The Amish Voice 10
1. Did you know that the frst English
translatons of the Bible were banned?
2. Did you know that the frst printed
copies of the New Testament in English
had to be printed in Germany and
smuggled into England in bales of
coton?
3. Did you know that the Bible translator
responsible for this was burned at the
stake for the crime of translatng the
Scriptures into English?
Bishop Stephen Bradley observed:
“We are
in danger of forgetng truths for which
previous generatons gave their lives.”
The Oxford Martyrs
On 16 October 1555, just outside the walls
of Balliol College, Oxford, a stout stake had
been driven into the ground with fagots of
frewood piled high at its base. Two men
were lead out and fastened to the stake by a
single chain bound around both their waists.
The older man was Hugh Latmer, the Bishop
of Worcester, one of the most powerful
preachers of his day, and the other Nicolas
Ridley, the Bishop of London, respected as
one of the fnest theologians in England.
More wood was carried and piled up around
their feet. Then it was set alight. As the
wood kindled and the fames began to rise,
Bishop Latmer encouraged his companion:
“Be of good cheer, Master Ridley, and play
the man! We shall this day light such a can-
dle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust
shall never be put out.”
Hundreds in the crowd watching the burning
of these bishops wept openly.
The place of their executon is marked today
by a small stone cross set in the ground in
Broad Street, while nearby in St. Giles stands
the imposing Martyrs Memorial, erected
300 years later in memory of these two men
and of Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of
Canterbury, who 4 months afer their execu-
ton sufered the same tortured death by
burning, in the same place, and for the same
reason.
Faith and Freedom
On one day in 1519 seven men and women
in Coventry
were burned
alive
for
teaching
their children
the Lord’s
Prayer, the Ten
Commandments
and the Apostles
Creed – in English
Pennsylvania Deitsh Testament
If you would like to obtain a New Testament
with Psalms and Prov-
erbs in Pennsylvania
Deitsh, they are
available for
$13.95 post-
paid from the
Commitee for Transla-
ton, 3864 Township Road 162, Sug-
arcreek, OH 44681. Phone 330-852-4663.
You do not need to send money ahead of tme;
they will bill you with your order. Your local
Christan bookstore may also have them availa-
ble.
In making this translaton, the commitee’s pur-
pose was two-fold: 1) to adhere as closely as
possible to the Textus Receptus Greek text,
which is closely associated with Luther’s
(German) and the Authorized (English) version,
the two versions most commonly in use by the
Amish, and 2) to make the translaton in fuent
everyday Pennsylvania Deitsh as it is spoken in
the home.
The translaton procedures and principles used
in this translaton are basically those employed
by the Wyclife Bible Translators, and the exege-
sis closely follows their series of in-house
“Exegetcal Helps”. The fnal manuscript was
checked for exegetcal accuracy by New Testa-
ment Greek specialists from the Translaton
Department of the Wyclife Bible Translators.
The Forbidden Bible
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee
Indian youth's rite of Passage?
His father takes him
into the forest,
blindfolds him and
leaves
him
alone.
He is re-
quired to sit on a
stump the whole
night and not re-
move the blindfold
untl the rays of the
morning sun shine
through it.
He cannot cry out for help to
anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experi-
ence, because each lad must come into
manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally
terrifed. He can
hear all kinds of
noises. Wild beasts
must surely be all
around him . Maybe
even some human
might do him harm.
The wind blew the
grass and earth, and
shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never
removing the blindfold. It would be the only
way he could become a man!
Finally, afer a horrifc night the sun ap-
peared and he removed his blindfold.
It was then that he discovered his father
sitng on the stump next to him.
He had been at watch the entre night, pro-
tectng his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we
don't know it,
God is watching
over us, Sitng
on the stump
beside us. When
trouble comes,
all we have to
do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the story: Just because you can't
see God, doesn't mean He is not there.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
—2 Corinthians 5:7
Cherokee Legend