New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-31
THE REVISED VERSION.
THE STATE OF ENGLISH OPINION.


TO THE WORK OF THE REvIsERs-soME NOTE
WORTHY ALTERATIONS OF TIE TEXT-srRpNG
LANGUAGE FROM TIE CHIEF CONSERVATIVE
JOURNAL.
lFRoH THE RE, ULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBUNEl
LONDON, May 20.-What is called the Revised
Version Of the New Testament has appeared this
week Tho revision has been eleven years in hand,
the revisers being a committee appointed by the
ConvOcatiOn Of Canterbury in 1870 Archbishops,
Bishops, Archdeacons. Professors, Deans, plain
olergymen. ecclesiastical persons Of every rank and
Of various theological schools on the commit
tee. Some Of the best biblical scholars Of England
it. An American committee, itself
composed of accomplished and learned persons,
lent it's help. All these men have beyond doubt de-
voted themselves TO the task they undertook They
have been diligent in business and in intention at
least serving the Lord The last point is one on
which should be the last to pronounce opinion.
Neither on that nor the innumerable points OF
scholarship that had to be settled. still less on
theological niceties have word to say. But |, in
common with all Americans and all Engishmen.
very directly interested in any attempt at
altering, whether for better or worse, one of the
great mOnu tents of English literature. The trans
ation made under King James whateyerese it may
be, is a masterpiece of English prose. The men who
made it may or may not have known Greek, but
they knew English, and in these days he must be
bold man who presumes to question their mastery of
their native tongue or to improve upon their die
tion. Yet that, among other things, Is what this
Revisory Committee have done. They have not
been content rcctfy obvious Of translation
They have set themselves to mending the style of
the old writers, to strengthening their syntax,
10 consuming their choice of words to modifying the
rhythm Of whole sentences and passages in short
10 undermining the old version tits this part of their
work on which alone | comment and rs to which
rejoice to say they have been met with chorus Of
diSapproyal from everybody who has yet spoken.
The papers cry ont with one voice against them.
Short il the time since the new book came ont,
it ias proved long enough for great fa of minute
criticism and comparison. AnybOdy'tan take pas
sacrs of the new and contrast them with the old.
Wherever hr takes them. he will find the same
general charactcrlstics in the reysion-thc same
rashne,s, the want Of respect for what is old
the same strange deficiency of literary capacity aud
OF form, the same profanty-I can
Use other word-in dealing with forms of speech
held sacred by millions AMI millions of people, II
is 10 bc said Of the Rryi,ers with respect 10 this part
Of thor tlok a. Mr. Trcyclyan says of George ILL.,
in administrative business. They have done tlcir
work indrfatisa Is, consricntiously, aud badly
1t could possibly be- done.
TIE REyisrEs' RULES
Wien The Ecvscrs entered upon their lahors they
laid down for themselves rules which implied
feeling on their part Of respect not to sag rcyrr
cuco for the old text. II they had adhered TO these
rules, or hal even workra in the spirit of them. the
"rryisrd" version would have been very different
thing tr N what il now is; and a better But they
have not adhered to them. They seem. in many in
stances, tO have forgotten them altogether. The
two most important rules were these:
To- intr"fnr" as frw alteration. ~ possible in the
ness
= To limit as far ro-sl the oppression o. such
alterations 20 The language Of the authorized and earlier
English versions.
1t IL perhaps worth noting that each Of these two
declarations, formal though they are drawn up
deliberately. is clumsy in phrase and. in fact, am
biruons They come + ON the hands of tho very
men 70 whom the great and delicate task Of revising
the text of the Scriptures committed. and 1t
was not of good omen that faults Of expression
should he found in the very programme they
drew M. But that would have been
small matter. if the letter and meaning of
these early professions had been borne in mind
and acted upon as the work proceeded In
thc preface TO the book now published, these rules
are repeated ard the reader is lod to understand
that in the opinion Of the revirrs they have been
faithfully obcyrd. Unhappy, he can hardly turn
to any page without finding proof that they have
not been obeycd hut have been neglected and dis
obrycd The alterations which have not been made
for the sake Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which, in
other words do not affect the sense are numerous.
Many II them 10 have been made capriciously,
some Of them wautoaly. Nor is it accurate to say
HAT the rcyis,rs have limited Themselves 10
the phrlscology Of the authorized and
earlier English versions. good deal Of the
English is modern ENGLISH and where the
words and prascs are not If the nineteenth century
the mo r IN Which they strung together Is not
seldom Of yesterday.
f. f.. beyond tho scope " this letter 10 follow mp
t,c point, miuut"y. All that cre TO do Is 20 give
a few striking examples of the changes made by the
rr,i,,rs: without taking much thought whether
they fail under one head or another When the
READER hl gone over them. he will be- able TO Judge
for liu-,lf whcthc- a spirit Of reverence for tie
Old text has Il al much control overt minds of men
who permitted themselves sich liberties. He will
udr, also whether the version retains the mer-
il, of the old. whether thc choce Of words and the
movement Of the sentence are such as show literary
c,n,,it, i'm the rc,I,crs. or the contrary.
CHANGES - TIE LORDS PRAYER.
Take tn brgin with tie Lords Prayer IN the llth
cla,t.r Of Luke la ITS revised form il runs a. fol-
lows:
Father. Hanowed be Thy N1me. Thy KINGDOM come.
O1r NhiH nfthiL Ana lhfEiNf vs. hF
ans. Tor we uur-rNr- also forgive every one That Is IN
,lrntcd to IA. Aud bring rs not into temptation
Ard thrr. il stops In the margin. however. are
informed that many ancient author-
tie, read "Onr Father which art in Heaven; that
many add. Thy will be- done as in heaven Sc on
earth and that many also add " But deliver MS
from the evil one Tor from cyiln" Considering"
remarks learned critic, that the authorities for
the clause. Thy will he DONE include both the |
Sinaitic AMI the Alexandrian Mss that the Alexan-
drian Ms supports the other two omitted clauses
and that all the clauses stand in the form |
LIZ. MlfILnN ILn |