176 
Japan and tlte Japanese. 
gentleman sent his translation to missionaries in Japan, in 
i860, but it was unfortunately burnt, ere it could be sent to 
press. 
The third translation of portions of the Scriptures, was 
made by the Rev. B. J. Bettelheim, missionary to the Loo 
Choo Islands, in 1846. Mr. Bettelheim seemed to have 
translated largely from the Chinese, adapting it closely to 
some Japanese dialects. He subsequently revised the 
Gospels, and the Acts, and sold the manuscript to the 
British and Foreign Bible Society. This society printed 
Mr. Bettelheim's version, at Vienna, in 1872; but upon 
being brought into use, it was found to be very faulty and 
difficult to use. It was, however, one step gained. 
In 187 1, the Rev. J. Goble, missionary to Japan, trans- 
lated the Gospel of Matthew into the language, and printed 
it by the help of a native of Tokio, who assisted him in 
cutting wooden blocks. This native would, however, have 
abandoned the work, had he known its precise character, 
so much did the natives fear to countenance anything 
relating to Christianity. 
In September, 1872, a convention of Protestant mission- 
aries in Japan, of all societies, was called to discuss the 
important matter of providing for the people a complete 
and reliable translation of the whole Word of God. Dr. 
James C. Hepburn had already made a translation of the 
four Gospels, and these were at once pubhshed, in order to 
commence the work of Bible distribution ; but the Conven- 
tion decided to prepare, as quickly as possible, a fair trans- 
lation of the whole New Testament, first ; to be followed, as 
soon as convenient, by a translation of the Old Testament. 
This New Testament was completed by Nov. 3rd, 1879, 
and published by the American Bible Society. The repre- 
sentatives of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and 
