60 



BAPTISTS. 



B 



BAPTISTS. The "American Baptist Year- 

 Book" for 1883 gives tables of statistics of 

 the regular Baptists of the United States, of 

 which the summary of the footings is as 

 follows: Number of associations, 1,167"; of 

 churches, 26,931 ; of ordained ministers, 17,- 

 090 ; of members, 2,394,742 ; number of addi- 

 tions by baptism during 1882, 94,680; number 

 of Sunday-schools, 15,138, with 130,606 officers 

 and teachers and 1,065,195 pupils, and 13,804 

 baptisms in the Sunday-schools. Amount of 

 benevolent contributions reported, $5,219,396. 

 Increase of members during the year, 58,720. 

 The educational institutions of which the 

 " Year-Book " gives reports include 8 theo- 

 logical seminaries, with 45 instructors and 451 

 students ; 33 colleges and universities, with 

 291 instructors and 4,177 students; and 52 

 academic institutions and seminaries for young 

 men and young women, with 391 instructors 

 and 6,554 students. 



The numerical summaries of the regular Bap- 

 tists in other countries are as follow : 



Whole number of associations, 1,268. 



The number of other Baptist churches than 

 the regular Baptists in the United States is as 

 follows : 



Bible Convention. The regular anniversary 

 meetings of the Northern Baptist benevolent 

 societies of the United States were preceded 

 by a " Bible Convention," which was called in 

 accordance with action taken by the several 

 societies at their anniversaries in 1882, "to 

 consider and decide what the Baptist denomi- 

 nation ought to do in reference to translations, 

 versions, and the circulation of the Bible in all 

 lands, and through what organizations this ob- 

 ject shall be effected." The convention met at 

 Saratoga Springs, N. Y., May 22d. The Hon. 

 James L. Howard, of Connecticut, presided. 

 Resolutions were adopted, as follow : 



Whereas, In the year 1883, the Baptists of America 

 resolved to give to the heathen the pure Word of God 

 in their own languages, and to furnish their mission- 

 aries with all the means in their power to make their 



translations as exact a representation of the mind of 

 the Holy Spirit as may be possible ; and 



Whereas, Their missionary translators were in- 

 structed to endeavor by earnest prayer and diligent 

 study to ascertain the exact meaning of the original 

 text, and to express that meaning as exactly as the 

 nature of the language into which they translate the 

 Bible will permit ; therefore, 



Resolved, 1. That this convention earnestly reaf- 

 firms these positions as sound and obligatory. 



2. That as_these principles are defined, it is the 

 duty of American Baptists to circulate versions made 

 upon these principles in all languages, as far as such 

 versions can be secured. 



3. That as there are differences of opinion in our 

 denomination touching the several versions now ex- 

 isting in English, on the score of fidelity, it is the right 

 of every Baptist to use that version which best com- 

 mends its faithfulness to his conscience in the sight 

 of God. 



4. That while ; in the judgment of this convention, 

 the work of revision is 'not yet completed, whatever 

 organization or organizations shall be designated for 

 the prosecution ofhome Bible work among American 

 Baptists should now circulate the commonly received 

 version ; the new Kevised Eevision with the correc- 

 tions of the American revisers incorporated in the 

 text, and the translation of the American Bible 

 Union, according to demand, and that all moneys 

 especially designated for the circulation of either of 

 these should be faithfully appropriated in Tieeping 

 with the wish of the donor. 



Furthermore, the convention expressed its 

 judgment that the Bible work of the Baptists 

 should be done by the two existing societies, 

 the foreign work by the American Baptist 

 Missionary Union, and the domestic work by 

 the American Baptist Publication Society ; 

 that the Missionary Union "should more fully 

 recognize the necessity of accurate translation 

 and wide distribution of the Word of God in 

 foreign lands," and should use every effort to 

 enlarge its means ; that the Publication Soci- 

 ety should establish a new department, to be 

 designated as the Bible Department, with a 

 special secretary, to be charged with the duty 

 of collecting and expending funds for home 

 Bible work: 



That as a guarantee that all the chief views cur- 

 rent in our denomination shall be represented in the 

 conduct of our home* Bible work, and as a provision 

 for a settlement of the questions which have arisen 

 with regard to the administration of that work, the 

 American and Foreign Bible Societies be requested 

 to name three persons to be voted for as managers of 

 the Publication Society, and that upon the election 

 of these persons as such managers, the American and 

 Foreign Bible Societies be requested, in the interest 

 of Baptist unity, to dissolve and thenceforth cease 

 to exist as a separate organization ; 



and that the Publication Society should estab- 

 lish such relations with the American Baptist 

 Home Mission Society that the missionaries of 

 the latter body may .co-operate with it in the 

 circulation of the Bible. 



The American and Foreign Bible Society, at 

 its annual meeting, May 24th, determined to 

 accept the advice of the convention, and to 

 make arrangements to disband as a separate 



