was held in the large Hall, at 8 p.m. There was a large attendance, Wm. Fife, Esq., presided. Among the gentlemen on the platform wereBailie Torrens, Councillor Miller, Rev. A. Goodrich, Rev. Robert Blair, Cambuslang; Rev. A. Henderson, Paisley; Messrs. Wm. M'Lean, James Howatt, James Kerr, Thomas Gray, James Richmond, John S. Kelt. James Macnair, Robert Baird, James Smith, F. A. Laing, and John Gray. The Chairman delivered an interesting address, in the course of which he shewed the relationship that subsisted between the week-day and the Sabbath schools. He maintained that the work of the day school had tended greatly to develop the work of the Sabbath school. He denied the charge that was brought against the day school system, that it was a Godless system. The day school teachers were doing a better work for religious education than was ever done before. The Rev. Albert Goodrich afterwards delivered a practical address on "Some Things a Teacher Should Know." The Rev. Andrew Henderson spoke on "Some Things a Teacher Should Observe." Toward the close of the meeting prizes and diplomas were distributed by Mr. Thomas Gray to a number of teachers who had passed successfully in the Teachers' Local Examinations conducted by the Union. The choir of Union Free Church, under the conductorship of Mr James Mitchell, jun., gave some excellent selections of sacred music at intervals during the evening.

The Wonderful Book: its Translations and
Translators.

By the REV. DAVID THOMPSON, Appledore, Devon.

In the first age there was unity of language. There may not have been the same amount of word knowledge, but the alphabetic characters and the syllabic sounds were one. Noah was the link that joined the antediluvians with the post-diluvians, and he gave to his descendants the language of his fathers, so that up to the year 2247 B.C.-a period of nearly eighteen hundred years-"the whole earth was of one language and of one speech." But men, seeking to frustrate the purpose of God, combine to build ". a city and a tower, whose top may reach into heaven,' saying, "Let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." The thing they dread comes to pass. It is folly to fight against God. By a simple fiat of the Almighty there is the confusion of tongues; and this sudden perplexing visitation breaks up social intercourse, and deranges all the ordinary operations of life. men part from necessity, and plant themselves over the world-spread into Africa, and reach over into the vast continents of America. The Divine purpose of peopling the world is accomplished. But God, whose ways are equal, whose attributes run in parallels, whose mercy and judgment kiss each other-who, although at the dispersion multiplies language to repress evil, at the day of Pentecost confers upon the Apostles the gift of tongues to promote good. The Babelians are scattered on account of sin, the primitive Christians are scattered for the diffusion of holiness.

So

When the ancients had their one tongue made many, they were united to defy God; when the first disciples had the gift of tongues, they were waiting for "the promise of the Father," that they might speak words of salvation to the ends of the earth. The effect of the one is the breaking up of families, that of the other their oneness. The one produced unknown sounds, the other well-known sounds; for " every man heard them speak in his own language the wonderful works of God."

The first language of the Bible was Hebrew, which is supposed to have been the speech of Adam in Paradise, and of his descendants up to the time of the dispersion, and after that continued in the line of Eberspoken by Abraham and his favoured people. This language was first hallowed by Divine revelations, making known utterances of unspeakable worth, which give light and salvation to men.

The first translation of the Old Testament known was made in the Greek language, about the 277th year before Christ; it was called the Alexandrian version. It is also named the Septuagint, from a Latin word signifying seventy, either because seventy or seventy-two elders were employed in the work, or because it was approved by the Jewish Sanhedrim of seventy or seventy-two persons. The history of this translation is somewhat obscure, and great men differ in their opinions. We are disposed to adopt that given by Aristeus, an officer of the guards to Ptolemy Philadelphus. Its substance is as follows:-" Ptolemy, having erected a fine library at Alexandria, which he took care to fill with the most curious and valuable books from all parts of the world, was informed that the Jews had one containing the laws of Moses, and the history of that people; and being desirous of enriching his library with a Greek translation of it, applied to the high priest of the Jews; and, to engage him to comply with his request, set at liberty all the Jews whom his father, Ptolemy Soter, had reduced to slavery. After such a step he easily obtained what he desired. Eleazar, the Jewish high priest, sent back his ambassadors with an exact copy of the Mosaical law, written in letters of gold, and six elders of each tribe,-in all seventy-two,—who were received with marks of respect by the king, and then conducted into the Isle of Pharos, where they were lodged in a house prepared for their reception, and supplied with everything necessary. They set about the translation without loss of time, and finished it in seventy-two days; and the whole being read in the presence of the king, he admired the profound wisdom of the laws of Moses, and sent back the deputies laden with presents for themselves, the high priests, and the temple." This account is corroborated by Aristobulus, who was tutor to Ptolemy Physcon ; by Philo, who lived in our Saviour's time; and by Josephus. Christian writers, during the first fifteen centuries of the Christian era, have also admitted this account as an undoubted fact; but since the Reformation certain critics have called it in question, because it was attended by circumstances which they think inconsistent, or, at least, improbable. This translation, from the ignorance, boldness, and carelessness of transcribers, became full of errors, which were corrected by Origen and others.

