should provide a book of the whole Bible, both in Latin, and also in English, and lay it in the choir, for every man that would to look and read therein; and should discourage no man from reading any part of the Bible, either in Latin or English, but rather comfort, exhort, and admonish every man to read it as the very word of God, and the spiritual food of man's soul."

In the year 1537, a folic edition of the Bible was printed by Grafton and Whitchurch, at Hamburgh or at Paris, more probably at Hamburgh: it varied but little from Tyndal's and Coverdale's translation; and the few emendations and additions it contained were supplied by John Rogers, who superintended the publication, and assumed the name of Matthews: hence this is always called Matthews's Bible. A copy of this book was presented by Cranmer to Lord Cromwell, with a request that he would obtain the King's permission for the free use of it among his subjects; and it appears that the royal license was granted through the application of Cromwell.

In the year 1538, an injunction was published by the Vicar-general, " or dering the clergy to povide, before a certain festival, one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English, and to set it up in some convenient place within their churches, where their parishioners might most commodiously resort and read it;" and in the same year a royal declaration was also published, which the curates were commanded to read in their several churches, informing the people, " that it had pleased the King's Majesty to permit and command the Bible, being translated into their mother tongue, to be sincerely taught by them, and to be openly laid forth in every parish church." "It was wonderful," says Strype, "to see with what joy this book of God was received, not only among the more learned, and those who were noted lovers of the Refor mation, but generally all over England, among all the common people, and with what greediness God's word was read, and what resort there was to the places appointed for reading it. Every one that could, bought the VOL. III.

book, and busily read it, or heard it read; and many elderly persons learned to read on purpose.'

In 1538, Grafton obtained leave from Francis the First, King of France, through the intercession of Henry the Eighth, to print an English Bible at Paris, on account of the superior skill of the workmen, and the comparative goodness and cheapness of the paper. But this royal permission did not prevent the inquisitors from summoning before them the French printers, the English employers, and Coverdale, who superintended the work; and the whole impression, consisting of 2,500 copies, were seized, and condemned to the flames. Some few copies only were saved; but the English proprie tors of this undertaking found means to carry with them to London the presses, types, and printers.

In 1539, Grafton and Whitchurch printed, at London, the Bible in large folio, under the direction of Coverdale and patronage of Cranmer, containing some improvement of Matthews's translation: this is generally called the great Bible, and it is supposed to be the same which Grafton obtained leave to print at Paris. There were several editions of it, and particularly one in 1540, for which Cran mer wrote a preface, showing, that "Scripture should be had and read of the lay and vulgar people;" hence this edition of 1540 is called Cranmer's Bible. In this year the curates and parishioners of every parish were required, by royal proclamation, to provide themselves with the Bible of the largest size, before the feast of All Saints, under a penalty of forty shillings a month; and all ordinaries were charged to see that this proclamation was obeyed. A brief, or declaration, was published to the same effect in the year 1541; but after that time the influence of the popish party increased both in parliament and with the King, and Cranmer's exertions were frus trated by the opposition of Gardiner and other popish Bishops. In the year 1542, it was enacted by the authority of parliament, "That all manner of books of the Old and New Testament, of the crafty, false, and untrue trans

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lation of Tyndal, be forthwith abolished, and forbidden to be used and kept; and also that all other Bibles, not being of Tyndal's translation, in which were found any preambles or annotations, other than the quotations or summary of the chapters, should be purged of the said preambles or annotations, either by cutting them out, or blotting them in such wise that they might not be perceived or read; and, finally, that the Bible be not read openly in any church, but by the leave of the King, or of the ordinary of the place; nor privately by any woman, artificers, apprentices, journeymen, husbandmen, labourers, or by any of the servants of yeomen or under;" but, through the interest of Cranmer, a clause was inserted, allowing, " that every nobleman and gentleman might have the Bible read in their houses; and that noble ladies, gentlewomen, and merchants, might read it them selves, but no man or woman under those degrees;" which was all the Archbishop could obtain. In the same year Cranmer proposed, in convocation, that there should be a revision of the translations of the Bible; but so many difficulties were started by Gardiner, and the proposal was so feebly supported by the other bishops, that he was unable to accomplish his object, and desisted from the attempt. In the year 1546, the last of his reign, Henry issued a proclamation, prohibiting the having and reading of Wickliff's, Tyndal's, and Coverdale's translations, and forbidding the use of any other not allowed by parliament.

Though in the reign of Edward the Sixth the reading of the Scriptures was encouraged by royal proclamations, acts of parliament, and by all other means, and there were many impressions of the English Bible, it does not appear that there was any, new translation of the Bible, or even any considerable correction of the old ones, during the seven years and an half that excellent prince sat upon the throne; but it was ordered, that the Epistles and Gospels, and the Lessons, both from the Old and New Testament, should be read in English in the churches, in the manner they now are.

The terrors of persecution in the reign of Queen Mary, drove many of our principal Reformers out of the kingdom: several went to Geneva, and there employed themselves in making a new translation of the Bible. The New Testament was published in 1557, and the remainder of the work in 1560. This is called the Geneva Bible. It was accompanied with annotations, which were, as might be expected from the place where they were written, of a Calvinistical cast; and, therefore, this translation was held in high esteem by the Puritans.

Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth, a new translation of the Bible was undertaken by royal command, and under the direction of Archbishop Parker. Distinct portions, fifteen at least, were allotted to as many persons, eminent for their learning and abilities; they all performed the work assigned to them, and the whole was afterwards revised with great care by other critics. This translation was published in 1568, with a preface written by the Archbishop; and it is generally called the Bishops' Bible, because eight of the persons originally concerned in it were bishops.

Since the Protestants had now made translations of the Bible into the languages of several countries, that the people might read the Holy Scrip tures, the Romanists also, finding it impossible to keep the Bible out of the hands of the common people, made new translations into most of the lan guages of Europe, to oppose those of the heretics, (as they termed them,) and to keep the faithful (as they called those of their own communion) from reading translations made by Protestants. But there is this difference of principle in translations made by Papists and those made by Protestants, that the Papists have translated from the Latin Vulgate, as deeming it bet ter, not only than all other Latin translations, but than the Greek of the New Testament itself, in those places where they disagree; whereas the Protestants, in their translations of the Holy Bible, have always had recourse to the original Greek and Hebrews

Thus, when the Papists could not altogether suppress the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, whereby their errors are discovered, they thought it the next way for their purpose, by their partial translation, as much as they could, to obscure them, and by their heretical annotations to pervert them. Hence, in the year 1582, came forth the Rhemish translation of the New Testament into English, in which the Papists retained many Eastern, Greek, and Latin words, and introduced so many difficult expressions, that they contrived to render it unintelligible to the common people. A translation of the Old Testament was afterwards published by them at Douay, in two volumes; the former in 1609, the latter in 1610.

(To be continued.)

FOR THE CHIRISTIAN JOURNAL.

Constitution of the Female Bible and Prayer Book Society of Guilford, Vermont; adopted July 8, 1819. "THERE are associations, who aspire at a humble distance to imitate and obey the merciful Redeemer, in the most important part of his mission; to promote which, funds are raised, and liberal sums distributed, not to heal the infirmities of the body, but the diseases of the soul; not to feed the poor with temporal bread, but with that bread of life which came down from heaven."

Whereas a number of ladies, members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and others, have formed themselves into a society, under the name of the "Bible and Prayer Book Society," for the purpose of supplying the destitute with Bibles, Prayer Books, and Religious Tracts.

We, the subscribers, impressed with a sense of our duty and obligation, as disciples of the benevolent Redeemer, and of the importance and beneficial tendency of institutions which have for their object the diffusion of religious knowledge, and the building up of the kingdom of righteousness, do hereby form ourselves into a society, by the name of "The Female Bible and Prayer Book Society of Guilford," and

agree to adopt the following articles as rules and regulations for governing the same, to wit.

Art. 1. The name of this society shall be, "The Female Bible and Prayer Book Society of Guilford, Vermont."

Art. 2. The object of this society shall be to build up the faith, and spread the knowledge of our most holy religion.

Art. 3. To effect the purposes expressed in the preceding article, the society shall be under the government of a President, Treasurer, Secretary, and a Board of Managers.

Art. 4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a regular record of the proceedings of the several meetings of the society.

Art. 5. The Treasurer shall receive the amount of all subscriptions, keeping a regular and true account of the

same.

Art. 6. It shall be the duty of the Board of Managers, of which the President shall be one, to obtain subscrip tions, to receive the money subscribed, and pay it into the hands of the Treasurer: also to receive all Bibles, Prayer Books, and Tracts, and adopt rules for procuring, and for the due distribution of the same.

Art. 7. An annual meeting shall be held on the second Thursday of July in each year, when the Managers shall make a report of the proceedings of the past year, of the existing number of subscribers, the number of books received, and how distributed. The officers of the society shall also be chosen at the annual meeting.

Art. 8. A person paying at least one cent per week shall be considered as a member, and entitled to the privilege of voting in the transactions of the society. Every member is at liberty to exceed the stipulated subscription, according to her pleasure. All subscriptions to be paid in advance.

Art. 9. All subscriptions intended to be discontinued for a future year, notice must be given between that time and the annual meeting.

Art. 10. All meetings of the Board and Society shall be opened with prayer by the President, or by some one appointed by her, who shall be at li.

From the (Charleston) Sunday Visitant. DEPARTED this life on the 17th of May last, in the island of Cuba, the Rev. THOMAS FROST, Assistant Minister of St. Philip's Church, [Charleston] aged 25 years and 3 months.

He graduated at Yale College in the year 1813, and soon after became a candidate for holy orders. At this time his piety, his diligence as a student, and the modesty of his deport ment gave a promise of his future excellence, and when scarcely 21 years of age, he was found fully prepared to be ordained a deacon, although he had been a student of theology only a little more than a year, a part of which time he was interrupted by ill health, and still more by the occupation of a tutor, in which he engaged contrary to the wishes of his nearest relatives, but from the most laudable motives. His studies were directed, and his character essentially improved by the judicious and affectionate counsels of the late Bishop of this diocess. Under such an instructor might have been expected such a pupil! So favourable was the impression made by his first exercises in the pulpit and the desk, that he was soon invited to the charge which he continued to hold until his lamented death. In his first sermon as Minister of St. Philip's church, he alluded to the circumstance of the same station having been held by his honoured father, in a manner which evinced at once filial tenderness, lively gratitude, and the diffidence of genuine merit.

