New-York tribune., 1874-04-27
LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE.

TIE R,r JokR HdR d. d. hs Fh-are Pres5yrGs Church.
The Rev. John Hall, ID. D., preached yesterday
morning the introduction to series OF sermons upon the
Interpretation Of the Scriptures taking for his text Acts
viii, 80, 81 in which is asked the question, Understand
est thou what thou readest g.
He said in substance When there is an honest desire
to learn the TRUTH that desire Will be good degree
satisfied in way or another. We are sometimes
brought knowledge OF the truth by what seems the
merest chance, 1t is when put ourselves IN the
way discovering IL by earnest and determined search
after IL that We thus rewarded. "Understandes
thou what thou readest I" very proper question
and the reply of the eunuch TO Philip. How
cept some should guide me :" an answer natural
and proper. He evidently seeking for knowledge
and book he reading certain to reveal 10
him the TRUTH although those familiar with s language
could greatly aid and facilitate It's research. The
Bible is emineDtly book addressed 10 the c0nsciences
Of men, and it encourages questioning ana personal
study It is not Ignorance that the LORD Desses pus
knowledSe aud II L. 9t tne grea,1St 81 dos ,o
TO be understood IL was not SO easy matter lOr tno
eunuch to understand it as iof US s naJ onx ,Io ~
less of mystery, which nothing short OF the u
illment OF that prophecy could remove H was not -
easy as we may suppose Tor MIN 10 know tne utI; ~
Is different with the people OF to-day. Put the bios
into any ones hands now aud he may DO brought
knowledge OF Jesus Christ IL he wishes 10 learn. We
may comprehend all the great lessons which tnas
Bible teaches ia their uness. but the results wh.
flow from them, the effect produced upon human no
and Thought are yet well understood The Indian IN biz
uncvliZed state may not DC &DIe 10 unuerstanu ~"
the hatchet aud musket are made OF what they are con-
posed, but when he sees them put 10 use nc auIe
understand their value. To a Chlnaman the coupon
would be very unlntelliglpe 2eee Oh paRei & a ,bs
he is able TO understand its use when ne sees .ne
money paid out in return the counter.
The ways IN which the Bible may be understOod arg
very simple. This booA was given In the hebrew sno
Greek to the people, for wach the several pas & m o
appropriate. IC could not well nave oeen gwen ~
any but the dead languages" IL could certainly no nTs
have been given the modern language for IL wouIa
have been OF little value TO the people OF tnoso
tunes, they would have had no reason Tor Preser
lug IT, IL IL requires scholarship aud dlscplheu hnu,
TO explain it IL should be remembered that 10 TINS NU
education aud scholarship are most promoted r. re
could be exercised upon no better WORK a". -
garding the facts of the New Testament. JOsegnIs s
other writers, aside from the Bible have anolueu "a
abundant means Of knowing the OBJECT OF lne
and the impressions which IL made. Ia tue uahSs
VI this book scholars have 10 employ the same ncio
as with any other books-as those OF Homer OF
Should any say that are liable 70 be deceive, ~
this translation IL may be answered that we have Ia
better assurance OF the correctness OF the hsDreN
than Of Livy and Others, and we nave IN sr
ing facilities for understanding IT, Inc great ana eno
inereasng humber OF schoars shedding new light upon
the original text the Increase OF Ee. anonR t.vse %
tons which involved Ia b0'c history, a"u nors ~
feciiye' All contribute TO the more thorough
ana accurate understanding OF the Holy "SrS Saa
W. oYp NO wears ago So II is with the Bible We
look upon 10 with greater intelligence than coud %
done centuries ago, aud no intelligent man can ns,e
reasonsbie doubt that he gets the meaning as gwen
orctnaly 10 the Hebrew and Greek from our receives
translation What should we do 70 get the true mssn
ingt In the first place, there should be honest enos
get at Significance Of the words used IN ths Eng
TEXT Words often have variety OF meanings accoia
Ing the connection In which they are used ana 70
people who use them. The word conversion as uoo~
BY the lawyer means thing. by the historian anoss
the inancier still another. and 80 on we all nnuoa
81 s'nu 1 pastcnar aIa writsr sves to it. There
equally as much difference In the sgninoatlon oI MANI
words tp the Bip!e ~ used ~ diasyenI authors v"