Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

littleness, totally opposed to his native genius: he admits that the Apostle expresses exactly the same idea,-"we muste rather please god than man,' which is well sayed of the apostle, but to be said of Tyndale, a heretic, it is a playne exhortacyon to rebellion."

The word senior was taken from the vulgate Latin. Tyndale ac knowledged that it was not sufficiently explicit, and that he should prefer the word elder. This gave so much offence to the punning Lord Chancellor, that he likens it to a man blind of one eye, putting out the other to amend his sight. The term which gave most offence was "congregation," used instead of church. In using this term, he was justified by his learned sovereign-the defender of the faithHenry the Eighth, who in a proclamation, and in the six articles penned by his own hand, combines the two words thus-" the congregation of the church of England." Tyndale and the king were right in using the term congregation, because the common acceptation of the word church was neither the building in which worship was conduct. ed, nor the body of christians who worshipped, but it was limited to the clergy, who were called the church. It is now very properly altered to church, a term by which we understand all those whose faith and practice constitute them christians.

More also complains, "that at the tyme of this translacyon Hychens (Tyndale) was with Luther in Wyttenberge, and set certayne glosys in the mergent, framed for the settynge forthe of the vngracyous secte." He finds fault, that "confession he translateth into knowledgynge-Penaunce into repentaunce;" and he sums up all the errors as springing from this principle: "For he wolde make ye people byleue that we sholde beleue nothing but playne scrypture, in whyche poynte he techeth a playne pestylent heresye"!! The faults are, in his estimation, such that " as it were as sone done to weue a new web of cloth as to sow up euery hole in a net, so were it almost as lytell labour and lesse to translate ye hole boke all newe then attempt to correct it." He admits, however, that a nother man translatynge the testament, and beynge good and faythfull, myghte haue vsed happely those chaunges wythout euyll meanyng or any suspicion thereof." bring these absurd notions to a climax, he declares, that " yt is enough for good cristen men that know those thynges for heresyes, to abhorre and burne vppe his bokes and the lykers of them with them" !!! This was the spirit of popery has it changed? If it has, it was not infallible: if it has not, may such a system, never again desolate our happy island!

[ocr errors]

Το

Sir Thomas not only endeavours to frighten the people from reading Tyndale, by the threat of burning here and hereafter, but to supply the place of argument, he calls to his aid a ghost to establish his charge of heresy. Unfortunately for him, the poor shade had been so roughly treated on a former attack, that he very prudently refused to venture a second time: "When I desired Origene to take the payne to come and be wytnesse wyth me in thys mater, he semed at the fyrst very well content. But when I tolde hym that he sholde mete with Tyndale: he blessed hymselfe and shranke bakke, and sayde he had leuer go some other waye many a myle then onys

medle wyth hym. For I shall tell you syr, quod he before thys tyme a ryght honorable man very connyng and yet more vertuouse, the good bysshoppe of Rochester, in a great audyence brought me in for a wytnes agaynst Luther and Tyndale, euyn in this same mater aboute the tyme of the burnynge of Tyndalys euyll translated testament. But Tyndale, as soon as he herd of my name, without any respecte of honestye, fell in a rage wyth me, and also rated me, and called me starke heretyke, and that the starkest that euer was. Thys tale Orygene tolde me, and swore by saynt Symkyn that he was neuer so sayed vnto of suche a lewde felowe synnys he was fyrste borne of hys mother, and therefore he wolde neuer medle wyth Tyndale more. Now, indede, to saye the treuth, yt were not well done of Tyndale to leue resonynge and fall a scoldyng, chydynge, as yt were a bawdy begger of Byllyter-lane. Fy for shame, he sholde fauored and forborne hym somwhat, and yt had bene but for his age. For Origene is nowe xiij. hundred yere olde or there aboute, and this was not mych aboue vij yeres synnys.' This story, told on the credibility of the Lord Chancellor of England, must have produced its effect on the populace, to whom it would be rehearsed by the priests with all gravity as words of truth and soberness.

