The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society 2017 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: Resources Director: Mr. G. Bidston Mr. D. J. Broome, C.P.F.A. Mr. G. den Boer The Rev. B. G. Felce, M.A. Editorial Director: The Rev. Dr. T. Gilmer Mr. P. J. D. Hopkins, M.A. Oxf. Mr. D. Oldham Operations Manager: Pastor J. Stehouwer Mr. P. A. Blows, B.A. (Hons.) The Rev. M. Stuart Mr. D. Vermeulen The Rev. M. H. Watts Senior Editorial Consultant: Chairman: Mr. L.Brigden, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc., B.A.(Hons.) Mr. G. D. Buss, B.Ed.* Editorial Consultants: Vice-Chairman: Mr. G. W. Anderson, B.A. The Rev. J. P. Thackway* Mr. A. Hembd, M.A.C.S. J. Cammenga, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. Treasurer: G. Fox, B.A. (Hons.), D.D., Ph.D. Pastor R. A. Clarke, B.Sc., F.C.A.* The Rev. W. M. Patterson Jnr., B.A., D.D. Mr. A. C. Thomson, M.A. Cantab. Members: Mr. G. R. Burrows, M.A.* * These are the serving members of the The Rev. R. G. Ferguson, B.A.* General Committee. Pastor M. J. Harley* Mr. A. K. Jones, LLB. (Hons.) Solicitor* The Rev. E. T. Kirkland, B.A., Dipl.Th.* The Rev. A. J. Lewis* The Rev. D. Silversides, M.A.* Mr. M. A. Vogan, B.A. (Hons.), M.A., M.Litt.* Cover Picture: © Cultura RM / Alamy Stock Photo 4XDUWHUO\ 5HFRUG Issue Number: 621 © Trinitarian Bible Society 2017 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 2017 obtained and proper acknowledgement is made. Open Day – advance notice 2 Sabbath School Learning Prize Fund 3 From the Desk of the General Secretary 4 Entirely Dependent on Christ 8 Editorial Director’s Report 10 The Society’s new editorial system 15 The Bible and the Protestant Reformation: a taster 18 Bible Translation Philosophy, part 2 20 The Treasury 34 Protestant Reformation Publications 36 Vietnam and the Vietnamese Bible 38 The new Slimline Daily Light 46 Membership Renewal 48 Wars and Rumours of Wars, part 3 49 The Word of God among all Nations 56 Quarterly Record Production Team Editorial Director: P. J. D. Hopkins Editorial Manager: J. Arnold Senior Editor: Dr. D. E. Anderson Editorial Consultant: C. P. Hallihan Graphic Designers: P. Hughes, S. Talas Circulation: J. M. Wilson ADVANCETrinitarian Bible Society – NOTICEQuarterly Record Open Day GOD WILLING Saturday, 10 March 2018 at the Society's Headquarters William Tyndale House 29 Deer Park Road, London SW19 3NN (Satnav SW19 3TL) he doors open at 11.00am and opportunities for fellowship, and close at 4.00pm for as we once again present the Tan afternoon of displays, Society‘s work of Bible translation, guided tours (these will take publication and distribution. Light approximately 90 minutes, with the refreshments will be available last tour commencing at 2.30) and throughout the afternoon. Please informal talks. It will include the mark your calendars and make latest on our translation projects plans to join us if you can. THE WORD OF GOD AMONG2 ALL NATIONS Sabbath School Scripture Learning Prize Fund he Trinitarian Bible Society seeks to encourage and enable children in the Tstudy of God’s Word by means of the Sabbath School Scripture Learning Prize The Society would encourage all parents, Fund. This fund was commenced a number office bearers and other supporters of the of years ago to encourage English-speaking Society who seek the spiritual well-being children and young people to memorise of the young, whether or not the children the Holy Scriptures from the Authorised under their charge attend a Sabbath (King James) Version of the Bible. school, to request further details of the Sabbath School Under the rules of the Fund we provide a Scripture Learning Prize Fund list of verses to be memorised by children in from the Grants Department two age groups: those ten years of age and ([email protected]) at under, and those aged eleven to fifteen. our London headquarters, To the younger children who memorise or from any of the Society’s their verses, we present suitably inscribed Branches (for which the leather text Bibles with gilt page edges. contact details are on For the older children, suitably inscribed, the inside back cover gilt-edged, leather reference Bibles are of this Quarterly awarded. Those who have memorised Record). the first set of verses may, upon reaching eleven years, receive the reference Bible if they learn the verses for the higher age group. 