The morning prayer-meeting was led by Rev. W. Wright, D.D., of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
10 a.m. the Conference was called to order by Dr. Nevius.
After some discussion the programme drawn up by the Committee was formally adopted. The Chairman made astatement as to the nature of the rules under which business was to be conducted, with special reference to economy of time. It was announced that except by special permission of the Conference no one was to speak more than once to the same question, As it, is understood that the ladies do not desire to occupy ten minutes in closing the discussion, they are, to be allowed twenty minutes at the beginning. Members of the Conference are requested to present all motions in writing.
Attention was called to the fact that in the printed rules, the XII was omitted, authorising ladies to vote on all subjects brought before the Conference.
Mr. Mcrnneap then presented a resume of his paper on a historical summary of the ferent versions. Mr. Muirhead's paper is already in print, and in the hands of the Conference.
Rev. G. L. Masox, of the American mary Union, Huchow, read the shop Schereschewsky upon the same topic. This paper, like the preceding, advocated a new version of the Scriptures, but laid especial stress upon the neod of anew version in the mandarin dialect, and the easy wen li or literary dialect, while the paper of Mr. Muirhead emphasised the necessity of a new version in the higher literary dialect of China.
At the close of Bp. Schereschewsky's paper Rey. J. Wherry of Peking, read a third essay upon the same topic, giving an estimate of the value of each of the existing versions pointing to the need of single version in the easy literary dialect for all China.
After the reading of these papers, it was yoted to proceed to the discussion of them, before proceeding to the remaining topics of the morning.
Mr. Archibald of the Scotch National Bible. Society, Hankow, spoke on the feasibility of a union version of the Scriptures; and the desirability of such version is universally admitted, but unless the three great Bible Societies should unite upon such a version, it must fail. Unless very cogent reasons are brought to bear upon these societies, the union version cannot become a fact.' The report of Mr. Sloan, Secretary of the Scotch Bap.
ional Bible Society, who travelled from Canton to Peking, to his Society was that the versions are not satisfactory, and that a new one is needed. All present versions are valuable, but preliminary. The mult plicity of versions is not of necessity a di advantage. There can be no union version without a common term. Other diver-endes besides that of terms must arise.
he ultimate version must be made by natives themselves. The best version should be chosen asa basis. The time has not come for a union version, which is fa mere will o' the wisp, retreating the more the longer it is pursued. Dr. Wright of the British and Foreign Bible Society, said that he was here to get information. He reported that his society had made careful arrangement for a union version with the Scotch Bible Society, that elaborate rules had been made, and word was sent to the missionaries in China to secure a union version, but the latter had reported that this was impossible. Dr. Wright does not believe that itis impossible. No side issue at home should turn us away from the main end.
On motion this whole subject was referred to a committee of twenty-five persons as follows; Rev. Win. Muirhead, London Mission, Shanghai; Rev. C. W. Mateer D.D., Am. Pres., Tungchou Fu; Rev. J.
Giljeon, Eng. Pi tow; Rev. Jos, Edkins, D.D., Shanghai; Mr. Ino. Archibald, Scotch Bib. Soc., Hankow; Rev. J. Wherry, D.D., Am. Pres., Peking; Rev. Henry Blodget D.D., Am. Board, Peking Rev. Chauncey Goodrich, Am. Board, T'ung-ichoufu; Rev. Chas, Hartwell, Am. Board, Foochow; Rev. H.H. Lowry, Am. Meth. Ernst Faber, D.D., Shanghai; Rev. Ino. W. Peking; Dr. W. Wright, London; Rev.
Davis, D.D., Am. So. Pres., Soochow; Rev. R. H. Graves, D.D, So. Bap., Canton; Rev. Nathan Sites, D.D, Am. Meth. Foochow Rev. A. P. Bapper, D.D., Am. Pres., Canton; Rev. E. T. Williams, Nanking Rey. E. 8. Little, Am. Meth., Kiukiang Rev. Timothy Richard, Eng. Bap., Tientsin; Rev. T. Barclay, Eng. Pres., Taiwan Fu, Rev. Alex. Williamson, LL.D., Shanghai; Rev. David Hill, Wesleyan, Hankow; Bishop Burdon, Hongkong; Rev. A. Elwin, Church Mission, Hangchow Rev. F, Hartmann, Hongkong.
Of this Committee, Mr. Muirhead is convener. The Committee of arrangements has designated a sub-committee consisting; of Dr. Williamson, Rev. G. F. Fitch, an Rey. J. W. Stevenson.
The Committee on resolutions and business consists of Rev. J. W. Stevenson Rev. L. W. Pilcher, D.D., Am. Meth., Peking; Rev. A. Elwin, Hangchow; Rev.
Bryson, London Mission, Tientsin, and Rev. C. F. Reid, Shanghai.
Rev. J.C. Gibson of Swatow read a paper on the advantages of colloquial versions, and the comparative merits of roman letters and Chinese characters. This paper had unfortunately not been printed in time to be in the hands of the Conference. It was an able and exhaustive presentation of the necessity of simpler methods for uneducated Chinese, than can be had by the written character of China. A paper on the same topic by Rev. 8. F. Woodin of Foochow, was read by Rev. G. H. Hubbard of Foochow.
Another paper on this theme by Rev. Bishop Burdon of Hongkong, was read by Rev. J. B, Ost of Hongkong. On motion these papers were referred to committee composed of five English, five Americans, and two Germans, as follo' Rev. J. C. Gibson, Swatow Wu Cooper, C.1.M., Nyanking; Rev. W. D. Rudland, C.I.M., Taichow; Rev. W. E. Sovthill,' United Meth., Wenchow; Rev. W. Wright, London; Rev. G. H. Hubbard, Am. Board, Foochow; Rev. ©. W Mateer, D.D., Presbyterian, T'ungchow Fu} Rey. B. C.'Henry, D.D., Am. Pre terian, Canton; Rev. J. R. Goddard, Metit, Shanghai; F. Hartmann,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.