The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-11
REVISION OF THE BIBLE.
An Enterprise of Supreme Import
anee to the Christian World.
who the Revisers Are and How They
Work-Nature of the Changes
That are Being Made In
the Scriptures.

| lish language and Biblical learning Without
disturbing its idiom and vocabulary, is almost
/ com pleted as far rs the Now Testament Is con-
| epfued All done hitherto has been kept q
profound secret. II IL now certain that the re-
yised New Testament will be given to the pub
lie and will he published by the English Uni
versity presses during the early part Of this
year, and just 500 years after the centennial OF
| the publication Of John Wickllifa's Bible.
which was the first complete translation OF
thf Old and New Testaments into English.
| At the last two meetings In December OF the
| New Testament Company OF the American
| Issvisers the eecond revision Of the Book OF
| Revelations was completed. At their next
| session, which will take place this month.
| the committee will consider the final action
| Of the British committee upon their work.
We may still have, however to walt two or
| three yenrs for the entire Bible, as the re-
| vision Of the Old Testament cannot possibly
| be finl 7hed before then. The Old Testament
committee. ut their last meeting, revised for
| the first time the translation Of the Book OF
| Job up to chapter II, verse a.
| Prof Philip Schntf, DID, LID, Professor
| of Sacred Literature mt the Union Theological
Seminary In this city. Is the president of the
American Revision Committee, and Prof.
| George r. Day. DID,, secretary. From a
| statement made by the president OF the COM
| mttee we are able to give tho following Inn
portaut particulars respecting the Anglo
| American Biblical Revision movement:
The Bible revision which Is at present In
| progress Is both international and inter-de-
| nomnational In fts character Mt least so lar
| ns Professionalism is concerned. The Dounl
n, n
| tho one In ilse by tho members OF the Catholic
Church. The Bible now being revised Is the
| authorized Englsh or King James's version Of
| the Scriptures. 1t Is claimed that thi5 and
| oi her versions proceeded from the undivided
| National Caurch OF England before the evan
| geliCnl denominations existed, and before the
| American people had an independent being.
| The Biblical revision commenced on May q,
| 1870 Mt tho Con vocation Of Canterbury. A
| COMMITTEES consisting of representative Bib
| licAl Prestestant scholars WAS appointed
| The leading Bishops OF the Church or Eng
| land, Hebrew and Greek professors In the
| English Scotch and Irish Universlties. and
| the most eminent diviues of tho different
sec's were placed upon 1t. Among the
present English members Of tho committee
| are the Archbishop OF Dublin, the Bishops OF
Winchester Bath and Wells, st. Andrews,
LlnndaH Gloucester and Bristol, and Sails
hurry; the Deans OF Canterbury, Westminster,
Rochester and Lincoln, ProHs. Davidson, Biz
reil, Cheney, Leathes, Psrowne, Robertson,
Smith. Wright, LiRhtfoot, Palmer and Roberts,
and others equally learn5d or celebrated as
scholars or authors. 1t was found expe-
pedlent to divide the committee into two
Companies" Those members who were cell
ebrated for their knowledge OF Hebrew were
placed upon the Old Testament company. and
those best acquainted with the Greek exege-
sis undertook the New Testament revision.
Recognizing the necessity OF the universal nc
ceptaton OF the revision, when completed, by
all the English speaking population OF Prot
eBtantdom, the committee opened cOrrespOn-
dence with the most learned divlnes OF the
various religious denominations In the
United States, and In 1871 an American com
mttee was organized. 1t began active opera
tions In October 1872. Since that date 1t has
privately met once d month for two or three
days at its own rooms In the Bible House.
| Like the English revision committee. it Is
divided into two portions. Prof. William
Henry Green, OF Princeton, Is the chairman
and Prof. Geo. r. Day secretary OF the Old
Testament Company, OF which nearly all OF
whose members are professors OF Hebrew In
the principal theological colleges OF the E ist-
ern States. Among these are Professors
Aiken, Conant, De Witt, Hare, krauth, Lewis,
Mead, O5good, Packard, Stowe, Chambers,
Strong and Van Dyck. E1- President Theo-
dore ID. WGOsey OF Yale Is chairman OF the
New Testament company; Professors Charles
Short and J. II. Thayer are the secretaries.
Professors Burr, Chase Timothy Dwight,
Kendrlck. Riddle, Schaff and Washhurn are,
| together with Bishop Alfred Lee of Delaware
and Chancellor Howard Crosby, the other
members OF the New Testament committee.
| The British and American committees are In
constant correspondence with each other
"They do not intend" says Prof. Schaf, "to
| Issue two separate and distinct revisions. but
| one and the same revision for both nations"
Since the commencement OF their afduOuS
labors, the committee has had over hum
drcd OF the most competent Biblical scholars
| connected with 1t, At the present moment
there are twenty-Beven Americans and fifty
two active English members.
| Prof. Schan states that the object OF this in
ternational enterprise has been forced on by
the very great advances which have been
made within the last thirty years In textual
criticism, Greek and Hebrew phtlology in
Biblical geography and archaeology. The
present state of the English language Is al
together different to whatit was In 1911, when
King Jamess version was issued. In Prof.
Schaff's own words speaking on behalf OF the
committee: ut is not the intention to furnish
anew version (which Ii not needed and would
not succeed; but conservative revision OF
the received version, SO deservedly esteemed
as far as the English language extends.
The new Bible is to read like the
old, end the sacred associations connected
with 1t are not to be disturbed; but within
these limits all necessary and desirable cor
rections and improvements on which the best
| scholars are agreed will be introduced; a good
version is to be made better; clear and ac-
eurate version clearer and more accurate; the
| oldest and pureSt text Is TO be followed err
rors, obacurities and Inconsistencies are to be
removed; uniformity In rendering Hebrew
| ana creek words and proper names to be
| sought. In one word the revision Is to give,
In ldiomatic English, the nearest possible
| equivalent for the original Word OF God as it
came from the inspired organs Of the Holy
| Spirit
| Shortly after the united committees COM
| nenced operations, the following eight prin-
ciples were agreed upon to guide them in
| their labors:
| l. To introduce as few VIBRATIONS as possible
into the text OF the authorized version consist
emily with falthfulness.
| D., To limit as far as possible the expression Of
such alterations to the language OF the author
3. Each company to go twice over the portion
| time finaiy
A. That the text to be adopted be that for which
| the evidence fs decidedly preponderatory, and
hat when the text 50 adopted ffers from that
| from which the authorized versf n was made,
| the alteration be indicated in the margin
| s. To make or retain no change In the text
| on the second revision by each company, ok.
4 cent tIC-fhirdG of fhOga ft,,