Yokohama-the place where the Bible was translated into Japanese-

Abstract

Dr. J. C. Hepburn of the American Presbyterian Mission landed at Kanagawa on October 18, 1859, and stayed in Jobutsuji, a Buddhist temple. As a medical missionary, he treated native patients in the neighborhood. S. R. Brown of the Reformed Church Mission arrived at Kanagawa fourteen days after, and stayed in the same temple. J. Goble of the Free Baptist Mission, who came to Kanagawa on April 1st, 1860, and G. H. Ballagh of the Reformed Church Mission, who came to Kanagawa on November 11, 1861, stayed in Jobutsuji also. Those four missionaries began to translate the New Testament into Japanese while studying the language.On December 29, 1862, Dr. Hepburn moved to No. 39, Yokohama and opened his own dispensary. He was very busy treating patients, teaching medical students, and making a dictionary, but continued to translate the New Testament. In 1866, he published Waei-gorin-shusei, the first Japanese-English dictionary. Goble published his Japanese edition of Matthew in 1871. Ballagh gave up his intention of translating the Bible, as the Great Fire of Yokohama in 1866 burnt his manuscripts.Nathan Brown of the American Baptist Mission came to Yokohama on February 7, 1873, just before the removal of the edict against Christianity. Immediately he started the translation of hymns and some parts of the Bible in his house, 67, Bluff, Yokohama.The first New Testament Translation Committee was organized in 1872, in which S. R. Brown, Dr. Hepburn, and D. C. Greene of the American Board became the members. But the committee could not act, because Dr. Hepburn was abroad and Greene was in Kobe. The second New Testament Translation Committee started in 1874. The members were S. R. Brown, Dr. Hepburn, Greene, and Nathan Brown. They translated the New Testament in S. R. Brown's house, 211, Bluff, Yokohama.Nathan Brown left the committee in 1876, because of his different view from the other members' about the translation of the word 'Baptisma'. In 1879, he published the first Japanese edition of the entire New Testament by himself. The Standard Japanese New Testament was completed by the committee in 1880. S. R. Brown returned to America the year before, as he was seriously ill. About three-fourths of the work was translated by Dr. Hepburn. The Standard Japanese Old Testament was completed in 1888 by the second Old Testament Translation Committee which was organized in 1882. Dr. Hepburn, G. H. F. Vrebeck of the Reformed Church Mission, and P. K. Fyson of the C. M. S. were the members. Dr. Hepburn, who was the leading member in charge, translated most of the Old Testament in his house, 245, Bluff, Yokohama.