serve which is undeniably decisive; I allude to the headings of the chapters, which, if the editors had wished to pervert the doctrine of the text, would have furnished a most favourable medium for so doing. I will quote a few, to shew whether the charges in question are well-founded.

John i.

Saint Jean enseigne que Jésus-Christ est Dieu; qu'il s'est fait homme, et qu'il est venu dans le monde pour sauver les hommes.

John iii. Jésus-Christ a un entretien avec Nicodeme sur la régénération. Il lui apprend qu'il est venu au monde pour sauver ceux qui croiront en lui. John xvi. Jésus-Christ annonce à ses disciples, &c. Il leur promet que le Saint Esprit les instruiroit et les soutiendroit. Il les exhorte à demander en son nom à Dieu toutes les choses dont ils auroient besoin.

Rom. iv. La justification par la foi est prouvée par l'exemple d'Abraham. Rom. viii. L'Apôtre caractérise les fidèles, &c. Il montre qu'ils ont l'assurance d' être enfans de Dieu, et qu'au millieu des afflictions ils sont soutenus par l'espérance de la gloire à venir, et par les secours de l'Esprit Saint, et qu' enfin le sentiment de l'amour de Dieu les fait triompher de tous les obstacles que le monde leur oppose.

1 Cor. iii. L'Apôtre annonce que Jésus-Christ est le seul fondement qui doive etre posé, &c.

Eph. ii.

Col. i.

L'Apôtre rappelle aux Ephésiens qu'ils étoient morts dans leur péchés, qu'ils ont été sauves par grace.

Saint Paul les instruit sur la nature divine et la puissance de Jésus-Christ auteur de notre rédemption.

Heb. ix. Le tabernacle et les sacrifices Lévitiques étoient une figure qui représentoit le Sacerdoce de Jésus-Christ.

1 John v. Jésus-Christ est le vrai Dieu et la vie éternelle.

But enough: I trust by this time every person who reads these lines is satisfied, that however faulty in some respects may be this edition, and I advocate not its faults, it is not a Socinian version, by means of which no man could learn the way to the Father, through a Divine Saviour, or hear of the grace and influence of the Holy Ghost.

But there is another charge against the Earl-street Bible-Society, relative to this Lausanne Bible; namely, the annexation of certain notes and comments. I am not afraid to meet this charge: and though it comes more properly under my next letter, I may as well dispatch it at once. Certain notes there are; few indeed, and these chiefly brief and explanatory; but still they are notes, and notes ought not to be admitted in any Bible assisted by the funds of the British and Foreign Society. One, however innocent or excellent, is as much a breach of the law as a thousand, nor does the doctrinal character of the note alter the question*.

Lest, however, any person should fancy that the notes were meant to pervert certain texts, I will give a fair sample of them. The New Testament lies before me; I will take at hazard the first of the Gospels and the first of the Epistles, and copy the whole of the annotations. I cannot select a fairer test. I was going to add, as another average specimen, Genesis and Revelations, but in neither of them is a single note to be found.

Matt. vi. 24. Le mot Mammon signifie les richesses.

xiii. 12. Cést-à-dire, celui qui n'a pas mis à profit ce qui lui a été donné. Voyez la parabole des Talens. Matt. xxv. 14 et suiv.

XX. 9. Cést-á-dire, gloire au Fils de David.

xxi. 44. Ce verset 44 se lie pour le sens avec le 42. xxiii. 5.

C'étoit des bandes de parchemin, sur lesquelles les Juifs écrivoient des sentences de la loi, et qu'ils s'attachoient sur le front et aux bras. Ils fondoient cette pratique sur Exod. xiii. 9, et Deut. vi. 8. Les Pharisiens et les Docteurs de la Loi les portoient plus larges, pour pa roitre plus religieux.

Rom. xi. 16. Cest á-dire, que Dieu n'avoit pas entièrement rejeté les Juifs, et qu'il les aimoit encore à cause d'Abraham et des Patriarches de qui ils des

lbid.

cendoient.

17. Ceci s'addresse aux Gentils.

This is absolutely the whole number: and they are little more, it will be seen, than marginal references. This will account for Professor Levade's yielding his own judgment to the opinion of his colleagues, that they were not an infringement of the Society's laws. Still they ought not to have been there.