The

There is a curious account given by Astle of a very ancient Greek MS. of a part of the Old Testament. He says, "We shall now speak of

the MSS. of the Greeks, which were written in capitals till the seventh century, and generally without any division of words. Several written in this manner are still remaining in England. For instance, the MS. of the book of Genesis. It was brought by two Greek bishops from Philippi, who presented it to King Henry VIII. of England, telling him at the same time that tradition reported it to have been Origen's own book. Queen Elizabeth gave it to Sir John Fortescue, her preceptor in Greek, who placed it in the Cottonian Library, now in the British Museum. Archbishop Usher, it is said, considered it to be the oldest MS. in the world. This MS. contains 250 most curious paintings, 21 of which were engraved by the Society of Antiquarians in London."

Besides the Septuagint, there were several other Greek translations of the Old Testament. Also, there were versions in the Chaldee language, which received the name of Targums, from a Chaldee word signifying interpretation or version;-versions in the Samaritan language;—and versions in the Latin, sometimes called the Italian, but more commonly the Vulgate, because it was in the tongue of what were called the vulgar or common people. This latter version, including the New Testament, was made chiefly by Jerome. It is the only one the Church of Rome acknowledges to be authentic. Thus the Old Testament became many-tongued. Its grand histories, music words, sublime prophecies, and majestic strains lived in the head and hearts of men of varied names and colours.

The New Testament, too, was soon translated by the zeal and efforts of the Christian Fathers, and made to speak the story of the Cross in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and other languages. Its magic words were a mighty power for good. Verily the Word of the Lord grew and multiplied. That sacred rill widened into a river; that river grew into a boundless sea; on its bosom were mirrored loveliest manifestations, while all along its sides men of every age and clime drank of its living waters.

It would be impossible, within the limits of this paper, to speak of all the translations. We cannot speak of the Latin, the oldest of the Western versions; nor of the Syrian, the oldest of the Eastern. We cannot speak of the two Egyptian versions, the Coptic and the Sahidic; of the Arabic translations, the Ethiopic, Armenian, Persian, Gothic, nor of the Slavonic versions. The New Testament, with the other Scriptures, was given in all these languages.

Coming down to later times, let us speak of other translations and of those translators in whom we are more interested. There is a name that ought to be common as a household word-a memory that should live in the gratitude of all-the venerable Bede. He is not only one of our most ancient historians, but the earliest translation of the New Testament into the tongue of the common people of England was made by him. He was born in the year 672, in the neighbourhood of Wearmouth, in the bishopric of Durham. When nineteen he was ordained deacon, and made a priest at the age of thirty. Bede was undoubtedly a singular phenomenon in an illiterate age-a prodigy for learning-the awe and wonder of the people. He tells us "that from the age of nineteen to fifty-nine he never ceased to compose annotations on the Holy Scriptures, for the edifying of himself and his brethren." His transcription of the

New Testament into Latin in a careful, fine hand, is preserved in the Chapter Library at Durham. It contains a picture, of folio size, of David playing on the lyre, painted, as there is every reason to believe, by himself. Others of his MSS. are in Lambeth Palace. It is a sublime study, the venerable Bede in his last moments. He was engaged in his delightful work of translation, finishing the last words of St. John's Gospel. His attendant said to him-"It is finished." He answered-" Thou hast well said, all is now finished. Hold my head with thy hands. I shall delight to sit at the opposite side of the room, on the holy spot at which I have been accustomed to pray, and where, whilst sitting, I can invoke my Father." Being placed on the floor of his little room, with pale face and hands uplifted, he sang, "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost!" and expired.

