The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-30
BIBLE REVISION.
A Searching Discussion OF tho Ques-
tion Whether Bible Revision IL a Ne.
TPhiladeiphia Press Report of the Pan-Presbyts
rfan Council

Rev. T. w. Chambers followed with q
paper on Bible revision as follows: "The
authorized version was first printed in
1911, and in the course Of a single genera
tion succeeded In dlsplacing all its rivals
and becoming the acknowledged English
representative OF the original Scriptures.
This position il has maintained until the
present time.
"Yet during the last two centuries many
attempts have been made TO alter or TO SUI
persede ii, ir whole or in part, both by in
| dviduaIs and by companies OF men, and no
small amount Of time and pains had been
employed in these efforts. None OF them,
however, has succeeded. Neither the cha
racter nor position OF their authors, nor the
degree OF learning, judgment, and taste
they have employed, was able to give these
amended versions anything more than a
partisl and temporary circulation. They
soon passed into entire oblivion, or were con-
suited only by scholars, while the old book
daily acquired stronger hold upon the
confidence and affections OF English-speak-
ing Christians. Hence many have been led
| to believe that ii would be always impossi-
BILE TO make change, and when they point
| TO the uDbroken experience OF two hundred
and fifty years it seems hard TO resist their
| conclusions. Yet an organized effort Ter
thorough revision has now been carried on
for ten wears, and, so far as the New Testa-
ment is concerned, has nearly finished its
| work.
"Nor IS there any doubt that the enter
prise will in a few years be completed. viii
! il succeed-that is, will It gain popular IA
yor, and in course OF time supplant the eX-
| istng Bible so as to be recognized by differ
ent lands and various communlons as tie
proper English expression OF Gods most
Holy Word?
"Of course such a question cannot be
| decided in advance, the wisest OF men not
having the gift OF prophecy. Yet there are
several circumstances which encourage
favorable view OF the prospect. The object
OF this paper is to set forth these with as
much fullness as our limits permit.
81. The work is needed. The excel
lence Of the authorized version is very
great, as is shown by the fact OF its early.
widespread, and long continued acceptance
| by those for whom 1t was made and by the
result OF a careful comparison with any
other version, ancient or modern. Still il
| Is not perfect, nor so nearly perfect, as it
might be, as may be seen by turning the
pages of any even moderately critical COM
mentary, where every chapter shows cor
rections Judged necessary, in order to bring
out fully and fairly the sense OF the origl-
npl. 1t is apparent, then, that there Is
real and not a fanced need in the ease. The
English Bible should represent the present
state Of the language and the present stage
Of critical and eXegetical investigation.
go. The revision will be based on an i'm
proved text. The text employed by hing
James's translatOrs was derived from rev
manuscripts, and those OF late date and
abounding with admitted imperfections.
The revision will exhibit what, IN the con-
current Judgment Of It's authors, is the near
est possible approach to the very words
which holy men OF old used in declaring the
will OF God.
"3. The origin OF the enterprise will COM
mend it to public favor. II comes from the
larger OF the two Provinces OF the Church
of England, the eldest daughter OF the
Anglican Reformation and the lineal de-
scendant OF the devout and learned schol-
ars who came together at the call OF king
James.
"a. Unsectarian. Members OF all the
| leading bodies OF Protestant Christians
have been united TO take part in the Work,
and are found cordially and actively co0pe-
rating In its accomplishment. Churchman
and Dissenter, Prelatist and Presbyterian,
independent and Methodist, Baptist and
Padobaptist, the Anglican, the Lutheran,
and the Reformed, they who emphasize
sovereignty and they who put the stress on
human freedom, they who see only unity IN
| the Godhead and they who recognize plu-
rality as well as unity, appear alike In the
list Of the men employed.
as. The international feature OF the work
Is another ground OF encouragement. The
enterprise was begun beyond the sea in
| 1870, but In the next year an American
| Committee of Cooperation was organized,
and since 1872 the committees have been at
work in constant correspondence with each
other, having the same principles and pur.
suius the same objects. This arrangement
gives the American people direct partici-
patton In the authorship Of the work. so
that, when completed, 1t will not come to
them burdened with any prejudice as the
sole product Of foreign land. Onthe con-
trary. America will be able 10 welcome II as
a revision in the preparation OF which It's
own children have borne an honorable ana
useful part.
| "6. The work OF the revisers Is unbam.
pered in every respect. The translators OF
the authorized version were restricted by
authority In regard to certain terms which
had become consecrated by long usage. NO
such restriction Is laid upon the persons
now engaged. The reyisers are responsible
to God, and not to any man or set OF men,
nor have they any concern with conse-
ouences as 10 the way in which the revision
may affect any Church or party. Their
duty is 10 put the reader In possession OF
the truest, fairest, most idiomatic English
| expression Of the living 0racles.
"7. Yet the revision Is conservative.
| With all It's freedom from arbitrary restric-
tions 1t Is revision, and not new lransla-
tIon OF the Bible.
So. The revised Bible will be distin-
guished by its uniformity. In this respect
the authorized is sadly deficient. In many
cases the same proper name Is spelled IN two,
or even three, different ways, and the reader
Is bewildered, II not seriously led astray.
4 Or, again, the same Hebrew or Greek word
lis yariously rendered when there Is no rea-
/ son, rhetorical or logical for the variation,
and sometimes when the force or the ele-
gance Of the passage depends upon the pre-
serving Of uniformity. All this Is changed
IN the new revision. The aim OF It's authors
Is TO regulate the work IS neither to con.
found things that differ nor to create dider'
ences where they do not exist.
"9. The revision will be the result OF ma
ture deliberation. None other has had any.
4 thing like the amount Of time and labor ex.
pended upon II which has been lavished
upon this work on either side OF the Allan
tic, both In the individual studies OF It's su'
tbors aud In their Joint meetings for con-
10. The spirit 10 which the work hasheeu