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'Our God is very different from that. He is the creator of all things, and the only true God.' Upon this he said, 'If that be so, I should like to see such a God.' I said: 'Take a familiar illustration. We cannot see our own emperor when and as we like; certain conditions have to be complied with, and failing these, we cannot see our ruler. So if we wish to know God's will, we must comply with the conditions which he himself has fixed.' But he said again, 'Anyhow, show me your God.' I rejoined, 'You must show me first the word that comes out of your mouth.' Upon this he became very angry, and seizing many of my Scriptures threw them away. Seeing the turn affairs were taking, one of the listeners went to call a policeman, and soon the champion of Shintoism was marched off as a disturber of the peace."

These instances are a sample of the work being done by your colporteurs, and your Committee bear testimony to the zeal and selfdenial animating many of these devoted men. From personal knowledge and actual experience gained in itineration, many of your Committee can vouch for the reality of the work being carried on by these noble men, often under very arduous and depressing surroundings. Colportage is by no means an easy work; and those engaged in it need the sympathy and prayers of God's people, and that in more than the conventional sense of the term. Of course, in such a large body of men, some disappoint the expectations of the Committee; but possibly this may be the fault of the system. Some of the Committee think the system might be improved, by raising the quality and reducing the number of the colporteurs, even at the risk of a diminished circulation. They would prefer to regard such men, not as so many machines, for putting so many copies of the Bible into circulation; but as living evangelists going in and out among the people, and exercising that potent influence for good which inseparably attaches to holy, Christlike lives.

The staff of the Committee has been reduced by the absence, through ill-health, of the Rev. H. Loomis, since July of last year. His place in the Bible House is being filled until his return by Mr. Braithwaite. In consequence, the latter has not been able personally to visit the colporteurs in the interval; but this has been well done by his Japanese assistant. The work may have suffered to some extent, but your Committee thought this the best arrangement for the time being.

NEW EDITIONS.

The Committee hope soon to publish a Romanized edition of the complete Bible. A sub-Committee are now preparing this for the press. It will meet a felt want, and prove a positive boon to many a Christian worker in Japan. In some quarters the opinion has been expressed that a revised version of the New Testament ought to be taken in hand, so as to bring it into closer harmony with the Old Testament; but the general feeling on the part of those most competent to judge is, that the time for this is not ripe. For some years to come at least, the present version will be the only one in use. While

not insensible to its defects, we may well feel thankful that first-class scholars among the Japanese have spoken in the highest terms of its literary merits. Not all these discern the spiritual beauty of its teachings, for "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God"; but there are many scattered throughout the land who have found Christ the living word, enshrined in the written word, and these in varying degrees and different walks of life, are reflecting the glory of Christ in their daily lives. Surely this must tell. Opposition there may be, discouragements will come, and indifference often paralyze the earnest worker; but even if no other results from Christian missions could be pointed to, the Committee feel that there would still be ground for devout thankfulness, in the fact that the word of God is in circulation among the millions of Japan. The future of Christianity in this land will be no less checkered, probably more so, than among other nations; but your Committee feel that, in this connection the words of one of England's most eloquent writers may be aptly quoted to close this report. 'The real security of Christianity is to be found in its benevolent morality, in its exquisite adaptation to the human heart, in the facility with which its scheme accommodates itself to the capacity of every human intellect, in the consolation which it bears to every house of mourning, in the light with which it brightens the great mystery of the grave. It is not now for the first time left to rely on the force of its own evidences, and the attractions of its own beauty.”

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SANDWICH ISLANDS AND MICRONESIA.

Five hundred Hawaiian Bibles and Testaments have been sent to the Sandwich Islands, and 465 Gilbert Islands New Testaments have gone on their way to the Micronesian Islands. There is an unabated demand for this book, and a new edition is called for in advance of the printing of the entire Bible, which Mr. Bingham is to superintend at the Bible House. The troubles on the Island of Ponape have paralyzed all efforts to circulate the Scriptures there,

and from the other islands of Micronesia no tidings of interest have been received since the last Report was issued.

AFRICA.

EGYPT. For an account of the distribution of the Scriptures in Egypt, reference is made to the statements printed on a previous page in connection with the report of the Levant Agency.

SOUTH AFRICA.-Mr. Ousley, writing from Kambini, on the southeastern coast, acknowledges the receipt of a supply of Sheetswa Gospels and Acts, which were sent to him last summer, but did not reach their destination until February. A few copies were at once sold, and the others will be in demand as the work of instruction goes on.

