80, good Kaffer and Sichuana translations of the Scriptures will form motherversions, for the guidance of future translators into languages spoken by twenty or thirty millions of people. We know that all these languages have a common grammatical system, and are distinguished by the peculiarity, which we term the euphonic or alliteral concord, unknown in any other languages. 2. What proportions of them have been taught to read ? I think, in Kafferland, on the various stations occupied by the Wesleyan, London, and Glasgow Society, and German Missionaries, there are at least five or six thousand capable of reading the word of God. Within the last few years, education has progressed with astonishing rapidity. We publish a Monthly Magazine in Kaffer, the articles mainly furnished by natives: and on our stations we have several hundred subscribers (natives). The first edition of the New Testament (or rather part of it, including the four Gospels, Acts, James, John, Peter, and Jude) of 1,000 copies, was out of print in a very short time. When I left in February, 1843, we were printing an edition of 3,000 or 5,000, I cannot exactly say which; and we had readers and a demand for every copy as fast as a book could be finished. 3. During how many years has the translation been in progress? From the year 1830, not a page has been printed which has not undergone numerous revisions, and the correctness of which has not been tested by compe tent European and native authorities. For the last fourteen years the Wesleyan Society has given up almost the entire labour of one Missionary, and the cost of a press, (the latter amounting to £130 annually,) to this object mainly. We have had the whole of the Old and New Testament in manuscript since 1834, and the occasional labours of about twelve men have been bestowed upon examining and improving the translations since then. 4. What portions, and to what amount in numbers of copies, have been already printed? 1,000 copies of the first edition of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Epistle of John, James, Peter, and Jude. 500 copies of Luke (first edition). 2,000 copies of Matthew and Mark; new edition and re-revision. About 2,000 copies of extracts from Genesis and Exodus, comprising about one-half of each. 5. How many revisions has the translation undergone? Every part of the holy Scripture has been revised at least a dozen times, by as many individuals. Considerable assistance has been rendered by Döbre, of the German Mission, and by Theophilus Shepstone, Esq., Her Majesty's Resident Agent in Kafferland. The assistance and critiques of the Missionaries of the Glasgow and London Societies have been invited, and in many cases rendered. Our translations are used by the London, Glasgow, and German Missionaries. No other translations exist in print, (to my knowledge,) except the Gospel of Mark, and the Epistle to the Thessalonians, and, I think, Colossians, by the Scotch Missionaries, which latter, with some correction, is to be adopted in the new version of the Testament now printing. So far as the accuracy and idiomatic purity of the Kaffer are concerned, we are highly favoured in possessing among our own Missionaries four eminent linguists,-Henry H. Dugmore, Joseph Warner, Richard Haddy, and William J. Davis: these men speak Kaffer as Kaffers themselves, and no Kaffer can detect any peculiarity in their mode of speaking which would mark them as foreigners. We have also had the assistance of Theophilus Shepstone, Esq., who has spoken the language from his childhood. 6. Is it made from the Textus Recep tus of the original languages? or conformed to the English authorized ver sion? I think, the Hebrew Bible of Judah D'Allenon, and the New Testament of Dr. Blomfield, have been used by our translators. Generally we have given no rendering of the original which has not been admitted either by the English translators, or by the German and Dutch versions. Our reason for thus confining ourselves to abide by the authority of some standard version may be seen by a reference to a letter from W. B. Boyce, in the "Wesleyan Missionary Notices for September, 1833. William Shaw, William J. Davis, and Richard Haddy, and John Richards, are respectable biblical scholars. Our Missionaries gene rally in South Africa do not profess to be either elegant or profound scholars; but most of them can read the Scriptures in the original tongues with toler able comfort, and they all possess that plain good sense which enables them to use with advantage the critical labours of our best biblical writers. William Shaw, John Richards, Dugmore, Haddy, and William J. Davis, have access to excellent libraries, containing the best versions of the Scriptures, grammars, lexicons, commentaries, and all necessary critical apparatus. 7. What is the judgment of the na tives, if any be competent to form a judgment, on the idiomatic character of this version? All the natives confess that the Kaffer of our translations is such as they themselves speak and write. 