Twelfth Annual Report Por Tee Year 1854
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THE TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT POR TEE YEAR 1854, . REFEKRINGto the circumstances detailed in the last Annual Report, andcthe Resolution and explanations therein detailed, as to the completion of the prenent Series, in Deoember 1856, the Secretary has now the pleasure of stating, that, during the past year, every exertion has been macle to bring the operations of the - Society to a close in a satisfactory manner-so far as the interests of the Subscribers are concerned-within the period prescribed. The Books which have been prepared, in return for the Annual Subscriptions received for the year 1854, are the following :- I. COMMENTARIESox THE LAST FOUR BOOKSOF MOSES, AR- RANGED IN THE FORM OF A HAmimY, Vol. III., with Anno- tations, &c., by the Rev. Charles W. Bingham, M.A., Rector of Melcombe-Horsey, Dorset, and formerly Fellow of New College, Oxford. 11. COMMENTARIIlS ON THE BOOKOF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, Vol. IV., with Annotations, &c., and a New Translation of the Text corresponding to the Contents. By the Bev.,John Owen, Vicar of Thrussington and Rural Dean, Leicester- shire. 111. COhiJIENTdRIES ON THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANSAND EPHESIANS,with Anniitations ; and a New Translation of both of these Epistles, to which are appended Tables and a General Index. By the Rev. William Pringle. (Completed.) IV. COMMENTARIES UPON THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, with Tables and a General Index. By Henry Beveridge, Esq. : Professor TXOLUCK’SDISSERTATION on the value of Calvin as an Interpreter of Scripture : and OPINIONSand TEBTIXONIES respecting the Writings of John Calvin.-( Completed.) Thcse Volumes form the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Issues. a NEW TRANSLATIONS OF CALVIN'S WORKS. 4 The four Volumes above-mentioned are in the course of being transmitted, through the usual channels, to every Member whose Subscriptions have hitherto reached THE OWICE,9, Northumberland Street, Edinburgh. Parties whose friends or Correspondents have omitted to remit their ANNUALSUBSCRIPTIONS and ARREARS, will be so good as instruct them to do so without delay, by Post-Office, or Bank Orders, or Cheques, payable to the Secretary, and their Pttrcels will immediately be sent free of Carriage to any address in London, Dublin, or Edinburgh ; or they will be booked at Railway Offices, or other Public conveyances, to be forwarded from thence, at their own risk and exporise, -to their respective destinations. Those who wish their Bankers or Agents topay their htbscriptions sill be pleased to send the Secretary a special Mandate to that effect. To facilitate tho prompt and accurate delivery of future parcels, Subscribers are particularly requested to send timely notice to the Office of the Secretary of all the changes of Residence and Address, or of any alteration in the present mode of conveyance. The necesrity of making pxompt and punctual payment of the Aund Qontribution6 is again most earnestly impressed on the Subscribers, so as to enable the Secretary to arrange the varioiis materials-to put the Works to press at an earlier date than hereto- fore-and to regulate the number of copies to he printed. If the Members were uniformly to transmit their Annual paynients direct to the Oface in Edinburgh, in January or February of each year, rill the other arrangements would toe thereby greatly facilitated, and speedier delivery of the Books would also be secured till the I close of the Society's operations. THEWORKS which arc in preparation for TIIC LAST YEAR OF TEIIS SCHEME(1866,) in return for the Annual Subscription payable on the First dayof January lBS5, and which will form the Twenty- $fila and Twenty-sixth Issues, are the followiiig :- I. COMMENTABYAND HARMONYOF TIIE PENTATEUCII.Vol. IV. -(Completed.) 2. COsrjfENTARY ON THE PROl'IIECIEs OF JEREXIAH,1'01. v., AND THE LA!tlENTA'TIOKS OF JEREMIAH.-( Completed.) 3. COMYENTARY ON THE EPISTLES TO TIXOTHY,TITUS, AND PHILEMON .-( CO?7pkted. ) 4. COMMENTARYON THE Cni71roLrc EPISTLES,OF PETER,JOHN, JAMES,AXD JUDE.-(Conpleted.) ALL THE WORKSfor the YEAR1866 have for a coiisiderable NETT TR.4NSLATIOX.S OF CALVIN'S WORKS. 