The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-08
New York Evening Post.l


Since the work of revising the authorized
version of the New Testament was under
taken, in the year 1870, there has been an
eager lookout for the results of that revision.
Religious persons everywhere have waited
with no little anxiety to learn what light
this revision, at the hands OF the most emil
pent scholars of the age, would throw upon
doubtful and disputed texts; what modifica-
ton, il any, would be suggested as neces-
sary in orthodox theology; what passages
of the sacred text would come to US with
altered significance; what passages or parts
of passages would be cast out as
spurious; and now that it is announced
from London that the English commit
tee have finished their work and wait only
for the last suggestions of their American
fellow workers, this anxiety to see the new
version will be increased ten fold. The re-
cent report that the revisers have omitted
the last twelve verses of st. Marks Gospel,
has especially stimulated curiosity and
deeper feeling OF concern.
The need of such revision as this was
imperative. Fine as our English Bible is as
piece of literary work done in the golden
age of English literature, there can be no
question Of its faultiness IN many particu-
lars, and, aside from the Natural desire for
accuracy for its own sake il our version Of
the sacred work, it has been apparent for
years that the inaccuracies of the received
translation were blocks of stumbling to many
persons.
On the other hand there were and are
many serious objections to revision. The
slightly archaic English OF the Scriptures
has come to have a charm and q significance
of its own. That old English has become to
modern minds sacred English, the English
of prayer and devout meditation and deep
emotion. Whatever change revision may
make necessary in it must seem to many
devout persons species of sacrilege, a trans
lstion of the Bible from sacred tongue
although one ''understanded of the people"
10 the vulgar idiom of ordinary life.
This objection, which is not altogether
sentimental, was the easiest OF all TO meet.
1t is not difficult, in revising translation OF
the Scriptures, to preserve old forms OF
speech in the main, and it is to be presumed
that the revision committee have done this
as far as possible.
Another difficulty closely like the one
mentioned arises from the fact that our En-
| glish Bible has never been regarded by the
great mass of the people In the light of q
| Translation. Men have known of course thai
/ il was an English rendering OF Greek and
Hebrew originals, but in their hearts they
have not felt IL to be SO. To Ieverent and
devout minds every word. every turn OF
! we have IL, is sacred, and TO make the leas
change in the interest Of more accurats
! translation is to shock q rooted reverence
/ which is not without its moral and religious
value. This difficulty it has not been posi-
BILE to overcome. To revise the translation u
was necessary to alter the phraseology wher
ever that phraseology failed accurately Il
represent the original text.
1t is scarcely within the province OF sec
ular newspaper to speculate upon the lnfiu
ence of revision in weakening mems faiti
IN the Bible as a revelation from God, bu
there are persons who see great danger here
To recognize the falllibility OF our standard
version by revising 1t must be to man,
minds very nearly the same thing as to rec
ognize the fallibility OF revelation itself
and 1T remains TO be seen how far this re
Determination of the English version vii
serve to breed doubling, questioning