Sensible of the responsibility of the sacred office, he submitted to a self-denial, and cheerfully undertook labours which would have been extraordinary at any period of life, and much more at that gay season when hope is bright, and the heart so naturally lights on every flower. His exertions were too great for his strength. The lamp of life burned too rapidly. After a few years he was compelled to lay aside his studies, and was never able entirely to resume them.

He had a mind capable of discrimination and patient of intellectual labour. His knowledge therefore was accurate, and founded on an enlarged investigation. In preparing his sermons he did not offer his first thoughts, or repeat the sentiments of others. He would examine the views both of those with whom he differed in opinion and of those with whom he agreed, and make such statements as were the result of much reflection. After his sermons were written, he would have them fairly copied, in order that he might improve their effect. The lamp of his study often burnt until the dawn of morning, and several of his sermons were the production of sleepless nights. He economised his time so as to give much of it to reading, and all that he read was his own, for he was in the constant habit of reflecting upon every page. He pursued knowledge as a recreation of a pure and elevated character, but principally as a means of usefulness. Much even of his light reading was made subsidiary to his theological studies. His love for the sacred profession, which seemed to increase daily, was affectingly expressed a few weeks before his death: "I fear," says he in a letter, "that the work of the ministry, the choice of life, I must abandon."

He had the highest satisfaction in the services of the sanctuary; and during his exile from them, in pursuit of health, writing to a friend, he adopts the complaint of David; "Woe is me that I am costrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar."

Strict fidelity to his engagements was a prominent virtue in the deceas

ed. He was ever unwilling to undertake what he conceived was beyond his ability, and in fulfilling what he undertook, he spared neither time nor exertion. In his school, if there was a single pupil whose proficiency was not evident, he was made uneasy lest the fault might be in the instructor. It was probably on this account that the duties of tuition interfered so much with his health.

His feelings were strong on all subjects, but happily so controlled that they seldom flowed in any other channels than those of piety and benevolence. In his parochial visits he would weep with those that wept, and in the pulpit his emotions would sometimes suppress his utterance. In one of his last discourses, with an overflowing heart, and eyes suffused with tears, he enforced a solemn exhortation, by reminding the congregation that he was as one risen from the dead, and still standing on the brink of eternity.

He was remarkable for manly independence, which guarded him equally from disrespect and servility to those above him, and from haughtiness and familiarity to those beneath him. This excellent trait of character, which is generally the acquisition of a mature mind, seemed native with him; and it procured him a degree of respect which greatly subserved his usefulness in his holy office.

Short has been his career; but it has been bright. He rose with a mild splendour, and while ascending to the meridian has been struck from our firmament by the decree of that Providence who giveth not account of his doings. His flock already blessed by his ministry, had reason to expect a rich harvest from his augmented experience, if his life had been spared. And if they are so affected by his death, who can conceive the sorrows of his household, of those for whom and with whom he prayed morning and evening at the family altar.-The solace of a widowed mother; the hope of an infant yet to be told her loss; and the joy of the whole domestic circle cut off in its freshness! Blessed Lord, thou only canst fill up such a chasm! thou only canst provide balm for a wound

like this! Resignation is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the blessed fruit of the religion of the gospel, and herein the deceased has left his friends a good example. In one of his last letters he makes these humble and submissive reflections:—

"What poor frail beings does sickness and disease reduce us to! How dependant upon those around us! I am one of those beings. In a strange land I must lean upon strangers. In addition to my other afflictions, I have been visited with deafness to a very distressing degree. I am unable to read. To converse myself would injure my lungs. I am debarred the pleasure of listening to other's conversation. "Heaven sends misfortunes, why should we repine'-Oh! pray for your's truly."

From late English Publications. DISASTER OF JUGGERNAUT. On the 5th July, 1818, the drawing forth of Juggernaut's car took place. On these occasions he is drawn by ropes to the temple of his brother Radhabullubh, about two miles distant. He is then let down by ropes, and carried into the temple. Here he stays eight days, to enjoy the society of his brother, during which time the influx of worshippers is immense. On the ninth day he is supposed to remount his car, and return to his own people.

The rich native to whom the car belongs, (the idol is the property of the lord of the soil on which the temple stands,) had recently built a house near the temple, for the convenience of his family on those occasions. The earth before it had been turned up, and having imbibed the rain which fell incessantly a day or two before the festival, was exceedingly soft. When, therefore, the car arrived at this spot, the wheels sunk into the earth, and every effort to extricate them proved ineffectual.-A heavy shower, which fell at the same time, dispersed the crowd, and the car, instead of proceeding nearly two miles, as usual, remained only fifty yards from its original station. The proprietor of the car, standing before it,