VIII. Paid Secretaries. — The original executive of- ficer- received no remuneration for their service. The first paid officer was Mr. John Nitchie, agent and ac- countant Iron, 1810, clergymen of New York render- in- voluntary service as secretaries until 1826, when Mr. John C, Brigham, now the Rev. Dr. Brigham, wis employed first as assistant secretary, and subse- quently as corresponding secretary, Such he remain- ed, laboring in conjunction with unpaid secretaries with great diligence and sucoess until 1840, at which time the society had made great advancement, This
year its receipts amounted to $97,355 09, and its issues to 157,"2G1 volumes. The Methodist Episcopal Church, at their General Conference of 1836, agreed to disband their denominational Bible Society and unite with the national institution. In view of this, another secretary was employed, selected in 1840 from that body, and no man could better have served the purpose than the Bev. E. S. Janes, afterward bishop of the Church which he has served with such faithfulness and dis- tinguished ability. In 1814 the Rev. N. Levings was chosen his successor, and after five years' successful toil died in 1849, when he was succeeded by the Bev. Joseph Holdich, D.D. In 1837, Joseph Hyde, Esq., was made general agent, and Mr. Nitchie was made treas- urer. The latter died in 1838, and was succeeded by Abraham Keyser, Esq. The treasurer in 1806 was Win. VVhitlock, Jr., Esq. In I860 the society had three sec- retaries, Bev. Dr. Holdich, Bev. Dr. Taylor, and Rev. T. Ralston Smith ; an assistant treasurer, Henry Ush- er. Esq. ; and Mr. Caleb Rowe, general agent. The other officers and memhers of the board, not devoting all their time to the society, receive no pay.
IX. Buildings, etc. — The business of the society was transacted for some years in rooms in the N. Y. Hos- pital, lent to them for the purpose by the governors, and afterward in the rooms of the N. Y'. Historical So- ciety. In 1822 the Bible House in Nassau Street was erected. This was enlarged from time to time until it could be extended no farther. In 1852 the mana- gers erected the present spacious and commodious edi- fice in Astor Place. It was erected partly by special subscriptions, chiefly in the city of New Y'ork, and partly by the proceeds of the sale of the old premises. The remainder was raised by a loan, the rent of the rooms not immediately wanted for the society's pur- poses paying the interest and gradually liquidating the debt. The whole debt will probably be paid off before the society will require the use of the entire building. Not a dollar was drawn from the regular income of the society for erecting the Bible House. There are at present 17 power-presses employed, with about 400 persons. With the present force the society makes from 3000 to 4000 vols, a day, and issues from 700,000 to 800,000 vols, per annum of the Holy Scrip- tures.
X. Finances and Issues. — The receipts of the socie- tj' vary somewhat with the state of the times and ac- cording to the legacies received. In 1865 the receipts from all sources, including sales, donations, and lega- cies, were upward of $642,000. These funds are ex- pended in supplying the destitute at home, and in printing and circulating the Holy Scriptures in foreign parts. The number of volumes issued by this society in the year 1865, as shown in the annual report, was over 951,000, while over $40,000 were expended en printing and circulating the Scriptures in foreign countries, besides what was expended in preparing Bibles at home for foreign use.
XI. The Baptist Difficult \y.—la 1835 a serious diffi- culty arose in the society. The Baptist missionaries in Burmah published, with funds drawn from the soci- ety, a translation of the Bible into Burmese, in which the Greek words (3aTrrttrfi6c and ficnrTtZio were ren- dered by words signifying immersion and to immerse. When this came to the knowledge of the managers they refused to make appropriations for publishing such versions, on the ground that to take the funds contributed by persons who did not believe the doc- trine taught, to circulate what they held to be error, would have been a violation of truth. Besides, the constitution forbids the publication of any other than a catholic Bible, or such a Bible as all Christians can use in common. The new rendering had the force of a comment. This decision gave great offence to many of the Baptist churches, and a warm and protracted controversy arose. Into the merits of this controversy we do not enter. It ended in the alienation of a large
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portion of this influential and numerous body of Chris- tians from the interests of the society. It is under- stood, however, that many leading men in that Church remained, and still continue fast friends of the A. B. S. It is to he hoped that some mode of reconciliation may be discovered and adopted, as the division of the Bible Society cannot but be regretted by all who value Chris- tian love and harmony. The Bible is the common bond of the Protestant churches, and there ought to be but one general Bible Society.
XII. The ffl vision Difficulty.— In 1857 a new difficul- ty arose in regard to the English version. About 184-', the managers, learning that numerous discrepancies and typographical errors existed in the various edi- tions of the Bible issued by them, referred the subject to the Committee on Versions for investigation. It was finally resolved that the committee should make corrections according to a set of rules submitted by them to the board. This was accomplished by a very learned and able body of men in about three years, and was approved by the board, who directed that as fast as the old stereotype plates were worn out, the)' should be replaced by new ones containing the corrections. The work seemed to give general satisfaction, and many of the plates were recast according to the new "standard." Six years after the " standard" was fin- ished, it was objected that unwarranted changes had been made in the text, and in the headings of the chap- ters, and in the running heads of the columns. Those in the text were confessed to be very few and of small account. The changes in the headings were more numerous and important. It ma)' seem strange that what, was in itself so small a matter should have cre- ated difficulty, but such was the fact. Many auxil- iaries, some covering entire states, refused to receive or circulate the new standard. The managers were puzzled. The subject was debated long and earnestly, until at length the board resolved to refer the matter to a special committee of able and distinguished men, of different professions and various ecclesiastical rela- tions, for their mature and ample consideration. The result was the adoption by the board of the following resolutions, passed January 28th, 1858 :