Report Of The BFBS, Excerpts (1865-96)

[work in progress]

Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

Excerpts on Bible translation and dissemination, 1865-96. See esp.

1865, p. 129-30: The printing of the Amharic NT in St Chrischona proceeded. The BFBS granted Krapf‘s request to print the Four Gospels in Tigrinya (rev. by Isenberg) and to supply Arabic Bibles for distribution in Metemma.
1866, p. 123: St Chrischona missionary Ostertag serves as Bible colporteur in Egypt.
1867, p. 151-52: High demand for the Scriptures in Amharic in Abyssinia; around 6000 copies were distributed by 1866.
1868, p. 179: The Four Go s pels in Amharic were sent to Aden for distribution during the military campaign against Emperor Tewodros II.
p. 234: Krapf accepted the British authorities’ offer to take part in the military campaign as an interpreter, on the condition that he could freely supervise the work of any Bible colporteur, whom he might employ in Abyssinia.
1869, p. 170-71: At Malta, an Amharic Bible was given to Prince Alemayehu Tewodros.
p. 175-77: Krapf left the Bibles he was unable to distribute with two young men associated with King Kassa of Tigray [the future Emperor Yohannes]. The BFBS accepted Krapf’s proposal to deploy the St. Chrischona missionaries Johannes Mayer and Johannes Bender as Bible colporteurs in the Adwa area for one year. In addition, Scriptures were given to Johann Martin Flad for distribution among the Beta Israel (‘Falasha’).
1870, p. 252-55: Mayer and Bender didn’t sell as many Bible texts as they had hoped in the Hamasien and Adwa areas. Hardly anyone could read Tigrinya well. Report on Bible reading meetings led by Aläqa Zännäb and two Oromo eunuchs [probably Jaagan and Waaree]. The BFBS is not willing to continue paying the colporteurs. To avoid tensions with the King of Tigray or the Orthodox Patriarch [Atnatewos II], Krapf suggested that Mayer and Bender move to more distant areas such as Agaw, Gojjam, or Gubba [in today’s Benishangul-Gumuz Region].
p. 346: Under Krapf’s supervision, a trial edition of St Luke’s Gospel in Oromo was printed in Ethiosemitic script and dialectal variants in brackets.
1871, p. 296-97: Mayer reported a high demand for Biblical texts during a feast in Axum. The Oromo youth Waaree, who assisted Aläqa Zännäb in translating the Bible into Oromo, passed away [prob. end of 1870 or early 1871]. Flad distributed biblical texts to 118 different towns.
p. 297-98, 405: The BFBS printed 5,000 copies of the Amharic New Testament. The text of the Old Testament will be revised by Krapf with the assistance of some natives. A bilingual edition in Ge’ez and Amharic will be printed. Krapf was also preparing the Oromo version of the Gospel of St. John and the Books of Psalms for print. Krapf intended to print the Oromo translation of the Book of Genesis in Roman script.
[Supplement,] p. 119: p. 119: The BFBS paid to
(a) the Jerusalem Committee of the St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission, in aid of colportage in Abyssinia (part of 2 years), 294 £ 1 s. 4 d.
(b) Rev. Dr. Krapf, in aid of preparing a version of St. Luke in [Oromo], 15 £
(c) C.F. Spittler & Co., Basle, for printing and binding Amharic Scriptures, 93 £ 19 s. 6 d.
(d) For Amharic type sent to St. Chrischona, 21 £ 8 s. 6 d.
1872, p. 275-76: Mayer and Bender distributed about 3.000 Scriptures in Amharic and Tigrinya during the last three years. A former Oromo soldier in Maqdala [i.e. ?] received copies of the Oromo version of the Gospel of St. Luke and wants to work for the conversion of the Oromo. Mayer intended to travel to Shewa, while Bender planned to stay in the Adwa area.
p. 276-77: Krapf called for bilingual (Ge’ez and Amharic) editions of the Book of Psalms and the four Gospels, as he expected that after Menelik acceded to the throne, there would be open doors for the distribution of Bibles.
p. 364: Krapf and “two natives from Abyssinia” made good progress in revising the Amharic Old Testament to align with the Hebrew source text.
1873, p. 410-11: The first part of the Amharic Old Testament (Genesis – Ruth), the bilingual edition of the Book of Psalms (Amharic translation rev. by Flad) and the Oromo version of the Book of Genesis have been printed.
[Supplement,] p. 119: The BFBS paid to
(a) the Jerusalem Committee of the St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission, in aid of colportage in Abyssinia, 87 £
(b) Rev. Dr. Krapf, for services in translating the Scriptures into [Oromo], 45 £
(c) Rev. Dr. Krapf, for services on the revision of part of the Amharic Old Testament, 60 £
(d) C.F. Spittler & Co., Basle, expense of printing 1,000 copies of the Psalms in [Oromo], 21 £ 7 s. 6 d.
(e) C.F. Spittler & Co., printing portions of the Scriptures in [Oromo] and Amharic, 200 £
1874, p. 273: The third part of the Amharic Old Testament (Isaiah – Malachi), revised by Krapf “with native assistance”, has been printed and the second part is about to appear. [The first part is already in circulation in Abyssinia.]

