[[Update 5 June 2025: I managed to find two additional issues (8 and 9) and a copy of issue 6 that has all of its pages. So, now we lack only issues 10-12.]]
[[Update 26 June 2025: Thanks to Jean Putmans for obtaining a copy of issue 12! So, now only issues 10 and 11 remain to be found.]]
[[Update July 1 2025: Thanks to C.R. van Tilburg and Jean Putnams for sending scans of issues 10 and 11 and to John Muccigrosso for improving the quality of some of the files. The set is complete!]]
The Bulletin of the Bezan Club was a privately circulated journal that, to the best of my knowledge, consisted of 12 issues printed between 1925 and 1937. It was dedicated to studies about the problems of the so-called “Western Text” of the New Testament, but it contains many interesting articles on topics from palaeography to the complexities of the Diatessaron and other gospel harmonies. The issues that I have read offer a fascinating snapshot of one corner of New Testament textual criticism in the years between the two world wars.
The membership of the club, which never exceeded about two dozen names, includes many of the philological luminaries of the early twentieth century. To pick just a few:
- J. Rendel Harris (1852-1941)
- Kirsopp Lake (1872-1946)
- Hans Lietzmann (1875-1942)
- Elias Avery Lowe (1879-1969)
- Daniel Plooij (1877-1935)
- Theodor Zahn (1838-1933)
Rendel Harris introduced the club in this way in the first issue in 1925:
The Bezan Club has been formed by a group of scholars European and American, with the object of applying a combined effort to the elucidation of the mystery of what is called the Western Text of the New Testament; and since this Text has one of its most striking representatives in the Codex Bezae, the name of that manuscript has been made into a short appellation for the Club and its objects. This does not mean that the Codex Bezae and the Western Text are to be treated as nearly equivalent, but it does mean that no solution of the problem of the Western Text is possible, which will not at the same time elucidate the origin of the MS., which is its principal, and often its only Greek representative. It has long been recognised that the geographical term Western was a misnomer; that the evidence for such a Text was as much Eastern as Western, and that it would conduce to clarity of ideas, if the term were abandoned. But as this cannot be done without dislocating a mass of references and allusions, it may be sufficient to reiterate a well-known caution to beginners, and say “Western Text, or whatever that may mean.”
Many years ago, I needed to consult some of these discussions, but I could not locate any copies of the journal. I eventually wrote to Eldon Epp, asking if he knew where I might find copies. Some weeks later, much to my surprise, I received a package in the mail (in Sydney, Australia) containing neatly stapled xerox copies of issues 1-7 as well as a cumulative index (I came to learn that this kind of thoughtfulness and generosity is characteristic of Eldon). Eldon had collected and copied these over the years (some of these appear to have been E.A. Lowe’s personal copies).
These xerox copies travelled back to the US, spent some time in one of many boxes stacked in a garage, and eventually came to Norway with me. I recently needed to consult them again. As they still seem difficult to find online, I thought I should scan the hard copies in my possession. And so, with Eldon’s blessing, I have digitized these issues and posted them below. I am not aware of any copyright concerns, but if there are objections, please let me know.
I believe that there were 12 issues in total (1925-1937). If anyone has copies of the other issues, I would love to have them to post here to complete the set. [Update: As noted above, the set is now complete.]
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 1 (1925)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 2 (1926)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 3 (1926)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 4 (1927)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 5 (1928)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 6 (1929)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 7 (1929)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 8 (1930)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 9 (1931)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 10 (1932)
Bulletin of the Bezan Club 11 (1936)
Variant Readings 
Great idea, Brent. very interestng to see the names of my fewllow Dutchmen Plooij and De Zwaan (from Groningen!)!
Yes, it’s a fascinating group. Not all members contributed equally to the published pamphlets, but Plooij (along with Rendel Harris) published several pieces in these issues. The other major contributor was “Rev. C.A. Phillips, M.A. Walton House, Bournemouth,” and I must confess that I am not very familiar with his other work.
Many, many years ago I went to the inaugural lecture of Tjitse Baarda in Utrecht which was on Plooij. But he never published it. I have his commentary on De morte Peregrini, but it is in Dutch.
All best,
jan
Fascinating. Have you put these up on some kind of archival site?
Not yet. I’ll try to assemble a full run of the journal and then put it on archive.org.
As you may know, though I haven’t checked it, Duke U Library, lists a microform of 12 volumes.
Hm. I don’t suppose they do scan and deliver for pdf files?
I’m retired. Try interlibrary loan.
Number IX: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/Bulletin-Bezan-Club-private-circulation-among/14078256741/bd
Number X: https://biblio.ebaf.edu/bib/85739
Maybe the Leiden University has a complete collection: https://catalogue.leidenuniv.nl/permalink/31UKB_LEU/18s393l/alma990018678740302711
I have contacted the Leiden University Library and asked, whether they could provide me with scans of the Numbers VIII-XII. I‘ll keep You posted!
Thanks!
Alas … the Leiden University-Library don’t make scans for private persons.
But You could probably have Your Library asked them for scans, because the Leiden University.Libr. wrote, they would make scans, if the order came via an other University-Library. In one of my former notes you can find the Library-Info for the Bulletins.
Hello Brent
I live in London and research at the British Library (BL).The Bulletin of the Bezan Club is in storage at the BL and should be retrievable. However, the Library reference page does not state if all 12 copies are available. One could normally scan the items but due to a cyber attack over 18 months ago, the scanning service is out of action.
I should get the items next week and let you know what the situation is.
Alternatively the Cambridge University Library has all 12 copies. If all else fails, I might be able to persuade some contacts at the University to help. (you can look it up online)
Just a note about copyright. I believe copyright rules apply on texts published by someone who is dead less than 75 years. Hence, although most of the contributors articles are out of copyright, Elias Avery Howe (died 1969) will therefore officially still be in copyright until 2044.
Kind Regards
Nick Brett
PS I greatly enjoy Variant Readings and recommend it to contactx who could have an interest. Keep up the good work!!!!!!
Fascinating! I can also second the generosity of spirit so characteristic of Eldon Epp. Earlier in my career, on several occasions a fresh offprint of his (remember those?) would arrive in the post (remember that?) with a note pointing me to places where he had cited my work. Quite an unusual practice in my experience, and very well appreciated.
Melissa Harl Sellew
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