New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-26
trap,I.tiop-ss finally modified and completed by

tran,Istion-as finally modii ed and completed BY
King James, scholars-not merely a. transla-
ton which does and can give but imperfecsly the
spirit Of the original but as the yeritabe Word of
God itself, diyinely inspired in every senteLce and
syllable. The Epgliih translation Of the Bible
now on foot is an attack upon this idea, and il
can only be regarded as new and very remark
able development OF thai indspOsition to submit to
adv mere assumption Of authority by which this
age /, so eminenty distinguished.
TIE idea is by 10 means a new enc. The re
ceved English version has been severely criticized
in msDy qusrters az an inadequate representation
OF the origioa and new translations in whole or in
part, have been undertaken snd published BY many
distinguished English biblical scholars. But that
which marks the presen, movement and gives in
portarce TO it is, that it is not the enterprise OF
oue or more private scholars, bat of large organ
i7td religious combination, known as the Ameri-
can Bible Uncn, embracing the whole or the con
trolling portion of many numerous and inhuen-
tisl secta. The agitation, we believe took It's
rise with the Bsptists, who thought, and certainly
not without appearance of rea'on, that in their
rendering Of the words aud passages having refer
visers Of the received English version had not
been entirely uninnuenced by the ussges OF
the English Church. But though it may have
orilinated With the Baptsts, the movement is
70 lorcer confined to the various s.cts who
hold to the practice OF immersion, but
MEMBERS among it's friends and supporters, aud
even an opg the scholars practically engaged in the
work Of revision, members of the Church of En-
gland of the American Protestant Episcopal
Church, Mstbodi,ts, Old School Presbyterian'
members of the Gernsn Reformed Church, and
perhaps others
It would be paying very poor tribute to the
ndefatigable labors of biblical critics and scholars
for the last two hundred years-it would be to g
more the vast progress made in philology during
the last century-not to admit that there now
exists the means of knowing the probable sense Of
the Hebrew and Greek scriptures with more accu-
racy than was possible two hundred years ago.
Nor can it be denied that the authors and resisers
of the received English translation rendered the
sense of many passages not so much in acc ordance
with tie rules ofphiloogy as according to the read
ipgs which then prevailed in the Church-so tina
the accepted Protestant version is after oil OF the
nature of Catholic bible, giving not so much the
original and unbiased Interpretation of scholars
who looked mainly to the originals before them,
and to such contemporary documents as might shed
light upon the meaning of those originals, as to
the Interpretation which tradition not al ways very
learned or rational, had established in the Latin
Church.
But though the theoretical possibility of making
an improved English translation must be admitted
yet how far, especially in the present state OF
learning and opinion among u.s. this possibility is
practicable is quite another question. Among the
most remarkable and encouraging signs of the
times is the recent zeal for learning and literature
exhibited among all the various religious sects in
America. Previously, however, to this recent
movement, the whole current Of religious develop
ment among US, RAINING as it did go exclusively
in the channel of the affections, was By no means
favorable to the cultivation of sound letters. Az
yet, our standard of religious learning is at de-
cidedly low mark; ard it msy be very seriously
doubted whether the clergy and much more
whether their practitioners, are yet fully pre-
pared to &C cept and profit by the pathological and
critical discoveries of the last hundred years.
The method by which the new translation is to
be made-by large number of scholars acting
under the supervision of an association which
supplies the necessary funds-whstever advantages
it may have, has also this disadvantage-th all
It's machinery tends TO secure, not the hes. posi-
bic translation, but the one most satisfactory to
the majority of ihoss who contribute to tee
workout who, at the same time, notwithstand.
ing their zeal for an improved version, may be
very poorly qualified to judge as to the fact Of
that Improvement. Still, even in this point of
view, the new translation cannot fail ID be curious
and valuable. Even if it should do nothing more
than show the variations n the theological ideas Of
the mass of the people from the standard in vogue
amoDg English scholars and churchmen two hun
dred or two hundred and fifty years ago, tde money
and labor expended upon it will BY no means have
been wasted.
THE RUSS PAVEMENT.
What is the difficulty with this pavement Can
i. be remedied Let US examine