It is gratifying to learn from the Zulu Mission of the American Board, of a constant and increasing demand for the Zulu Bible; a demand too great to be deferred until the translation can be revised by the company of revisers who are engaged upon it. A new supply of 1,747 volumes was sent out during the year, and the reported sales for 1891 were, 668 Bibles, 1,234 Testaments, and 1,126 Gospels.

WEST AFRICA. In response to very earnest appeals from the Gaboon and Corisco Mission, 155 volumes of Mpongwe Scriptures and 500 volumes in Benga were sent last year for sale and distribution, in connection with the work of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in Western Africa. No account of their circulation has yet been received.

About 350 Bibles and Testaments, chiefly in English, with a few in Arabic, were sent to various missionary correspondents in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and other stations along the west coast of the continent.

NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.

The issues from the Bible House in the languages of the aborigines of the country were 366 volumes, for use among the Choctaws, Cherokees, Ojibwas, Seminoles, Creeks, aud Sioux.

CONCLUSION.

The Managers are unwilling to conclude this Report without expressing their grateful appreciation of the generous interest which so many friends of the Society have manifested in its operations. Still it is needful to make an earnest appeal for increased contributions that imperative demands may be wisely met. Especially does it appear that the work of placing the Scriptures in the hands of the foreign population, to be found in every State of the Union, is of such supreme importance, that statements made concerning it on previous pages of this Report, may well receive whatever emphasis can be given by this final word. These immigrants from many lands, must be saved by the truth of the revealed word, or they will, at no distant day, seriously mar if they do not ruin our Christian liberties. May the Inspirer of the written word crown with his favor the work of the coming year!

ADDITIONS TO THE SOCIETY'S LIBRARY

DURING THE SEVENTY-SIXTH YEAR.

I. Publications from the Society's Press at the Bible

House:

English Bible. Diamond references. 16mo. 6th edition..
German New Testament. 1st edition

Sheetswa. Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts. (Ousley.).

II. Other Scriptures:

AUTHORIZED VERSION:—

.1859

.1860

.1891

Bible. 16mo. (With Prayer Book, Catechism, and Psalms.).
Family Bible and Improved Version. (B. Boothroyd.) 3 vols..Huddersfield, 1824
Bible. (J.T. Hussey.) With comment and revised version. 3 vols..London, 1843
Chronological New Testament. (R. B. Blackader.) 2d edition.....
New Testament. (Pitman), phonetic...

.London, 1635

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1864

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1849

Job. (Pitman), phonetic..........

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1849

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Cambridge, 1857
.London, 1872

Book of Psalms. A new translation. (J. M. Good.)...

Numbers and Deuteronomy. (H. E. J. Howard.) According to LXX.

Hebrews. (J. E. Howard.) A revised translation.....
The New Testament. Revision of 1881. Student's edition. (Wendell)..Albany, 1882
Historical Books of Old Testament, (T. J. Conant,) revised....... Philadelphia, 1884
The New Testament: analyzed, translated, etc. (L. A. Sawyer.)..Whitesboro', 1891
Latin Bible MS., ? 14th century.

French New Testament, from the Vulgate. New edition..

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..Mons, 1710 .London, 1772 .Paris, 1875

[? Athens,] 1886 .London, 1824

Greek and English Luke. Text and Interlined translation.
Sheetswa. Parts of Genesis and Matthew, and Story of the Gospels.

III. Miscellany:

A. B. C. F. M., Adams, Natal, 1888

..New York, 1891
Edinburgh, 1887

Carter, Robert: His life and work. 1807-1889..
Dobson, W. T. History of the Bassandyne Bible...
Scholefield, J. Hints for improvements in Authorized Version of
New Testament. 4th edition....

A Study of the Great "She" Bible (1613 or 1611). W. E. Smith..
Proceedings of Conference on Foreign Missions, Mildmay, 1886.
Bernard, R. Thesaurus Biblicus, seu Promptuarium Sacrum.
Incunabula Biblica. Bibliographical Account of Latin Bibles..
Henderson, A. Moskito Grammar, with MS. notes..
Diccionario de la Santa Biblia..

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Pilling, J. C. Bibliography of the Algonquian Languages..
Gatschet, A. S. The Klamath Indians. Vol. I. Grammar..
Vol. II. Dictionary..

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Dorsey, J. O. The Cegiha Language....

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