The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-02
THE BIBLE.


History of the Manuscripts Upon Which 1t
Is Founded.
The appearance of the seventh revis-
ion of William Tyndale's translation of
the New Testament, made three hun
bred and fifty years ago, is the most
noteworthy literary event of the day.
The vast and increasing popularity of
this book is significant. During the
present century about 122, 900, 900 copies
have been issued by the three leading
publication societies of England, Scot
land, and America. The demand in
creases each year, for these societies now
print over 3,95O,000 copies annually.
Even this number is inadequate to sup
ply the popular demand, as is shown
from the supplementary issue of several
hundred thousand copies more by scores
of large publishing houses in these three
countries.
Various schemes toward a revision or
retranslation of the New Testament have
been put forward during the last hun
dred years. In 1894 Anthony Purver,
Quaker, issued new translation, design
ed to remove the ''obsolete, uncouth and
clownish" expressions of the authorized
version; and his work had some merit.
-Four years later Harwood produced
translation, made, as he announced,
''with freedom, spirit, and elegance"
the bathos of which is indicated by
single sample, Luke XIV, IL: ga certain
man had two sons,'' is spread into, GA
gentleman of splendid family and opu-
lent fortune had two sons" Three re-
vised versions were issued in the last
decade of the eighteenth century, but
failed to secure more than transient pub
lie notice. DR.. John Bellamy issued a
mediocre translation in 1918, and DR..
Conquest's Bible, with its many thou
sand corrections, followed it in 1871.
Since then the discussion has grown in
interest and vigor. A number of revis-
ions of single portions have been put
forth, and a few of the whole New Tes-
lament, the most ambitious of which was
that of the American Bible Union in
1862.
Since 1856 efforts have been made at
different times to have the work of re-
vision taken in hand by representatives
of the English Church; but the motions
to this effect, whether in ecclesiastical
convocations or in the House of Com
mons, came to naught. But the public
demand grew apace.
While the general current of discus
sion is turned upon these, it is also inter-
esting to notice the explorations and dis
coveries by paleographists which have
furnished to the great libraries of Europe
the ancient copies that are appealed to
as authorities for the changes now made,
and to sketch the changes in the book
world during the fifteen centuries since
these antique manuscripts were first
written. The revolution in the business
of book-making in general and the
changes of form and material in the
Christian scriptures are brought into
prominence with the publication of a
volume which appeals for the authority
to make its corrections to the times and
the books so long antecedent to the dis
covery and the use of printing.
There is little probability that the
identical leaves on which the apostles
and evangelists wrote were long in ex-
istence. They were doubtless in active
use while they remained in the hands of
the Christians who first received them,
and were soon worn out. The material
on which the Gospels and epistles were
written was undoubtedly the papyrus-
paper which is alluded to in the twelfth
verse of the second letter of John, which
we have already seen to be very fragile
and perishable. OF course it is within
range of possibility that veritable pages
once traced by the hand of an apostle
may still remain, decaying undiscovered
in some obscure spot for we have many
papyrus pages, from buried cities and
ancient tombs, of greater age than these
would possess. But it is not at all likely
that the apostolic autographs were il
existence more than few generations
Jerome remarks of library in Cmsares
thatits papyrus manuscripts had partly
persisted in less than a single century
If this was true of books carefully pre-
served in library, it would be mucE
more likely to be the case with auto
graph letters passing from hand to hanC
and from church to church.
The most ancient Scripture manu-
scripts now in existence are not only
copies, but copies of copies at the thirC
or fourth remove.
In ancient times copying was dis
tinct profession or business, as printing
now is. There were great centers of tn,
copying business, and books were mucl
more largely multiplied than many hav,
supposed in modern times. The fac
that the pursuit was business followed
by many for a livelihood conduced tt
accuracy in the work For mon were