Mongolian Bible History (3) 
**List: Mongolian Ministry
Bible ( Библи )
Mongolian...
MONGOLIAN PROPER. "MONGOLIA, the vast country which separates Russia from China, has been from time immemorial the
domain of the Mongolian race. It was to this race that Attila and Genghis Khan, and the myriads
commanded by those mighty warriors, belonged,--men whose rapid conquests are compared by Gibbon
to the primitive convulsions of nature which have agitated and altered the surface of the globe.
Although Mongolia is now included in the territories of the Chinese empire, the Mongols themselves
remain in the same condition as their ancestors in the days of Genghis and Kublai. "The people,"
says a recent traveller, "live in tents, without any permanent residence. They move from place to
place with the changes of the seasons, or when their immense herds of oxen, camels, and horses have
exhausted the grass around their encampment. To-day presents an animated scene of hundreds of
tents, filled with an active population; to-morrow this picturesque scene will be changed to a dreary
and forbidding desert."
The Mongols have extended their wanderings into the dominions of Russia, and some of
the many tribes into which they are divided are to be found in the very heart of Siberia. One
language is common to all these tribes, but, as might be expected from its wide geographical diffusion, it
is subdivided into a multiplicity of petty dialects. The most prominent characteristics of the Mantchou
and Turkish are equally remarkable in this language. It possesses the same inverted and artificial style
of phraseology, and the same grammatical peculiarities. The substantives, however, although like the
Mantchou destitute of terminations indicative of gender, possess a peculiar sign to denote the plural;
it consists in the consonant t added to the final vowel, or substituted for n, but is not often employed.
The Mongolian dialect, properly so called, is spoken by some tribes of Lamaists (or worshippers of
Buddha, impersonated in the Grand Lama), north of the desert of Gobi. The alphabet is derived from
the Ouigour, and forms the basis of the Mantchou; it is written in vertical columns from the top to the
bottom of the page. Many Tibetan and Sanscrit words exist in Mongolian, which have been introduced
with Lamaism from Tibet.
A translation of the New Testament and Psalter into the language spoken by the Mongol con-
querors of China is said to have been made, in the thirteenth century, by John de Monte-Corvino, a
Minorite friar, who was sent on a mission to the Tartar potentates, by Pope Nicholas IV., in 1289,
(soon after the accession of Timur Khan, or Ching-tsung, to the throne of his grandfather, Kublai Khan),
and who resided at the court of the Grand Khan for a period of forty years. Of this work no vestiges
remain. The only Mongolian versions of Scripture known to be in existence are those in the Calmuc
and Buriat dialects, which we must now proceed to notice."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition) Samuel Bagster [Info only]MONGOLIAN VERSION.--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: "1841" John 1:1-7 unknown; date is hard to read.]
CALMUC. "I.--GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT AND STATISTICS.
THE great steppe extending from Sarepta (on the Volga, above Astrakhan) to the Caucasus, is occupied
by the Calmucs, a Mongolian tribe, who migrated thither about the beginning of the seventeenth
century, from the western borders of Soungaria, in the heart of the Asiatic continent. In 1701,
upwards of 15,000 families of this tribe returned to Soungaria with a certain prince who fled from his
father, the khan; and in 1770 no less than 60,000 families abandoned their Russian settlements and
returned to their native Mongolia. The families who remained in Russia, and who retain their
nomadic habits and pagan superstitions, now number about 60,000 individuals. Some baptized
members of this nation are settled in a district lying between the Volga and the Kouban, of which
Stavropol is the capital; they amount in number to about 10,000, and have for the last century
professed adherence to the Russian Church.
