff orts to assist in the medical I pray that God may richly bless you and needs and health care of the poor, needy
32 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 and less privileged, you have given us God. Looking forward to hearing from the support we needed in providing for you. the spiritual needs of the dying souls in terms of Bibles and the Gospel literatures.. FromF Chikwawa, Malawi We have had wonderful opportunities WeW gave the Scriptures and othero literature to pastors at thee meetingm in Chikwawa. Thank youoouu so much!
FromF Solwezi, ZambiaZ CalvaryC greetings to you all in the name of Jesusus CChrist,h who is coming soon. I andd tthehe church are fi ne, including myy ffamilyam too. Thank you for the parcelscels ooff bbooks I have received which wwillill make many souls to be lead inn rreceivingece Christ as their Lord and Pastors in Malawi receive the Scriptures SSaviour.avi My family and I are very happy with these materials because nowooww to share the Bibles to those in desperateerate it wwillill be easeasyy for uuss as wwee preach need for Christ. Many people who have escaped death in the hospital have gone home with a copy of thee written Word of God to guide the rest of their lives. Last year we were privileged to go to northern Nigeriaa which is dominated by Moslems. We had educational programs in thee schools in Taraba State and by this means we were privileged to reach both the Moslems and Christians with the gospel and we distributed copies of the Holy Bible to these needy souls including Moslems thatt came to Christ. Enclosed is a picturee BiblesBibles arrive in ZamZambiabiia showing the distribution of the Bibles in our mission outreach. We also appeal to people. After accepting Christ a personsoonn for more of your support and assistance can be given a book for him or her to readeaadd to send more copies of the Holy Bible, during their home study. Enclosed is a Gospel literatures, tracts, and portions of picture of boxes received with my childd bbyy Scriptures and posters. We desperately the name of Precious, fi ve years old, andnd need them for the glory of God. Enclosed my young granddaughter by the namee is also a donation of €20 to the glory of of Agape to my right also are showing
33 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record confused this with calendars. If you do, I wonder whether you would be prepared to send one out to a young man that I used to fi nancially sponsor and visit in Ghana some years ago. He lives in a wooden shed in a shanty town. I remember visiting him and was shocked to see the rag sheet that he slept on the fl oor and his basic facilities. But then, travelling to Togo, Zambia and Gambia since then, his situation is not a lot diff erent from many others. His mum is a petty Bibles distributed in Ghana trader (has a very, very small roadside happinessh for the books. Solwezi is a stall) and he now has got the only job he townt with three big open mines, which could after months of searching, cleaning haveh brought many people from diff erent out old fridges in a scrap yard ready for ccountries from this world with diff erent resale. He is a good practicing Christian bbeliefs which need to be preached to and attends a local mission church. He has tthrough giving out diff erent books. asked me if he could have a new Bible. ThereforeT I am still requesting more Bibles,B tracts, books, CDs and DVDs in From Hohoe V.R., Ghana English.E Here the most language spoken isis Kaonde. Thank you. The Almighty God We thank God for His mighty work among blessb you and am praying for you and the us, praise His mighty name. The Bibles ministry.m you sent me I have distributed and the enclosed is the picture. I will like you to send us some of the Bibles for our new From a missionary assemblies. Your help is very needed, and distributing Scriptures in hope to hear from you. Ghana Do TBS send out Bibles free of charge uunder their Grant Aid system still? I think AAsia yyou did some years ago, but I may have
From Bulacan, the Philippines Thank you very much for sending Bibles. I give to the old pastors the large print, make them to read easy and use it in the pulpit during preaching. During our summer camp, sixteen new baptized Christians received a free pocket New Testament and Psalms. They are glad because the pocket size is easy to bring even in travel. The large print booklet tracts Scriptures distributed in the Philippines are distributed free to our members and
