The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-15
BAPTIST VERSION OF TIE NEW
TESTAMENT.
A brother in West Virginia makes this il

y OfOLutI III w eoV ' II Stuld u1AVo sAAo III
curry:
''Can you inform me directly or can you ascer.
tain for me an accurate history of the translation
of the New Testament by the American Bible
Union? 1t is confidently asserted in this region
that the Presbyterians and Methodists took part
in getting this affair up, and that in it they confess
as Denominations that BQptidzO0 has but one
meaning, and that to immerse. desire very much
TO have the exact facts In the case as to explain
the matter fully to the masses Please either pub
lsh statement Of these facts in your paper, or IN
form me privately.
We have no publication at hand giving
san accurate history" of this matter 1t
may be that some persons connected with
the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches
made translations of portions Of the New
Testament, which were adopted in the YER
sion published by the american Bible
Union" There is an impression on our
mind that the late Rev. John Lilly, D. D.,
of New York, was employed by the Union
in that way. He had already made trans
lations of the Epistles to the ThessalOnians.
But Baptism is not once mentioned in them,
as it is not in some of the others also. The
fact, then, that some others besides Baptists
may have translated parts of this version, is
a thousand miles from proving that they
were Baptists.
But it is said that they agree Gas denOm-
nations" that the word "Baptize" has in the
original only one meaning, namely, to an
msrss. We answer first that neither they
nor any other persons could have any au-
thority to speak for their respective denomi
nations. They could only speak for them
selves. If any of them as individuals ever
made such an admission we never heard of
it. Certainly it is entirely contrary to the
current opinion of Presbyterians and Metho-
dist in all their history.
But there are two well known facts on this
subject which it may be prefer to mention.
One is that this Baptist Version by the
American Union, is repudiated generally by
Baptists themselves. They all contend, of
course, that the word BaptidgO1O is in that
version rightly translated to immerSe; be-
cause all Baptists so believe. They would
also no doubt say that in many places there
is an Improvement upon the common version
now used This can be readily believed
for any respectable scholar could, with the
common stock of critical knowledge now in
hand, easily do that. But, in fact, this effort
to introduce their ReV UerSiOR is an abortion.
The translation is in many instances so ride
ulous, and in general is so far below the pure
old English of the one now in our houses,
that it has utterly failed to secure the gen
eral approval of Baptist themselves. 1t will
be time enough to attempt to ask our people
to give up our present Bible and accept
Baptist one, when they get the Baptists
themselves to adopt it.
The other fact is this : It is well known
that great work is now in progress in re-
vising the present English version of the
Bible. The object is, while retaining the
present admirable-it may be said in com
parable translation-to make such improve
ments as long study and the light of dis
coveries have made clear. Committees in
London and in the United States are now
busily engaged in this great undertaking.
On these committees are EpiscOpalians, Pres
byterians, MethOdists and Baptists. But
they do not undertake to say that BaptidzOsO
has only one meaning, to immerse. No, they
agree to let that stand as it is now, "6ap-
TIE" &C., and let each denomination and
each person settle it as they see proper,
whether it signifies to iamerss, or to pour,
or to sprinkle. That is the part of wisdom,
and we hope Baptist Christians will every
where cease from the unfruitful work of try
ing to persuade people to give up the
Bible which all Christian people speaking
the English language are using, and adopt
one which is so defective and so full Of blem-
i8hes that the great majority Of Baptists
themselves refuse to use it.