File Submitter: pfpeller
File Submitted: 30 Mar 2012
File Category: Dictionaries
Author: Edwin W. Rice
Preface: This work has been prepared for the multitude who want a comprehensive, concise, handy Dictionary of the Bible.
Bulky, learned, expensive, denominational, controversial, and theological dictionaries are abundant. But Bible readers, lay missionaries, members of Christian Endeavor Societies, guilds, leagues, King's Daughters, Sunday-schools and other organizations helpful to the young are often at a loss in their labors, from the lack of an inexpensive Bible Dictionary fairly abreast of present Biblical Scholarship, and free from denominational bias, technical theological terms, unsound teachings, and lengthy discussions—a concise dictionary for handy and quick reference.
This work is for them.
Some Christian friends who felt the need of such a work, urged the Editor to prepare it, and generously provided the funds to pay the cost of its preparation and donated the plates to the American Sunday-School Union, so that this Dictionary might be sold at a price that would encourage a large distribution of it, and put it within the reach of all.
The following principles have guided in the preparation of the work:
- To present the results of the best scholarly information in respect to persons, places, customs, and subjects mentioned in the Bible, in alphabetical order and in a simple and concise style.
- To define such words and topics only as are found in the English Bible, and to give an explanation of any peculiar use or meaning of them.
- To admit no name or word, about which nothing is known except the mere mention of it in the Bible.
- Carefully to exclude whatever would be regarded as sectarian or denominational by any body of Evangelical Christians. It is needless to add that this did not exclude any Bible terms.
- To give the pronunciation and meaning of names and titles.
The Appendix contains a list of parables and miracles in the Bible, tables of time, weights, measures, distances, and moneys, a list of obsolete words found in the Authorized Version, and of the titles and names of Christ, a list of stations in the Journeyings of Israel, and valuable Chronological tables.
The Editor has made free use especially of the geographical articles which he contributed to Schaff's "Dictionary of the Bible." Moreover, the standard works of Ayre, Bastow, Cassell, Fairbairn, Fausset, Kitto and Smith, the latest Cyclopædias, and the recent voluminous reports and works on Palestinian, Egyptian and Assyrian exploration, have all been drawn upon for material, to bring the information in this work up to date.
The Rev. Edward K. Tullidge aided in gathering the material, and in fixing the proportionate length of the articles; Samuel B. Schieffelin also prepared several of the articles; Martin F. Rice, of the University of Pennsylvania, verified the references to Scripture, and the pronunciation of proper names; the Rev. Moseley H. Williams made valuable suggestions while the work was in preparation; Mr. William H. Hirst carefully read the proofs, and the entire material was thoroughly revised by the Editor, so that the latest and best results of sound Biblical knowledge might be included for the use of the ordinary reader.
The Dictionary is sent forth in the Divine Master's name, with the earnest hope that it may be found useful to the millions of English-speaking peoples who love and accept the Holy Scriptures as the authoritative word of God.
—Edwin W. Rice
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