In like manner, sir, this Society rests on the simple principle-THAT ALL MEN OUGHT TO HAVE THE WORD OF GOD UNMUTILATED AND UNDISGUISED. It is because the Society is founded on this principle, and had its origin in circumstances which seemed to put this principle in jeopardy, that the American Baptist churches, with a promptitude, zeal, and unanimity, almost unexampled, have rallied round this Society. They will continue to sustain it, for it imbodies an indestructible principle, which readily allies itself with other principles, dear to every Baptist-the independence of the churches -unfettered liberty of conscience-the right and the duty of every man to take the pure word of God as the only standard of his faith-the guide of his conduct----the lamp to his feet, along the path to heaven.

On motion of William B. Johnson, of South Carolina, seconded by Archibald Maclay, of New-York, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish a copy of his address, to be printed with the Annual Report.

Adjourned, to meet with the First Baptist Church, Philadelphia, April 23d, 1839; at ten o'clock, A. M. Prayer by Brother Johnson.

MEETING OF THE BOARD.

New-York, May 2d, 1838.

The Board of Managers met in Oliver-street, at 4 o'clock, P. M. The President in the chair.

Prayer by John Peck, of Cazenovia.

On motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the sum of five thousand dollars be appropriated and paid to the Baptist General Convention of the United States, to aid in publishing the Sacred Scriptures in Asia; viz. for the Siamese Scriptures, $1000. Burmese, $1000. Asamese, $1000. Karen, $1000. Teloogoo, $1000.

BY-LAWS AND ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.

1. All meetings shall be opened with prayer.

2. All Committees shall be nominated by the presiding officer, and approved by the Board, unless otherwise specially ordered.

3. No moneys shall be paid out of the Treasury but by order of the Board. 4. All resolutions, if required, shall be presented in writing.

I.

RESIGNATION OF BAPTIST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

THE duty of Christians to contend earnestly for "the faith once delivered to the saints," and fearlessly to promulgate the sacred pages unmutilated to all mankind, is a doctrine of the Bible, and dear to the heart of every sincere Christian. In the enjoyment of this privilege, Baptists never can submit to human dictation, whether the inclination to oppress them be found on the side of a domineering majority, or the power be vested in legalized authority. That holy and glorious cause to which they stand pledged, forbids the contamination of all human interference as a profanation, nor can conscientious believers permit even brethren to divert them from the simplicity of the gospel.

To distribute the word of God, faithfully translated, Baptists claim as an inalienable privilege, while they regard it as an imperative duty. It was this sacred right of which the American Bible Society attempted to deprive us by their resolution passed on the ever memorable 17th of February, 1836, embracing professedly a general principle, but which, in fact, could apply only to a particular case. By this act they violently sundered those bonds by which we had so long been united with them in harmonious co-operation, and rendered our continuance in the American Bible Society as impracticable as it would be humiliating, and in our opinion disastrous to the cause of truth. As a body, therefore, the Baptists found themselves under the necessity of declining all further concert with the Parent Society; and the undersigned deemed it necessary, personally, to resign their offices. Their reasons for that act, are imbodied in the subjoined document, the publication of which they consider due to themselves, to the Christian community, and to the world.

Concise in diction, and decided in sentiment, it embraces the dispassionate views, not only of the few whose names are affixed, but of the Baptist denomination throughout the land, if we may judge from printed as well as written testimony forwarded to the Corresponding Secretary of the American and Foreign Bible Society.

TO THE MANAGERS OF THE AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Having had the pleasure of acting with you as Managers of the concerns of the American Bible Society, and feeling it to be our duty, in consequence of certain measures, which originated in the Board, and have been sanctioned by the society, to resign our places as members of your body, the respect which is due to you, and justice to our

G

selves, require of us a brief exposition of the motives by which we are actuated. We are bound, moreover, to make this statement of our motives, in justice to that body of Christians, whose interests we, with others of our brethren, have represented here, and whose approbation of our conduct in relation to these measures, has been expressed with scarcely a dissenting voice.

While, therefore, we feel ourselves impelled to speak the truth with plainness, it is our earnest prayer to the God of all grace, that the animadversions, which we may make on the proceedings of the board and of the society, may bear the impress of that charity "which believeth all things, and hopeth all things."

It appears from the constitution of this society, that "its sole object shall be to encourage a wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment." The application of this primary principle is regulated by only two specifications.

1st. "The only copies in the English language to be circulated by this society, shall be of the version now in common use."

2dly. "The society shall, according to its ability, extend its influence to other countries, whether Christian, Mahometan, or Pagan."

These are the fundamental principles of the constitution. The managers' address, contemporaneous with the constitution, contemplates the circulation of the scriptures in foreign lands, " in the received versions where they exist, and in the most faithful where they may be required.""They will embrace with thankfulness and pleasure," is the language of the address, "every opportunity of raying out by means of the Bible, according to their ability, the light of life and immortality, to such parts of the world as are destitute of the blessing, and are within their reach." This address has been properly appealed to by all, as a fair exposition of the constitution, and the above extracts doubtless give a just representation of the liberal principles on which the society commenced its operations.

On these principles, the Baptists entered most heartily into the labours of the society. They have ever regarded this as one of the most interesting of the benevolent enterprises of the age, and have stood among the foremost in its support.

After years of harmonious and successful co-operation on the above mentioned principles, we find ourselves excluded from all further participation in this noble work, by a requisition unknown to the constitution under which we are associated, at variance with its spirit, and with the only principles on which the different Christian sects can unite in the labours of this society.

