From translated by Coverdale, by whom it is numbered xviii., according to the order found in the Septuagint Greek and in the Latin Vulgate versions: The XVIIJ. A PSALME OF DAUID. The very heaues declare the glory off In the hath he sett a tabernacle for ye Sō The feare of the Lorde is cleene, and endu Coverdale's dedication to Henry VIII., it seems probable that his translation was permitted to be read by the people; for, in the year 1536, shortly after it was printed, a royal injunction was issued to the Clergy to provide a book" of the whole Bible, both in Laten, and also in English, and lay the same in the quire for everye man that will to loke and reade thereon," in every parish church, which was certainly equivalent to an express approbation of Coverdale's Bible; as there was no other at that time extant in English. Dr. Geddes, in his " Prospectus for a new Translation," (p. 88,) says of this translation, "From Genesis to the end of Chronicles, and the Book of Jonah, are by Tyndal; the rest of the Old Testament by Coverdale. The whole New Testament is Tyndal's." But from the collation of Lewis, it is evident that Coverdale corrected Tyndal's translation. Fulke, in his "Defence of the English Translation of the Bible," relates, that "when Coverdale's translation was finished, and presented to Henry, he gave it to Bishop Gardiner and some others to examine. They kept it so long, that at last Henry had to call for it himself. When they delivered the book, he demanded their opinion of the translation. They answered, that there were many faults in it. "Well," said the King, "but are there any heresies mentioned in it?" They replied, "There were no heresies they could find." "If there be no heresies," said Henry, " then in God's name, let it go abroad among our people." Coverdale called his version a "special" translation, because it was different from the former English translations. Its noble simplicity, perspicuity, and purity of style are truly astonishing. It is divided into six tomes, or parts, adorned with wooden cuts, and furnished with scripture references in the margin. The last page has these words: "Prynted in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.XXXV. and fynished the fourth daye of October." Of this Bible there was another edition, in a large 4to., 1550, which was republished, with a new title, 1553; and these, according to Lewis, were all the editions of it which were ever published. (Lewis's History of English Translations of the Bible, pp. 91 -104.) Copies of Bishop Coverdale's version of the Bible are preserved in the following libraries, namely, of the British Museum and Sion College, in London; of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth; in the Public Library, at Cambridge; in the Library at All Souls' College, and in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford; and in the Library of the Baptist Academy at Bristol. The following very just and pious remarks upon this subject are copied from the last Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, recently published: "It was in the year 1535, then, that the first edition of the entire English Bible was printed; and, consequently, the year 1835 is the third centenary of that important event. Important it truly was to England; so important, as scarcely to allow a measure by which to form a just estimate of its importance. The happiness, the aggrandisement of the nation, all that is connected with her glory and her usefulness in the world, is identified and bound up with the free course which the Bible has been permitted to have in England. Her prosperity and her religion have been closely united, and the purity in which her religion has been maintained is owing to the Bible being recognised as the standard of divine truth. Well is it said to our Kings of England at their coronation, a moment happily selected for presenting them also with a copy of the sacred volume, 'This is God's best gift to man.' And surely, if by any, the centenaries of the first publication of the English Bible may be appropriately observed, by none more appropriately than the friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society. What a contrast does the retrospect afford! Mark the English Bible in 1535, in an imperfect translation, in a ponderous form, of a costly price, with but few who were capable of reading and appreciating it, and with fewer still to spread it far and wide. Mark the English Bible of 1835,-in a translation which, with all its alleged remaining defects, stands unrivalled, or at least unsurpassed, in the world; in every form of beauty; adapted alike to the eyes of age and youth; of every price, suited to rich and poor; the most costly price of the Society being cheapness itself, compared with its pecuniary value in older times. See multitudes ready to give it a welcome admission to their houses; and the period fast approaching when the benevolent wish of our late beloved Monarch, George the Third, shall be realized, that every child in his dominions should be able to read the Bible.' See multitudes ready not only to welcome it to their own abodes, but to obtain an entrance for it into the dwellings of others; a well-compacted Society expressly and singly formed to promote its circulation, untired and, it is humbly trusted, untiring in its labours; a variety of ingenious devices formed for aiding its circulation; obstacles removed: a contrast this, proclaiming aloud the gracious goodness of God. Mark again; the English Bible of 1535 standing alone, one edition of, at most, a few thousand copies; the English Bible of 1835 surrounded by the Irish and the Welsh, the Gaelic and the Manx, for domestic circulation, and in such request, that, in one day in the last month, a va riety of editions were ordered, to the extent of three hundred and sixty-five thousand copies; while the aggregate issue during thirty-one years has been several millions in the British dominions, and in the British languages. "But in 1535 British Christians had enough to do to provide themselves with an English Bible; little opportunity had they of thinking or providing for other lands: but in 1835 the English Bible finds itself in the company of translations into more than one hundred and fifty other languages. They then did what they could:' may a like honourable tribute be paid to the present generation by some future historian! But well does it befit