BIBLE TRANSLATION.

H

PART I.

OWEVER humble may have been the home surroundings of William Carey's early life, there can be no doubt that the instruction given in the school of his father, the parish clerk and schoolmaster of Paulerspury, quickened those natural gifts which led him, in late days, to eminence in the Christian Church as linguist and translator of the Holy Scriptures. As a child, he betrayed a keen desire for knowledge of every kind, and displayed that restless and persistent energy which urged him to grasp with eagerness every opportunity for its acquisition. He seized with avidity every book he met with, whether it was a work of science, or history, or travel, to satisfy his thirst. His appetite for learning was insatiable. By the time he reached the period of youth, "young Carey," as Dr. Ryland called him, had attained to no little knowledge of Latin, and by degrees he added to his equipment Hebrew, Greek, French, Italian, and even Dutch. While he was yet an apprentice, the first stimulus to the acquisition of Greek came from meeting with some unintelligible Greek words in a Bible commentary. In a rough way he imitated the letters, and obtained a translation of them from a journeyman weaver of his native village who had seen better days. Early in his Christian life he began the practice, which he continued when pastor of the church in Harvey Lane, Leicester, of reading, in as many languages as he possessed copies of the Scriptures, his daily chapter. A fixed portion of time was regularly given to study and translation. Although he knew it not, a Divine hand was directing his studies, in order that he might be prepared, in due time, to give the Word of God in their vernacular tongues to the myriads of dwellers in Oriental lands.

Early in 1787, the Rev. J. Kinghorn, of Norwich, speaks of a

Mr. Parker, as preparing for the press a scheme for "sending the Scriptures into those countries where they have not yet been sent," the early sheets of which were then in his hands. We do not know how soon this idea took possession of Carey's mind; but we learn from Mr. Fuller that it was a motive force in the studies he pursued. In a letter written in the year 1813 to Dr. Chalmers, Mr. Fuller says: "I knew Carey when he made shoes for the maintenance of his family; yet even then his mind had received an evangelical stamp, and his heart burned incessantly with desire for the salvation of the heathen; even then he had acquired a considerable acquaintance with Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French. And why? Because his mind was filled with the idea of being some day a translator of the Word of God into the languages of those who sit in darkness." The prevalent ignorance, even among learned men, of the languages spoken by heathen peoples, was no obstacle to Carey. His own acquisitions were a living commentary on his words: "It is well known," he says, "to require no very extraordinary talents to learn in the space of a year or two at most the language of any people on earth, so much of it, at least, as to be able to convey any sentiments we wish to their understandings."

Thus from the earliest period of his career was Carey feeling his way to the chief work of his life, and an impetus given to the translation of the Holy Writings of our faith in many tongues, which is the great, if not the noblest, feature of modern missionary enterprise. "A sublimer thought," said the celebrated Wilberforce, "cannot be conceived than when a poor cobbler formed the resolution to give to the millions of Hindus the Bible in their own language."

ARRIVAL IN INDIA.

On the 12th of June, 1793, he embarked for Calcutta with his family and Mr. Thomas, a pious Indian army surgeon, who had returned to England with the object in view of seeking aid, both in men and money, for the establishment of a Christian Mission in Bengal. After a tedious passage of five months, the anxious party landed at their destination. The wearisome months of the voyage were not passed in idleness. The second week found Carey, with his companion, who was already well acquainted with Bengali, studying the language. As his knowledge grew, with his Hebrew Bible before him, the Book of Genesis was taken in hand for translation. Carey's entrance on his life-work had begun. En

couraged by that eminent Orientalist, Sir William Jones, Mr Thomas, some years before, had given the Gospel of Matthew a Bengali dress. The translation, though crude in style, and much tinged with Anglican words and idioms, found acceptance among the people. It opened to them, if imperfectly, the wondrous story of the "Word made flesh."

On reaching Mudnabatty, Mr. Carey found several persons-the fruits of Mr. Thomas's early labours-inquiring after the new faith. An appeal which reached the missionaries from Dinagepore gave them great encouragement. "Three years ago," said these humble seekers after God, "we heard a little about the Gospel of God. At that time we were promised seven or eight chapters of the Bengali translation thereof, but did not obtain it." They, therefore, earnestly desired that another messenger should be sent, bringing with him the book and further information of this new way. "Then we will hear again, from his mouth, the Word of faith, the manner of prayer, the joyful news from heaven; and, having heard it, be blessed. This is our desire. This grant."

Carey scarcely needed such a stimulus as this, or the pleasant fact which he joyfully relates to Mr. Fuller :-"A pundit and another man from Nuddea came to see me. I showed it" (the Book of Genesis) "to them, and the pundit seemed much pleased with the account of the Creation." Settled at Mudnabatty, Carey was unremitting in his endeavours thoroughly to master the Bengali tongue, and to revise the rough translations of Mr. Thomas. He grudged the hours spent in writing to anxious friends at home. He was "attempting the utmost that was possible with the utmost of his power, and without the smallest loss of time." As it was, his letters were full of appeals, and suggested arrangements, for presses and types.

It may be interesting to see him at work. "I employ," he says, "a pundit merely for this purpose. With him I go through the whole in as exact a manner as I can. He judges of the style and syntax, and I of the faithfulness of the translation. I have, however, translated several chapters together, which have not required any alteration whatever in the syntax. Yet I always submit this article to his judgment. I can also, by hearing him read, judge whether he understands his subject, by his accenting, reading properly, and laying the emphasis on the right words. If he fails, I immediately suspect the translation, though it is not an easy matter for an ordinary