The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-07
THE REVISED RIIsLE.
The Old Testament Now Due-Losses h
cnrred on the New Testament

-
New York Special to ~Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
This is really the date that was fixed upon IS
the time for the simultaneous issue Of the b
vlsed Old Testament in Great Britain and te
United States. But as March | comes on Sb-
bath tie issue is postponed until tomorrow or tie
next day. Biblical scholars and divines genera
~ have been aIxiousiy awaiting the publication
or the revision. tits confidently expected TINT
IL viii be in greater demand and meet with be-
ter success financially than the revised New
testament 80 much more of interest ATTACKS
TO the Old Testament, on account Of difference
OF opinion In regard to various TRANSACTIONS d
certain words, phrases. ETC., of disputed thee
logical points, that all theologians and canonica
authorities are curious to see and STUDY
what new light is thrown on these questions
oy this Late revision. And it Is believed
there viii be many changes in the most 1mpor
tant portions of the book that will provoke extern
sIve discussion. For other reasons, a heayF
demand for the revision is anticipated. Te
European publishers agents here will be better
prepared this time to supply this demand. as al
immense shipment is expected from London
and II they can prove themselves fully able to
handle the entire trade American reprints viii
be rendered impracticable.
The publication and sale of the revised New
Testament III 1883 was a great financial failure.
This phrase of its history has never been written
Not until I spent several hours In the publish
ing houses of the East the other afternoon did I
learn to what extent loss and bankruptcy was
involved IN the giving Of that great work to the
world In some INSTANCES the figures are start
ing. and in the face of them one wonders
hcation of the Old Testament. [ ascer-
tanned that in hundreds of book stores
to-day thousands and thousandsof the Bibles are
lying a complete drug on the market. There is
no demand whatever for them any more. When
a customer goes into q store 20 buy a Bible, he.
or she replies to the saleSnen, mo. I don't want
the revised edition. Give me the King James
version" Scores Of booksellers, both wholesale
and retail, who read this only too we'll realized
long ago what a loss. their stock of revised Bibles
are to them. When the enthusiasm and curl
os1ty ran high over the revision, and when the
public demand looked large, these book dealers
all over the country eagerly bought heavy blocks
OF the Testament. OF course, even in the Holy
Book. publishers and dealers could not resist the
temptation to make money" and in many in
stances premium, figures were demanded for sup
plying the trades But they were paid, because
the TRADE believed the demand was real and
would last. But that's where they were fooled.
Nothing ever dropped out OF public notice quick
err than the work. The demand for it seemed to
cease entirely within a week after the curiosity
died out. Nothing more appeared in the news
papers, about 1t, and now the. dust os a year has
accumulated on the shelves of stores where they
are stored away,
Within three months after the book first APP
peared the demand had dwindled so much, and
The surplus stock was. so heavy and costly IN
many houses, that d large sacrifice was made of
the work in New York. Wagon load after
wagon load Of them were carted into Leayitts
wholesale auction house on Broadway. There
as many as. 80, 600 volumes of the 81 edition were
sold for 8 cents apiece. The same thing was
done at Macy 81 Co. 8 auction house. where from
$4,000 to 40. 600 copies were knocked down at
from 10 to Is cents each. In the most of the
purchases at. these auction sales the books were
taken by the box by dealers who felt that at
that cheap rate they could buy large lots and
afford to hold them in stock for any length of
time IN anticipation OF a revival of the demand
In that WAS presented the unusual spectacle Of
pure business speculation in Bibles. l am told
that these dealers argue that a revival is sure to
come. that the. King James. version met with
this same backset, and that it did not become
popular for fifty years after its publication. So
if they are now holding their stock in ~anticipa-
ton of renewed trade in fifty years from now
they may expect future generations to reap the
margins. on their unholy speculation.
AS to the losses of American publishers, no
one firm came out so even as Dodd, Mead ~ Co.
of this city Amembero of the firm says they
sold 40, coo copies, and on them they made
money. Another publisher added that Dodd,
Mead u TO- s total edition was 60,000, and that
with 10000 still on their hands, they only cleared
/ expenses. This firm Was an exception, they hay-
ing supplied the American Bible Society. Potter
81 Coates, Of Philadelphia, are reported as hav-
ing lost ON the venture, and they were the first
ia the field with an American reprint. Their
edition numbered SO, 900, most of which was a
comparative volume. The two or three other
firms that got out editions issued in the neigh
borhood OF 125, 900 books, most of which were
never sold, and will probably not be for years to
come. but which are not shelved, but are still
actually unlocked ia wholesale and retail stores
all over the country. The New York branch
house Of Thoss Nelson & Sons. of London.
through which the authorized edition was issued
ia America, still retain a big supply Of the re-
vision on band. They were sort of handicapped
by American competition. Altogether it is esti-
mated that at least $3.50, 600 or $500, 600 have
been put into the dead stock of this book, which
| has not been got Cut.
The American edition, while carefully pre-
| pared, was discarded by scholars, who preferred
the Oxford and Cambridge press editions be-
cause the proef-sheets Of those authorized edi-
tions were read by the men who made the revi-
| sionS. Astounding featS in the reppintinc of the
work were accomplished In this country. 1t was
I issued at midnight on May 20. and when it was
apparent that the Nelson's had not brought over
y large enough stock TO supply the demand the
American publishers pitched in to repubiish it.
T Accurate proof reading and fine typographical
+ workmanship was Imperative, and with both
I quick time was made. In one day less than q
| week Potter g. Coates threw their comparative
edition to the world. Three days later Dodd,
/ Mead g. Co. 8 was out Then followed the 9TH
| ers. Undoubtedly the extensive publication of
the whole text of the Testament and full alb
straets by the leading newspapers Of the land
T burt the sale of che book. The United Press
Association hammered at the doors Of Nelson's
book house, corner of Blocker and Mulberry
| streets, late on the night before the issue, and
tried every endeavor to get an advance copy
ahead of its powerful rival, the Western Asso-
eiated Press, but didn't succeed.
AS to the sale of the old King James version of
/ the Bible, publishers say it is the best selling
book in the world to day. More Bibles are sold
than any other book, and there is more money
in them to publishers than all other works, not
excepting Shakespeare, Webster's Dictionary,
and even Blaine's s"Twenty Years Of Congress"
Isn't it a sign the world grows bettera
Desperate Battle with Rats.
Utica Observer.