8. Who are the persons that may be regarded as the responsible authors of this translation ? William Shaw, William J. Shrewsbury, and William B. Boyce, were the principal translators of the first version. Henry H. Dugmore, Joseph Warner, Richard Haddy, William J. Davis, and William Shaw, as general reviser, may be considered as responsible for the present translation. A revising Committee is appointed from year to year at the Annual District-Meeting; and this, in connexion with William Shaw, who is our General Superintendent in South Africa, is responsible for the accuracy of the translations. The Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society have also recently granted five hundred English Bibles for the use of the Missions on the Gambia, and one hundred English Testaments for the Feejee Mission. MISSIONARY ANNIVERSARIES IN THE LONDON DISTRICT. THE Missionary Anniversaries in the London District have commenced most favourably. The collections at the little chapels at Hornsey-road, and at Harrow-on-the-Hill, were more than double those of previous years. At City-road chapel, on Thursday, the 10th instant, Edward N. Buxton, Esq., in the chair, the assembly was deeply impressed by the statements submitted to them; and the collection was one of the largest ever obtained on a similar occasion in that chapel. The following day, the liberal Chairman sent a contribution of £50, towards the support of the Missions on the coast, and in the interior, of Guinea. One of the Resolutions passed at the City-road Meeting, of a practical character, is capable of general application; and wherever it may be adopted, we doubt not, will be found greatly to forward the interests of the Society, by increasing its means of usefulness. The Resolution is as follows: It was moved by the Rev. John Scott, one of the General Treasurers of the Society, seconded by J. J. Buttress, Esq., Treasurer of the Auxiliary Society for the London District, and carried unanimously, "That, in the judgment of this Meeting, great service will be rendered to the cause of Missions by the formation of a Committee in this Circuit, to be called, "The Missionary Committee for the First London Circuit,' to include the Treasurers and Secretaries of the several Branch Missionary Societies, with such other friends of Missions in the Circuit as it may be convenient to associate with them; that this Committee be requested to meet once a quarter in the first weeks of January, April, July, and October, and at such other times as they shall judge desirable, for consultation on the means of rendering the several Branch Societies most efficient; and that the following persons be the Committee for the ensuing year, with power to add to their number." The Resolution then enumerates the Ministers of the Circuit, the Treasurers and Secretaries of the several Branches, and other gentlemen, as forming the Circuit-Committee. One of the junior Ministers and another gentleman were to act as Secretaries. The Meeting at Hinde-street, on the 14th, James Wild, Esq., in the chair, was also most encouraging. The intense and devotional interest excited by the statements of Mr. Freeman, and the addresses of the other speakers, has, perhaps, rarely been surpassed. The collection more than doubled that of the past year. JUVENILE CHRISTMAS AND NEW-YEAR'S OFFERING. THE Cards and Addresses for the use of our young friends, who kindly render their services periodically, at the season of the year now approaching, by giving and collecting an "Offering" for the Missions, will very shortly be issued; and will be in all the Circuits, we hope, before the beginning of December. The last Annual Meeting of the Society in Exeter-Hall acknowledged, "with satisfaction and gratitude, the increased amount received, under the delightful form of Christmas and New-Year's Offerings, from the children and young people interested in Missions." (See Annual Report, page v.) We trust that this year each individual Collector will much exceed all former efforts, under the conviction that the maintenance and extension of the Missions, and, consequently, the present happiness and eternal salvation of multitudes of men, are, in the course of divine Providence, made dependent on the increased and prompt liberality of the Christian church. Contributions to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, received by the General Treasurers, since our last announcement, to the 16th of October, 1844. Moneys received at the Mission-House. Legacy of Mr. T. Payne; J. W. Keetley, Esq., and Samuel A Friend, by the Rev. Isaac Harding (on Annuity) A Thank-Offering, by the Rev. George Hughes, Shrewsbury. Church, Executor Legacy of the late Thomas Crowther, Esq., Churwell Mr. Mark Crauford, Drumshambo, Leitrim, Ireland; a of his property from fire........ John Stevens, Esq., Ware. A Thanksgiving to the Lord; from the right hand F. Barnes, Esq., by the Rev. John Corlett Sir Culling Eardley Smith, Bart. Mrs. Tuxford, Melton-Mowbray, for the Feejee Mission A Friend, by Mr. Henry North R v J. Pye Smith, D.D. Mr. John Shaw, Dublin, monthly, September... Rev. H. F. Burder, D.D. Mr. Player, by Mr. John Wesley. Ditto, Ditto, October... Mrs. Strange, Lambeth; a Token of Gratitude Mr. John Laugher, Studley, for Feejee, in acknowledgment of recent prosperity in the Redditch Circuit....... LONDON: PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. |