Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-05-06
EDGEFIELD, S. c., MAY 6, 1857.

facts" "JusrIcE" says the translators of
King James Bible were uninspired men p
certainly they were, and worse than that, if, in
translating Gods plan of salvation for man, they
were influenced by such motives as these. If
such was the case, it is not to be wondered at
that /" errors" exist in the received version, and
we agree with sJusr1cE" in wishing to have
them corrected. But, we might ask, who will
correct them? "JUsT1cE" replies, the I" Revis-
ionists" Again, we ask, are they not uninspired
men also and how do we know that they will
not be influenced by "personal feeling, party
prejudice, and sectarian bias?" Let us look
into these "errors" which he says "involve
such vast interests, both in this world, and the
world to come" 1t was not our wish at this
stage Of the discussion, to argue the main ques-
ton upon its merits, we however join issue with
JusrlcE'' on this point, and maintain that
these "crrors" do not change or affect a single
doctrine or duty announced or enjoined in the
word of God, and therefore do not "involye
vast interests, either in this world, or the world
to come
The reader may be lesirous of knowing some
thing in reference to the enumeration and ma
turc Of these errors" out of which so much
capital is made, and will be surprised to hear
they were found not by the Revisonists" alto
gcthcr, but by the staunch friends of the re-
cciycl version, and the uncompromisng oppo-
nents Of revision viz: the Officers and mana
gers Of the American Bible Society. (see Report,
y. B. S., for 1882. These " errors" were most
ly variations" ascertaned by collatins the
different editions published in England and
America Which. with all their pains, could not
be kept out, there being so many millions of
copies printed. They consisted in punctuation,
brackets parenthescs, Italcwords, capital letters,
using the indefinite article for the definite, &c.,
pronouns of improper gender. &C., orthography
&C., &C. There were about q, 900 +" errors" or
variations of this kind discovered, yet Neither
IN these nor eTurs Of any O'her kind wos there one
that affected nny doctrine or p'eeeM Of the Bible"
This work Of collation. occupied upwards of
three years, and was performed by ministers OF
different Evangelical Churches "JusrlcE"
brings to our notice errors of another kind,
real contradictions" which the Rerisonists
know and avow never existed in the original"
We will consider these " contradictions" rs by
so doing we may be saved the necessity Of no
ticing others. Our attention is directed to I'd
Kings s: 81, which, lie says, is contradicted by
.F2d Chron. o.: 2. Dr. Lightfoot, whose name
is host with Bible scholars, does not regard
this contradiction. lie makes the forty-two
years in Chronicles to he the age Of the Kings
mother (of whom, mention is made in the text)
affirming, that in the original it is, he uas The
son Of torly-tpO years. that is, the son of q
mother Of that age; this is done, it is said, in
reproach TO him; bccausc, though he was King,
he was managed by his wicked mother Athaliah.
Many good eypo$lors allow this Interpretation.
II however there is an error in the text, arising
! from a mistake by tue copyist or transcribcr, it
is now rremcdiaJlc, owing to the " copies having
been lost, by which the errors should be cor
rcclcd."
The second instance referred to by ;JrsrIcE';
contains 10 real contradiction" as will be seen
by reference to ancient military customs
The horscmcn were divided into companies
there being ten in each company, and each ten
having 4 ruler or captain. The 1000 in lst
Chron. Is: +, is the catirr number captured, the
100 mentioned i'll ID Sam. s.: i, is the number
of companies; making 1000 in all.
We do not suppose that " JUSTICE" is igno
rant Of the origin Of the present translation,
yet his language is calculated to make wrong
impression. He says, james was not the first
who attempted to translate the Bible" Now
King james did not translate il, neither did tile
suggestion TO have it done come from hini--a
Dr. RainoltlS, at g Hampton Court Conference
made the motion, the King approved OF the
measure james did not appoint the tran>lators:
hc merely accepted them; he did not pay u far
thing towards il ,leiihsr GGl he exercise anyalLi-
i.ury diciaiirn n Me matter. and to say that the
translators sought to crafty his kingly vanity
isa grave charge, and wholly gratuitou$. The
translators were f9rty-scycn udciuus and
learned Inch, whose lE,lncs have been handed
down to lis, and also the :; Iues' by which they
were tu be governed. They were divided into
six companies, each company having Il certain
portion Of the work committed to them, and
each one WAS required To translate the entire
portion Of the work assigned to his company.
When it was done, they met, compared their
respective trs,llslatonS; &c, and after years of
patient labor their differences were corrected.
giving Il unanimous endorsement to the present
version, which they dedicated to King James.
"JrsrrcE'; objects to the present version, be-
cause it is 'n not free from the distinctive pecu-
liarities Of tile age in which it was written"
and instances the ''prclix Saint st Matthew,
St Mark &c." which he says is Of "popish orr
GIN" Suppose it is, Though it might admit Of
dcbate) we think he will find the "prelix"
Reverend to be of "popish origin,"-does he
object to that title being applied to Protestant
clcrgymcn? lie next objects TO the phrase
God save the King" as being too English"
for our republican "tastcs." In lst Timothy
3 CLIP. l: , verses, St Paul says, "I exhort,
therefore, that first of all, that supplications,
prayers, intcrccssions, and giving of thanks be
n,odo fnr all mon for Kinrs and for MI tbot ore