The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-07-03
The Bible Revision.

One of tho things looked forward Il
with great solicitudo by not only thu
religious would, SO called, but by al
who accept Christianity and its civil
cation, is tho result of tho labors OF the
body of revisors of the Old and New
Testament scriptures. This has been
going on under an extended and able
organization, and it is now though,
that within tho next two years, they
will have completed their task, and
give tho sesults of their labors to the
world.
Tho movement commenced in the
Church of England, and at convoca
ton held at Canterbury in 1870, com
mittee Of eminent Biblical scholars was
appointed with power to revise the
English version of l6ll-known as the
King James Bible.
This committee were further author
lied to associate with themselves schol.
ars of other Christian denominations
using that version. The matter result.
ed in tho formation of two English and
two American committses-one in each
country for the Old and also for the
Now Testament.
The English Old Testament COM
mittee consists of tho Bishop of Win
chester and twenty-six others, includ-
ing bishops of the established church,
professors at Oxford, Cambridge and
London, five professors from Scotch
universities, one Baptist and one Moth
dist. Tho New Testament committee
is headed by the bishops Of Clouchcster
and Bristol, and twenty four others,
made up OF bishops, deans, archbisops,
archdcacons, clergymen and college
professors, all eminent in various fields
of scholarship.
Tho American company is headed by
DIR. Philip Schaff, OF the Now York
Union Theological seminary. The Old
Testament committee consists OF pro
lessons Green, OF Princeton; Day, of
Yale Aiken, of Princeton COnant, OF
Brooklyn; DO Witt, of New Brunswick,
N. J. Hare and Kraut, of Philadel-
phla Mead, of Andover Osgood, of
Rochester; Packard, OF Alexandria ;
Stowe, of Hartford Strong of Madison,
N. J. f; and Van Dyke, of Beirut, and
Dr. Chalmers, of New York while the
New Testament company consists OF ex-
President Woolsey, of Yale professors
Thayer, of AndOver Abbott, OF Har-
ward Dwit, of Yale Kcndrick, OF
Rochester RibbIe OF Hartford Schafi
and Short, of New York DIR. Burr, OF
Trenton; president Chase, of Haver-
ford College; Chancellor Crosby, of
New York University Bishop Lee, of
Delaware, and Dr. IVashburn OF New
York.
These committees, embracing in, all
seventy-nine British and American
scholars, have been assiduously at work
for nine years. They hope to have the
New Testament completed in 1850, and
tho Old q year or two later.
This revision il not q now TRANSLATE on,
but what it's name impOrts,a "rovision."
As few changes as possible will DO in
trOduced from tho text as it now stands,
and to express the changes made, in the
idiom of tho present versions. As an
example, only ono new word has been
introduced SO far in tho Now Testament
and tho text used arc older and moro
authoritative manuscripts than those OF
tho King James version, whilo some re-
arrangement Of chapters have boon
made, with changes in punctuation.
Tho poetry will, it is thought. DO print
cd as poetry, not as prose. In fact, so
closely has tho old version been follow
cd, that only critical readers will be
able to note the changes.
As preliminary, nineteen essays
have already been publishad from vari-
Gus members Of tho revising committee.
Those are not authoritative, but may be
taken as indicating tho changes that arc
likely to DO made.
Tho announcement Of the near CON-
plction of their labOrs and tho publica-
ton of these fororunners, US We may
call Thorn, have excited great interest,
and the feeling Of expectation is still
growing. The great public will be
scriptures not to DO radically changed
and tho literary world will DO glad to
learn tho old standard of tho English
language is not to give way to modern
Modern photographers have
dono great service 10 the English
speaking race, but above all dictionaries
ever written Is the Bible, tho one rich
treasure OF the pure and indebted
tongue, u sonorOus and stately
standard that can never be rivalled.
FIX.