Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 383

THE

CHINESE REPOSITORY.

VOL. XIX.-JULY, 1850.-No. 7.

ART. I Defense of an Essay on the proper rendering of the words Elohim and Qɛog into the Chinese Language. By W. J. BOONE. It is now two years and a half since my Essay, advocating the use of the word skin to render Elohim and Theos into the Chinese lan- guage, was written. Soon after its publication, Dr. Medhurst replied to it in a pamphlet of 107 pages, taking up, as he tells us, every succes- sive paragraph that seemed to call for remark.

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In England, the "Inquiry" of Dr. Medhurst, and my Essay, drew from Sir George Staunton a small volume, in which he urges the pro- priety of using Shangtíto render Elohim and Theos, when these words are used proprié, and opposes the use of shin for this pur- pose. This volume is written in so very kind and courteous a tone, that we feel much indebted to its accomplished author for his contri- bution to our discussion. We are also indebted to Dr. Bowring, H. B. M. Consul at Canton, for a spirited article "On the manner of ex- pressing the word for God in the Chinese language," which appeared in the Chinese Repository for 1849, Vol. XVIII., page 600.

On the 30th January last, Dr. Medhurst and five of his friends ad- dressed a letter of 21 pages "To the Protestant Missionaries labor- ing at Hongkong and the Five Ports of Chiua," in which they give the native terms for which they had hitherto contended, and advo- cate as the rendering of Elohim and Theos in our Chinese version the transfer of the Hebrew word Eloah by the three Chinese characters

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BUT HE EPS Aloho.

More recently, a writer who signs himself “ an American Mission- ary in China,” and the Rev. Dr. Legge, have published pamphlets on this controversy, and have commented on my Essay.

VOL. XX NO.

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