The Duke of Montrosepresented a Petition from the Senate of the University of Glasgow, praying that measures might be adopted to secure correctness in printing the Bible in Scotland.
The Earl of Haddingtonsaid, this was a subject of great interest and importance to the Church of Scotland, and he should wish to know whether he rightly understood the intention of Government with respect to the change they were about to make in the present system of printing the Bible. He understood that liberty was to be given to all persons to print the Bible, but that a certain number 221 were to be appointed on whom the responsibility would rest to see that the editions printed were conformable with the authorized versions.
§ Viscount Melbournereadily admitted the great importance of the subject. The object which the Government had in view by their plan was to have the Bible disseminated throughout Scotland as cheaply as possible, and to take care that the price was not enhanced on the plea that a privilege had been granted for the benefit of any particular person. At the same time, it was determined that sufficient care should be taken to secure, as had hitherto been the case, correct copies of the Bible, which should be, under proper superintendence, printed exactly according to the authorized version now in use. With that view, the plan which his noble Friend (Lord John Russell) had recommended to the Crown was, that a Board should be instituted consisting of the Lord Advocate for the time being, the moderator of the General Assembly, two divines, and two learned laymen, who should, from time to time, inspect the publication of the sacred writings, in order that the correctness of the copy might be properly certified. It was also proposed that the free importation into Scotland of Bibles printed in England according to the authorized version should be allowed, such copies being examined and sanctioned by the Board; and that, when a copy was transmitted to the Board, no fee or reward should be taken for certifying its correctness.