Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-05-20
COMM MICA TO N s.
For the Advertiser.
REVISION OF KING JAMES VERSION, NO. 8.

There are some persons VINO seem hoI w hIo"
that the Bible was written in languages different
from that in which We read it at the present day
supposing it to have been conveyed from heaven
to earth in some unknown way and at some uIi-
known time, printed and bound ready Tor use'
Such must he the views of the Hard Shell
Baptists who decry all human learning as useless,
If not perncious-unconsciou of the debt of graf
itude they owe to the patient laboIs Of Christian
scholars who have spent their lives in eShuming
the word of God from the accumulated rubbish OF
ages, and putting it in such form that lie who
runs may read" It twould doubtless astonish such
persons to have copy of Greek Testament put
into their hands with a request for them to read
few passages. We hope the experiment will be
tried whenever an opportunity presents itself.
It would be useless to our present purpose to 60
farther back with the history of translatons than
to the beginning of those relating to the English
tongue; neither do we deem it necessary to advert
to any modern versions besides the English. And
in respect 10 these we remark that there have been
discovered some translations of parts Of the Holy
Scriptures as far back as A. D. 1890. But the
first which seems to have exerted any considerable
influence was the version Of John Wicklifc about
A. D. 1873 This was before the age of printing
AMI Wicklifes Bible was circulated in manuscript.
1t was of course opposed by the ecclesiastical pow
ers but they could not prevent its influence nor
stay its circulation Numbers of copies were tran
scrbed and scattered over the Kingdom and were
hailed with Joy By the people. But although the
strong arm of power could not entirely suppress
the work, it yet hindered its circulation in every
possible way, and it was chiefly in secret that the
precious treasure was read.
The next and most important version, and that
which has served as the basis Of all subsequent
translations was the one by William Tyndale about
one hundred and fifty years later. This man was
one of the finest characters whose name is recor-
dcd on the page of history.
Finding that he could not effect his purpose in
England, Tyndale embarked for Hamburg in Ger
many, where having prepared his translation lie
repaired to Cologne for the purpose of having it
printed. When the work had considerably pro-
grcssed, he was ousted by his enemies and fled to
Worms, where another and smaller edition was
printed and snuggled over into England.
Tho history Of this transaction though exceed
ingly interesting is too long to write in the present
connection. Those desiring full information on
the subject can obtain it by consulting recent
work called popular History of English Bible
Translation" by Mrs. Conant. We mention this
book as embodying much information scattered in
different works. Suffice it 10 say that Tyndale,
for his "labor of love" was finally honored with
martyrs crown.
A number of other versions followed this-Cov
erdales, Cranmer's The Genevan and the Bishops's
Bible according to the wants Of the people, and
the shifting phases of pricstly and kingly power,
each adopting itself 10 some existing emergency.
Last of all came the version now in use, made
in the reign and by the authority of the first Of the
Stuart Kings that occupied the English throne, and
thence called King James version. For more
than two hundred years this has been the standard
version in the English tongue many scholars and
reformcrs have invcghed against its mperfections,
but it has held ont against all competitors and
still holds OH with tcnacity which indicates the
nature of the struggle that will be required to dis
place it, (if ever donc,) and, in advocating the
great work of the Bible Union,'' VIC desire to do
all possible justice to this venerable version,
around which have gathered many cherished asso-
ciations-" nothing extcnuatc nor aught set down
in malice" Let us then in the fear of God and i'll
dependence on His aid enter OH calm and impair
tial examination of the matter. Bet remembered
then, that the word of God is one thing-a trans
lation of that word is another thing. In the one
case, holy men of God spoke as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit in the other case,
men have used the laws of language to determine
what that word is One is intallibl, the other sub
iect to the infirmites of humanity. In short, one
is inspired, the other is not
That which claims our attention first in this in
vestigation is the getting up of James version;
what was its object and the circumstances under
which the work was done?
We have already stated that several versions
were extant in King James time, one Of which,
the Gcncvan, was great farorite with the people
and long disputed with the present version its
claims to prc-cmincnce. Whence then the neccs-
sity for another version? If the call had come
from the people and the Work had been performed
under their direction: we might suppose it to have
been the result Of impcrfecons in the versions al
ready in use, and desire for better one' But
the movement was wholly under the control OF
those in power, the lords temporal and spiritual.