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**List: Finnish Ministry Bible ( Biblia )
FINNISH.--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: Gothic Character n.d. John 1:1-14 unknown.] |
Suomi / Finnish Bible History (3)
**List: Finnish Ministry
Bible ( Biblia )
Finnish...
FINNISH. "III.--VERSIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES IN THIS LANGUAGE. Soon after the introduction of the Reformation into Finland, the New Testament was translated
into Finnish by Michael Agricola, rector, and afterwards bishop, of Abo. He was a native of Finland,
and after having studied divinity at Wittenberg, was recommended by Luther to Gustavus I., king of
Sweden. His version was printed at Stockholm, in quarto, in 1548. It contains a preface by Agricola,
in which he states that the translation was made from the Greek, with the aid of the Latin, German,
and Swedish versions. A translation of the Psalms was undertaken about the same period by Paul
Justèn, rector of the High School in Abo, in which work he engaged his scholars by way of exercise.
The translation was revised by Agricola, and printed at Stockholm in 1551, with a curious poetical
address to the reader, descriptive of the idolatry of the Finns. During the same year, several detached
portions of the Old Testament were translated and published by Agricola. In his preface to these
translations, he expressed his sorrow at the impossibility of proceeding with the work, unless adequate
funds could be procured, and pledged himself to the completion of the translation of the Old Testament,
provided that he met with encouragement in the sale of his previous editions. Certain political
obstacles, however, impeded from time to time the publication of the entire Scriptures in Finnish;
and at length, in 1636, the clergy of Finland appealed to Christina, queen of Sweden, to furnish them
with a version in their vernacular tongue. In consequence of this petition, orders were given for the
preparation of an accurate translation at Abo, the capital of the duchy of Finland, on account of the
University established there, and the greater purity of the language spoken in that city. The execution
of the work was intrusted to Æschilus Petræus, doctor and professor of divinity, and afterwards
bishop of Abo; to Martin Stodius, professor of oriental languages in the university of Abo; to
Gregory Matthæi, pastor of Puken; and to Henry Hoffman, professor of divinity, and pastor of
Maschoen. The translation was made from the original texts, and Luther's marginal glosses were
subjoined to the chapters. It was printed at Stockholm, in folio, with a dedication to Queen Christina.
Another edition, in the same form, was published in 1644.
Another version, likewise executed from the inspired originals, by Henry Florin, pastor of
Paemaren, was published at Abo in 1685; but this version is comparatively little known, the Bible
sanctioned by Queen Christina having, from its first appearance, been received into general circulation
as the authorised version of Finland.
Editions of the New Testament, from the text of Queen Christina's version, appeared in 1732,
1740, 1774, and 1776. But, except two quarto editions in 1758 and 1776 (the latter of which was
published by subscription), no further attempt was made to publish the entire Bible in Finnish, until
the introduction, in 1811, of the operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Finland. In
consequence of the pecuniary aid afforded by that Society, and the zealous efforts of their agent,
Dr. Paterson, a Bible Society was formed at Abo; a report was sent to the Emperor Alexander, and
he contributed a large donation from his private purse, besides granting to the Society, for five years,
that part of the corn tithes which was originally appropriated to printing the Scriptures, but which in
latter times had been devoted to state purposes. Standing types were immediately prepared at
St. Petersburg, and 8000 copies of the New Testament, in 8vo., were completed at Abo in 1815. In
the following year, 5000 copies of the entire Bible, also in 8vo., left the press at Abo. A quarto edition
of the whole Bible, aided by a further grant from the British and Foreign Bible Society, was commenced
in 1821, and completed in 1827. A specimen copy may be seen in the Library of the British and
Foreign Bible Society, but, with few other exceptions, this edition (consisting of 7500 copies) was
destroyed in the extensive fire with which Abo was visited in 1827. Another edition of 5000 copies
of the New Testament was, in consequence, immediately undertaken by the Society: this edition was
completed at Stockholm in 1829. In 1832, the Bible Society of Abo was again in active operation,
and had printed a new edition of the quarto Bible, and commenced an 8vo. edition of 10,000 copies
of the New Testament.