33 FROM THE DESK OF THE General Secretary n this edition of the Quarterly Record are important and necessary activity in which articles on a wide variety of subjects, all we are engaged. We would therefore Iof which we hope will be found to be humbly and respectfully request the interesting, instructive and helpful. Most earnest prayers of all who have been importantly, we hope that they each will be brought by divine grace to value the found to be Scripturally based, spiritually inestimable treasure of the Holy Scriptures profitable and Christ-centred, and thus for themselves, that they may unite be in some manner glorifying to the Most in prayer with us for the Lord’s divine High. blessing to attend the very many detailed elements of the work that relate so directly We desire that the perusal of the following and intimately with the translation, the pages will enable our readers to be better publication and the circulation of His Holy informed about the diverse activities of Word. the Society so that they may be the more prayerfully and practically supportive of The Lord has exhorted throughout the the many facets of the work of publishing Holy Scriptures that prayer should be the Holy Scriptures in faithful and reliable made for the advance of His work. This is translations.translations. We acacknowledgeknowledge thethe greatgreat veryvery pointepointedlydly bbroughtrought to our attention in need there is forfor the continuous prayerprayerfulful thethe opening petitions ofof the Lord’s Prayer, interest ooff all the Lord’s people in this wherewhere we are exexhortedhorted to pray, ‘Ha‘Hallowedllowed 43 Issue Number: 621 – October to December 2017 be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy (King James) Version of the English Bible, will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ concentrating primarily on the fact that (Matthew 6.9–10). Most graciously, He has so many today have been beguiled into also combined this duty—which should using versions of the Holy Scriptures that be a delight to God’s children—with a are based on a form of the New Testament very significant blessing as can be seen, Greek text that by its many omissions and for example, in the wonderful relationship accompanying notes seriously casts doubts of petitions to promises in Psalm 67. on what is and what is not the divine Further, the Lord has also been pleased to revelation that God has been pleased to give His people the encouragement that give to mankind. This wholly unwarranted however poor they may view themselves and most unhelpful questioning of and their prayers, yet in and through the the validity of many parts of the New intercessions of their great High Priest, Testament effectively denies both the whose ear is ever open to hear their cries, doctrine of the divine preservation of the ‘The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous text of Holy Scriptures, and the doctrine man availeth much’ (James 5.16). Therefore, of verbal inspiration. This blasphemous we would again ask, ‘brethren, pray for us, position—and surely that is not too that the word of the Lord may have free strong a word to use to describe such a course, and be glorified, even asit is with view—is held and promoted by so many you’ (2 Thessalonians 3.1). in our day (even, grievously, by many who profess to uphold the doctrinal position In the following pages you will find that of the Reformers and who this year will the Society’s President has provided us be celebrating the 500th anniversary of with a humbling but encouraging article the Reformation), notwithstanding the on man’s utter dependence upon the most solemn warning found in Revelation Lord. This is something that we each have 22.18–19, ‘For I testify unto every man to learn repeatedly throughout our lives, that heareth the words of the prophecy of and is a principle that is very relevant this book, If any man shall add unto these to all the many activities in which the things, God shall add unto him the plagues Society is engaged. All that we do needs that are written in this book: and if any man to be undertaken prayerfully, in humble shall take away from the words of the book dependence upon the Lord, who alone has of this prophecy, God shall take away his the resources of grace, wisdom, strength part out of the book of life, and out of the and help that we need each moment of holy city, and from the things which are every day. Therefore, all involved in the written in this book’. work of the Society—whether making strategic decisions or answering telephone Jonathan Arnold, the Society’s Editorial calls or packing boxes or engaged in the Manager, has an article on our use of translation of God’s Holy Word—need to be computer digitisation to further the work looking to Him each day for His blessing to of the Society’s Editorial Department, attend every aspect of our work, however noting that utilising these IT functions seemingly mundane and repetitive it may will help to tackle many of the complex be; truly, we are wholly dependent upon Editorial processes that he oversees.