Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-02-23
THE REVISION OF THE NEW TEST
AMENT

an interest for all English-speaking peo-
ple--the revision of the English New
Testament 1t began with resolutions
of the Convocation of Canterbury at
session held on May 5, 1870. They were
to the effect that it was desirable that
revision of the authorized version of Holy
Scripture should be undertaken; that
no changes should be made but such as
faithfulness required; that the style of
the language of the existing version
should be closely followed, and that the
cooperation of scholars of other nations
and other religious bodies should be in
vited
A committe of eight Bishops and eight
presbyters was appointed to carry out
thesessresolutions, of whom three Bishops
Winchester, Gloucester and Bristol, and
Salisbury, together with the Prolocutor
of the lower house, now Dean of Linch-
field, the Dean of Canterbury (Dr. AL
ford), the Dean of Westminster, and
Canon Blakesley (now Dean Of Lncoln),
formed the original New Testament
Company. At the first meeting OF the
united committee twenty-one scholars
were elected as members of the New
Testament Company. The same year
companies were formed in America to
cooperate with the English companies;
consisting of fifteen eminent American
scholars, Both the English and the
American Company contain members of
the larger religious bodies in the two
countries respectively. About half of the
added members of theBritish companies
were members of the English Church.
In the American companies the various
religious bodies are pretty equally repre-
sented.
The mode of working between the two
companies is interesting. The English
company first revised the Greek text and
the translation, examining together every
verse and every word. This was done at
the rate of about forty verses a day, and
it took six years to complete the first
revision. AS each portion was completed
copies were sent to the American COM
pany, who in due course sent back their
criticisms and suggestions. These were
carefully considered during the second
revision, which occupied two years ana
half. As the various portions of the
second revision were completed, they
were sent to America, and the Americans
sent back further criticisms and sugges-
tions, which were in turn carefully con
sidered. At last the revised version Was
sent over to America in its final form,
and the American brethren sent back in
return list of passages in which they re-
cord their preference for other renderings
than those adopted by the English Com
pany. These, it is understood, will be
found at the end of the revised New Testa-
ment to be issued by the university press
eS
The meetings Of the English company
began each day at II o'clock and closed
at 6. After prayer, the minutes of the
previous meeting were read and conform
ed A verse was then read from the
authorized version. Any proposals for
changes in the Greek text were made,
discussed and voted upon; and then any
chances in the renderings of the English
translation. At the first revision a ma
jority of the members present decided all
changes. At the second revision all
these changes were liable to be reconsid-
cred, and then no disputed change, either
in the Greek text or in the revised trans
lation, was affirmed unless majority Of
two-thirds of the members present ap-
proved it. This rule was laid down at
the outset, and gave a great preponder-
ance, not unreasonably, to the authorized
version. At the same time it was likely
to end in retention of readings and rem
derings which a decided majority of the
company deemed the less satisfactory. It
is obvions to remark, also, that under
such a rule many a rendering was likely
to be retained, not because the author
lied version is the best possible, but be-
cause it was not found practicable to bit
upon expressions which were deemed
by two-thirds of the company to be pre-
ferable to the authorized Sometimes,
too, as it may be supposed, the rhythm
and sacred associations of the authorized
version would be likely to carry the day
against rendering that had possibly great
er technical accuracy on their side Most
readers will rejoice in the conservative
influence of these rules, and they have
certainly ended in the more careful ex-
animation of every word of the New
Testament, whether in the English or in
the Greek.
The meetings of the English Company
were GENERALLY held, by the courtesy of
the Dean of Westminster, in the Jerusa-
lem Chamber, a room belonging to the
Deanery. Here met the Assembly of
Divines in 1913; and, in 1859, the COM
mission to revise the liturgy of the Eng
lish Church. Some Of the greatest Eng
lish theologians of all schools have as
sembled within its walls, and many emi-
nent men have here lain in state on their
way to their final resting place in the
adjoining abbey. A room richer in ap-
propriate historical memories is not to be
found in England.
The New Testament Company has met
ten times year during the last ten
years, for four days each time, and gen.
orally for seven hours each day. It may
be said, therefore, that they have given
400 working days to these conferences,
in addition to much individual previous
preparation. And as this work has been
done without fee or reward by busy men,
they deserve on that account alone the
haartv fhanko of oil tho oburobo,