The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-26

) ton ever issued from the press. Or Saturda
5 last, the first day the work was put on SALE
5 100000 copies were disposed of in London
, and 100000 were sent out of New York. Sue
was the demand Tor the first copies that tn
newspaper reporters and book sellers workes
the whole night of Friday, and the Chicago
Times published the Revised Testament in full
in its Sunday edition. The book is not &
new version, but merely revision. 1t il
simply renewed of the work that has been
going on in England since 1926. The pres
ent accepted version was published in 1911
and forty-segen divines of the Church of Eng
land were engaged upon it. The best Of all
versions up to this time is the King james.
1t was an Improvement on those which pre-
coded it, and brings us nearer to the true
spirit of the original. The Geneva Bible held
its place for long time, and now 1t has been
thought proper to revise that work and bring
it up to the present stage of the English Ian
guage and biblical scholarship.
| The difference between the King James and
| the Revised is that in the former the Greek
| text, found in the manuscript of the fifteenth
century, was not SO extensive as now. Many
manuscripts have since been brought to light
which are older and more reliable, and which
have been made use Of In the present revision.
The oldest and purest text has been selected.
There is not single change of the text which
alters or unsettles the doctrine of our holy
faith. The changes merely embrace minor
matters, but these changes are worth all the
trouble expended upon them.
All real errors Of translation discovered by
present scholarship have been corrected in the
revision. These errors are most frequent in
Job, in the Prophets and in the Psalms. The
Greek and Hebrew languages are better un-
derstood to-day than ever before, and by rea.
son of that understanding many inaccuracies
have been corrected The revision more close
ly observes consistency. In the King James
version the same words are translated in
half dozen ways, whilst in the revised more
uniform sgnifcation is given them. The
names of coins have been mistranslated and
mixed. Words different in themselves have
been translated as one. Forinstance, Gehenna
and Hades are both translated hell in the
present version. In the revision, Gehenna is
He'll, but Hades is the place ofdeparted spirits.
So likewise there is a difference between
demon and devil though they are COMPOUNDED
in the King James version. The obsolete
phrases and expressions of the present YER
sion have been gotten rid Of The italics
which do not properly belong to the text have
been reduced about one-half and the matter
has been changed into paragraphs
In conclusion the speaker stated that the
members of the Old Testament Committee
would not complete their task for three or four
years yet The work they were engaged upon
was as important as that which had just been
sent out.
The Assembly passed vote of thanks to
Dr. Schaff for his very entertaining address,
and after some routine business and devotion
al exercises adjourned until o'clock p. m.
NIGHT SESSION.
A night session of the General Assembly
was held Tuesday at 8 p. m. DR.. Heyt, in be-
half of the committee on Bills and Overtures,
reported number Of overtures, among which
was one from the Montgomery Presbytery,
information as to whether the de-
liverance of the Assembly of 1877 on dancing
had been repealed or in any way affected 10y
any subsequent action Of the Assembly. An
answer was recommended to the effect that
the deliverance has not been in any degree
revoked OF in any shape altered.
The committee recommended to the Assem-
oily the establishment of new Synod, to be
known as that of South Georgia.
The overture from the Presbytery of West
Hanover asking for instructions as to the le
yality of man marrying bis deceased wife's
sister was asked to be dismissed by the COM
nittee.
Dr. Hoyt said that the Rev. A. V G. Schenck
Of the Presbyterian Historical Society Of Phil
adelphia was present, and presented paper
setting out the important work of that society,
and urging the cooperation of the Southern
Presbyterian church with it.
Dr. Adger OF the committee ON correspond
ence reported reply to the telegram of con-
CALCULATIONS from the convention of United
Brethren presided over by Bishop Glossbren-
ner of Augusta county, Virginia, now in ses-
sion in Lisbon, Iowa.
The debate on Retrenchment and Reform
was then resumed but no vote was reached.
Sixth Day.
The Assembly met again Wednesday morn
ing at a. m. The Auditing Committee re-
vouchers of the treasurers of Home and For
eign Missions and of Publication. The assets
Of the Publication Committee were stated to
be $50, 71050, the liabilities of the committee
1856, 96663.
The Auditing Committee further reported
Of the Tuscaloosa Institute.
The Committee on theological seminaries
made report, endorsing the election of DR..
B. NJ Palmer, of New Orleans, to the chair of
Pastoral Theology in Columbia Seminary.
The committee further recommended the
by the Assembly, of the owner
ship and control of the Columbia Seminary to
the Synods of South Carolina, Georgia and
Alabama.
A long and animated debate ensued on the
propriety of the Assembly affirming that por-
ton of the committees report which expressed
The hope that DIR. Palmer would see fit to
leave New Orleans for Columbia
In this debate Dr. Girardeau, Dr. j. Leigh
ION Wilson, DR.. W E. Boggs, of the board of
trustees for the Columbia Seminary, and Dr.
Mack of the same board spoke in favor of the
Assembly urging upon DR.. Palmer the i'm
portance of his accepting the professorship.
Dr.. Girardeau's address was one of the finest
ever delivered before deliberative body
Rev. M. B. Shaw, of La, Rev. J. T. David
son, of the same State, Mr.. W. Z. Lyman,
ruling elder of DR.. Palmer's Presbytery, and
others, made vigorous protest against such
action by DR.. Palmer, on the ground that he
was fulfilling larger sphere of usefulness in
his present work in the territory of the south
west.
DR.. Adger stated that it was absolutely nee
essary that the Assembly should either ratify
or reject DIR. Palmer's election
The report of the committee was adopted,
with an amendment striking out the clause
that the Assembly express the hope that DIR.
Palmer will accept"
Row Dr " n Gobar,1 Of +1,o Dro,l,,-+a..o..