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Episode 38 — Wycliffe Translators
Hi, I'm Secretary of State Mark Martin, and welcome to This Week in Arkansas History.
You've probably heard of Wycliffe Bible translators. The organization has translated the Bible
into more than 700 languages for people around the world.
But did you know that Wycliffe started in Arkansas?
William Cameron Townsend tried to sell Spanish in Guatemala in 1917. Bibles
To his surprise, most of the people did not speak Spanish,
and decided the people should have the Bible in their native language.
Townsend began translating the Bible. He opened Camp Wycliffe in Benton County,
near Sulphur Springs, in 1934.
The camp was named after John Wycliffe, the first person to translate the Bible
into English.
Only two people completed the first session, but the program grew steadily each year.
Townsend died in 1982, but Wycliffe continues his legacy to finish the task
and translate the scriptures into every language.
Join me again next week for more Arkansas history.