If all persons who raise objections would also read documents, I need not write a word on the present question; for the committee of the Bible Society, with exemplary fairness, printed and published their minutes and correspondence relative to the Lausanne version. This pamphlet contains more than fifty closely printed pages, and is one proof among many, of the magnitude of the labours, and the heavy weight of care and responsibility which devolve upon the committee and officers of this Society. From these authentic papers I collect the following important facts, which abundantly prove two things: first, that Mr. Daniel Wilson was not far from truth, when he pronounced Professor Levade to be "a timid though pious man:" and secondly, that the officers of the Bible Society, on every occasion, conscientiously upheld its rules, though, after all their care, they were not exempt from being sometimes committed by the actions of others*. It must have been deeply painful to the conductors of the Society, that in a case which they looked to with so much interest and hopeful anticipation, a cloud should have arisen to darken the horizon where they expected to see it shine the brightest. But thus it is, that God is often pleased to try the faith and patience of his servants, and their crosses seem oftentimes to spring out of their very mercies. It may be that their joy, though in the main rejoicing in the Lord, needed trial to add to it the grace of deeper humility.-Now, my lord, for the facts.

In 1816, I find Professor Levade, as president of the Bible Society for the Canton de Vaud, thus expressing himself in his speech, at the first meeting of the subscribers: "The Bible Society is appointed solely to circulate the Bible and New Testament, without note or comment, in the Canton de Vaud." It is clear therefore, that he had been duly informed of the unalterable principle of the British-and-Foreign Bible-Society. The Second Report of the Lausanne (more properly the De-Vaud) Society, in 1817, says, "The Bible Society, after its honourable union with the English Society, and conformably with its regulations, can circulate only Bibles and New Testaments without notes or comments," There was no mistake then as to this fundamental point.

About this time, several of the Swiss Bible-Societies, feeling the great necessity for a large edition of the Scriptures, desired to procure one in common; but there was great difficulty as to the best version, there being no one, even to this hour, in the French language, which can be called a received vernacular text. In June, 1817, Professor Levade writes, "If this undertaking should, contrary to my wish, fall to my lot, I shall confine myself, without any alteration, to the version of Ostervald or Martin: " and he adds, "If I ask any thing for myself, it is, that the remains of my thoughts may be preserved, to labour without ceasing in your great work; every other occupation is painful to me; when I labour for and with you, I feel some vigour." The Professor was at that time an aged man: he is at this moment I believe, in his eighty-fourth year.

• A curious instance of this occurred in the year 1817. I have already stated that the Society never published an English edition with the Apocrypha; but it so happened, that having occasion for 500 Bibles from one of the authorised presses, of a kind to which the Apocrypha was usually added, the printer inquired whether they were to be thus furnished, and received express and positive injunctions to the contrary. By mistake, however, he supplied them in the prohibited form, and a few copies got loose before the error was discovered. The committee, as soon as they became acquainted with the circumstance, returned the stock; but, in the mean time, what misrepresentations might not a thorough-paced mischief-maker have sent abroad, especially if such a circumstance had occurred since the Anti-Apocryphal Resolutions of 1826? In fact, if I recollect rightly, some Edinburgh controversialist did most laudably try to extract a little thunder and lightning out of this story, but not with much success; and it was therefore silently dropped.

Shortly after, I find the following very important letter, from H. Drummond, Esq., to the Earl-street Society, dated from Geneva:

"The churches of Lausanne, Neufchatel, and Geneva, have agreed to reprint, in large quarto, Ostervald's Bible; and I understand that they are waiting only for an answer to a letter that Mr. Levade wrote to Dr. Steinkopff to begin; it is a very important measure. . . It will give the ministers of the respective parishes in this Canton, who are Christians, an excuse to get rid of the Arian version out of their churches, without any noise, and it will prevent the further distribution of that wicked book. . . . . . I hope the Bible Society will assist it."

Upon the receipt of this important proposition, the committee immediately voted 500l. towards the proposed edition; upon the express ground of keeping out a heterodox version; and, in order to prevent any possible mistake, Mr. Owen wrote to Professor Levade, that the text must be Ostervald's or Martin's,—adding, "the grant is limited to one or other of these." The purest text, without note or comment, was the basis of the whole negociation. There certainly was no dereliction of principle on the part of the Earl-street committee, or any intended by Professor Levade and his friends; and accordingly the Report of the De-Vaud Society for 1818, announces that Ostervald's version was fixed upon; that the grant from London was on the express condition of either that version or Martin's being used; that the text of 1744 was adopted as the basis; and that the revisors would "preserve that edition as much as possible in its integrity, and vindicate to the reader the slight emendations which they may think it their duty to adopt, by inserting them on a separate sheet, accompanied with the corresponding passages of the edition of 1744." Professor Levade writes to the same effect, to the Earl-street Society; adding, "Please to present my respects to the Rev. John Owen, and to communicate to him the precaution we are using, to secure an edition of the Word of God in as pure a state as possible, without any human additions." Dr. Steinkopff replies to Professor Levade,-"I highly approve of the arrangements which you have made, for giving to the public as pure an edition of Ostervald's version as possible. The more I become acquainted with biblical labours of this description, the more I am convinced that too much conscientious care and unremitting attention can never be bestowed upon them." A variety of communications then passed, all expressing the zeal and diligence with which Professor Levade and his colleagues entered into the work; and all breathing the spirit of the following:

"We are ten of us, who are all engaged, with full purpose of heart, and without looking to any remuneration, to render our edition superior to all those we know, both as to the version, and to the correctness of the press. We introduce no alterations into Ostervald's version, except such as are recognized as evidently necessary. Your Society, and its progress, animate my existence, and make me wish to prolong my sojourn, though it has been pretty long already. Never did a similar spectacle present itself to the world. Your Reports make me young again: my eyes behold clearly what Simeon could see only afar off. The world has quite altered its aspect to me." In 1818, Mr. Owen visited Switzerland; and he writes, that the president of the Neufchatel Bible-Society, and several other clergymen, had assembled at his apartment, and carefully examined a portion of the Lausanne revised copy.

"We read over together an entire chapter, collating the alterations made in the text of Ostervald with the corresponding passages in the English version, and the German of Luther. By this process, and a full conversation on the subject, we were enabled to ascertain the caution and fidelity with which the text is revised, and the scrupulous adherence observed to the present version, wherever a change of expression does not appear to be absolutely required."

Mr. Owen writes subsequently from Geneva:

"The impression I received from the Lausanne committee was very satisfactory. The members who compose it, appear to be sound in principle, and united in spirit; and there seemed to reign in their proceedings such order and sobriety as justify the hope of correct and persevering exertion. When to this it is added, that many pious

young men have of late been admitted to the office of the ministry, there is great encouragement to believe, that through the activity of their pastors, the Word of God, will be not only generally distributed, but also profitably studied by the inhabitants of the Canton."

The De-Vaud Report for 1819, has the following passage, which, long as it is, I quote with a view to shew how very different were the feelings of the Lausanne Committee and editors from those which certain zealous controversialists would lead us to imagine.

"Thanks be to God, in whose hands the weak things confound the mighty, and who frequently places treasure in earthen vessels, the Sub-Committee, zealous for the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom, and united by the love of truth and the bonds of peace, proceeds quietly and without noise in its pious undertaking. The persons of which it is composed are not Savans, who are anxious to have their names quoted in the journals of the day, on account of the hardihood of their systems, or the extravagance of their paradoxes. They are Christians, who, abandoning the rage for novelty which misleads so many writers of our times, are equally remote from aiming at an elegance which could only tend to rob their model of its noble simplicity and its ancient character, and from indulging in a temerity of opinion which gives itself up to paraphrases and allegorical interpretations. They are Christians, who, duly prepared for their labour by prayer, seek truth, and nothing but truth. Yes, thanks, thanks be to the Author of every perfect gift, these coadjutors, whose devotedness and unwearied exertions are unknown to the majority of those for whose benefit they are employed, these faithful labourers redouble their zeal in proportion to the difficulties of their task, their strength is increased by the numerous obstacles which present themselves in their way; sensations of joy accompany their exertions; the time flies rapidly along in their meetings, and in a short time they will have completed a moiety of their labours: more than twenty hours are devoted every week to the revision of the text, and the fatiguing correction of the proofs, and several of these hours are stolen from the time usually allotted to rest. Let not the worldling attribute this zeal, this activity and perseverance, to those motives which frequently call forth his own exertions, in the various paths of life which he may tread in the pursuit of wealth, honour, pleasure, or even literary glory. I can with truth declare, that in this devotedness there is no share of alloy it would appear but just that the workman should receive his hire, and a very trifling addition to the price of every copy of the Bible would have placed a sum at the disposal of the Committee, which might have lawfully been appropriated to the remuneration of persons who, in consideration of the extent of their acquirements, might have honourably estimated both their time and their labours at a high price; such a measure was intended to have been carried into effect by the Committee, and their president was authorized to mention the same preliminarily. At a bare allusion to the subject, however, the four revisors stated unequivocally that they would accept of no remuneration whatsoever, save and except a copy of their own labours; nay, they even went so far as to refuse the re-payment of various expenses occasioned by their frequent meetings."