34 Issue Number: 605 – October to December 2013 new contacts and to new believers in the From a blogger in the USA Lord. Your Bibles were distributed free Scripture itself is the best guide even to politicians. Our municipal mayor, we have to guide us in our vice mayor and his councillors received understanding of Scripture. I think that the Bibles. Brethren, your Bibles, Christian it is a given that the most profi table literature are a big help to grow them use of one’s time when studying the spiritually and to know God deeper in their Word is, well, ingesting the Word of lives. Word is not enough to appreciate God itself. Having said that, I am not at you; only eternity shall reveal how much all opposed to profi ting from the work help you are. May I request to your good others have done, especially if it helps offi ce to continue to send us more Bibles me understand the Word more fully. and Christian literature to reach more souls As a young man, I was given a chain for Christ. reference Bible which was full of various helps and references, but did not have From Cabanatuan, the Philippines the types of articles and opinions found in other study Bibles. That Bible has Dear sir, I am from the Church. Sir, just been very valuable to me, and was my want to report to you that we have just go-to Bible for years. fi nished giving the Bibles that you have sent to us. Sir, thank you for all things you Now, in my opinion, there is a better have sent to us. Really it’s been a great option for students of God’s Word from blessing to us and not only us but also for the Trinitarian Bible Society. I have those missionaries we sent. grown to really appreciate TBS’s Bibles and eff orts to further the Word of God throughout the world. I fi nd that not only do they off er high quality Bibles at The Americas a less than premium price, but in their own words, TBS “strives to off er quality products at aff ordable prices, but more From Brazil than that, we hope that the Word will be blessed to those that receive it.” That Dear brother and sister, I have in statement alone says more to me than photo distribution of Holy Bible any number of marketing campaigns or and New Testaments in Portuguese here in endorsements, and well describes their Brazil. This is of evangelism among inmates Westminster Reference Bible. who have received the The Westminster Bible came well- small Bible in packaged in a sturdy box. I opened the Portuguese box and immediately looked for that here in unique “new Bible” smell. It was there. Brazil. God The next thing I noticed was that it has bless your a very nice, beautifully-grained calfskin ministry. cover. The binding on the Westminster is solid. It lays fl at in Genesis one and continues to lay fl at through the end of Revelation. The spine is simple and well Scriptures for inmates in Brazil done. I like the raised ribs. The cover is sturdy enough to support the Bible but
35 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record supples enough to perform acrobatics. can quickly come to an appreciation of the accuracy of the AV by using these TheT fi rst three pages have nothing on included resources. themt but simple Scripture passages (Psalm( 119:18, Psalm 19:7-11, and There are 200,000(!) cross-references 2 Timothy2 3:16-17) which express TBS’s in the Westminster, largely taken highh view of the Word of God. I hope from John Brown of Haddington’s thatt I never open this Bible and skim The Self-Interpreting Bible which was overo these opening pages’ words. As I fi rst published in 1778. These cross- workedw through the process of getting references are helpful, accurate, and familiarffa with this Bible, I was quickly very pertinent to the locations and becomingb hooked. contexts in which they are found. They are like having a learned teacher sitting TheT traditional AV title page was next, nearby, helping direct the reader to followedffo by that relatively uneventful the next bit of treasure from the true pagep that talks about copyright and living God. The ability to trace the information,in the publisher’s address, themes and teachings throughout both etc.e There is a line on that page, Testaments is, in my opinion, essential however,h that will (or should) catch to understanding the Bible as a unit, as youry eye. “Printed and bound in The the perfect revelation from the true and NetherlandsN by Jongbloed”. In my living God to man. experience,e Jongbloed is a name that isis synonymous with quality. Such is the The maps at the back of the casec with the Westminster. The leather Westminster are full color, large, and isis beautiful, the spine is tastefully done very readable. (not( too busy or overbearing), the