The dialect of the Calmucs is the Eleuth, or Western Mongolian, generally supposed to be
predominant throughout the whole of Western Mongolia as the dialect of the Eleuth tribes, from
whom the Calmucs derive their origin. This dialect is softer and more effeminate than Mongolian
proper, and in order to express it, the Calmucs have adopted a modified alphabet of the Mongolian,
which contains softer sounds than the original one. It is also more elegant; although it must be said
of all these vertical writings that they look very beautiful when well executed. The importance of the
Calmuc version will be greatly enhanced should it be found applicable to all the Eleuth tribes of
Mongolia, as well as to the Russian emigrants; but this point has not yet been ascertained.II.--VERSION OF THE SCRIPTURES IN THIS LANGUAGE. The first translation of the Scriptures into this dialect appears to have been attempted about the
middle of the last century, when various detached portions of the sacred text were translated at the
Moravian settlement of Sarepta. The principal translator was Conrad Neitz, one of the Moravian
mies., who, by a long residence among the Calmucs of the Don, had acquired an intimate
acquaintance with the language, the modes of thinking, and the habits of the people. In 1808, a
correspondence was opened between the brethren at Sarepta and the British and Foreign Bible Society,
respecting the preparation of a Calmuc version. The portions previously translated were ascertained
to be faithful and accurate, but it was deemed requisite to subject them to careful revision, as well as
to extend the translation to the whole of the New Testament. The execution of this translation was
undertaken by Mr. James Schmidt (afterwards Dr. Schmidt), a member of the Sarepta society. He
had resided many years among the Calmucs, and was thoroughly acquainted with their dialect. The
work was aided by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the translation of the Gospel of
St. Matthew was completed in 1812; it was not however committed to the press till 1815, when
1000 copies were printed at St. Petersburg. These were speedily circulated; and such were the
pleasing accounts received concerning their distribution, that a second edition of 2000 copies was
given in 1817.
The idiomatic accuracy of this version of St. Matthew was attested by native authorities, and
likewise by Abel Remusat. "In reading, or rather in analysing it (observed that eminent Orientalist),
with a view to deduce the grammatical principles which were the objects of my search, I found but
very few instances in which its correspondence with the Greek text did not appear to me to be rigidly
exact." That this Gospel was perfectly intelligible to the people for whom it was designed is provedby the fact that the Lamaic priests found it necessary to interdict it, apprehending that their craft
would be in danger, in case the doctrines gained ground among their followers. Notwithstanding this
prohibition, copies were eagerly sought by the Calmucs; and it was found necessary to issue a third
edition in a smaller form, that the volumes might be more easily concealed among the stuff of
their tents.
Some pecuniary aid was received by Dr. Schmidt, the translator, from the emperor of Russia;
and in 1820 the Gospel of St. John was completed and laid before the Russian Committee. The
eagerness of the people to know what this Gospel contained was so great, that before it could be
carried through the press, it was sent in MS. for their perusal. An edition of 500 copies was printed
of this Gospel alone, besides 2000 copies containing the Gospels both of St. Matthew and St. John.
In 1822, an edition of the Gospels and the Acts was put to press at St. Petersburg. In a letter
bearing the same date, it was stated by Dr. Pinkerton that twenty-two individuals had forsaken their
idols, and had joined the Sarepta congregation on the Volga; and at that period there appeared every
reason to hope that a still richer harvest would speedily ensue from the seed of the Divine Word
diffused among the Calmucs. Concerning the effects which may have been more recently produced by
their perusal of the New Testament in their own dialect, we have no means of obtaining intelligence,
for the labours of mies. among this people are now wholly suppressed."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition) Samuel Bagster [Info only]CALMUC VERSION. St. Petersburgh.--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: "1819-20" John 1:1-3 unknown.]
BURIAT. "I.--GEOGRAPHICAL EXTENT AND STATISTICS. THE Buriat Mongolians now dwell near Lake Baikal, in Siberia, where they probably settled at the
period of the revolution under Genghis Khan. They form the principal part of the population in the
government of Irkutsk, north of the Baikal, and of the provinces of Selinginsk, Oudinsk, and Nerchinsk,
eastward of that lake: they are thought to number about 150,000 individuals. The dialect of the
Buriats is the same as that of the Khalka tribes of Eastern Mongolia. It differs from the Calmuc chiefly
in the interchange of consonants, and is distinguished by its abundance of guttural and nasal sounds.