:

In a letter from Professor Levade to Mr. Owen, dated May 16, 1820, I find him writing as follows. I copy the passage, merely to shew how ignorantly he is traduced by those who represent him as a stickler for the Apocrypha. It shews in what a random manner unfounded charges are thrown out. The letter, it will be remembered, was written years before the Apocryphal controversy.

"We are as far as the middle of Jeremiah. We have (I should almost say) lost four months in the re-translation of the Apocryphal books. I had wished they might be entirely suppressed; the gentlemen of Neufchatel have been of the contrary opinion; we have thought it necessary to give way; these books will, however, be placed at the end of the volume, printed with another type."

This letter, like many others from this amiable man, alludes to his deeplyfelt bereavement, which, so long after seemed to him but as yesterday. It is out of my track of argument, but I must quote a passage. He is writing to Mr. Owen.

"You have seen the place where I have deposited the remains of my partner...... The inscription on the black marble fixed against the wall is, Unto me to live is Christ, and to die is gain' (Phil. i. 21); and below, 27 Sept. 1818, on the Lord's day, at the

The translation gives a self-righteous air to the passage evidently not intended by the writers the alloy of lucre only being meant. The documents frequently notice the fact that the revisors commenced their proceedings with solemn prayer for the Divine guidance.

sound of bells, at seven o'clock.' You know, also, that I have established a fund for distributing ten Bibles annually, in the name of this Christian woman, and chosen several ladies to be the distributors of them. The number of the ladies is increased, each bringing a Bible with her as an introduction. Thus eighty-four Bibles have already come forth out of this humble grave; Bibles which have been given to worthy young people, who are alternately watched by one of the donors for the space of a year. I hope next year to be able to announce to you the establishment of similar institutions in every town of the Canton."

The very day before this letter was written in Switzerland, a circular was being dispatched from Earl Street, signed by the three secretaries, to the Bible Societies of that and other countries, to exhort them "never to deviate from the plain and avowed object of all Bible Societies, the circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment."" I notice this to shew how anxious the London committee were that their rules should be well understood and inviolably observed.

These things premised, I come to the conclusion of my narrative. March 1, 1822, Levade writes that the Bible is completed; March 16, he informs Mr. Owen that he had sent him a copy by a friend, and would send several more when he had an opportunity. The professor, therefore, had no intention of concealing any thing. Still, as I have said, there were a few notes; and it may be asked, ought not the secretaries or the committee to have instantly discovered them? Now there happens to be extant and in print, a secretarial letter from Earl Street, to Professor Levade, dated June 5, 1822, which commences thus :

"When Dr. Steinkopff wrote to you on the 8th ult. he was not aware that a copy of the quarto edition of Ostervald's Bible, destined for our library, was already in the Bible Society's house here; in fact, it had not then been presented to the committee. This was subsequently done; but want of time, and the continued indisposition of Mr. Owen, have hitherto prevented us from examining it, and thereby ascertaining the importance of the care and assiduity bestowed by your committee on the revision. We long for the time when Mr. Owen will be enabled to take his seat again in the committee, and, the Lord be praised, there is a ray of hope for him; the reestablishment of his health appears to have begun, although its progress is very slow."

Mr. Owen, your lordship will have observed throughout, was the individual who took the particular management of the Lausanne Bible; and to him the above-mentioned copy was consigned: but he was too ill to attend to it at the moment, and in hopes of his speedy return to business it remained" in the Society's house," not even presented to the committee or sent up to the library. It appears also from Mr. Platt's letters from the continent, that objections were made to some renderings, all which matters made it doubly necessary to have the attendance, counsel, and explanations of Mr. Owen, who had taken so active an interest in the proceeding. That truly eminent and excellent man lingered on this side heaven till the end of September, but was unable to resume his functions. In the January following, Mr. Hughes, who had laboured so long and diligently with his colleagues as a gratuitous secretary, brought the subject before the committee; and they instantly, that very day, passed a resolution, "expressing the surprise and regret of this committee, that the fundamental principle of this institution has not been adhered to, in preparing that work for the press;" which resolution was dispatched to Professor Levade, with a letter from Dr. Steinkopff, directing, in the name of the committee, that in all the copies, which may be still in your warehouse, you will have the goodness to cancel the pages containing these observations or notes, or at least to eradicate them in such a manner as you may judge best."

The whole blame thus fell upon the venerable Professor; for certainly there had been, on the part of Earl Street, no want of explanation, exhortation, or stipulation; and the committee might well feel "surprise" as well as regret," that the laws of the Society had been thus violated.