British Christians to think of foreign lands; and well does the Society designate itself the British and Foreign;' for where was the Bible of 1535 printed? It was printed at Zurich, by the care of one who had been driven, by the fear of persecution, to seek refuge in Switzerland; no voluntary exile travelling for pleasure's sake, to enjoy the magnificent scenery of that interesting country, nor yet for the purpose of amassing wealth in the pursuit of commerce, nor even as those who now happily often make themselves exiles, that they may discover and relieve the wants and the woes of their fellow. men; but an exile for religion,-the memorable Coverdale. What do not Christians owe for that sacred volume, which he first sent forth in its entire form to our land! To foreign churches the Society has begun to pay the debt of gratitude which the nation owes for the asylum then afforded to that venerable servant of God. In Zurich, more particularly, it has been the honoured instrument of promoting the circulation of the Scriptures to the extent of ten thousand eight hundred and fourteen copies. Moreover, Britain has, in her turn, through the medium of the Society, printed on her own shores, and sent forth to the continent of Europe, (or provided the means of printing in the different parts of that continent itself,) the Scriptures, in the languages spoken throughout its length and breadth; besides meditating and executing much in the blessed enterprise of spreading the sacred volume through the length and breadth of the world. O may the civil and religious liberty now enjoyed by us be more and more sanctified, be more and more consecrated to the advancement of the glory of God in the earth! "And are there no special obligations arising out of this contrast? Are there no lessons of wisdom to be heeded? When we survey what England has been for three hundred years, and what England, through the mercy of God, still is; and when we recolleet to what, as a principal instrument in the hands of God, she owes her distinguishing privilege, does not wisdom cry aloud in our streets,' and bid us use our best exertions that the book of the law may not depart out of the mouth' of the people; but that they may have the means of meditating therein day and night, that they may observe to do ́according to all that is written therein; for then shall they make their way prosperous, and then shall they have good success?' Do evils still remain; evils of appalling magnitude, evils distinctly traceable to this one source,-the neglect of the sacred volume? for truly spake the Prophet: Lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? Do evils remain, and shall we neglect the remedy? Or, if we would succeed in raising mankind in other lands to the enjoyment of the same privileges as ourselves, will not wisdom teach us to employ the same means as have been found, in our own case, so excellent and so efficacious? Far be the day when endeavours to promote religion and happiness, whether at home or abroad, shall be dissevered from His holy word! Are there no obligations of compassion suggested? We live in the light, and know that there are multitudes walking in darkness and in the shadow of death; we live in the enjoyment of numberless mercies, directly springing from the light of revelation, and know that there are countless multitudes enduring no little misery from the want of it. Who hath had compassion upon us? who hath made us to dif fer? Surely to little purpose have we read that holy volume, if we have not acquired bowels of compassion for our fellow-creatures, who are our fellow-sinners, and for whom the remedy of the Gospel is as necessary as for ourselves. And, last of all, are there no lessons of gratitude? Mercies surround us on every side. We may take up the words of the Psalmist, and say, ' He showeth his word unto us as he did unto Jacob, and his statutes as unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any nation." And should we not ask, "What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits that he hath done unto us?' And should we not hear his voice bidding us, that as we have freely received, we should freely give; that as we have obtained mercy, we should not faint, but abound in labours for the advancement of his kingdom among the children of men? "So greatly are the circumstances changed under which British Christians have been called upon to prepare and circulate the sacred volume! Changes may occur again: the bright scene may be reversed; the witnesses may have again to prophesy in sackcloth.' But let it be borne in mind, the word itself, like its divine Author, changeth not. Systems of human invention give place one to another, as their several errors are detected; but here,-and the consideration is solemn, important, and consolatory,here is truth; truth that abideth for ever, the same as it was penned, from the first page of the Pentateuch to the closing book of Revelation. The exhibition of he Divine Being, and of the great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh; of the Teacher and Comforter, even the Holy Ghost; of man, his guilt and misery, and his hopes of redemption; the requirements, the consolations, the pro mises; all are the same now as ever, and produce, when applied to the understanding and the heart, the same effects. That truth delivered by Prophets and Evange lists; that truth which sustained the 'glo rious company of the Apostles, the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, the noble army of martyrs, and the holy church throughout all the world,' in former ages, has come down to us. Be it ours to purify our hearts in obeying that truth through the Spirit; and, out of a pure heart, to love one another fervently. Be it ours to show that we are living epistles' of Christ; to prove to the world that the Spirit of the Lord is not straitened, but that his word is good, and doeth good to them that walk uprightly. To that word let us cleave, and esteem it as of more price than thousands of gold and of silver; till, through infinite and boundless mercy, we join that multitude whom no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, who, having found in the Scriptures Him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write, having been sanctified by the truth, and guided by its counsels, and comforted by its promises, now 'stand before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cry with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb!'" MISSIONARY NOTICES, Relating principally to the FOREIGN MISSIONS carried on under the direction of the METHODIST CONFERENCE. MISSIONS IN CEYLON. SOUTH CEYLON.