The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-29
ENGLAND.
The Revision of the Bible-President Grants
Aid in the Great nd Holy Work.


From the London Standard, June III
Mr.. Buxton hardly mended his case for transfer
ring the revision OF the Scriptures to royal COM
mission by changing the terms Of his motion, So as
to invite the cooperation Of the government Of the
I'M ed States. Originally he called upon the House
OF Commons to affirm that lit is desirable the work
should be placed In the hands OF royal commls-
sion, instead OF being left TO a committee Of
convocation,r but upon further consideration he
omitted all reference to convocatIon, and simply
moved for an address praying the sovereign ito
incte the Pres tdent or the United States to concur
nth her Majesty in appointing commissioners to re-
the authorized version Of the Scriptures" Now
1t is debatabe question whether the work OF revi-
sion should be left TO committee appointed by
convocaton; but, as the Premier and MI. Beresford
Hope pointed out last night, there can be very little
0nd proposition 1t Is, OF course, highly desirable
tnat we should, II possible, produce such version
may be acceptable to the thirty odd millions Of
gllsh-spea king people on the other side OF the AZ.
lantc, but II TINS Is 0ny 10 be secured by the CO.
operation OF American divnes there are obvious DIFF
ficutes In the way Biblical scholars are te1D and
far betUeen IN America, and 1t unfortunately hap
pens from their position In the religious world, tnat
the three four whose services might be acceptable
would by no means contribute to render the new
version popular among their countrymen. More
over there IS fundamental nindrance to the pro-
States seeing that the constitution expressly and
| desgnedly bars the chef magistrate and his
colleagues from Identifying themselves in their pub
| lie capacity with any distinctiveiy religious move
| ment. AS Mr.. Hope reminds us, the influence Of
Jefferson was successfully exerted 10 exclude any
| reference TO the existence of supreme Being
any official recognition OF Christianity. Even If this
l
overlook the dangerous influence which the large
| and fourishing Roman Cathode community would
exercise in the composition o. tae American contn-
| gent The sects are AZ war bat '7e hainan Catho-
lies are powerful and united hw their efforts
would be directed, not 20 mucp ,.sflrJVe the Pro-
testant version as 10 bring n ~ harmony with the
| Romisn version. IL Is obvious. however, that
Mr.. BuXtons proposition 10 enilst American CO.
operation was an after-tnoughL ana that MS IN lin
| object is to take the question out Of the hands OF
convOcatiOn as the representation Of the Established
| Church. The member Tor East Surrey asserts with
ffrnf rho fhnrt Inn
perty not OF any particular Church or Sect but OF
the nation at large and, as corolIary, that no
Church sect is entitled to m0nOp0Ze the work of
revising it. But we are not aware that either con-
vocation or the Church have set up any Claim of this
kind Perhaps as the largest and most lpInentia!
! had right. and was in some measure bound, TO
| take the Initiative; but no one who examines the
constitution OF the proposed committee and remem-
beIs that the most eminent Biblical scholars totally
| irrespective OF Church or creed were invited to
1 iinn annroacned Inc work in the largest
and most enlightened spirit. We can under.
stand and sympathlze with the protest OF
shrink from tampering with the authorized version.
We think their fears are exaggerated and that they
Overrate the danger OF making the text OF the Bible
subject OF "iree handling - but they at least take
up anntelligent ground of objection. But we cam
not understand why the Church of England is TO be
deOarred from playing prominent part In work
in which she is 50 vitality interested ana III which the
scholarship OF her clergy entities her to take the
| lead MIR. Percy Wyndham considers that eccesias.
tics untitled by their professional habits for the
work OF Biblical revision but is not this equivalent
saying that experts are specially dsquailfed OF
that an architect Is the last person to be consulted
| about design for house, or railway
| engineer about tunnel viaduct2 II
Is easy to sheer at convocation as Mr.. BuX-
| ton does. 1t Is venerable, but thanks
to State tyranny, an almost mpotent body and IL Is
| SIMPLY absurd TO speak of it as given TO usurpa-
tion.1 Possibly it might become very tyrannica and
despotic II 1t had the chance; but considering how
1t is fettered and gagged ut present. it would be as
| reasonable to charge man bound hand and f0o
| with abusing his liberty. ALI that cOnvocatlon has
ing effect to the almost univ ersal demand Tor revi
| sion Of the Scriptures. IL has nominated commit
tee to undertake the work, which comprises, in ad
dtion to impartial selection from the most learned
dylnes OF the Church, all the most eminent Biblical
scholars among the Non-conlormlst bodies who could
| the bond tides with which The committee
has been chosen, and we question whether
Dissenters will not be disposed to ap
| paud rather than condemn the zeal which
taking the initiative. We do not hesitate 10 say tina
| under no other auspices would the labor5 OF an.
body OF revisers have mad a chance OF nnulng
| general acceptance. Mr.. Butxon contends that tht
| work ought to be undertaken by the state; ana Mr.
Gladstone and his supporters appear TO have at one
| perceiyed the awkward anachronism which woult
result If liberal government were TO assume tn
| superysiOn OF q purely religious enterprise just a
the time when 1t is the policy OF the liberal party T.
break down every tie which links the state with re
ngon. Olkcourse Mr.. Gladstone qua not Justify ii
opposition to the motion upon grounds IKE THESE
He declared that the government were decidedly OF
| posed. as matter OF principle, 10 placln
| such q work as the revision OF the scriptures
| IN the hands OF any civil or pubic body H'
l admitted 1t was highly necessary tnat tne rev.
persuaded that il could not be usefully undertake
] by the State aud that II vas undesirable tnat an