I fi nd the Westminster to be easier on bindingb is solid, and the paper inside the eyes, as well as having a better isis a good-quality, ever-so-slightly off - cross-reference system, than other whitew color that is very easy on the Bibles. The Westminster, as noted eyes.e Based on nothing other than above, is strictly a Scripture-interprets- physicalp qualities, I am very surprised Scripture Bible, and is in my estimation thatt this Bible is priced as inexpensively free from extra-Scriptural biases or asa it is—and I have not even begun opinions. I have come to appreciate this discussingd the Westminster’s most approach. The Westminster has all the importantim and useful characteristics. helps of a good study Bible, but allows TheT Westminster has some very Scripture to speak for itself. helpfulh features, including discussions All in all, I really like this Bible. I have ofo italics, the use of “Lord” vs. “LORD,” used it in private study and family paragraphp or pilcrow marks, and the worship for several weeks now, and it is (accurate)((a usage of “thou” and “ye.” The my new go-to Bible for studying God’s WestminsterW also contains a lengthy Word. This Bible feels very nice in the (130+( pages) concordance, useful hand, reads well, and it contains all of chapterc headings from a 1773 London the study helps that I look for in a Bible printingp of the AV, as well as marginal (and a few I had never thought of). notesn that, among other things, give a modern rendering of many English www.covenantedreader.com/2013/07/ wordsw no longer in common use. One tbs-westminster-reference-bible.html
36 Trinitarian Bible Society
International Headquarters International Branches Tyndale House Australian Branch National Secretary: Mr. A. Brown, B.E. Dorset Road Trinitarian Bible Society (Australia) London P.O.Box 1381 GRAFTON NSW 2460, Australia SW19 3NN Tel.: +61 2 6642 8880 Fax: +61 2 6642 8881 England email: [email protected] Telephone: (020) 8543 7857 Brazilian Branch President: The Rev. Dr. T. L. Gilmer Facsimile: (020) 8540 7777 Executive Secretary: Pr. H. R. Gilmer, M.A. Sociedade Bíblica Trinitariana do Brasil email: [email protected] Rua Julio de Castilhos, 108/120 Belenzinho website: www.tbsbibles.org 03059-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Tel.: (11) 2693-5663 Fax: (11) 2695-3635 email: [email protected] Registered Charity No.: 233082 (England) SC038379 (Scotland) V.A.T. Registration No.: GB 215 9219 67 Canadian Branch General Secretary: Mr. A. Stoutjesdyk, B.Ed., M.Ed. Auditors: Office Manager: Mr. J. van Huigenbos Jacob Cavenagh & Skeet Trinitarian Bible Society (Canada) 5 Robin Hood Lane 9136 Young Road Sutton Chilliwack, B.C., V2P 4R4, Canada Surrey Tel.: (604) 793-2232 Fax: (604) 793-2262 SM1 2SW Toll free.: 1-855-793-2232 email: [email protected] Solicitors: Bates, Wells & Braithwaite New Zealand Branch 2-6 Cannon Street Secretary: Mr. U. Haringa London Trinitarian Bible Society (New Zealand) EC4M 6YA 17 Heatherlea Street P.O. Box 740, Gisborne 4010, New Zealand Bankers: Tel. & Fax: 06-863-3700 Arbuthnot Latham & Co. Ltd. email: [email protected]. Arbuthnot House 20 Ropemaker Street USA Branch London, EC2Y 9AR General Secretary: Mr. W. Greendyk, B.A. Trinitarian Bible Society (USA) Account Name: Trinitarian Bible Society 927 Alpine Commerce Park Sterling Account No.: 71529601 Sort Code: 30-13-93 Suite 100, Grand Rapids Swift ID Code/BIC: ARBUGB2L Michigan 49544, USA Euro Account No.: 31529601 Tel.: (616) 735-3695 Fax: (616) 785-7237 IBAN for Euro Account: GB19 ARBU 3003 0831 5296 01 email: [email protected] To publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world in many languages.
To promote Bible translations which are accurate and trustworthy, conforming to the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus of the New Testament, upon which texts the English Authorised Version is based.
To be instrumental in bringing light and life, through the Gospel of Christ, to those who are lost in sin and in the darkness of false religion and unbelief.
To uphold the doctrines of reformed Christianity, bearing witness to the equal and eternal deity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons.
To uphold the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God.
For the Glory of God and the Increase of His Kingdom through the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God.
For introductory literature and catalogue please contact the Society.
ISSN 0049-4712 Tyndale House, Dorset Road, London, SW19 3NN, England 9 770049 471000 email: [email protected] www.tbsbibles.org