Different denominations of Christians have invested money to a large amount in the funds of the society. Their sympathies have been deeply enlisted in its behalf, and to the blessing of Heaven on their united labours and prayers, it owes its present prosperity. Whatever ability it now possesses, whether in funds, in influence, or in the confidence of the public, is therefore the common property of these several denominations, acquired by their united exertions, and guaranteed to each of them by the constitution of the society. That instrument may, indeed, according to one of its own provisions, be altered by a vote of

the society. It will be readily conceded, however, that the society is bound in honour and good faith, to respect the fundamental principles of its constitution, and never to make any change in it, except for the express purpose of giving full effect to these principles. It has received in trust, the bequests of benevolent individuals, made in reliance on the guarantee which those principles afford. If it be said that these bequests were made in view of all the contingencies which might arise under the provision just alluded to; we answer, that we believe no considerate man would ever make a bequest subject to such contingencies. His action is based on the implied pledge, that the original principles of the constitution will be faithfully adhered to through all vicissitudes. If they may be set aside as convenience, interest, or sectarian zeal may dictate, or even as the sober judgment of judicious men, honestly aiming to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom may deem desirable, in what other light can they be regarded than as a temporary lure, for which any other may be substituted, as soon as another more attractive can be found? How many examples of such faithlessness will be necessary to destroy all confidence in the principles on which our benevolent institutions are conducted!

In regard to the measures of the Board, to which allusion has been made, we assert they were not adopted for the purpose of carrying these principles into effect.

We appeal to the history of the whole transaction. At a meeting of the Board of Managers, August 6, 1835, application was made by Mr. Pearce, a Baptist missionary of Calcutta, for aid in printing a Bengali version of the New Testament, in which the word baptizo and its cognates are translated according to the views and practice of the Baptist denomination. At a subsequent meeting, September 3, 1835, the committee on distribution, to whom the letter of Mr. Pearce had been referred, reported the following resolution, to wit:

“Resolved, That the Committee do not deem it expedient to recommend any appropriation, until the Board settle a principle in relation to the Greek word baptizo.”

This resolution was adopted, and the subject was referred to a committee of seven, embracing one from each of the denominations represented in the Board.

On the 1st October, this committee reported in substance as follows, viz: That in the Bengali version of the New Testament, for which the patronage of the society is solicited, the Greek words baptizo, baptisma, and their cognates, are translated by words signifying to immerse, immersion, &c.; that the same is true of the Burmese version of the New Testament, and of the other versions in the languages and dialects of India; that the Calcutta Bible Society, and the British and Foreign Bible Society, have refused to aid in printing and circulating the Bengali New Testament, on the ground of its containing the above mentioned translations; that the committee were not aware until now that such translations had been made in India, or other heathen countries.

The three following resolutions were submitted in the report.

1st. Resolved, That the Board deem it inexpedient to appropriate any funds belonging to the society, in aid of translating or distributing the aforesaid Bengali New Tes

tament, or any other versions containing the aforesaid translation, or any similar translation.

2dly. Resolved, That the Board of Managers, on receiving satisfactory evidence of such corrections having been made in the aforesaid translations of the Bengali New Testament, or in other versions in other languages or dialects, as will comport with the known views of other Christian denominations, or in other words, with the obvious intention of the authorized English version, will most cheerfully aid in the printing and circulating of said version or versions as heretofore.

3dly. Resolved, That all persons interested in the foregoing resolutions, be informed of their purport forthwith.

In support of these resolutions, the report presented several considerations; viz: that a version of the scriptures in which baptizo, baptisma, &c., are left untranslated, may be used by ministers and missionaries of all denominations, each explaining these words according to his own views and practice; that versions in which those terms are translated by words signifying to immerse, immersion, will necessarily embarrass, if not wholly exclude the operations of missionaries of many denominations, in countries where those versions obtain circulation; that "it is not competent for the American Bible Society to assume any sectarian attitude, by favouring the denominational views of any particular church "whether at home or abroad."

Thus far the measures of the Board were plain and undisguised. Their action was directed professedly against their Baptist brethren, and no attempt was made to cover the design. They were thus far willing to say in express terms, that they would countenance no version of the scriptures in which baptizo is translated to immerse. It seems to have been felt, however, that this was narrow ground for this noble institution to occupy; that there was something incongruous in such an institution withholding for such a reason, the words of eternal life from millions perishing in their sins. It was therefore thought expedient to abandon the open and direct assault on the peculiarities of a single denomination, and to pursue the same design under cover of a general principle, to which it was represented, all should submit, and which must therefore be equitable, since all alike would feel its operation.

At a subsequent meeting of the Board, November 5, 1835, the whole subject was again referred to the above mentioned committee of seven. In their report, submitted to the Board, November 19, this committee expressed the opinion, "that it is expedient to withdraw their former report on the particular case, and to present the following one on the general principle." This general principle is expressed in the first of the two resolutions submitted in the report, which was as follows:

"The committee to whom was recommitted the determining of a principle upon which the American Bible Society will aid in printing and distributing the Bible in foreign languages, beg leave to report: "That they are of opinion that it is expedient to withdraw their former report on the particular case, and to present the following on the general principle.

By the constitution of the American Bible Society, its managers are, in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, restricted to such copies as are without note or comment, and in the English language, to the version in common use.