Karen Bible History (3) 
**List: Karen Ministry
the Bible ( the Bible )
Karen...
KAREN, KARAYN OR KARIENG. "I.--EXTENT AND STATISTICS. THE Kareens, Karenes, or Careians, are a wild and simple people, scattered over all parts of the Bur-
man territories, and of the British provinces of Tenasserim: they are also found in the Western portions
of Siam, and northward among the Shyans. Their residences are in the jungles and among the moun-
tains, and are most numerous on the mountains which separate Burmah from Siam. The number of
these people, owing to their nomadic habits and wide dispersion, is difficult to be ascertained, but it
has been estimated at about 33,000.II.--CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LANGUAGE. The Karen language possesses several original elements, and in many respects varies in genius and
structure from the Burmese, Siamese, and Peguese languages, though it freely borrows words from
each. Its alphabet consists of twenty-four consonants, and eleven vowels. It has five tones, some of
which appear different from those of any other monosyllabic tongue. The Karen language is remark-
ably harmonious, and well adapted for poetry: a final consonant never occurs, but every word terminates
with a vowel sound. Till a comparatively recent period, however, Karen was totally unknown to
Europeans. About 1835, two mies. of the American Baptist My. Society, Messrs. Wade
and Mason, acquired the language, and for the first time reduced it to writing. For this purpose they
employed the Burmese alphabet, with a few additional characters to express the peculiar sounds of the
language. The system of teaching reading, adopted by Mr. Wade, is so admirably conceived, that
a person ignorant of a single letter can be taught to read a Karen book with ease in a few weeks.
Mr. Mason affirms that the alphabetical powers of the Karen alphabet are of Arabic or Hebrew origin.
This fact, together with the personal appearance and physical peculiarities of this singular people, and
a series of very remarkable traditions current from time immemorial among them, has led him to form
the idea of their being descendants of the lost tribes of Israel.III.--VERSIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES IN THIS LANGUAGE. The mies. were induced to undertake a version of the New Testament in Karen by the
earnest and repeated entreaties of the people themselves for books. As early as 1828, Mr. Boardman,
of the American Baptist Society, was visited frequently at Tavoy, one of the my. stations, by
great numbers of the Karens, and had ample opportunities of preaching the Gospel to them. Amongthe most interesting of his visitors was a native chief, who appeared particularly anxious for instruction
in the way of righteousness. "Give us books," he said, "give us books in our own native language!
then all the Karens will learn to read. We want to know the true God. We have been lying in
total darkness--the Karen's mind is like his native jungle." The translation of the entire New Testa-
ment into Karen was accordingly accomplished by Messrs. Wade and Mason; yet during several years,
for want of adequate pecuniary means, no attempt was made at printing, but each book as soon as
completed was copied and circulated in MS. In 1842, the American and Foreign Bible Society
granted £625 towards the printing of the New Testament, and an edition soon after issued from the
press at Tavoy, under the superintendance of Mr. Bennett. Mr. Mason has since translated the Psalms
into Karen, including both the Sgau and Sho dialects of that language. Of the New Testament in
Sgau Karen the American Mission Press at Maulmein issued 4000 (2nd edition 8vo.) in 1850.IV.--RESULTS OF THE DISSEMINATION OF THIS VERSION. This version of Scripture appears to have been attended in a remarkable degree with the Divine
blessing from the very first period of its execution. The Karens were in a manner prepared to welcome
Christianity, not only by their religious tenets, which formed a noble contrast to B_ddhism, but by a
singular prediction of their ancient seers, which caused them to look for relief from Burman oppression
to "the white foreigners." In 1839, when the Karens had no books, few living teachers, and only
a MS. copy of St. Matthew, they were gathered together in considerable numbers from all parts by the
sound of the Gospel; and settling down in a district about two days' journey from Tavoy, they formed
a Christian village, the heads of every family being members of the church. Civilization followed
Christianity. Cleanliness (by no means a native Karen virtue) was substituted for their former depraved
habits, and various industrial arts were learnt and steadily pursued. The power of the Scriptures
upon these simple and unlettered people is shown by various anecdotes related by the mies.
"Once Mrs. Wade had occasion to read the chapter in St. Matthew about visiting Christ (as
represented in his disciples) when sick or in prison. They immediately perceived how regardless they
had been of persons in sickness and sorrow, and began thenceforward to perform services for the sick,
which they had never thought of before. A poor widow suffering under a leprous disease, who had
a young child similarly afflicted, was visited by many the next day. They performed various repulsive
offices for her and the child, brought water, cleaned the house, gave them rice and other articles; and
so enriched and comforted the poor creature that she was bewildered with delight. These attentions
they continued constantly. Another person, bedridden with loathsome sores, was attended to in the
same way. Since that time no one has been suffered to want any thing which the rest enjoy; and their
acts of kindness are done with studied concealment.""--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition) Samuel Bagster [Info only]THE SGAU KAREN VERSION. (F. Mason) [Info only: Burmese Character n.d. Psalm 67:vss unknown.]
THE SHO OR PWO KAREN VERSION. (F. Mason)--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: Burmese Character n.d. Psalm 67:vss unknown.]
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