[ocr errors]

"

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

It is amusing to hear Tyndale accused of calling hard names, by one who was a perfect master of the art of abuse. An intelligent papist who, in 1533, published that rare volume," Salem and Bizance,' complains very seriously that More calleth those with whom he differed "sometyme desperate wretches, sometyme sterke heretykes, and other whyles he calleth them the blessed brotherhode, or the news broched bretherene, or the euangelical bretherne, and the principal doers he calleth potheded postels, naughtee bretheren or heretike brethern-these be strange names deuised after a merueilous railing fashion, wherein I thinke verely he dothe not as he wolde be done to. Tyndale was, at times, severe in his language, but it was a justifiable and even needful severity; thus referring to unmeaning ceremonies, he says, a man will as soon gape while thou puttest sand as holy salt in his mouth, yf thou shew hym no reason thereof he had as leyffe be smered wyth vnhalowed butter as anoynted with charmed oyle, yf his soule be not taught to vnderstande somewhat thereby." This was a poser to Sir Thomas, whose anger dictated his reply: "Ah blasphemouse beste, to whose rorynge and lowynge no good crysten man can with out heuynes of herte gyue ere. Now foloweth yt also that yf the sacrament were as good vnmynistred as mynistred to who so euer is not taught the proper sygnifycacyons of the outwarde token in the sacrament, as Tyndale here vnder a blasphemous iestynge fasshyon telleth vs then foloweth yt, I saye, that there was neuer chylde crystened synnys crystendome fyrst begane but that yt hadde bene as good to haue lefte it vncrystened, and neuer to haue let water touche yt, bycause yt could not be taught what the water sygnifyed." This must have been a grave subject to those who considered that the neglect of parents as to this ceremony would be visited upon the soul of the child in eternal misery! !

1

More was exceedingly desirous that the people should not read or

examine the works of Tyndale: his great forte was ridicule and angry abuse, but he sometimes resorts to persuasion. "I wolde aduyse any man neither to rede these heretykes bokes nor mine, but Occupy theyr myndes better, and standynge fermely by the catholyke faith of this .xv. C. yere, neuer onys muse vppon these newe fangled heresyes; but if at the parell of daynger to burne both here and in hell, he cannot hold his yechynge fyngers frome theyre poysened bokės, then wolde I counsayle hym in any wyse to rede therwith such thynges as are wrytten against theym." "Besyde the bookes of Latyn, French, and Douch an innumerable sorte. There are made in the Englysshe tonge. Fyrst, Tyndales new testament, father of them all, by reason of hys false translatyng." "Tyndales heresies farre exceed and passe and incomparably offende the maieste of our Lorde God, than all the settynge vppe of Bell, and Baal, and Belzabub, and all the deuyls in hell." More, as keeper of the king's conscience, seriously said, "That the king would lose his own soul if he suffered Tyndale's Testament in his people's hands." The violence of this language shows the weakness of his cause, and the poverty of his argument in attempting to defend the Romish church. It is in delightful contrast with the opinion formed by a modern papist, justly esteemed for his liberality and candour, and eminent as a profound scholar. "With respect to Tyndale's translation, it is astonishing how little obsolete the language of it is, even at this day; and, in point of perspicuity and noble simplicity, propriety of idiom and purity of style, no English version has yet surpassed it. The criticisms of those who wrote against it (we are sorry to find Sir Thomas More among them) are generally too severe, often captious, and sometimes evidently unjust." He adds: Burning suspicious books is the readiest way to multiply them as persecuting for religion is the surest mean of propagating it."

[To be continued.]

V-The whole Bible in Hindústání-Roman Character.

To the Editors of the Calcutta Christian Observer.

DEAR SIRS,

I feel great pleasure in informing you, and through you the Christian Public of India, that the Banáras Missionaries of different denominations had a meeting yesterday evening, when it was resolved to publish a Hindústání Bible in the English letters in one neat vol. 8vo. The Rev. Messrs. Wilkinson of Gorakhpur, Smith, Buyers, Leupolt and Shurman of Banáras, have already engaged in the translation. The Rev. Messrs. Bowley of Chunár, Mather of Mirzápúr, the American Missionaries at Allahabad, Sabáranpúr, Ludiana and others, will likewise be invited to assist in this most important work, in order that Missionaries of all denominations and Societies may feel interVII.

40

ested in the translation and use it in their schools and Churches. It is well known that some years ago the Missionaries at Banaras could not agree in translating the New Testament so as to satisfy all parties; it is hoped that before the Old Testament has passed through the press they will have exchang ed and adjusted their various opinions on some points so far as to be able to get up a translation of the New Testament. likewise, in which all parties will acquiesce. If this should not be the case, the Old Testament only will be published for the present. May the spirit of wisdom, love and forbearance be abundantly poured out upon the translators of God's holy word!

All persons who have long wished for a Hindústání Bible, in one neat volume 8vo. are now earnestly requested to inform the Banaras Missionaries, as soon as possible, how many copies they want for their respective stations, in order that it may be ascertained how large an edition will be required. For Banaras alone one thousand copies are wanted. It is expected that an edition of many thousand copies will be subscribed for.

