Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-08-25
Manuscripts on Which the Revision
of the Bible is Based.

In sermon on the revision cf !
the Bible Rev. DIR. Rylance, of st.
Marks church, Nep York city,
made the following interesting
statement. respecting the existing
carly manuscripts OF the New ,Tes-
lament. The learned doctor speaks
also approvingIy of the new version,
remarking that the revision was
necessary IN order that the com
mon people as we'll jas the learned
might. understand exactly on what
ground they stood. Hitherto it
has been thought that every word
of the English version of the Bible
was inspired; this belief is passing
away as peop,e become educated
and know that no work of trans
lator can be absolutely perfect.
The autographs Of the Apostles.
have long since faded and disap-
peared- All we have to depend
upon for our translations are cop
les, ancient versions, translations,
and the quotations made by the ia
thcrs of the church. The manu-
scripts of the New Testament are
Of two kinds the uncial, the oldest
class Of manuscripts, written in
capitals and without punctuation,
and the 'cursive' manuscripts, so
called from their being written in
a running hand that began to be
used in the tenth century. Those
of the old class were written be
tween the fourth and tenth centu-
ries, the others after the tenth cen-
tnry-
Of the CD there are $50 IN OK
istence, Of the new about 1900.
The very old and very valuable
:, manuscripts are only five. OF
these the Alexandrian Codcx was
originally discovered at Alexan-
dria, and was sent to King Charles
/. in 1928. It is now in the Brit
ish Museum. Nothing is known
of the origin of this, but it is usual
| ly assigned to the middle of the
fifth century. 1t is much militia
ted, twenty-four chapters of tie
first Gospel, two of the fourth, and
eight of one of the Epistles being
!, missing. The next is Vatican
manuscript, snppcsed to have been
written in the fourth century. A
copy of this was never made till
1868, when a fac smile was issued.
The ndition OF this is much more
perfect. The third manuscript is
that in the National library 1T Par
IS, whittier it was brought by Cath
arinc de- 'Medici. This had been
ovcrwritten-7that is parchment
g had been used for other writings;
but, spite of that. the original has
.. been deciphered. 1t is assigned to
to the early part Of the fifth centu-
ry. The fourth manuscript is that
+ now at Cambridge. This is the
least valuable, as it is much null
tlated, 1t belongs to the sixth
century. The manuscript found ir
,, 1914 III the Convent OF St. Catha-
rinc on Mount Sina. by Tischen-
dorf, and copied by him in 1859, is
, the most valuable Of the FIVE, as il
! contains the New Testament com
0 plete. This is supposed to have
;. been written in the fourth century
None cf these most valuable au-
thorIties were consulted in any O
+ the anglish versions OF the Bible
even in making that of Kins
a James time. The Latin Vulgate
the plentiful cnrsive manuscripts
e and the translations were used
Errors like the Doxology at th'
;, end. of the Lords Prayer had crep
}. into the TRANSACTIONS, even into the
4" Syrian, which was ss old us tin
second century. TIE Latin Vul
5, gate was probably an excellcn
II translation, as it must have beel
: made within a few years of tn
g death of St. John. The change
It that have just been made have onl
/, been made when the weight of au
} thority left no doubt of their neces
9 sity. The text is not question {
9 taste. Of like o. dislike, but of his
toric testimony. expect to sec tn
corrected version win its way int
tie confidence and the respect {
the English speaking people.