The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-31
For the Central Presbyterian.
On the Revision,
ing.

SOOu, 81 Aaii duo yS1 81 oSSIl uC1lNe, DIS
the fine critique by DR.. Dabney in the
last Southern Presbyterian Revie.O. 1t
gives full credit to the revisers for all the
good they have done, but suffers them not
to escape when they have made changes
beyond those needed, or changes for the
worse.
AS was to be expected there have been
criticisms too hastily uttered and too
severe; and concentrations too lavish
We have Scribner's Monthly giving us
its autocratic decision, and making us
feel, as we always do when 4Sc7ibner'S
drops into" a religious discussion, like
quoting certain passage of Scripture
with reference to answering certain char
acters according to their folly" We
are told the Revision is perfect and none
can oppose it but ignorant sentimentalists
who are welded to the past.
Now while there are many changes for
the better, there are also defects and
blemishes, which will, as we think, pre-
vent its taking the place of the one which
has imbedded itself in the heart of the
Church. These show us that the revisers,
with all their scholarship, are human, and
show us also that there were Greek and
Hebrew scholars in the Church before
to-day
There has been reaction from the
eagerness with which it was received, but
the mind of the Church will gradually
swing right and give the Revision its
proper place.
The Revisers have left out texts, i'm
portant texts, on insufficient evidence.
We are slow to believe that these ought
to be expunged, that they were not given
by inspiration from God" and have no
right to place in His word which
"liveth and abideth forever" The bur-
den of proof rests on them. When they
assume the decision of questions which
have been debated and are still debated
by the best critics, they assume too much,
and we deny their right to decide ques-
tons so weighty, unless they give US the
clearest evidence.
They seem also to have yielded too
much to desire for change. This was a
natural result of revising. AS they were
revising they must need do the work
thoroughly. True, Scrl6ner says the
only mistake they made was in not re-
vising the old version entirely away ; but
then they were doing this work for Chris
tian people, not for Scribmer.
Yielding to this desire they have made
many changes that seem useless; in syn
onomous words, in the order of sentences
and phrases. They have made changes
that give us weaker words and less hap
PLY chosen. Some that make bad Eng
lish, though accurate translations-a nat
ural mistake for those fuller of Greek
than English. AS examples of these
various changes, we have completed"
for "ended, made to appear" for
" made manifest, raised up for Gifted
up" aoaterlesS places" for "dry places,
and SO on endlessly.
1t Is vitiated by retaining some mac
curacies and mistranslations of the old
version and by giving us some new trans
lations that destroy their force and make
us feel that they do not express the mean
ing cf those who "speak as they were
moved by Holy Ghost"
Does the new version express our Sa-
viour's meaning in Matt. xvi %?
Is not the new, in Acts XVI: %, out
of keeping with the context, as well as
much weakened in sense?
The old version in Phil. ii: 6, as has
been shown, is incomparably better.
And then Tim. iii 16, is the fly that
spoils the whole and ought to prevent
the adoption of this revision by any
Church until that at least is expunged !;
and the old, in better accord with the
Greek, put in its place.
! 1t does seem strange that now when
the inspiration Of Gods word is attacked
on every side that this strong fortress
should be voluntarily surrendered to the
enemies Of the word. We are inclined
to think this will take its place as a good
commentary, but that it cannot euen
after fifty gears, be the substitute for the
old version.
Everything that helps us to better
understanding Of what the Esprit which
was in them did testify" is to be received
with thankfulness. While no Presbyte-
rian minister will use the new in public
worship till his Church so orders, we may
all pray that pastors and people may, by
comparing Scripture with Scripture,
know more and more Of those Scriptures
which are able to make us wise unto sal
walton. J. w. r.