Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-12-29

Macaulay, when he would pass the highest eu
 logium upon the eloquence of the statesmen O
 that age, says, lit was the eloquence of thu
 men who had lived with the transators of tho
 English Bible"
 It was moreover the age in which the learned
 languages were understood by all who made pretentions to education, with familiarity al
 most equal to that of their mother tongue-
 Macaulay tells us that the mother of Sir Fran
 cis Bacon corresponded with Bishop Jewell il l Greek, and that an intimate knowledge of these l languages was essential to all who took plea sure in works of taste.
 Absolute perfection, however, is not claimed | for this translation. All that is contended for Is that 1t IS one of surpassing excellence. Eve " one, acquainted with language different from his own, knows that in many instances it is exceedingly difficult if not impossible, to find word in one language which will exactly cor | respond in meaning with it in another. Most languages abound in synonyms. But one word 1 can be selected, and among different individuals there will ever exist different opinions as to the best possible word to be put into a translation The translators may not, in every instance, have selected the very best word in our language But, if the opinion of the profundest linguists and ablest critics that have lived, for the last two hundred years is to be relied on, then we may rest assured that our translation, in no ma al f,;i ;ia +o ,ix ( the original, or in other words that it is one of the best versions ever made, expressing with clearness and beauty the spirit and sense of the inspired original.
 shall here suboin few out of many testi- monies, to the excellence of this version, by men of the best possible abilities to give just decision
 Joha Sellon, whom Grotius styles the glory of the English nation, and whom Lempriere describes as skilled in the Hebrew and oriental languages and acquainted with all laws human and divine says the English translation of the Bible is the best translation in the world and renders the sense of the original best.
 Bishop Louth. The vulgar translation of the Bible is the best standard of our language.
 Dr. Geldes. The highest eulogiums have been made on the translation of James the lst, both by our own writers and by foreigners, and indeed if accuracy, fidelity, and the strctest attention to the letter of the text, be supposed to constitute the qualities Of excellent yer sion, this of all versions must in general be ac- ,tol +l every word, every syllable, every letter and point seem to have been weighed with the incest exactitude, and expressed either in the text or margin with the greatest precsion.- Pagninus himself is hardly more literal; and it was well remarked by Robertson, above an hundred years ago, that it may serve for a ex- con of the Hebrew language, as well as for a translation.
 Reo. J. ". WAataher. The highest value has always been attached to our translation of the Bible. Sciolists, it is true, have often at- tempted to raise their own reputation on the ruin of that of others; and the authors of the English Bible have frequently been caumnia- ted by charatans of every descrip iption; but it may be safely asserted, without fear of contra diction, that the nation at large has always paid our translators the tribute of veneration and gratitude which they so justly merit * * * It may be compared with any translation in the world, without fear of inferority; it has not shrunk from the most rigorous examination; it challenges investigation, and in spite of nu- merous attempts to supercede it, has hitherto remained unrivaled in the affections of the country.
 Dr. Tay'or Butyou may rest fully satisfied that as our English translation is in itself by far the most excellent book in our language, so it is pure and plentiful fountain of divine knowledge, giving true, clear and full account of the divine dispensatons, and of the gospel of our salvation, insomuch that whoever studies the Bible, the English Bible, is sure of gaining that knowledge and faith, which, if duly ap- piled to the heart and conversation, will infalli- bly, guide him to eternal life.
 Or. Adam Clarke Those who have com pared most of the European translations with the original, have not scrupled to say that the English translation of the Bible, made under the direction of King James the lst, is the most accurate and faithful of the whole Nor is this its only praise the transatorS have sez- ed the very spirit and soul of the original, aud expressed this almost every where with pathos and energy. Besides, our transators have not only made standard translation; but they have made their translation the standard of OUT lan- guage; the English tongue in their day was not equal to such work-but God enabled them to stand as upon Mount Sinai and draw up their country's language to the dignity of the original so that after the lapse of POO years, the English Bible is, with very few exceptions, the standard of the purity and excellence of the English tongue. The original from which it was taken, is alone, superior to the Bible translated by the authority of King James.
 Bishop Middleton. The style of our present version is incomparaby superior to any thing which might be expected from the finical and perverted taste of our own age. It i. sim pie, it is harmonious, it is energetic; and which is of no small importance, use has made it familiar, and time has rendered it sacred.
 Bishop Walton, editor of the Polyglott Bible in seven ancient languages. The last English translation, made by divers learned men at the command of King James, though it may just. ly contend with any now extant, in any other language in Europe, was yet carped and cavel- led at by divers among ourselves, especially by one who being passed by and not employed in the work, as one though skilled in the Hebrew, yet of little or no judgment in that or any oth- CT kind of learning, was so highly offended that he must needs undertake to show how many thousand places they had falsely render ed, when he could hardly make good his un- dertaking in any one."
 The most systematic opposition ever made to this version, is that which commenced num- Der of years ago, by portion of the Baptist 1 church, in consequence of refusal on the