and again examined by Cranmer, who wrote a preface for it, from which it was called Cranmer's Bible. It was printed in 1540, and by a royal proclamation every parish was obliged to have a copy in its church, under a penalty of forty shillings a month. Yet two years after it was suppressed by the inconstant Henry VIII., under the influence of the popish bishops. It was restored under Edward VI., and again suppressed under Mary, and restored again under Elizabeth, and a new edition brought out in the year 1562. The next English translation after Tindale's was made in Geneva by Coverdale, Goodman, Gilbie, Sampson, Cole, Wittingham, and Knox, who were exiled by Queen Mary. The New Testament was printed in 1557, the Old in 1560. This was called the Geneva Bible, and was highly esteemed by the Puritans. The next was called the Great English Bible, more commonly the Bishop's Bible. Archbishop Parker, resolving on a new translation for the public use of the Church, appointed the bishops and other learned men to take each a share to translate. It was published in 1568 in large folio, and again in 1589 in octavo. It was publicly used in the churches for forty years; but the Geneva Bible was read more in private, being. frequently reprinted during that time. The Roman Catholics, now finding it impossible to keep the Scriptures from the people, caused a version of their own to be made of the New Testament, as favorable as possible to their doctrines, which was published at Rheims in 1584, and called the Rhemish Bible, or Rhemish translation. About thirty years afterward the Old Testament was translated by them, and published at Douay in 1609 and 1610. It was translated from the Latin Vulgate, and is now known as the Douay Bible. The next was that which we now use. It originated in the Hampton Court Conference in 1603, where, objections having been made to the Bishops' Bible, King James gave orders for a new English translation. Fifty-four learned men were appointed to perform this work by the king, as appears by his letter to the archbishop, dated 1604. Seven of them were probably either dead or had declined the task, before the work was commenced, as Fuller's list of the translators makes but forty-seven, who, being ranged under six divisions, entered on their labor in 1607. In executing their important work they divided it among them, assigning to each one that part of the Bible which he was most competent to translate; and then they met together, and one read the translation while the rest held in their hands some Bible, either of the learned tongues or French, Spanish, Italian, etc. If they found any fault they spoke; if not, he read on. It was published in the year 1611, and is commonly called King James's Bible. After this all the other versions fell into disuse, except the Epistles, Gospels, and Psalms in the Common Prayer Book of the English and American Episcopal Churches. These were continued according to the Bishops' translation until the change of the liturgy in the year 1661, when King James's translation was adopted in the epistles and gospels; but the Psalms in the Prayer Book remain as in the old version to the present day. Much has been truly said of the merits of our present version. It probably comes nearer the original than any translation in the world, and no human estimate can be made of the good it has done wherever the English language is spoken. THE REFORMATION IN IRELAND. THIS beautiful island, famed for the hospitality and warm hearts of its inhabitants, has a religious history full of stirring incident. Long centuries ago the smoke of human sacrifices went up from its hills, and groves, and altars, while the shrieks of the expiring victims were as incense to the ferocious worshipers. About the year 400 the celebrated St. Patrick was born in Scotland, from whence his parents removed to France. While residing there, and when about sixteen years of age, he was carried captive by pirates to Ireland. In a strange land he remembered the pious instructions of a truly Christian father and mother; instructions which he had been too much inclined to neglect when he lived peacefully at home. While a slave, and keeping swine in the fields alone, he lifted his heart to God, and received the joyful witness of his adoption by the Saviour. He describes himself the change which took place in him as follows: "I was sixteen years old, and knew not the true God; but in that strange land the Lord opened my unbelieving eyes, and, although late, I called my sins to mind, and was converted with my whole heart to the Lord my God, who regarded my low estate, had pity on my youth and ignorance, and consoled me as a father does his children." |