"Resolved, That this society's present standard English Bible be referred to the standing committee on versions for examination ; and in all cases where the same differs in the text or its accessories from the Bibles previously published by the society, the com- mittee are directed to correct the same by conforming it to previous editions printed by this society, or by the authorized British presses, reference being also had to the original edition of the translators printed in 1611 ; and to report such corrections to this board, to the end th it a new edition, thus perfected, may be adopted as the standard edition of the society.
" Resolved, That until the completion and adoption of such new standard edition, the English Bibles to be issued by this society shall be such as conform to the editions of the society anterior to the late revision, so far as may lie practicable, and excepting cases where the persons or auxiliaries applying for Bibles shall prefer to be supplied from copies of the present standard edition now on hand or in process of manu- facture." See Authorized English Vebsion.
Accordingly, the committee on versions is now en- gaged in their work of revision on the plan adopted by the board. It is hoped that, as all the valuable cor- rections made in the late standard edition that were the result of simple collations of the editions published by the society will lie retained, the final result of the new revision will be a Bible more generally ace< ptable to the Christian community than any former edition.
4. American and Foreign Bible Society (Bap- tist).— This society grew out of the difficulty men- tioned above (American Bible Society, § 11). The resolution of the A. B. S. passed in May, 183G, was as follows :
I " Resolnd, That in appropriating money for the ! translating, printing, or distributing of The sacred I Scriptures in foreign languages, the managers feel at libert}' to encourage only such versions as conform in the principle of their translation to the common Eng- lish version, at least so far as that all the religious denominations represented in this society can consist- ently use and circulate said versions in their several schools and communities."
The Rev. S. H. Cone, D.D. (q. v.), an eminent Bap- tist, had once been a secretary of the board, and was at this time a manager. He resisted this resolution ably and strenuously (see Sprague, Annals, vi, 649). In April, 1837, a large convention, held in Philadel- phia, formed a Baptist B. S. under the title of "The [American and Foreign Bible Society." The new so- ciety took the ground that aid for the translating, print- ing and distributing of the Scriptures in foreign lan- guages should be afforded to "such versions only as I are conformed as nearly as possible to the original text in the Hebrew and Greek." The special aim here was the rendering of licnrriZ<o by "immerse" instead of "baptize." On the other hand, in the distribution of the Scriptures in the English language, it was agreed that the commonly received version should be used until otherwise directed by the society. The latter 'point led to a new split in 1850, one party demanding that the principle of circulating only translations which should be "conformed to the original" should be ap- plied to the English versions also, and that, conse- quently, the common English version should be re- vised. Resolutions rejecting this principle were adopt- ed in the meeting of the society in 1850, and led to the resignation of Dr. Cone, who, until then, had been the president. A new society was formed, which under- took the revision of the English version on the above ■ principle (see American Bible Union). According | to the constitution of the A. and F. B. S., a contribu- tion of $3 constitutes one a member, a contribution of 630 a life member, and a contribution of $150 a life director. Up to 1859 the number of life members and life directors had been 8515, of whom 104 were made such in the financial year 1865-'6. The society pub- lishes a monthby, entitled The Bible Advocate. For the year 1865-6 the total receipts were $40,896 40. The Scriptures were printed and circulated in fifty dif- ferent languages and dialects, embracing various parts of India, China, France, Africa, and America. Twen- ty-four colporteurs were employed in Germany and America, who had made 54,395 visits.
5. American Bible Union, a Bible Society organ- ized by seceders from the American and Foreign Bible Society (q. v.). The object of the society, according to its constitution, is " to procure and circulate the most faithful versions of the sacred Scriptures in alllanguages throughout the world." A special aim of the society was consequently to revise the common English ver- sion. The most striking point in their revision thus far is the rendering of /Jajrriffjudc by " immersion," and of (IcnrriZtiv by "immerse;" and this the great majority of American churches believe to have been the real object of the organization. The society has met with strong opposition even among the Baptists. Its plan provided for a revision of the New Testament by schol- ars acting, in the first instance, independently of each other, eacli working on separate parts assigned to them under contract by the board. In this way, one set of scholars wore employed in Europe and another in America. All books needed for the work were pro- vided at the expense of the Union.' The revisers were chosen from their supposed fitness, upon recommenda- tion of those to whom they were known. These schol- ars, in this capacity, were responsible to no ecclesiasti- cal body. The revisions were to be subjected to gen- eral criticism, and for this purpose the Gospels, Acts, Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews, Thessalonians, Phile- mon, Timothy, Titus, Epistles of John. Jude, and Reve-