, 1880-12-26

pocTREh POINTS MADE CLEARER By A
AoHE INTELLIGENT KSOWLEDGE OF THE
ORIGINAL.
10 the Hditor Of 1ne Chicago Tribune.
CHICAGO, Dec. e2.-The discussions theo-
logical Of the present day remind me very
fo1cibly of the old story Of the question pro
pounded many years ago to the scientific
nyants Of certain Kingdom. The query
raised was: *'Why does fish weigh more in
the water than out Of it?" Much time was
SPENT and various theories advanced, to
answer the postulate, until some matter-of-
fact fellow thought he would actually try
he experiment, and so demonstrated the au-
dacity Of the proposition.
Now conceive the same common-sense
test will prove many Of the so called theolog-
ical propositions, and the theories and dis
eussions which spring from them at the pres
ent dry, to bo equally foolish and absurd.
suppose it may be safely assumed that all
Christian theological propositions rest upon
some first premise OF authority, and that au-
thority the so-called .sHoly Scriptures Of
the Old and New Testament" Before We
theorize and discuss any longer, therefore,
let us try common-sense experiment,-an
experiment.. by the way, that any scholar who
Is really honest in notwithstanding, and who
has the time and patience. can try for him
self. 1t is simply weighing in common
sense manner these so-called "Scriptnres !"
in the grammatical scale Of language accord
Ing to fixed standards, and discovering
whether one so-called translation from the
original will stand the commonly accepted
tests grammatical and exegeticaL
Why do we need TO wait longer for con-
tensus Of prejudiced theology to agree as to
what they will allow US to have in the way
Of a revision? II the first premise assumed
Is frue, that ''Tie Scriptures are the in
sptred word OF God" we want it, and sTe
Eant it all, and we want it just as It is, un-
Now propose to translat. from the Greek
Of the *'Septuagint F" and from the Greek
Of the best text Of the New Testament a few
"pivotat" passages. end, placing them in
1uxtaposition with the same passages as rem
dered III the present version, let them speak
for themselves to sincere trl1th-seekers. I
thall avail myself only of the usual classical
tests Of translations, rejecting all adyentitious
aids OF s0-called theological comment and
TIE gran11nars> made. to support the conclu-
satisfied that eau defend myself from ad-
Terse criticism, standing, as do, upon the
vantage ground OF a general harmony OF
ScripturM teaching and the common classical
asage of language.
Genesis read III the King James version rs
follows:
ne earth.
And the earth was without form and void:
md the spirit OF God moved upon the face OF
tie waters
4nd God said, Let there be light, and there
Ns light
Correctly translated they read as follows:
~ Ia sovereignty God mnde the heavens and
Nov the earth was invisible and united for
aantedon, and darkness Was upon tho abyss
Ano Gods spirit moved upon the water.
ms light.
The first and second clauses Of the twenty
il1a iG11a verse Of this same chapter reads as fol-
n~s IN the King james version:
And God said. Let us make man in our image,
01ef our likeness
Correctly translated this passage reads:
ana God said, Let us make man according to
vaf image and according to q becoming like.
e., according to process of conformity.
Inc seventh verse Of the second chapter
y :, ta tSenesls reads In the King James version
~ and the Lord God formed man OF the dust Of
tae ground and brcathed into his nostrils the
~cs1a Fife; and man became living soul.
Correctly translated the passage reads:
s1s ana God nodded the man dust from the earth,
H. ~ oseatned into his face breath OF life, and
81 man became living being.
MI ihe e,s same language Is used OF all the ami
sGSaufg VI chapter, i. e, they all, man includ-
- ZIP bpeeame living beings or organisms in
bem pea III 1ife resides, life which Is common to
~ tIhe h twentieth verse Of the third chapter
follows: - 1AAnt' 'e'nee 'e1o'on A8''@1' -
e,nss maa !: Adam called bis wlfe's name Eve, be-
,'e ~ sne Was the mother Of all living.
Correctly translated this reads: