The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-03-05
THE INTEREST IN THE NEW BIBLE.

We recently attended parlor me eting of
the American revisers, at the house of Hon.
William E. Dodge in this city during
which we became aware of what seemed to
US the ignorance of these revisorS touching
the tremendous public interest that ga hers
around the work they have done and are TO
| do. 1t seemed to us that they did not un-
derstand the feeling of the,public upon the
matter at all that they did not appreciate
the interest with which the result of the
work is regarded, nor the perfect condefnce
with which the result is awaited. 1t is the
modesty that naturally attends true schol-
arshiP, we presume, which leads them TO
suppose that their work will be severely
criticised-that it will disappoint many by
its changes, and many others by its few and
trivial alterations. And it may as well be
stated just here that they are not to present
the English world with new version. It's
simply to be the old version revised, freed
from its errors, and possessing in every way
the advantages of all the study and discov-
cry of the two hundred and seventy years
that have passed since l6l0-the date of the
issue ot king James Bible" The old
form of language which has itself become
sacred to the eyes, ears and hearts of the
Bibl loving people, is to be preserved
We say that it seemed to us that the re.
visors at this meeting failed to appreciate
the popular confidence witt. which the re-
suit of their work is awaited We believe
that the result Of the revision will be re-
ceived with unquestioning confidence. The
public understand that the revision will be
the work of the best scholarship oftwo coun-
tries, selected and exercised upon a broad
catholic basis, and arriving at result that
II Is essentially unanimous. 1t is believed
that these men know all there is known up.
on the subject which engages their attention
and the new revision will be received, in
our opinion, without r question. Indeed
we doubt whether there is any divine living,
outside of this circle OF men, who can pub
icly undertake to criticise their work with
out danger to his own reputation. OF course
there will be great curiosity to see what
kind of work the revised version will make
of accepted doctornes and various sects,
1t is quite possible that certain proof texts
that have been used to uphold precious old
dogmas, or instate and support sects, will
be riddled; but we have no idea that the es-
sental facts and doctrines recorded in the
book will be changed Indeed, we already
have this assurance from the revisers them
selves. Love to God and men will remain
the beginning and end of religion, and obe-
dience to law will be the whole of morality.
The record of the life and death of Christ
will be changed in no essential particular,
and he will still remain what he has always
been. the central figure and the informing
and inspiring force of the religion called by
his name. If the men who call themselves
by other names get a tumble, who cares?
But the great undenisbe fact that Bible
reading Christians, of all names, are wait
ing for the new revision with such interest
that there is not one of them between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans who will not
purchase one at the first opportunity is full
of grateful significance, alike honorable to
themselves and to the self-sacrificing work.
ers who have sustained, without money and
without price, the long and arduous task of
preparing a perfect Bible in the English
language