When it has been ascertained how large an edition of a whole Hindústání Bible in one vol. 8vo. is required we intend to request the Calcutta Bible Society to publish it for us; but if the Committee should think "better to follow in the beaten track of ages,"-better to expend enormous sums upon huge volumes of parts of the scriptures in the letters of Persia, than to patronize a whole Hindústání Bible in one vol. 8vo. in the letters of Old England and all Christendom, then must they act according to the dictates of their own consciences; but a Hindústání Bible in English letters we must have. If they will not listen to our representations, we must immediately publish such an edition ourselves. We do not say this to offend the Committee of the Calcutta Bible Society, for which excellent Institution we entertain the highest respect, but simply to inform our friends in every part of India plainly and fully that a whole Hindústání Bible in one vol. 8vo. will be published at any rate. This, I am sure, will be good news to many. How different would Indian society at present be if the English conquerors had from the beginning, introduced their language and their letters! But we may do it now. The Church Missionaries at Banáras will soon have under their charge about 300 orphans; the London Society's Missionaries about 100. We find it very difficult to provide them with useful school books in the English letters, but how difficult would it be to provide them with books in the letters of Persia? To prevent, however, all misunderstanding, I beg leave to say that we teach all children to read and write both the Persian and Dewanagarí letters.

Yours, &c.

J. A. S.

Missionary and Religious Entelligence.”/

1.-MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

Since our last we gather from the public prints that the new Bishop of Madras has arrived in India. May he possess both the spirit and practice of the meek and excellent Corrie!-The Rev. Messrs. Pfander and Kreiss, formerly Missionaries of the Basle Society in Georgia have arrived in Bengal and are now making arrangements for the reception and establishment of their brethren appointed for northern India. The Rev. L. Lessel of the London Missionary Society has been appointed to Berhampore. We understand that the Rev. W. Start of Patna is expected next cold season with a large reinforcement of Missionaries.-The Rev. W. Spry, Chaplain H. E. I. C. arrived on the Seringapatam.-The Rev. W. S. Mackay, arrived in safety at Madras and has again sailed for Sydney. His health is partially improved by the voyage.-The Mission at Singapore has been re-inforced by the arrival of five American Missionaries. They are at present to devote themselves to the education of native Fonth.-The Rev. W. F. Wybrow has proceeded on a tour of inspection of the Church Missionary Society's stations in Upper India. He is we believe accompanied by the Rev. J. Weitbriecht.-Rev. Messrs Schneider and Hoenhle, and their partners arrived on the Plantagenet. Our newly arrived brethren belong to the Church Mission. May they long be preserved to labor in this dark land!

2. PERSECUTION IN BURMAH.

We are confident that our readers will be excited to prayer on behalf of the infant church in Burmah on the perusal of the following intelligence, nor will they be led less to admire the valuable and disinterested conduct of the Karen chief. Would that many in more favored spots would imitate his cheering example.-The Karens have lately suffered further and greater persecution. One who was not a Christian, was carrying away tracts through the city gate in a small covered basket, when the gate-keeper asked him what he had in his basket; he said sugar, shewed symptoms of fear and quickened his pace, on which the gate-keeper ordered his basket to be examined. Finding tracts, he immediately called an officer and began writing down his name, place of residence, &c. A Bengálí Christian at whose house the Karen Christians who visit this city find a home, accompanied by two Karen lads, went to intercede for the man at the gate-keeper's, when the two lads also were seized. The Bengálí told the gate-keeper that their master was not far off. He said, "then let him come and take away his men." The Karen chief came and was also seized. All four were thrust into prison in irons and in stocks. They were kept there 6 days and then taken out to the great pagoda to cut grass: meantime the determination of the rulers seemed to be to make a public example of them as they said to put a stop to the progress of the foreigner's religion in the country. We greatly feared that they would suffer martyrdom, but providence mercifully interpused. Mr. Edwards, Secretary to the Residency, after unwearied effort and solicitation, obtained their release as a matter of mere favor to himself. One day Mr. E. was interceding on behalf of the Karens; he told the Governor that the teachers were very feeling people and could not bear to see their fellow-creatures suffer wrongfully. The governor shewed great surprise, and said " Why, do not these teachers get two or three hundred Rs. a month, and how is it that they should feel for their fellow-men ?" A true specimen this of Burman philanthropy! One-fourth of the above

« ElőzőTovább »