3 period becn in active preparation. From the arrangements which were made before the close of the year ISSB, it is triisted that under the permission of God, this invalnable Series of the WORKS OF CALVIN will be brought to a satisfactory termination in the month of December zo(M. RENEWED APPEAL TO SUBSCRIBERS, ON several occasions, the SECRETARYhas felt himself compelled to make known to the Eubscribers to this Scheme, in general terms, the very heavy advance he has been induced to make in further- ance of the amended plan of NEW AKD ORIGINALTRANSLATIONS of the choicest of the Works of Calvin; and he is advised by friends, whose opinion and advice he is bound to respect, once more to state the simple facts in reference to his present position. The very unsatisfactory manner in which the Commentaries on the ACTSand ROMANShad been translated in the Old English Trcrsion, (which the Syndicate had unfortunately resolved from the outset to present to the Subscribers,) and the antiquated and uncouth phraseology employed in these Versions, were most un- suitable to the taste and spirit of the times in which we live. On this account, and in justice to his own very decided opinion on that subject, which he had strongly expressed before the com- mencement of the Society, the Secretary found it necessary, either to abandon the official management of the Original Soheme, or vigorously to carry out, on his own individual means, a plan of exclusively New and carefully prepared Translations of the leading and PRACTICALTVoit~Ei OF JOHNCALvfri. He accordingly notified this resolution to the Council in the spring of the year 1844. After due consultation, the Committee of Management at .once resiled from all pecuniary reeponribilfties, 5s they felt aSSUred that the Annual Subscription of 21 was quite inadequate'to meet the increased outlays necessary for producing New ,Translations, and provide costly books of reference for the me of numerous Editors in preparing their respective volumes. .The result has proved the correctness and sound judgment of the Committee. But although they shrunk from adopting the proposed New Transla- tions' Scheme, they generously offered their best advice and assist- ance. Without hesitation or delay, he at once undertook the whole labour and pecuniary expenditure, and from that time, all the anxious and laborious duties of Editorial Secretary, Conductor, and Treasurer of the entire Sclieme devolved upon him. From the 4 NEW TRANSLATIONS OF CALVIN’S WORKS. e8tablishment of the Society in1843-now a period of twelve years-he has, from year to yeaT, unshrinkingly provided the whole of the funds necessary for the preparation, Editorial Superintend- ence, and publication of this very extensive Series, at present con- sisting of FortJ-Elght laxge Octavo Volumes. This has been done on such a liberal scale, and the works have been produced in such a style and at such cmt, that the super-expenditure since 1843, (over and above all Subscriptions and sales of the looks,) now amounts to upwards of Three Thousand Pound#. From the commencement of the year 1844, there has never been fewer than Ten and frequently Twelve Volumes steadily kept in progress in the hands of able and learned Editors, to pro- vide for the regular and uninterrupted supply of carefully elaborated and revised materials. This fact will, of itself, shew to such of our Subscribers as are not conversant with such matters, the great diEculties, ontlays, and perplexities attending the publication of Works on so great a scale of magnitude. From first to last he has received no pecuniary aid from Members, excepting in two instances, where double subscriptions have been transmitted for the Iast three OF four years, by kind and considerate Members who were desirous of shewing, in this manner, the interest they take in the successfill termination sf the Scheme, and the expression of their individual sympathy, by contributing thus far towards the reduction of theRe oppressively large outlays. The Secretary trusts that it is onIy necessary to Iet these few and simple facts be known to the Subscribers at large, to induce them, and other well-wishers of such undertakings as the present, to take a much warmer and heartier interest in the increased circulation of complete Bet8 of the Work. With ‘a little organization and management, and without the necessity of pecuniary advance by those who shall be disposed to give hearty assistance, it is certain that at 1e-t a80 or 400 Set. of the woxb could readily be disposed of by Members, individually, or by the operations of a regularly organized and active Committee. It is hoped that every om who is desirous of promating this object will cheerfully co- operate in enlarging the numbers of our Subscribers and promot- ing the sale of the Publications by every means in their power. Since the Iast Annual Report was circidated, the Secretary begs most gratefuny to announce that in may 1864 R large and influential COMXITTEE has been instituted in LONDON;and he has the pleasure of annexing a Paper which has, within the Iast feu days, been NEW TRANSLATIONS OF CALVIN’S WORKS. 5 prepared for general circulation, in the hope that similar Com- mittees may be formed in other quarters for the furtherance of the same object, and that individual Subscribers may likewise be in- dnced to take a livelier interest in the generous exertions and anticipations of the friends of the Society in London. An earnest Appeal is therefore once more made to EACH SUBSCRIBE^ to lend his utmost influence and ryrtematic personal support toward8 the extension of the Sale of complete Sets of the Calvin Society’s Publlcations, and the increase of its regular Members.