, 1879-04-20

blole," which differs little from Coyerdalc's In
tiie translation OF the Psalms. At the last re-
vision ot Tie Prayer-Book in 1862, It was found
u1at CoVerdale's version of the Psalms hail
E:alneo sach q hold upon the people that it was
not deemed advisable to substitute the new
translation Canon Prof. Wescott says: 1t
was iound, 1t is said, smoother to sing; but this
Is not o 1uil account OF the matter, and 1t cali
not bc mere familiarity which gives to the
frayer-Book Psaltcr, with ill it's errors and I'M
9cf1cctons, an incompatible tenderness and
sweetness. Rather VIC believe that in it We can
yet lind the spirit Of him whose work it nhSlnly
Is, iull OF humility and love, not heroic or crea-
tive, but patient to accomplish by God's help
therefore best in harmony with the tenor OF our
own daiy lives"
MATTHEW'S D1BLE.
Two years after the publication of Coverdale's
translation another folio volume appeared, with
the title page. ttTle Byble, which Is all the Holy
Scripture: In which are contained inc Olu an9
Newe Testament truly nntl purely translated m
into Euglysh hy Thomas Matthew" This name
is supposed to be nom de plume Tor John
Rogers, the first Of the Murlan nlartYrs, VINO. as
Foxc narratcs, CHANGED in Antwerp TO fall in
company with thu worthy martyr OF GOD, Will
lam Tyndalc, aud with Miles Coycrdale." The
New Testament, with very slight differences, is q
reproduction Of Tyndale's, and Foxe ascribes
nearly the whole Of this Bible to Tyndale and
Coyerdale. Closely connected with Matthew's
bible was
TAvEnNER's BIBLE,
published In 1889, sin Flete stre,e, at the sygne
Of the scnne,' and dedicated to tie King, Like
its predecessor, it is ouly Tyndale and Cover
dale, with variations. 1t was allowed to be pub:
liclv read in churches. After Cronnell's fall
Richard Taycrner was committed TO the Tower,
but was soon restored to the Kings favor, and
received from Edward VI. q general license to
preach, although he was layman. We are
told that he preached before the King at Court,
and in some public places III the Kingdom,
wearing velvet bonnet or round CAP, damask
which habit he was seen and heard preaching
several times in St. Mary's Church, Oxford, in
the beginning of the reign Of Elizabeth. Dur
ing Mary's reign Tayerner prud0ntly remained
in retirement. Elizabeth mutc him High Sheriff
Of the County Of Oxford, und he died in 1876.
THE GREAT BIBLE.
Coverdale had been charged by Cromwell with
preparing another Bible, differing from the TWO
already ii circulation, his own and Matthew's.
He worked at it In Paris under favor of Francis
/. till progress was stared BY the lnquisitlon.
4 portion, however, had reached England in
safety. Cromwell caused tile types, presses,
and printers to be brought to England, and 10
April, 1889. this Bible of the largest volume, or
first edition OF the. Great Bible, was published.
The title page, reduced copy OF which forms
the frontfspicce to Dr.. Moulton's History
was designed BY the famous Hans holbcin, and
is very curious. The original measures about
fourteen inches ny nine; the copy about eight
and half by five and 4 half. The highest
figure represents Christ in the clouds OF heaven
The King (Henry VIII seated On his throne
clergy on his right hand, and to Cromwell and
the iaity on the left. Below. Cranmcr and
Cromwell rcappear, the former delivering the
book to the clergy, and the latter to the laity,
and still lower stands . preacher enlorclnT thc
duty of prayer and thanksgiving Oh behalf of
Kings: All around the people are shouting
"God save the King"
THE BISHOPS BIBLE.
Passing over the Gencvan versions, which be-
came at the beginning Of Elizabeth's rei-u tile
household Bible OF England, aud were made By
Puritan refugees, the Great Bible became the
only one hayin:. ecclesiastical authority. Mat
thew Parker, the first Protestant Primate, as he
is calIcd,-for Cranncr's conservation had been
sanctioned bv Rome,-resolyed On undertaking
revised trasation. He divided the work among
several revisers, with the direction to follow
the English translation Il. G., the Great Bible),
already used in the churches, except where it
differed mauifestlv from the Hebrew or Greek
original On tile 5th Of October, 156S, Parker
sent copy 10 Sir William Cecil, to be presented
to the QUEEN. In 1879 corrected edition was
issued The last edition bears the date ut lG03
The Bishops Bible agrees in almost every. point
with Craumcr's Bible, work which, having
never been com npletcd has been omitted III this
synopsis, although m RECOUNT Of it Is given by
Dr. AaulL0n.
Olnitting for want of space the interesting &C
count Of the Rheims and Do1ai Bible made BY
Roman Catholic tra1lslators aud published, the
New Testament in 1852 and the Old in 16U9-
1910, respectively, aud which were rendered
from the Latin, we conclude with brief notice
of
THE AUTHORIZED VERSION
made by order Of James l.. ssby the best learn
ed in both The universities: after them to be re-
viewed by the Bishops and chief learned OF the
Church, from them to be presented to the
Privy Council; and lastly, to be ratited by his
Royal authority" The work was completed in
1911, having been commenced IN 1904. The re-
Bible read in the church, commonly called the
Bishops Bible, SO far Us the truth OF the original
would admit. 'sNevcr," says UE. Scrlvener, the
grct Cambridge Biblicisr, twas a great enter
prise like the production OF our Authorized
Version carried out with less knowledge handed
and order Of working. Nevertheless, this YER
sion has been for more than two centuries and
half precious inheritance to the Euglishspeak-
Ing rage" 'What we are to understand by the
notice that the version i5 appointed to be read
in churches" says DR.. Mou1ton, at is hard to
SAW s.No evidence,'' writes Prof Wesfcott,
"has vet been produced to show that the YER
sion was ever publicly sanctioned by Convoca-
ton or Parliament, or by the privy Council or
bY the King. It gained its currency purity, it
mar have been, By the weight Of the Kings
name, partly by the personal authority OF the
prelates and scholars who had been engaged
upon it, but still more by its own INTRINSIC
superiority over its riyals.' It's 'sEnglish uude
filed u has woven itself into the very texture OF
the Anglo-Saxon mind, and it marks as much q
literary as an ecclesiastical epoch in English his
tory.
ARCHBISHOP PURCELL.
y