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Beginnings of the Trinitariantrinitarian Bible Society Introductionpart Needs1 and Necessities

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Beginnings of the Trinitariantrinitarian Bible Society Introductionpart Needs1 and Necessities Trinitarian Bible Society — Quarterly Record Beginnings of the TrinitarianTrinitarian Bible Society IntroductionPART Needs1 and Necessities by C. P. Hallihan simple outline of the beginnings of the TBS may be found helpful to our readers, not only as a reminder of A those early days, but also highlighting the continuing relevance and significance of issues faced and decisions made at the outset of the work. In our title the word ‘Needs’ will serve to indicate the burden, the vision, which brought the whole work of making the Bible accessible and available, to practical realisation in the formation of Bible Societies. ‘Necessities’ will then direct attention to the formulation of principles and practices in the face of issues and differences of opinion over a quarter of a century which led to the separate and distinct position of the Trinitarian Bible Society. 10 Issue Number: 556 — July to September 2001 NEEDS not mean very much easier accessibil- ity. Copies of the Bible multiplied, an historical setting but the multiplication of the Scriptures into more languages was done only slowly from the fifteenth to he immediate need which the eighteenth centuries. Various brought about the formation of T societies whose vision and labours Bible Societies was the burden included the distribution of generated by the vast expansion of Scriptures came into existence, Missionary labours through the among them the Society for the eighteenth century. The burden had Propagation of the Gospel and the been there, of course, as soon as the Society for Promoting Christian New Testament began to come into Knowledge in the seventeenth existence and copies of the Epistles century. In the eighteenth century and Gospels were made available to there had been similar Societies in congregations other than the first Denmark, and in Germany, as well as recipients. Very soon copies in in England and Scotland. With the translation were needed too, and the growing Missions activity at home in complete Canon of Holy Writ began the UK and throughout the World, to be made available in manuscript the need for more copies of the Bible form and in several languages, for and more translations of the Bible almost 1000 years. Amongst the grew rapidly, and the formation of Godly there was ever a hunger to specifically ‘Bible’ Societies search the Scriptures, to read, began early in the nine- expound and hear the Mind of Christ thus recorded, but access to George III, reigning Hanoverian copies of all or any portion of the monarch at the time of the Scriptures was always severely founding of the British & Foreign limited. The European implementa- Bible Society tion of the craft of printing in the early to middle part of the fifteenth century made for greater availability of the Bible, as the craft of the print shop slowly began to outpace the skills of the scriptorium. The greatest significance of the printing revolution lay in consistency of the copy over hundreds of impressions.1 As far as the individual was concerned though, cost was still high, and availability did 11 Trinitarian Bible Society — Quarterly Record teenth century. The nature of the world-wide venture, to bring the work of the early Bible Societies was Bible to every person in their to respond anew to the need which is own language; an enterprise in as old as the New Testament – the which all Christians, of whatever need for the Scriptures to be more denomination, could and more widely available and wholeheartedly unite. The idea accessible. It cannot be too firmly or caught on, and the new society frequently emphasised that this is the flourished. The grand simplicity chief reason for the formation and of the Bible Society’s aim, and a continuation, under the sovereign new awareness of the spiritual providence of God, of the TBS. needs of the unconverted world, prompted many to give generous NEEDS financial help. New editions of the Bible in the languages of 1804 and the formation Europe were immediately of a Society printed, and projects begun for the translation of the Bible into any readers will be aware of the languages of the Far East.2 Mthe accounts of Mary Jones, her desire for a Bible, her six years Many well known names of Georgian saving to have the cost of a Bible, Evangelicalism were involved in the and her sixty mile round trek from founding and nurturing of the new Llanfihangel at the foot of Cader Idris to Bala, where she acquired a Dr. Thomas Charles Bible at the hand of Thomas Charles. Perhaps it will now be realised that Dr. Charles’ subsequent impassioned pleas in the December of 1802 to gatherings of similarly concerned Christians in London, was, in the purposes of Almighty God, the spark among