The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-07
For the Central Presbyterian.
" The American Bible Society
Attacked

A ".0"'y O~t has recently Trans
erred to its columns (where it probably
had hundred thousand readers) COM
municatlon that originally appeared in
the independent over the full name OF
Leonard Woolsey Bacon, who is, be-
lleve, Congregationalist minister OF
some prominence.
Amongst the remarkable statements
contained in that communication are the
following: "The Revision will demon
strate how utterly unnecessary is this
enormously rich, expensive, and respect
able, but not lively corporation for the
production of Bibles" The Revision will
make it plain by practical experiment
that the American Bible Society is "the
principal hindrance to the circulation OF
the Scriptures. O 1.-THE Revised New
Testament will perhaps be the occasion
OF demonstrating the imbecility, the luna
tic idiocy, (pardon the inadequacy of the
expression) that directed the form of con-
stitution of the Bible Society, and of all
the Societies that are fashioned on that
model. BY dexterous avoidance of di-
visive questions, by backing down from
their right and duty for fear of an agita-
ton, the management of the Society have
kept from the knowledge of the public
the grave fact that it's constitution is rot
ten in every timber; which are fol-
lowed by the yet more remarkable state
ment-"I seriously believe this fat, over
grown, lazy monopoly to be a public
nuisance; hindering the circulation in
this country, and accomplishing nothing
In any country that would not be better
done II 1T were removed I'll 1 sincerely
hope that Rev. Leonard Woolsey Bacon
feels better since he has gotten rid of all
this bile, which has evidently been &C
cumulating for sometime in his stomach.
My feelings on reading this fierce and
bitter arraignment of the American Bible
Society were those of mingled surprise
pain, and indignation of surprise, at
its boldness; of pain, that minister of
the gospel should lend his name to such
an attempt to discredit one of the noblest
institutions in our country-one that for
seventy-five years has been scattering its
blessings all over the land by circulating
untold millions of the Word of God ex-
actly at the cost Of production when sold,
besides vast numbers gratuitously and
OF indignation, when the object became
manifest, which is nothing more nor less
than to aad ring of greedy 6ook-pub-
I1shers to reap q golden harvest out of the
Revised New Testament, which the said
book-publishers are now actively engaged
in pressing upon the American public at
prices Just about double those at which
the American Bible Society and its aux
iliaries furnish New Testaments of sim
liar size and style of binding.
None but such as are perfectly blind
can tail to see that tremendous pressure
has been brought to bear upon many of
the leading minds Of this country, to en-
gage their influence in securing the &C
ceptance at the earliest possible dan of
the Revised New Testament. This the
ook-publishers hope to accomplish in a
variety of ways, not the least important
Of which is to get the American Bible
Society out of their way. In doing this,
it becomes necessary to disparage the Yer
sion IN common use by pointing out and
magnifying its alleged faults and imper-
fections; at the same time claiming SUI
perior excellence for the Revision, for
these book-publishers we'll know that
until this superiority has been well es-
tablished in the public mind, it cannot
De expected that the old will be given up
for the new. Hence we see many min
listers Of the gospel, some big and some
little Doctors of Divinity, preaching up
and writing up the new Revision with a
zeal worthy of a better cause, and some
times as though the cause of truth and
righteousness were in danger of suffering
unless the public made haste to procure
this marvellous Revision that is to ac
complish such wonders. But when these
good people are asked to show any i'm
provement of the new over the old Yer
sion; what new truth has been brought
to light, or what old truth has been made
clearer to readers Of the English Bible,
the answer is by making vast parade
of learning, and talking about the " SCI
ence of biblical criticism" about purer
Greek text, and about aInciaI and cursiye
manuscripts lately discovered. But they
do not show where this amazing new
" science of biblical criticism" comes in to
enable reader of the English Bible to
understand it better; nor do they show
in what way the mind of the Divine
Spirit that inspired these Scriptures has
been communicated to the revisers of
1881, more clearly than to those of the
Authorized Version so as to make any
Improvement in the translation of the
original tongues. After ALL this is the