Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-13
THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE BIBLE.

The ENGLISH VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
We 60 back in our thoughts to the venerable
Bede,in the eighth century; translating the scrip
lures into Saxon, just living to complete the last
chapter of the Gospel of John, and dying amid
the accents of thanksgiving and praise Then
we come down to Wicklffe, in the fourteenth
century, also translating the Scriptures for pop
ular use then to Tyndale in the sixteenth;
then to Cranmer and his translation, afterwards
called the Bishops Bible, which was used in the
churches for some forty years, if remember
rightly before our version was undertaken
Then this was commenced. With what admira-
BILE skill and Christian wisdom were the arrange
ments for it conducted. twas not to be new
translation, but renovation and completion of
the former. There were appointed, to conduct
the work, nearly fifty of the most eminent schol-
ars and divines of the English universities
These were arranged into six classes, to each of
which was committed n portion Of the Scrip
lures. Each member of each class was to read
the whole of the portion assigned to that class;
and then, from the careful collation. and compar-
son Of these in full class, the best attanable YER
sion was to be secured When the portion was
finished, copy of it was sent to each of the 9TH
er classes, to be considered and revised by them;
so that each person of the whole number had the
complished When all was completed, the work
was committed to committee of six, one from
each class, to be reviewed and supervised. And
then, when their labors were finished, and the
result seemed perfectly prepared for publication
so far as human industry and scholarship
could secure that-twO eminent divines were
appointed to finally examine and prepare it for
the press, and carry it through that. What a
noble and admirable arrangement for securing
to those speaking the English language a ver-
sion of the Scriptures as pure from error, as
comprehensive and accurate, and rs thoroughly
imbued with the energy and beauty of our moth
er tongue as could be prepared 1t was three
years in being accomplished. AS we think of
James in connection with it, we forgive thou
sand faults and follies in the memory of this one
great achievment; this permanent gift from him
to our language. 1t will be a jewel forever on
the brow of his fame; and it will make the name
of at least one Stewart honored throughout all
generations, wheresoever the English tongue is
spoken
And now consider, what influences this ver-
sion has put into our literature! | might say
into all the history and the life of the English
people 1t comes to us with authority from our
childhood. Its words are heard amid circum-
stances best adapted to make them impressive;
on the Sabbath in the Churches; in the family
devotions. They have been taught in even the
common schools of our land, blessed be God
for that! They have become wrought, we may
say, into the very substance and texture of our
thoughts, our associations, our earliest and most
cherished expressions.
And so they act nightly as an educating pow
er, on the popular mind. They have done so
for generations. They act even upon the high
er departments ofliterature What delicate, fai-
ry-like forms, this tough and oaken Saxon, so
skillfully combined with the more majestic Ro-
man tongue, has been wrought into, into hymns
and structures of poetry; in those beautiful
"Songs of Zion" to which reference has been
made! Who has not observed in the great Sem
atoria orator of our times, that when he rises
to the highest point of eloquence, the very pitch
of his power, he reverts to the simple Biblical
phrase that was familiar to us in childhood! and
it is by that he shakes the hearts of his hearers,
with his wonderful force. For what could we
give up the influences which this version has
put into our literature! For what would we
give up the Version itself! There is compa-
ny of gentlemen, believe, in this city, who are
desiring and endeavoring to put this out of use,
and to substitute another for it, prepared accord
ing to their notions. Rev. r. S. Storrs.