New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-13
SEw- YORK SUPERIOR COURT.

NETWORK SUPERIOR COURT
J.se.. , wee,-sy at orris n. Jsdd wln-n u.sisy.
Thsunss I,el"s.r, 0sorss W. Gray AMI Rsnry wHbur.
RID orlvts. E.q. counsel for pl.lnaa appellant
Eslrs and BAelrY. counsel Co. dsfna,nts rsspo1dsnts
ABSTRACT OF rIrR ARGUMENT or WV. ". NILES.
~ 0ssrs.l Tsss Nev. ~. 1874
II your Hooors please, though thi- case comes up
IN this wav " "a undoubtedly Of more Interest 70 the
public mind-ot interest 90 greater number 81 peo-
pletban any case thai has been before yo1r ionors
Tor xears. Il does not merely involve millions Of
ronsy-the temporal interests ot fsen, which may
DO prosperous to-day aud adverse to-nOrrOw-but Il
lea case Involving their dearest interests and their
desTsst hopes. and extending not only through ali
time hu' through eternity II H. therefore subject
though but two oy,hrsc plaintiff. snl defendant.
npon the record equally interested Ia ibis ooniro-
vsray had NOT IN ADLER aivoca'e thar mysef rel
D. defend them. A. however. they hfve seen IN %
lniTust their interests 20 nae, and 90 me alone have
only 10 DO he beet can fr them ard then leave II
for your HcH0fs better Judgment and your better
diiion 10 make up wha.ver fsil 10 attain and b.
cure 20 them whatever rights they have In order
that you may urdert'snd THE controversy will give
q few iHfrofuct0ry de'ails becau's, though prins-
rily this b. Iestion ~ ~ the night 70 publish
letter into ihe contents of which prevented,
BY Tho maanFr IN which come before The Court.
from giving any insight, yet ~ hns results are quite
different II h Therefore, proper That should give
you brief outline of this controversy, thai you may
understand the Ultimate right involved IN H. In the
frat place there ses ~ y01 well know, the Amer
car Bible society. fos a long time in eHister ce, n
which ell den0mlf atoms co1pcraed, sending out mis-
sionhriss to all parts % the world who of course
we're employ I'd IN the translation Of the Bible into the
languages Of ~, several people 70 whom they went 70
prsefh the truth Among them vas one eelehrated
not only for bic devotion but or his learning and his
zsnl-,fa' was Mr. JUDsON, IN India In making a
translation INTO The Birnese language, he saw III %
translate Tie word b0pt,s0 into sOrd In Their lan
gusge CORE spouoing 10 our word immeFse, be-
cau,e that wss he private feeling and opinion That
esme ~ the knowledge OF the Society which bad at
him there and, oi course At once the iestion arose
whether BE- should be- sustained IN that action, or not
The Society was diyded-part were for sustaining
him. Many questions arose; hut suffice II - say,
that Ou. II them arose the American and Foreign
Bible Society claiming To sustain JudAOn in his trans
lsion, etc, but having no reference to the English
vetion.
This sbole thing arises out Of Mr. Ju isons trinsls
ton 81 thai word, but We have no connection With
any one word and thft is the reason ! wish TO ex-
PLAIN. The attack which has been made upoa US by
The American and Foreign Bible Society hiss been an
endesvor 10 persuade the world that we're quarrel
ing merely about the word b0pf-e but this is not 50.
This controversy being very bitter one, and likely
20 break up the whole harmony of the Bible effort,
which good people deemed WA doing great work
for The world certain eiding men la botl Societies,
and some belonging 20 neither met together and at
Ter doe idea0n, determined that II was possible
there might lie errors III. popular ransation OF the
Bible IN mary Isspects. They knew although the H.
s.lv,s assured that the truth Of God uniforn, eni
ffufl Rom the ItDiIuinS 10 NiiA ahu
ent throughout that Thousands Of men hal been
driven into nhd,ty, by apparent Inconsistencies in
the Enpsh ;ranslaiion Of the Bible They were
swaro alec, that the language especially In This coun-
try has very much changed from that used in the tine
Of King jam r. whom this common version was made.
They knew that some words had become obsolete,
and the common acceptation OF Others IA changed
% TIA the common people, who ere not capable OF
following mp the Language from he origin, we're mis-
led. They dee med H. from these considerations, and
many others which were fully discussed, Vastly Ia
portsnt that n careful revision OF the common Eng
Lsh version Of the Bible should be made-not win
regard g. any word any Get Of words but with re-
gard 10 this change in the language, and in consider
alton of the pejuolces existing al the time oi the
gnslatiOn of King Jamcs end also OF the progress OF
the human mind. And they knew that, nDtwiihstand
ine Godf truth " the same yesterday to-day, and
forever yet sid not know Il all IN all It's bearings;
and, therefore, say, they determined upon appoint
ing large number OF the finest scholars of the age,
10 make this revision of The common English version
Of 'ho Bibe-maknf with refer, nee TO every trans
latOn that was ever made and with reference 70 the
views al every learned Biblical scholar that ever
wrote or ever expressed his opinions making II simply
with reference giving the whole truth, and nothing
but the uuth-giving wha God had revealed to man IA
such simple and pure Engiish or other language lnto
which IL might be translated that the common people
should have diff sulty, or ~ few diihcues as pos
siblc In reading and understanding It. These men,
your Honors will perfectly well understand were
among The first In this City, State and country
Having determined that, they thus originated this
American Bible Union; and having chosen their re-
yisionsts they gave thcm ther only instructions IN
the following words;
,spre.ss 10 Who understood the origins. se,ipae. at
The time first written nus be translated DJ core
syonapg and phrases - TAT A. they can ee ~
q hose Tor ~hoai me version oe"sseu'
With its h at rossble obscgrity indehnitenesA"
The kngsh version must be maze tns
Of revisou all inerfercoee with tue estsb
e.d shall be svodea aud only such alterations
sa ~ made the enact meaning OF tue inspired teN ana
sxsus slate Of The language uss require
Then, in this circular, land with II close THIS IN
troduction they say
Th., people have sken much pains make the world be-
b.vs that the greet object n the American Bible Ueion and OF
the whoe revision entepse to substitute ns woia
r kanfse Ia eur version And they have succeeded
rssi,. mans a.ninst the American Bible Uuop by this
rsprsssntson idea has no foundation 10 fact
Having given this introduction, | proceed 20 the
Law OF the case, understand It, The hrst poini
make h that ~.
r. The letter is not Of any pecuniary value a. Ut
ersry production, nor ia the right TO multiply copies
Thereof OF any value TO the writer. Such being tne
case the Court has no jurisdicuon to RESTRAIN. Ana
nm thai point cite the celebrated case OF hoy' w.
MeK.nsie Sd Barbors Chancery, X. SEQ need
No, rad N Ard add that the Court will not enforce
auer.ly moral oblig alton. This u laid down III sec
opd S,orys Commentaries Equity, p. 1885, ana the
casss cited there. -
IN. Chief Justice" You cannot make man
moral by applying to the Court. That is what 20"
refer to- -. II. :
have two or three suggestions only. The moment
we Abstract from any question arising before t1e
Court al idea Of property, We pass out ei tue ros,
and into the IDEAL the mere specuiatlve-th7 '"e "
u,ieht read ne well a. otherwise, 1t seems 70 me-
Nov, will suppose that these WORDS had been spoken,
s,d had been ovethea ard by accident by an eaves-
dropp,r and he had gone about repeating 'heu, OF
written and he about TO PRINT them-snu uioy
esme 10 ask your Honore 10 prevent, by lnJuhouoh'
that publication; would your Hcaors DO ~ when