Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

an eloquent and argumentative elucidation of the truth of the Gospel, with copious authorities admitted by the Mahomedans themselves, and particularly by the Wahabians. And, prefixed to it, is an account of the conversion of the author, and an appeal to the well-known family in Arabia, for the truth of the facts.

"The following circumstance in the history of Sabat ought not to be omitted. When his family in Arabia had heard that he had followed the example of Abdallah, and become a Christian, they dispatched his brother to India (a voyage of two months) to assassinate him. While Sabat was sitting in his house at Visagapatam, his brother presented himself in the disguise of a faqueer, or beggar, having a dagger concealed under his mantle. He rushed on Sabat, and wounded him. But Sabat seized his arm, and his servants came to his assistance. He then recognized his brother! The assassin would have became the victim of public justice, but Sabat interceded for him, and sent him home in peace with letters and presents to his mother's house in Arabia.'

[ocr errors]

The Members of the Asiatic Society having been imposed on by a learned Hindoo some. years ago, whose fabrications they published in their Researches, (see Mr. Wilford's Account, vol. 7th) it has been sometimes insinuated by the adversaries of Christian Missions, that Sabat the Arabian would prove, in like manner, to have deceived us. This is certainly possible; and all good men would deplore the event. Let

us be thankful, however, for the good that has been already done by his means.

He has made a translation of the Gospels into the Persian language, and "800 copies of St. "Matthew and St. Luke have been printed and "exposed in the Bibliotheca Biblica of Cal"cutta, for sale." And we have now the satisfaction to state, that he has been faithful to his Christian principles for SIX YEARS, and that "his translation of the whole New Testament,

into the Arabic language, was expected to be "finished by the end of the present year,

1811.

THE ARABIC SCHOOL

FOR THE

TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

THE Rev. Henry Martyn, B. D. Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, went out to India about five years ago. His qualifications for the general superintendance of scriptural translation, are truly respectable. After ac

quiring the highest academical honours in science, and a just celebrity for classical knowledge, he devoted himself to the acquirement of the Arabic and Hindostanee Languages. His mind was strongly impressed, at an early period, with the duty and importance of communicating the revealed Religion to heathen nations. He had a spirit to follow the steps of Swartz and Brainerd, and preach to the natives in the woods; but his peculiar qualifications, as a critical scholar, have fixed him to the department of translation. He had not been long in Bengal before he was joined by Sabat and Mirza, and other learned natives; so that they now form an Arabic School, from which it is not pretended that there is any appeal in India.*

Mr. Martyn's own proper department is the Hindoostanee Language. Soon after his arrival he translated the Liturgy of the Church of England into that tongue. He found that many

* As Mr. Martyn and his associates at Cawnpore constitute the Arabic School in India, for the translation of the Scriptures; so Dr. Carey, and the Missionaries at Serampore, compose the Shanscrit School. See two Memoirs lately published, and the Proceedings of the Baptist Society, published annually.

of the wives of the English soldiers were Hindoostanee women, professing Christianity, but who did not understand the English Language, and being desirous to discharge faithfully the duties of his clerical office, he thought it proper to attempt such a translation. After reading prayers to the soldiers in English, he reads Hindoostanee prayers to their wives, and to other natives. This original work, having received repeated revision and amendment, is esteemed by competent judges to be a perspicuous and faithful version of the sublime original.

He

also translated, about the same time, the parables and parabolic speeches, or apophthegms, of our Saviour, into the same language, with an explanation subjoined to each.

But the grand work which has chiefly engaged the attention of this Oriental Scholar, during the last four years, is his Translation of the whole Bible into the HINDOOSTANEE Language. It has been often acknowledged, that a version of the Scriptures into what is justly called " the grand popular language of Hindoos. tan,” would be the most generally useful in India. Mr. Martyn is in no haste to print any part of his Work, being desirous that it should be first revised and approved by the best scholars. His chief difficulty is in settling the

orthography of the language, and in ascertaining what proportion of words ought to be admitted from the Persian and Arabic fountains; for the Hindoostanee is yet in its infancy, as a written and grammatical tongue; and it is probable, that Mr. Martyn's Work will contribute much to fix its standard. To evince the care and accuracy which he proposes to himself in this Translation, it will be proper to subjoin his last official Report on the subject, dated December, 1809.

[ocr errors]

The Hindoostanee New Testament has been finished some time, and submitted to the "inspection of a variety of persons in different parts of the country; but the opinions formed "of the Work have not hitherto appeared to justify its publication. I am perfectly con"vinced of the inutility of attempting to please "all; yet I thought it better. to withhold from "the Press what longer experience, and the

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

possession of more efficient instruments, might enable me to send forth, in a form more "calculated to give general satisfaction. The person whose assistance I was most anxious "to obtain, has once more joined me; and I am "now willing to hope, that the Word of God be presented to the native of India, so as "to be intelligible to the generality of readers.

may

« PredošláPokračovať »