Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-03-12

/ have before me book called the Bible. Yo
ask me where | obtained it7 l answer at til
booksellers. And where did the bookseller oh
tain its From the press of King James. Wher
did King James obtain it? From the fiftyfou
learned men whom he employed to translate am
compile it. Where did the translators obtain it
From the original Hebrew ancient manuscripts
and numerous transations.
The translations they CONSULTED were the
/ Bishops Bible -'
Geneva Bible
Matthew Parker's Bible
Archbishop Parker's Bible.
The Great English Bible -
| Cranmers Bible
Miles Coverdale's Bible.
Tindal's Bible.
! With the original Hebrew and Greek before
| them, and knowledge of the numerous translations
and the circumstances under which those trasla-
tons were made they give US this inestimable book,
whose external history is now the subject of inves-
| tigation. Our present translation, which is King
James traslation, was made under most favorable
circumstances 1t was ordered by James, SOW
ereign very free from bigotry and partiality, and
who possessed every necessary resource for con-
Quoting the work. His was ap age of very few
sectarian broils an age of learning and piety.-
He felt the embarrassments of numerous transla-
tions extant, and some of them very imperfect
He was aware of the prejudces with which new
translation would have to contend and of the ex-
pense of changing book so universally used and
so expensive. 1t was in view of these obstacles
that he requested the translators to differ as little
as was consistent with faithfulness from the Bish-
ops Bible, the Bible most generally in use Fifty
four men were appointed to this Office by the king
as appears from his letter to the Archbishop da-
ted 1904, which bCng three years before the trans
lation was entered upon, it is probable seven of
them either died or had declined the task, since
Fullers list of the translators makes but forty
seven, who being ranged under six divisions. en-
tered their province in 1907. These forty-seven
men were arranged in three classes, who were to
meet in Westminster, Cambridge and Oxford. To
these classes he assigned the whole Bible which
was divided into five portions. In their appoint
ment he had respect to the peculiar gifts and dis
tinguished talents of the translators. To those
men who were skilled in architecture and more
partial to that art he gave that portion of the Bi
BILE which embraces the history of the Tabernacle
and the Temple. To those distinguished in history
its historical parts; and to those distinguished in
chronology, the chronological part. They were or
dered to proceed with as much dispatch as possible,
in q work that cost the translators almost three
years labor. No circumstances occurred to re-
tard the work, but the death of Mr.. Edward Live
ly. The king put into their hands the following
instructions:
lst The common Bible was to receive as few al
terations as might be.
I'd. The names of the inspired writers to remain
as they are.
Sd. The old ecclesiastical words were to be re-
tained, such as church for congregation, &c.
4th. If agreeable to the context and the analogy
of faith, words of various signi6cations wee to
retain the most approved.
9th. The divisions of chapters were to be re-
tanned.
9th. Notes were to be excluded from the mar
gin, excepting those Hebrew and Greek words
which could not be translated without circumlocu-
ton.
9Th. References were not allowed
9Th. Every member of each division was to take
the chapter assigned for the whole company, and
after having gone through the revision and correc-
tions all the divisions were to meet, examine the
several performances, and come to a resolution
which of them should stand
9th. When any divisions had finished book,
they to transmit it to the other divisions to
be further considered.
10th. If any of the respective divisions should
doubt or dissent upon the review of the book trans
mitted they to mark the places, and send back
the reasons of their disagreement If they differed
about the amendments, the dispute was to be re-
ferred to general committee, consisting of the
most distinguished persons drawn from each divi-
sion.
llth When any place was remarkably obscure,
letters were to be directed to the most learned men
in the universities and country
18th. The directors in each company were to be
deans of Westminster and Chester and the Kings
professors in Hebrew and Greek.
3th The translations of Tyndal Matthews,
Coverdale, Whitechureh and Geneva, were to be
used when they came nearer to the original than
the Bishops Bible.
Lastly, three or four of the most eminent divines
in each of the universities but not of the number
of the transatOrs were to be assigned by the vice
chancellor to consult with other heads of the
houses, for reviewing the whole translation. Three
copies were sent Of the whole Bible to London, one
to Oxford, one to Cambridge, and one to West
minister. Now two were chosen from each COM
pany six in ALL to review the whole work and re-
wise it, and to select of the copies for the press
This review, revision, and selection, they accom-
plished in nine months. To complete the work,
Bishop Wilson and DR.. MyleS Smith reviewed the
whole work, and prefxed arguments to the several
books. The preface was written by DIR. Smith.
These are the circumstances under which our
translation was made and it would be difficult to
fix an age of the world more favorable, or transla
tors more competent, or place afording greater
securities for a faithful translation.
AN IDLE MAN IS EXPOSED TO EVERY TEMP
TATIoN.-Set a narrow-mouthed glass near to a
beehive, and you shall soon perceive how busily
the wasps resort to it, being drawn thther by the
smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is bated:
and how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it,