much prepared and ready kindling. The resolve was formed to set up the British and Foreign Bible Society, with an inaugural public meeting on March 7th, 1804. …The society was conceived as a 12 Issue Number: 556 — July to September 2001 British and Foreign Bible Society, and thus also in the later controversies. Such names as Wilberforce, Shaftesbury, Charles Simeon, Joseph Irons, Thomas Erskine, Robert Haldane, appear in contemporary references to the work and later differences and decisions. Vatican response was a little slow in coming, but characteristic, most notably set forth in an encyclical of Pope Leo XII in 1824:- You are aware, venerable brothers, that a certain Bible Society is impudently spreading throughout the world, which, despising the traditions of the holy Fathers and the decree of The office and depository of the British and Foreign the Council of Trent, is Bible Society, which was based in Earl Street, London endeavouring to translate, or circa. 1816 rather, to pervert the Scriptures into the vernacular of all nations. NEEDS It is to be feared that by false interpretation the Gospel of reprise Christ will become the gospel of men, or, still worse, the gospel of t this point we can pause to the devil.3 A review the Needs which led to the forming of a Bible Society, needs From the very beginning the which go back to the beginning of the standard of “…without note or Christian Church and the desire of comment” was part of every the Churches to have access to the statement of principle and procedure written Testimony of the Holy for the BFBS. As we later move on to Scriptures. consider ‘Necessities’ we shall see that the genial simplicity of early There is a continuing need for the statements of purpose and practice Scriptures to be made available. This became somewhat more rugged in need was brought into sharp focus by face of controversy. the blessing of God upon the 13 Trinitarian Bible Society — Quarterly Record Missionary and Evangelistic labours Bibles and New Testaments, there was of the Georgian era. As a result there the Latin-based version of the Roman had come into being a specifically Catholics dating from the same era as dedicated Bible Society. For about a the AV. This was never a serious decade this Society appeared to option for distribution in the United proceed as anticipated and Kingdom, but when it came to work prayerfully sought after. Support was on the European Continent things manifest throughout the nation, were different. An early from great and small, from correspondent of the nascent Bible churchman and dissenter. Auxiliaries Society was a Polish priest, who began to be formed, Bibles were desired copies of the Romish version produced and distributed in the in Polish. Thus began a powder trail United Kingdom, on the Continent of discussion and dispute which of Europe, and in India. As we now would contribute to the explosive proceed to look at the differences and meetings of 1829-31 which brought distinctions which arose, leading to about the separate formation of the the setting up of the Trinitarian Bible TBS. The post-Reformation Latin Society, I feel it important to stress Vulgate, with its translations into that the TBS sees its origins and roots major European languages, was not exactly in the situation so far strictly a true heir of Jerome’s more described. The vision is this; the reputable fourth century translation burden is still this; the defining task labours, based in great measure upon of the TBS continues to be this – to the Hebrew Text of the Old make available copies of the Testament and the Greek of the New. Scriptures, accessible in form and It was the Clementine Vulgate,4 authentic in content. bearing all the marks of the counter- Reformation, as well as the influence NECESSITIES of the Septuagint on the text of the Old Testament. The differences in which Bibles? detail cannot occupy us here, but they are many, even with variations The Vulgate Problem between, say, English, French, and Polish versions of the Vulgate. hich Bibles? In English the Wobvious choice in 1804, at the beginning of the BFBS, was the The Apocrypha Problem Authorised Version; the obvious, losely associated with the but not the only choice. Besides CVulgate issue, and probably various curiosities, and small issues of more prominent in people’s minds at scholarly or even polemic versions of the time, was the matter of the 14 Issue Number: 556 — July to September 2001 Apocrypha. These are the writings, connection between them, so much such as I & II Maccabees, is necessarily brought under Ecclesiasticus, Susannah and the scrutiny. What is the right basis of Elders, etc., which, whilst always translation? What are reliable viewed in association with the principles of translation? What Scriptures from a historical point of determines the choice of a Bible for view, were not seen as inspired, nor a particular country – imagined held to be canonical.
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