The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-06-02

DR. A. q. GEOaGP,
Formerly or wheeling, on the Revised
TRANSLATION,

Ifhhblhtlou'
The Chicago Tribune reports in full q
serm IN preached in Centenary Methodist
Church, on the new revision OF the
Scriptures, by Rev, A, O. George, D. D,
one OF the former pastors Of Fourth
Street Church, in this city. We give q
few paragraphs which will be Of Interest
TO u readers;
OF the genuineness, interrupted preser-
%vation, authenticity, inspiration and com.
pletsness for q cody lie and an immortal
hope OF our Bibles We have no question
whatever. The general correctness Of our
authorized translation Is also beyond dis.
pule. The alirmatiOns OF the best scholars
on these points are clear, positive and
conclusive. Its language is simple, direct,
perspiCuOua, level to the comprehension Of
all classes, but possessed OF an abiding
charm for The most cultured. No book
has 30 seized on the public mind and heart,
1t has been the great educator oilthe com.
mon people, aud 1t has determined the
style and expression OF religious thought,
1t Ia associated with the mebnories OF our
childhood; II IL the strength and support
OF our mRturer years, and 1t Ia our ConsOlR'
ton and trust when the shadows Of death
thiCken about our pathway.
Recently this same old Bible has under.
gone q revision, and the character OF the
Iabors OF the learned and ConseCrated men
who have devoted q decade OF years to this
task is now being subjected 10 the test Of
the public Judgment. II this be q new II
IL not altogether a strange thing, Our Eng
lish Bible 10 the growth OF years and gen.
pTAtions,
What OF this new revision? Ia the cues.
ton on every lip; does 1t preserve intact
the old doctrines? and, despite the
changes, does 1t maintain the rhythm and
music Of the dear cid Bible Of our child.
hood? OF orthodox teachings 1t may be
said that they rest on the uuquestioned
utteranCes Of the Greek original, and the
more accurate and unmlStakable the trans.
lstion tho more distinctly are the funda.
mental truths declared. No article oil
Christian faith Ia %impugned or dlsCredited
in the slightest degree by the labors Of the
Canterbury revlsers. And go far as style
Is concerned, though some passages read q
little strangely, yet, In the main, II sounds
like The old book, as well as teaches the
old doctrines.
Methodiats, / think, especially, ought
10 bear In mind that oAe OF the best re-
visions OF ON authorized version was
made by John Wesley, and more than any
other single book II has given character 10
Methodist preaching and experience for
more than q century. Mr.. Wesley's
"NOtes on The New Testament" have been
published and circulated In Europe and
America by hundreds OF thousands. In
his preface, after bearing testimony to the
general excellence OF the English transla.
ton, he says: "Yet | do not say 1t Is In.
capable OF being brought, Ia several places,
nearer the original, Neither will ! affirm
that the Greek copies from which this
translation was made are always the most
correct. And therefore ! shall take the
liberty, as occasion may require, 10 make
here and there q small alteration" This
preface Ia dated January 1, 1854, and iB,
therefore, l27 years old. Mr.. Wesley had
seen and studied Bsngel's Gnomon, and
his translation and commentary are based
upon it, but he was without the advanta'
ges Of modern researches and criticisms
enjoyed by the Canterbury reVisers, es-
peCially In relation to the character otthe
original text. A comparison OF the two
versions develops some remarkable re-
suits, One OF the learned gentlemen
employed In the recent version exults In
the fact that "castGwAy" has gone out o.
the New Testament: that "atonement,"
In Romsns ", II, has become recon
Citation; that the "beasts' OF the Reve'
lations have changed into Giving crea'
tures''; that "chsrity," In j. Corinthians
kill, has bIossomed into "love"; that "by.
Tin Matthew xiii, 81, now reads
"gtraightway"; that damned" has given
place TO CONDEMNED" In Romans xiv,
20; and that "let," IN Romans l., ID, now
reads "hindered." Very well, let US oil
rejoice; but, at the same time, let 1t be
Remembered that Mr.. Wesley made every
one OF these changes in l764, and that
they are entirely familiar to every Metho'
dist student OF divinity.
Mr. Wesley translates hades" hell where
Il occurs In the Gospels, but Ia the Acts
III, 81 and 81, In l Col, Nv, IS, and In the
numerous places In the Revelation 10
which 1t APPEARS, behaves II ~rntransIated.
The Canterbury r%eVlserR are consistent and
right in transferring the word everywhere
into the English text; for d word which
mesps "tle invisible world, the domRin
Of the dead" cannot juotilsbly be rem.
dered "heIl, " In the popular and theology.
cal n Of that word-namely: q place OF
torment. This does not, however, atiecta
particle the doctrine Of %retribution beyond
The grave, and the final and hopeless pun.
ishment Of the ungodly. The proof pass:
ages OF that doctrine remain In their full
force. D. Whedon, l may add, who is
HIGH authority not only In Our Church, but
in Inc general theological world, says m.
phaticslly, "Hades should never be rem
dered hell" This revision, therefore,
brings no new things on this subject to
MetIIodist ears.
On the whole, The eminent scholars and
devout men who have produced the re-
vision oil 1881 have done an exceedingly
good wotk. They have kindled o light
which will chine down the ages. In some
tbirps, doubtless, they have made mis-.
takes, some rendefings, IL may be, are
without sufficient justification, and In
some instances 1t will perhaps DO found
that the best form Of words has not been
chosen 10 express the inspired Thought In
the English idiom. But the service which
thew have rendered to the Christian wotld
and the following generations Of English
speaking people is Of i%nestimable value.
desire 10 express my hearty sympathy
| with the American portion Of the Com
mittee IN the suggestions contained Ia the
appendix. The revision would have been
vastly improved II tie ideas Of American
schOiats had been accepted. H..
"Thefe is 0 common opinion" said
President Eliot az a commencement din.
ner Of Harvard University q year or two
ago, " that The interest in the great hemes
Of God and Immortality, and life and death
has died out. That is not al all true. On
the contrary, there never was . time, In
nv opinion, when the interest in thess
subjeots VA kesnst and more %tinivetsalN
II these words Of President Eliot needed
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