1875, p. 138: Plan to open a Bible depot at Massawa. In December 1873, Greiner and Mayer arrived with Amharic and Oromo Bible texts in Warra Illu. “The king [Menelik] himself divided a portion among his great men, and in consequence of this a real enthusiasm arose amongst the people.”
p. 260-61: The second volume of the revised Amharic Bible left the press. The rest of the New Testament is now translated into Oromo
1876, p. 108-110: Letter by Wolde Selassie and other Protestant converts under pressure to BFBS.
p. 216: A Ge’ez/ Amharic version of the Gospels and Acts left the press at St. Chrischona under Krapf’s supervision.
1877, p. 152-53: Ge’ez-Amharic Gospels were sent via Aden to Ankobar. Aläqa Zännäb is King Menelik’s “enlightened secretary and councillor”. Flad brought Bibles to Western Abyssinia.
p. 294: The BFBS decided to print the Oromo translation of the Book of Exodus.
1878, p. 118-21. After the termination of the war between Emperor Yohannes and King Menelik, caravans are permitted to travel again. Krapf expects numerous missionaries to work in Oromo areas. Flad reports about the ministry among the Beta Israel.
p. 223-24: The second part of the Ge’ez-Amharic NT is printed at St. Chrischona.
1879, p. 126: More than 600 Bibles disseminated from the Bible depot in Massawa. Emperor Yohannes’ provinces suffered terribly from famine.
1880, p. 144: No communication was received from Abyssinia.
1881, p. 128: Bible distribution in Metemma by Flad.
p. 252: Gospel of Mark in Bogos (transl. from the Amharic Bible under the supervision of Prof. Reinisch).
1882, p. 184-85: Krapf’s last letters to BFBS in the summer of 1881 stimulated Bible dissemination; Bibles were transported from Metemma to the mission station in Jenda.
1883, p. 183-14: Bible dissemination to the Beta Israel, et al.
1884, p. 183-84: Flad requests to print Amharic Bibles in a smaller type and a single volume. Each [Orthodox] church should get a copy.
P. 385: Proposed changes in the Amharic Bible.
1885, p. 156-57: New font type prepared for printing the new edition of the Amharic Bible.
P. 361: Textual changes introduced by Flad and Aregawi.
1886, p. 187. Gospel of Mark in Kwara (for Beta Israel).
p. 194-95: Bible depot in Aden.
p. 409: Textual improvements in the Amharic Bible.
p. 414: Gospel of Matthew in Ittu-[Oromo] by Haylu (under the auspices of Prof. Reinisch)
1887, p. 196-97. The St. Chrischona missionaries were expelled from Shewa. In Eritrea, the Revs. Rodén and Svensson continue the Scripture distribution work of the late Rev. Lundahl.
1888, p. 216: Johannes Mayer distributed many Amharic and Ge’ez Bible (parts) in Jerusalem.
p. 527: Proof-reading of the Amharic Bible by Flad and Mayer.
p. 530: Gospel of John in Southern Oromo, Kenya.
1889, p. 180: Abyssinians visiting the Bible depot in Aden.
p. 182: Poor harvests drove many people to the coast. In Massawa, increased interest in Bibles.

1890, p. 179-80: On the translation of the Four Gospels into Tigre and the Gospel of St. John into ‘Southern Oromo’ [in Kenya].
1891, p. 201-03: Gobaw Desta (aka Gebru Desta) was engaged by the BFBS to travel from Yemen to Harar and Shewa but fell ill. Mika’el Nagash was employed as a Bible colporteur in today’s Eritrea.
1892, p. 173, 190: Onesimos Nesib translates the New Testament into Oromo.
p. 196-97: Gebru Desta began his work as a Bible colporteur in Harar in June 1891. Amharic and Arabic Bibles were gifted to the King, the Queen, and the Coptic Patriarch in the country.
p. 198: Report on Bible distribution in Eritrea.

1893, p. 183-84: Gebru Desta sent Bibles to Shewa and distributed Scriptures in Harar. His wife died during a cholera epidemic.
p. 185: The Oromo New Testament left the press at Imkullu. The way to Oromia through Shewa opened again.
1894, p. 193: The Emperor and the Queen were delighted with the beautiful Bibles presented to them. Gebru Desta sold Psalms and Gospels to officers at the court and donated copies to the poor. Many of his relatives in Dembea Gondar died.
1895, p. 205: Gebru Desta left the service as a BFBS colporteur due to his acceptance “of an important civil post” in Harar (in 1894). However, he employed two men to sell Scriptures.
p. 207: Mika’el Nagash helped to translate the Gospels of Matthew and Mark into Tigrinya.
1896, p. 180-81: Bibles sent to Shewa and Godjam. Desta left Harar in the Suite of Ras Mekonnen. The BFBS colporteur in Aden, Stephanos Magar, sold Arabic Bibles in Harar.

Cross-references

» Report of the BFBS, excerpts (1805-5 0)

» Report of the BFBS, excerpts (1916-23)