The Buriats also differ from other Mongolians in employing the alphabet of their Mantchou neighbours,
instead of the true Mongolian letters.II.--VERSION OF THE SCRIPTURES IN THIS DIALECT. When a translation of the New Testament into Calmuc was projected, it was anticipated that it
would be found as intelligible to the Buriats of Siberia and to the other Mongolian tribes, as to the
Calmucs themselves; and, under this impression, the Buriats contributed towards defraying the expenses
of the version. When, however, the Gospel of St. Matthew in Calmuc was completed, it was found that
the Buriats were unable to read it; and though they afterwards endeavoured to obtain the key to the
Calmuc writing by acquainting themselves with the Mongolian letters, yet it soon became obvious that
the differences between the two dialects rendered the preparation of a distinct version for each people
absolutely essential. To remove every difficulty, Prince Galitzin, president of the Russian Bible
Society, wrote to the Governor of Irkutsk, requesting him to send two learned Buriats to St. Peters-
burg, for the purpose of accommodating the Calmuc Gospel to their native dialect, and, in conjunction
with Dr. Schmidt, to translate the other parts of the New Testament. Two saisangs, or Buriat nobles,accordingly repaired to St. Petersburg, and with the consent of their prince and lama, they engaged in
, with constant reference to such critical
the work of translation: the Divine Word was blessed to their conversion; and, in a letter which they
addressed to their chief, they avowed their faith in Jesus. In 1818, an edition of 2000 copies of the
Gospel of St. Matthew, in Buriat, was printed under their care, followed, in 1819, by 2000 copies of
the two Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John. An edition of 2000 copies of the other two Gospels,
with 2539 copies of the Acts, was published in 1822. During the same year however, a severe loss
was sustained in the death of Badma, one of the Buriat translators, who was called to rest from his
labours just as he had translated as far as the middle of the Epistle to the Romans. The remaining
portion of the New Testament appears to have been completed under the superintendence of Dr.
Schmidt, and was published about the year 1824, at St. Petersburg.
The surviving Buriat noble was afterwards associated with Messrs. Swan, Stallybrass, and Yuille,
mies. at Selinginsk, in the translation of the Old and the revision of the New Testament. The
Old Testament was translated immediately from the Hebrew
apparatus as could be obtained, and every portion was successively submitted to the inspection of
learned natives, chiefly lamas or priests, in order that the idiomatic peculiarities of the language might
be observed. The style of writing adopted in this version holds a middle place between the vulgar
colloquial language of the people, which varies in different districts, and the abstruse modes of
expression employed in some of their books. It is above the common business dialect, but not so much
higher as to place the subject beyond the reach of any one of common understanding. In 1834, the
expenses incurred in this translation were defrayed by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and an
edition of 1000 copies was undertaken by the same Society. This edition was subsequently extended
to 2000 copies, in consequence of a grant from the American Bible Society. The printing was carried
on at Khodon in Siberia, and portions were put into circulation almost as soon as they left the press.
This edition of the Old Testament was completed in 1840; and during the same year Messrs. Swan
and Stallybrass accomplished a fresh translation of the New Testament from the original Greek, based
on the version previously made. An edition of 3000 copies of this New Testament was completed at
press in 1846, at the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society.III.--RESULTS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS VERSION. It has already been mentioned that the "beautiful sayings of Jesus," as they called them, pro-
duced an almost immediate effect on the two idolaters employed in translating the New Testament.
The portions they translated were blessed in a similar manner to some of their countrymen. One of
the natives, after reading with devout attention the Gospel of St. John, emphatically exclaimed, "This
is the soap which must cleanse us from the defilement of the old system of religion:" and this version
has been made useful even in China, for many of the Chinese are acquainted with the language, and
the mies. were repeatedly informed of copies having been eagerly sought by natives of that
benighted empire. Among the Buriats themselves there appeared, till recently, every reason to look
for the happiest results from the distribution of their vernacular Scriptures; a spirit of enquiry was
awakened, and, in a seminary established at Khodon, several of the young people had given evidence
of being truly converted to God. Since the year 1841, the mission has been relinquished, and oppor-
tunities no longer exist for the circulation of this version."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition) Samuel Bagster [Info only]BURIAT VERSION. St. Petersburgh.--1860 S. Bagster [Info only: "1819" John 1:1-3 unknown.]
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