Apart from the Finnish edition printed at Abo, the St. Petersburg Society undertook some editions
for the purpose of supplying the Finns in their own neighbourhood; but eventually large supplies were
forwarded to Abo. The New Testament was printed by this Society in 1814, and again in 1822.
The entire Bible was completed in 1817.
Many large editions of the Scriptures have subsequently been issued by the joint agency of the
Finnish Bible Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society.
A distribution of the Scriptures, unprecedented in extent, and justly regarded as one of the ablest
and best executed projects in the records of Bible Societies, has of late years been carried on in Finland.
This work commenced in 1841, under the auspices of the late metropolitan of Finland, Archbishop
Melartin, and through the instrumentality of the British and Foreign Bible Society. From statistical
documents collected at that period for the guidance of the Society's operations, it was ascertained that
there were,--1st, 47,254 Finnish families who possessed at least a New Testament.
On these statements being forwarded to the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society,
2nd, 39,675 Finnish families who were unprovided, but were able to purchase the Scriptures at
cost price.
3rd, 31,334 Finnish families who were unprovided, and so poor as to be able to give only a little
for a New Testament.
4th, 50,442 Finnish families totally destitute of the word of God, and so extremely poor as to
require an entirely gratuitous distribution.
the work of supplying, first of all, the 50,442 families, for whom an entirely gratuitous distribution had
to be made, was immediately commenced. This provision was ere long effected, and subsequent efforts
have gone far towards supplying the additional wants above referred to.
From a letter addressed by the present Archbishop of Finland (Dr. Bergenheim) to the British
and Foreign Society's Agency at St. Petersburg, we derive the following interesting information in
reference to the work thus happily in progress of accomplishment. During the thirteen years (1834-47)
that the affairs of the Finnish Bible Society were under the superintendence of the late Archbishop
Melartin, there were prepared and distributed in Finland three editions of the entire Bible, making in
all 13,000 copies,--one in the Swedish language of 3000 copies, and the two others in Finnish; besides
an edition of 10,000 Finnish New Testaments, with the Psalter. Further editions of 10,000 copies of
the entire Bible, and 20,000 New Testaments, have since been completed. The editions of the Finnish
New Testament printed on account of the British and Foreign Bible Society, during the five years
immediately prior to 1853, embraced:--1st. An edition of 20,000 copies printed at Borga, in 1847;
2nd. An edition of 25,000 copies, also printed at Borga; 3rd. An edition of 20,000 copies, printed at
Helsingfors, and to half the number of which the Psalms are to be appended.
By means of the above noble efforts on the part of the British and Foreign Bible Society, there
have been distributed gratuitously in Finland, since 1841, altogether 50,086 copies of the New
Testament in the Finnish language, while a further number of 43,914 copies have been sold at an
extremely moderate price. The total number of copies of the Finnish Scriptures printed directly for
the British and Foreign Bible Society up to the close of 1859, amounted to 134,000 (consisting of
10,000 Bibles and 124,000 Testaments), besides 15,000 copies of the Testament and Psalms.
It is difficult, in a thinly-populated country like Finland, to observe the immediate results of
Scripture distribution among the great body of the inhabitants. But particular instances of the good
that has already been effected are not wanting, and there is no doubt that a great and increasing desire
for the possession of the sacred volume has been excited among the whole of the Finnish population.
The Finnish clergy, too, especially the younger portion of them, are said to be much more abundant
in their labours than formerly, and great numbers of the population are being converted to a reformed
life. The exertions that have been made, it may be fairly hoped, will eventually be found, under the
blessing of God, the means of preserving the Lutherans of Finland from the insidious advances of the
Russian Greek Church."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition) Samuel Bagster [Info only: See Regeneration.]FINNISH.--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: Gothic Character n.d. John 1:1-14 unknown.]
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