-Extract of a Letter from Mr. Toyne, dated Galle, A NEW mode of access is opening to a class of individuals, from whom we have been almost entirely excluded; and from this intercourse the greatest benefits are expected to result both to the visiters and the persons visited. One object toward which we are directing our attention is, the clothing of the native children, who crowd the streets, and public roads, of every town and village we enter. On the arrival of any one from England, his feelings are shocked at seeing children of both sexes running about in a state of perfect nudity. But how is this evil to be remedied? When people are brought under the influence of Christian feeling, we observe a marked improvement in respect of what we now complain; but this improvement is very slow. Our schools have done something in raising the tone of moral feeling among the female children; but, habituated as they are, from their infancy, to mix with those who have little or no sense of decency, in after-life they fall into their habits. Besides, whom have we to teach them? We have a few female schools; but they are far from being completely efficient: the mistresses of these schools need to be taught. Now, if, through the liberality of our friends in From the same, dated March 30th, 1835. Ir affords me pleasure to state to you, that the work of God in this Circuit maintains a steady and progressive character. The good seed of the king The dom has been received into many hearts, and is, I believe, daily taking deeper root. There is a general improvement in the piety and consistency of our people; and a deeper seriousness is spreading among the regular hearers. After an absence of twelve months, on my return to this station, I was gratified to witness an increased spirit of devotion pervading the congregations, a more fixed attention manifested to the things spoken, and a more fervent and sincere union of hearts and voices in the services of the sanctuary. These are effects which may be confidently anticipated, where a regular congregation is formed, and where the word and ordinances of God are statedly and faithfully administered. In accordance with the spirit of the reply given by our venerable Founder, as to the best method of perpetuating the work of God, namely, to take care of the rising generation, we have, in this place, considerably revived and re-organized the Sunday-school, on the plan recommended by the Conference. A number of young people, of decidedly religious character, have come forward and offered their services in this blessed work; and a person who is a Leader among us has been appointed Superintendent, whilst I have engaged to examine and catechise the children once a month. As the school is composed of children of almost every description, to meet the circumstances of all, we are obliged to vary the mode of communicating religious knowledge; the Teacher suiting his language to that spoken by the children whom he has under his care. In this manner we endeavour to surmount the difficulty arising from difference of language. But our aim is to promote the knowledge of the English language; and by far the greater number of children commit portions of Scripture or hymns to memory in this language every week, while the public addresses to the children are delivered alternately in English and Portuguese. We number an average attendance of sixty children of both sexes, every Lord's day; and, when we consider, that these children carry to their respective homes, from Sabbath Sabbath, some portion of religious truth, or some part of the pious advice which has been given them, or some admonition or warning which their Teachers have endeavoured to impress on their hearts, great good may be expected to result. to With regard to the native population, we are, at times, distressed to witness their entire unconcern about the things of God. The vast difficulty of making spiritual truths at all intelligible to the Heathen is known and felt to its full extent only by those who are actually engaged in endeavouring to instruct them. With regard to no other people, perhaps, are the words of the Prophet so awfully verified as they are in respect to this people: "This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart. and should be converted, and I should heal them." Long habituated to hold intercourse with the objects of sense, they can scarcely embody in their own concep tions the things of eternity. A deep sleep has fallen upon them; and in a most fearful sense, they are dead in trespasses and sins. The most simple scriptural facts appear mysterious to the Heathen. They indeed require line upon line, and precept upon precept. Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." In the place of this stupor, and indifference to divine things, we are, at times, called to witness a most determined adherence to heathenish practices. They appear joined to their idols, and madly resolved not to forsake them. And who can sever them from their idols but the Spirit of the living God? No power less than Omnipotence can rescue them from their dead, lifeless, perishing state. May the Lord undertake for us! There are, however, a few indications of good, to relieve this gloomy picture, and to encourage our hope of future suc cess. At one native village, we have just formed a new class of six or eight members; and the services of every suc ceeding Sabbath give us increasing encouragement. In one or two other villages, the native congregations are increasing; and, upon the whole, we may venture to state, that native prejudices are giving way, the light of the Gospel is spreading, and the spirit of Christianity is gaining ground. Satan has, in this island, his strong-holds; and, in attacking that system of ignorance, idolatry, and superstition, which every where opposes its brasen front to our fecble labours, we are often made to feel our own impotency and insufficiency in so great a work. But this, I trust, leads us more frequently and fervently a throne of grace for that assistance which we need. Who hath de spised the day of small things? In the name of our God, we will go on laying the foundations of our spiritual Zion. to |