New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-05
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

said last week iu regard 10 the reception which
the different denominations on this side OF the
water have given tO the revised version OF the
New Testament. One or two somewhat signit
cant things, however, are worthy of notice. At
the last days session Of the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church at Buffalo, the
report covering the work Of the year con-
tanned o reference to the welcome given by the
nations of Christendom to the new version:
Even this it was thought, savored too much OF
an approval of what the religious world is still,
and pro badly will be for many months and per-
haps years, in doubt about, and on the motion
Of the Rev. DIR. William =. Breed, that portion
of the report was stricken out on the ground
that = 1t WAS premature to praise piece OF work
which there had been no time u examine
The COngregatiOnalists, on the other, hand, seem
tO favor the new version, and the question of its
adoption in place Of the authorized version IL
being discussed in some churches. President
Porter Of Yale College. IL is reported, has de-
cded hereafter to use tho revised version at
chapel exercises. If the new version receives
the approval of Yale College, its general adOp-
ton by the Congregational churches would
seem to be only question of time. The ten
dency Ia cling tO what authority and long usage
have cndcarcd tO the British mind Is well Illus
tratcd by the attitude of the majority of the
English press toward the new version. Much
is found in the work of the revising committee
that is unsparlngly condemned. In many in
stances it is claimed simplicity and beauty of
literary style have been sacrificed Tor the sake
of expressions which, though perhaps triiie
more accurate, are comparatively awkward ana
unmusical. With the loss of their rhythm the
familiar lines have lost their life. Some of the
alterations, particularly those i'll the phrase
Ology Of the Lords Prayer, have aroused q
great deal of Indignation and The Saturday
RerieT refers feelingly 10 the "sacrllege OF tam
pcring with the text IN such matters without
excuse of divinity or scholarship Slight
changes which in the opinion of the reyiSers
were necessary in order to make the translation
more accurate but which leave the sense OF the
pa~sa yes the same as before, are condemned be
cause the music of the old lines Is lost and
nothing Is gained except mere grammatical eX-
actncss. ON the other hand, The Spectator says
that revision without changes would haIr been
impossible, and that while some of the altera-
tionS are to be- dcplorcd, the work on the whole
has been well done. The religious press IS non
c0minittal. The opinion Is expressed that
much good will result from the labOrious work
of thu rcvscrs because ObscuIlty III many cases
has been replaced by accuracy but whether
the revised version will ever be generally
adopted or whether it will ever become suili-
ticutly popular to dlSplacc the authorized YER
SION. time alone can tell. The following cX-
tracts show the Drift of English thought:
To defective scholarship alone and to som" ten
deucy To sacrifice. consciously or unc0n~cousy ac-
cur,cy "a variety and freedom, a large number of
ncknow lcdgei errors must be charged. The re-
vi-rrs We think. could not have avoided very con-
siderable change except AT the sacrifice of the para
mount duty Oi faitliuIn| put NLllt'N'I W. may
think on this subject who can doubt that version
winch involves much change " Ill encounter for
nIdaLle dimcuty' Meanwhile, we wish IT
heartily "trudsprrd III no mere conNthLOnal
phIa,c.-lThe Guardian.
Their, i - consciousness of security when sitting
down 10 the latest rm"nlatiOn II Is ionnd tldt
nothing has yet been discovered which can Affect
iu the slightest degree any single doctrine OF the
New Testament. Practically therefore, the verdict
Of the combined scholarship Of the two hcmspher's
j. that We have without important difference the
,t La. tpplltutufs.
proposed viii cans, the New Testament Of the fn-
tnri to dArr in - truth from that Of the past. The
old doctrines are untuuchrd, and the old PROMISES
are unchanged The Waterman.
ly th,ir new arrangement mucl-vcry nuch-of
tia, rhythm and cLdrucr which they 1.-THE rev lNciN
rnilu-a-ically admir-, must De- "hScurcd or lost
ufr,. the reader guides himself by the very diyl.
SION Whirh they have discarded and relrgated Ia the
margin. We haNo spokrn strongly ON these
points hcrau>c We feel strongly on the linpollcy.
and. To- speak. IN" slrrilrgr. OF tnnmrlng WIN
the text IN -ilc matters without excuse OF dlFlnily
or scholarship. Let us now turn 10 the plrasant"r
anal ncr,,,.tr,y hrirfrr task of acknowledging that
the ~ I~rrs have. on the whole despite these I'M
fortunate ius ancrs. restrained their hands from
dnirA mas, hlrf and that they have done much good
IN The Nay of rdrr>-lng oh,lons >iIiS "i iraiiIa-
ton and clearing up u few doubtful placcs-IIhc
saturday Review.
Their. has been curious misunderstanding in
;hr public mind - 10 what wa> expected vi thr Re
Ni,rd New Testament. Many appear 10 THINK That
~, trIu>lltor- were bound I" 'aN' every Pt,.lEt
alone which was cudrnrcd To English associations
b., its beauty and riy thin: INT with mat uni'r-
-iIudiu- no vision need have taken place. W lat
w.t- Wanted Was some new translation. NOT nrcrS-
slulv for adoption IN our churrhrs-Nrry likrly
thr nrW translation may never ID" 30 ad"pt'L-l3
hi.h men of all denominations not acquainted win
III. ON .inll trek could turn IN order To ascertain
- nearly ~ po,,ih" whai The trn" meaning ~ the
best t..yt of The original Grrk really Is Not un-
frequently. u needless change has. We think been
r.4.r l;I'. "u fAr Who", Wo have what "e "'"rd
for .IAr Spectator.
Pa Il Y
cit.iurut which has been CAUSED 10y the Su~pcli-
>lnn of Frufr,Sor V. Robertson smith 10y the
General Assembly of the scotch Free Church
makes his views upon current religious topics
OF unusual interest just now; W'lNG lectures
ON Hlhiral criticism entitled The odd IcSta-
rcut in the Jewish Church. 10y Professor
Smith were recently published III Edihbur@h.
and ia them great many conir"Nnt'd roIh'r
are discussed. OF the character ANA Sr"p'" i
the lectures Tie -iM,HdHm says: Intended Tor
the instruction of the ldty rather than the
clergy they do not aim at being scientific or
learned vet they may do much 10 cnllghtrn
ministers and teachers in otland-a class I'M
duly welded To traditional opinions. Inc hrNt
siN lectures contain general discussions respect
ing the transmission of the Old Testament
aiming the Jews and the collection of It's books
into n canon; the last six deal with the origin
of the three great divisions, the Law, the
Prophets and the llagiognpha. he book
gives "A clear and fair account of these sub
iccts. The narrative is interesting and con-
else the arguments are pertinent, the conclu-
s SION. nc honestly dcduccd. The writer shows an
extensive knowledge of the topics discussed,
the result of wide reading and considerable
rrnertion His competence for the task Is APP
n,rcnt nnd he ranges over the whole field with
iirm tread, enunciating results in no feeble
voice. While dislgrccing with some of Pro-
fcssor Smiths conclusions, The Spectator highly
commcnds the literary character Of the work
and gives an interesting statement OF the thee.
logical position of the author. 1t is book
SAYS THE Spectator, distinguished by marked
ability. by profound learning, 10y clcarners OF
style and inciSiveness of thought. No man
can mistake his meaning, and no one can