The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-06-16
THE IMPETUS TO INFIDELITY.


gave the revised Testament vigor-
Gus treatment:
As is his custom, DIR. Talmage re-
peated the Lords prayer at the
opening ofthe service. He gave the
new version, and concluded with
"deliver us from the evil one."
"Pll stop right there" he said,
because the new version says l
must. This caused litter among
the auditors which increased in
volume as the reverend gentleman
read from the Bible. There was a
sarcastic look on his face as he open
ed the book.
II will read the fifth chapter of
john" he said. Then he suddenly
paused, and added: 81 will not
read that; it is abolished by the new
revision. L will read the eighth
chapter-no, that is abolished too.
Well, l will read you the fifth chap
ter of the First Epistle of JOhn-no,
that's abolished, too. We will have
to go to the Old Testament. The
Old Testament company has not re-
ported, and will not for two years"
and DR.. Talmage proceeded to read
the nineteenth Psalm of David.
After very touching and effec-
tive prayer, DR.. Talmage proceeded
to give his views on the new revis-
ion of the Bible, taking his text
from ii Samuel, vi, 60, which de-
scribes the death of Uzzah for plac-
ing his hand on the ark. After mar
rating the circumstances attending
that event, the speaker said:
"We have sacred chest; we have
an ark of the covenant, and it is
precious. 1t contains the divine
covenant and the rod of trouble
that has budded into consolation.
Let not the hands of pedantry or
worldly criticism touch that ark.
Remember the fate of Uzzah ~ he
exclaimed, with all the force he was
capable of.
awe had a translation two hun
dred years old imprinted on the
hearts of all, pronounced to be the
masterpiece of English prose; a
work revolutionizing the world for
good and satisfactory to all christen-
dom, and few doctors of divinity
formed two companies, and they
have been at work for ten years and
new version has been given to the
world in q dramatic manner, hold.
ing it back until a certain hour,
which was heralded III all the
papers.
"The new revision is before the
world. Many said: Hear what
others say and then accept theiI
opinion [Laughter.] L tell you
that bossism is just as great in the
church as in politics, and monopoly
would rule there as well as in the
market. But what is the criticism
of thinking students and the voice
of the whole people? They regret
| that this revision was attempted
and look upon it as dissertation and
a religious outrage. l am satisfied
to put it with other commentaries
on my library shelves, but not to
put it in my family as the Bible"
A burst of applause followed that
quite drowned the speakers voice
After requesting his auditors to re-
frain from any mark of appreciation
or disapprobation he laid his hand
tenderly on the Bible and said:
81 put my hand on this old book
and take oath of allegiance that, sc
help me God, L will stand by it
Whether sanctioned by high or low
authority, take my stand by the
old Bible. .......
These thirty-eight gentlemen, after
ten years. tinkering with the WORD
of God, have not found new doc
trine. Then why this shock to the
old associations and why this loosen
ing of old ties? 1t is too late for {
new translation. If this new yer
sion succeeds, you will have tC
watch your little ones and jerk then
up lest they run into an unauthor
lied version. / Laughter:] Away
with your commentators" CRIED
Talmage, "this proposes chaos anC
night" ........
| The preacher stated that he I'M
derstood that the revisers were fal
from being the best scholars in Eng
land and Ireland. "High office il
no great sign of scholarship" he
said, "and d. d. and LII. d. are of
ten the heavy baggage of a very
small train. 1 call this new version
pedantic, imprudent, false"
He further stated that the gentle
man in charge of the American por
ton of the revision was born in 6
foreign land. Gle in reality says
that the christian people for years
have been drawing inspiration from
the jaw bone of an ass. L could cal
L al l. EVw.nA A mn sIfefaN
scholars who are superior to the
American branch of these revisers
Where is Princeton, or MiddletOwn
or New Brunswick, or Columbis
represented? 1t is literal botch =
he exclaimed forcibly, "and will new
er be adopted if the people SPEAK
cut their true sentiments. 1t is ;
mechanical failure. The great charm
of the old Bible is the breaking VI
into verses. Now, l open one pag'
of the new version and find ont
paragraph a column and a hal
long"
DR.. Talmage said that he rejected
the new version because it was a tri
Vitality, and explained the triflinl
differences of the two versions II
many respects.
'Christ said, Show me a penny,
but this new version reads. 'Shov
me a denarius'-[laughterl -anc
where st. Peter is described as al
most naked, the new version say
that he had on his undergarment
/ only. Renewed laughter.l Into
mountain is into the mountain
strain at a gnat is strain ont gnat,
and there are many other infinitesi
NAL differences. -aI, ,
But this is only foretaste, when
after three years the Old Testamen
company report. / often wondel
if those gentlemen during the las
ten years would not have done bet
ter in preaching the truth OF the Ri
BILE than finding fault with it.
stopped short this morning in thu
Lords PRAYER and omitted tn
doxology, according to the revision
but 1 never shall again, unless 1 an
) diving, and then / will conclude il
heaven.
81 reject this revision also, becaus
it comes SO appropriately. JUS
when the forces of heaven and hel
are opposing each other, and it ask
us to stop in the midst of the battl
and see if our sword is hacked ant
if the tassels on the hilt are thessa
as those worn 200 years ago. In
Waterloo it tells us to hold discus
sion about the definite and indefi
mite article, and to discuss angel
and stroke their feathers the othel
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