Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-11
raHRrx1sEn rEsrAmExr.

The agitation caused BY the appearance oil
the revised New Testament has passed away,
and the book and its critics can now be
looked upon c,lmly. The attention the
book excited on its appearance was i'm
mense, and the sales in various styles were
vast. AT once many coed men and good
scholars gave the stranger a hearty recep-
ton and warm praise. Those who know
the book we'll in, the original were, in many
eminent instances, gratifed 10 see positive
blum deTs corrected, obscure words and words
whose sense has changed substituted by
clear expression, easily understanded of by
the people," TO see doubtful passages marked
as such, and passages that had crept or
been thrust in among the sacred words,
omitted. They were glad to see an approx
imation inside toward the Word as it came
from the hands OF its authors, such as the
English language had not presented 10 the
world before. The Bible-reading Christis ms,
10 a great extent, among those who read with
thought and discrimination, gladly welcomed
the new book that let in light on so many
hszy spots, gave a meaning where confused
words only had formerly met the eye, and
that did away with not q few unnecessary
difficulties and verbal mysti6cstions. Bui
soon the growl of the the ologian was heard
in the land. Mistranslalions or imperfect
trauslations that served as hooks TO hang
his fallaeies and distortions upon, and TO
support his traditional dogmss BY were gone
A howl OF condemnation went up from this
c,asz. Tarrr -=s The wo--hir-r 81 What
ever is the regular established thing, he
too was in misery, the old revision fits
him as coat worn for two years
f growing boy OF fourteen, but he has got
90 used to it that its tightness has become
agreeable, and its rents poetical, and TO array
him in fitting garment is to reduce him to
profound discomfort. 1t IL not how the gar.
meut fits that troubles him, but how it feels
and because some old collocatiou OF words,
some absurd adolescence is gone, he grum
bles resentfully against the new version.
The most frequent attacks, however, have
come from the formal precisionists Of En-
glish. The new revision might or might mol
be nearer the divine truth OF the original
that was nothing, but there was some 6nical
nicely Of English grammar that had beer
neglected, some use of particle that was moi
in accordance with "the canons o.
strict tsste," and 30 on. The mos
unlovely thing about the greater part Of the
criticism of the new version has been the in
difference apparent as to its nearer or lea
approach to truth, to the originals; the com
plants being generally references to the En-
glish of the book as English, not as near OIL
exact prescriptions Of divine truth. w.
have blushed for our fellow-believers as w
have noticed this evil trait in The discussion
| The new version has given rise to. With
what has been said of the manuscripts III,
revisers followed, and keen talent and emf
nent learning have been in the opposition
we have no more 10 do here than to say tina
the kind Of arguments used, and hypothesis
had recourse to, have been very faithful ties
timonials to the skill and judgment e1er
cised by the revisers. On one point, however
the admirers of the new version find them
selves obliged to condemn-ths unlucky 'evi
one" in the Lords prayer and elsewhere, in
stead of simply "evil." The book, as tn,
very criticisms upon it show, is an exeellen
rendering OF the original, and is far beyont
the old in its adaptation TO the moderi
reader. 1t is still on probation, and will b,
adopted in room Of the old version only o.
the younger generation grow up. Ii tool
the old version forty years 10 supercede il
predecessor, and even to day its translation
OF the psalms ia not admitted into the Epis
copal prayer-book. The new version, how
ever, is making its way. 1t is extensivel,
/ quoted; it is re,orted to where the old yer
sion is obscure or meaningless; it is accepte,
as authority in disputes. All these thing
show that quietly and securely it is maxim
4 lie way into public confidence; next it viii
reach the hearts and become imbedded in tb
affections Of the English-speaking Christians
oaly one thing can hinder this consumms
ton, and that would be the introduction c
complete new Translation, which is reall
what is wauied TO supply the full require
ment OF the church in this critical age.