The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-06-08
The Revised Version of the
New Testament.
BY REV. H. C. ALEXANDER, D. D.

No. l.
The avidity with which the earliest
issues of the Revised New Testament
have been bought up is one of the most
extraordinary facts in history. 1t is es-
timated that more than two million copies
were sold the second day after its publi-
cation, and for some time it continued to
be true that the demand greatly ex-
ceeded the possibility of immediate sup
ply. The chief significance of this fact
has no relation whatever to the question
of the excellence or effectiveness of the
amended version; but grows out of the
circumstance that no other book has ever
excited the one hundredth Zone is so bold
as to say the thousandth) part of the in
terest throughout the English-speaking
world that is now excited by the Word
of God. A portion of the interest now
exhibited is due, however, incontestably
to the lively and widespread desire to see
what are the extent, the nature, and the
value of the proposed changes in the
English Bible. This alone would be a
sufficient justification for a few articles
such as you have asked of me, intended
to afford information on this subject.
Another reason in apology for such a
series of papers, is the fact that the body
of eminent divines and scholars who have
had this work in charge have been en-
gagged upon it for more than ten years
and now present to us for the first time
the result Of their matured deliberations.
Still another consideration which may
seem to warrant such course is the high
degree Of merit which attaches to the i'm
proved translation now offered in so
many cheap and elegant forms to Eng
lish readers.
The idea Of a revision of the Author
ised Version of the Scriptures is not a
new one. For years past there has been
cry if not for reformation in the
head and members" at least for refor-
nation in the limbs and the minuter fea-
lures. There was nothing unprecedented,
and nothing of necessity radical in such
a demand. King James's Bible itself
was revision of a revision. AS it had
previously Jared with the Greek, the
Chaldee, the Syriac, and the Latin Yer
sions, SO Jared it in course of time with
the first direct rendering of the original
Scriptures into the vernacular English
1t was subjected again and again to more
or less thorough overhauling and amend
ment. Wyclif's labors have prime his
toric Importance because Of their early
date, and because Wyclif gave to the
world the first vernacular Bible in anv
OF the languages of modern Europe. But
Wyclif merely translated a translation.
The Authorised Version owes it's idio-
matte and literary form mainly TO the
genius and courage Of William Tyndale,
and its accuracy $50 far as accuracy NAV
be claimed for it) mainly to the work Of
the Geneva exiles, under the supervision
of the great Swiss theologians and scboI.
ars, especially Of Calvin and Beza. OF
the Swiss doctors the most conspicuous
influence must be ascribed to Theodore
Beza. Tyndale'8 labors were. supple
mented by those which resulted in Cover
dales, and Rogers, and Cranmers, S, and
the Bishops, and the Geneva Bible, and
Rheims New Testament. All the later
versions were after all simply revisions Of
Iyndale. This remark is true to a great
extent even Of King James's or the Au-
thorlsed Version. But King James s
Bible on the whole far surpassed all its