Morning journal and courier., 1881-05-06
The Bible Revision.

Work and Its Authors.
 We learn that the revised edition of the New Testament will be ready for distribution in this country on the 17th of May, and that the agents of the University Press in this country Nelson & Co.,, of New York, are al- ready in receipt of orders for 100 ,O00 copies, and expect, from all indications, to receive orders for 100, GOO more before that time. These are printed in England. Several American reprints are also already an- nounced The American revision committee declined to take out a copyright. The field is therefore not closed to American pub fishers, who are not slow to appreciate that fact, but of course the American committee are not responsible for any but the edition authorized jointly by them and the British committee It may not be uninteresting to recall few facts in referen to this great work, the revision of the Old and the New Testaments
 No new translation of the Bible, as all are aware, has been made since the present or King James translation, accomplished ln 1911. The next revision was begun ten years ago, and for ten years therefore the body of eminent scholars who assumed the great
 task has been engaged upon this work, some
 thirty of whom are American. Our city IS
 honored with having three of these translat-
 ors-ex-President Woolsey and Prof. Dwight on the New Testament, and Prof. George B. Day, member of the Old Testament com
 mittee. For ten years past this body of l thirty American scholars has met two ! days in every month, except during the
 heated terms, in the Bible House, New York, | in pursuance of their labor of love, for such
 it is, they declining compensation and receiv-
 ing nothing except bare expenses. The same
 amount of scholarship and time devoted to
 field bringing pecuniary compensation com | mensurate with it's value would command a | large price, and yet, as stated, the committee give their services to the world. Many of the
 members of the committee are not dependent upon small or other salaries, and know not l the chill blast of penury, although the work | is often heavy tax upon them with their | other professional duties. Butsome of the l members of the committee have limited sal l aries, which are their sole means of support. Had the committee chosen to take out copy right, as urged to do, it would have | brought each 8 small fortune, but they freely determined that their labors should be
 free and without pay or emo1ument, although l the course was by some thought questionable. The time devoted by the committee in ses- | sions in New York is only a fractional part
 of the actual work involved, the preparatory
 work being necessarily extensive and requir-
 ing close application, and the best fruits of fhair voarS Of raSaaroh and soho1orchin Tf is an interesting sight to see these bodies of
 scholars of different denominations busy in their session rooms comparing notes. Each
 member comes prepared upon the same DOT l tion of scripture. Sometimes, as may be
 imagined, the progress is quite rapid, no sential difference of opinion arising, but again l over some passages hours are consumed.
 Each body meets separately, the Bible revis- | ion committee in one room and the New Tes-
 lament committee in another. They have
 before them the changes made by the English committee to accept or reject. The results of the revision work by the American con-
 mittee are transmitted to the British com-
 mittee for their acceptance or rejection, after comparison with the English translation. If not accepted the American committee is mo- | tified and the British translation is examined. | If the American committee insists the version l of the English committee, who originated ! the movement for the revision, is retained,
 but the reading settled by the American con-
 mittee will be printed as supplementary mat ter in the authorized version, for the accom-
 modation of all in this country who wish to
 see the differing results. There are no es-
 sential differences or doctrinal points, or on
 material questions.
 Several different repubIications in this
 country of the version printed under the di- rection of the revision committee are an- nounced, and we have seen it stated some where that the new New Testament will be printed in one edition by the New York HerGId. A part of the changes will not at-
 tract notice except upon critical examina- tion. It will be the same book to the general reader, but nevertheless containing a great many changes interesting to the Bible stu dent and the substitution of modern for ob- solete words.
 It will be three or four years before the revised Old Testament will be ready for pub lication.
 Not all remain of the body of scholars who ten years ago began this important work to the Christian world Of their number sev eral have passed away, including the lament cd Prof. Hadley of New Haven, Rev. Dr. Washburn of New York, Prof. Rackett and others.