Maya Bible History (3)

**List: Maya Ministry the Bible ( the Bible ) Maya... MAYAN. "YUCATAN, a peninsula to the east of Mexico, projecting northward between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, is chiefly occupied by the Maya or Yucatanese Indians.   It forms one of the states of the Mexican confederation: its inhabitants have on more than one occasion within the last ten years asserted their independence, and declared Yucatan a sovereign state, but have subsequently rejoined the confederation.   The population, which has been variously estimated at from 500,000 to 800,000, includes Europeans, Ladinos (the offspring of Europeans and Indians), Indians, and negroes; but the Indian race greatly predominates.   The Mayan language is spoken by all classes throughout the peninsula.   In its principal characteristics this language is conformed to the American type, but it is entirely devoid of the sounds represented by the letters d, f, g, j, q, r, s, and v.    The Indians to whom the Mayan language is vernacular are remarkable above other American nations for their boldness and their love of freedom.   These qualities were manifested in a destructive war which they for some time carried on against the Ladinos and the white population, in whose hands the supreme authority was formerly lodged.   Prior to the commencement of this war, the Maya Indians occupied themselves both in agriculture and fishing, and carried on a trade with many parts of the coast.   Mr. Thomson, of the British and Foreign Bible Society, failed in his endeavours to obtain a translation of the Scriptures into the language of this people: but subsequent efforts of the Baptist My. Society have been more successful; and Mr. Kingdon, agent of that Society, executed a version of the Gospels and Acts, which was described several years since as in a state of preparation for the press.   The utter hopelessness, however, of obtaining an entrance for the Gospel into Yucatan, while all classes of the inhabitants were engaged in a deadly struggle for supremacy, induced the Baptist My. Society to desist for a time from completing this translation, and it does not appear that any further steps have been taken."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition)   Samuel Bagster   [Info only: James Thompson, a Scottish Baptist per JCT.] MAYAN.--1860   S. Bagster   [Info only: n.d. Luke 6:27-34 unknown.]

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