All honour to King Alfred! He has left behind him an undying name, not only as a king and Christian, but as a translator of the Scriptures. He was born 115 years after Bede, and spent much of his time in turning into English Bede's valuable history. He also attempted to translate the whole Bible, but was hindered in his work by death. We are told

that such was his love for the Scriptures that he would frequently enter the churches secretly during the dark hour of right, and there lament, with sighs, the want of more acquaintance with Divine wisdom. A story is told of him which proves that he was the Bible in practice-that he had its generousness. During his retreat at Athelney, in Somerset, after his defeat by the Danes, a beggar came to his little castle and requested alms. The queen informed Alfred that they had but one small loaf remaining, which was insufficient for themselves and their friends, who were gone in search of food, though with little hope of success. king replied "Give the poor Christian one-half of the loaf. He that could feed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes can certainly make the half-loaf suffice for more than our necessity." The poor man was accordingly relieved, and Alfred's people shortly afterwards returned with a store of fresh provisions. Thus Alfred's kindness had a large reward.

The

John Wycliffe, the bright luminary of the 14th century, was justly called the Morning Star of England's Reformation. With eyes open to the assumptions, vagaries, and idolatries of the Papacy-with a sincere love of the truth and a heart heroic in goodness, he, by tongue and pen, did much for Britain's liberty. Bulls from Rome, the anathemas of cardinals and priests, only roused his soul and gave purpose to his life. Walsingham, the historian, may dip his pen in gall and speak of him as "the devil's instrument, the Church's enemy, the people's confusion, the heretic's idol, the hypocrite's mirror, a sower of hatred, a forger of lies, a sink of flattery, who at his death, despised like Cain and stricken by the horrible judgment of God, breathed forth his wicked soul to the dark mansions of the black devil;" but we say his course was bright, and "doth shine and glisten in the temple and Church of God." On his trial before Archbishop Courtenay, we find him boldly saying, "The truth shall prevail;" then leaving the court with firm step and bold front, none venturing to stop him. He afterwards withdrew to his cure at Lutterworth, finished his translation in 1380, four years before he died. Hatred to

Wycliffe survived his decease. In 1410 his doctrines were condemned and his books burned by an Oxford convocation, and in 1415 the Council of Constance ordered his corpse to be disinterred and removed from the burial ground of the church,- -an act which was not performed till thirteen years afterwards. "Then," adopting the words of a writer, "his bones were thrown into the Swift, and the Swift conveyed them to the Avon, the Avon into the Severn, the Severn into the narrow seas, and they into the main ocean; and thus the ashes of Wycliffe are the emblem of his doctrine, which now is dispersed all the world over!"

Up to this time the Scriptures were written with stylus or pen; and the Bible was what we call a Roll Book. Copies were multiplied by Scribes in a room called the Scriptorium. Printing was then unknown. But providentially for the Church and the world-at a most opportune time-this art is discovered. "In 1450, the first book in the world was printed, and it is believed that that book was the Bible." It was called "the Mazarin Bible;" and, considering the time, was beautifully printed. When offered for sale, not a human being except the artists themselves could tell how the work had been done. It was in two volumes; and only eighteen copies of it are known to exist; four on vellum, and fourteen on paper. In 1827 one of the vellum copies sold for £500. Thus the first fruits of printing were dedicated to the work of Heaven!

The attention of the wide world has been directed to Martin Luther. His four-hundredth birthday has struck on the clock of time, and men everywhere have heard its call. He was not the man of one age and country, but of all ages and nations. Luther still lives-his labours, his goodness, his heroism, his reformation live. It was well for the Church and the world that Luther found the Wonderful Book in the library at Erfurt, well that he found the way of eternal life in it,—and well that he was so assured of its divineness, that he could say at the Diet of Worms, "Here I am; I cannot do otherwise; God help me; Amen!" When Luther was a prisoner in the castle of Wartburg, there disguised as the Knight George, he was busily engaged in translating the Bible into German. His New Testament was published in 1524, and the whole Bible in 1541. Luther's own copy of the latter is in the British Museum. This great man ceased from his many labours in the year 1546.

We will only chronicle the names of Tyndale, Coverdale, Calvin, and Beza, who did great Bible service in their day, and briefly call attention to our own translation. This book which we read at our fire. side was the labour of many. It was effected in the reign of James I., at the proposal of Dr. John Reynolds, of Oxford. Fifty-four learned men were appointed, but only forty-seven engaged in the labour. These individuals were divided into six companies, each company having their separate portions. Each individual of each company was directed to take the same portion; and, having translated or amended it by himself, as he thought good, all were to meet together and report what they had done, and decide what should stand. Selden tells us, When they met together, one read the translation, the rest holding in their hands some Bible, either of Greek, or Hebrew, or French, or Italian, or Spanish. If they found any fault, they spoke; and if not, he read on. When a book was finished by one company, it was to be sent to the rest to be considered

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