The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-16
A GREAT WORK COMPLETED.
The Scholars Engaged in Revising the
Bible Finish Their LabOrs.
How the Work Was Begun and Prosecuted
Some of the Changes Made-The Re-
suit of Fourteen Years Of Toll.

sion of the Old Testament were given to the
newspapers at midnight last night All the
papers this morning contain copious extracts
from the work In the following paragraphs is
presented the substance of semi official article
prepared for the London Times. in which some
account of the work of revision, with particular
reference to the American part of it, is given:
1t is an international work of fourteen years,
and it presents the results of the combined labor
of large number of the best Hebraic and
biblical scholars of England and the United
States, most of them professors Of
Hebrew in universities and seminaries 1t
has. moreover, the advantage of the vast ad-
vances of the last fifty years in oriental physi
ology, biblical geography, history and anti
quities, all of which were but imperfectly under
stood by the forty translators of King
James, although it is freely admitted they did
the very best in their day. The new version is
not good version in the place of bad one, but
great improvement of good version. The
movement for the present revision was inaugu
rated by the convocation of Canterbury, the
mother church of AngloSaxon Christendom
May a. 1870 by the adoption Of the following
resolutions:
First-That it is desirable that revision of the
authorized version of the Holy Scriptures be under
taken. =
comprise both marginal renderings and such emen-
dations as it may be found necessary to insert in
the text of the authorized version.
Third-That in the above resolutions we do not
contemplate any translation of the Bible any
alteration of the language, except where in the judg
ment OF the most competent scholars, such change
necessary.
Fourth-Where such change is made the style of
the language employed in the existing version should
Fifth-That it is desirable that convocation
should nominate a body of its members to under
invite the cooperation of any eminent for scholar
ship to whatever nation religious body they may
belong
Steps towards the formation of an American
committee of revision we're taken almost inn
mediately after the organization of the English
committee. The first meeting of the New Tes-
lament Company in England was held June %,
1870 On the 7th of July following. the two
houses of convocation voted ito invite the CO.
operation OF some American divines,n and to
Bishop Wilberforce and Dean Stanley was as
signed, soon afterwards, the duty of securing
this result. They au thorized DR.. Angus, who
was contemplating visit to America, to open
correspondence with the Rev. DR.. Schaff and
other American scholars, while in the United
States, in regard to this work. In August, 1870
DR.. Angus sent letters to various American
scholars. in which he explained the plan of the
English work, and suggested the formation of
an American committee of twelve or eighteen to
which the work of the English revisers could be
submitted for criticism and suggestion He gave
some hints as to how the expenses Of such COM
mittee could be met, and invited correspondence
on the subject Or. Angus also had personal
communication with DR.. Schaff. The result
was the selection of certain gentlemen who were
fitted for the work and werS likely to be re-
garded as authorities in biblical learning by the
American public, and the submission Of their
names to Bishop Eliicott and Dean Stanley, as
representing the English body. A few months
later Dean Stanley made the first formal COM
municaton by letter in discharge of the duty
assigned to him, after the vote of convocation
on the 9th of July, 1870 On the 18th of jan
uary, 1871. he wrote to DR.. Schaff as follows:
DEANERY, WESTMINSTER ABBEY,
LONDON, Jan. ID, 1871.
My Dear Sir.-I have been in communication with
thorized version of the Bible set foot by two
companies of English, Scotch and Irish scholars, APP
pointed under the authority Of the committee of the
convocation of the province of Canterbury.
By that committee, and in pursuance Of vote of
the lower house of the convocation, the Bishop of
friendly cooperation of dvines from the United
States of America in work that it was felt, con-
cerned that vast portion of the Engshspeaking
Bishop of Winchester has already communicated
on the subject with Bishop Potter, with
sh sx of The Sh Of
America may furnish and therefore undertake the
charge of addressing myself you, having been
the center as understand of the communications of
the Episcopolian churches with DR.. Angus during
his recent visit. May ask you, in consideration Of
the distance of space, and the length of time which
would be involved in repeated correspondence with
each member to enter into such negotiations as you
may deem advisable with the scholars of these
churchesa It will of course, be understood that the
object of the meeting Of the convocation and of the
revising companies is to procure the assistance of
which speak purely on the ground of scholastic and
biblical qualfcationsthe assistance the vote of the
convocation expressed it, 'of any eminent for scho
larship, to whatever nation religious body they
may belong" With this view have consulted with
of such eminent persons have occurred to fall
ing within the above description. You will perhaps
experience no 9s difficulty IN sarPsangng with them and
ing the Protestant Episcopal Church. and to whom
have not written. as the Bishop will understand only
because he has already received communication from
my superior in rank, the Bishop of Wi nchester. The
details of the mode of cooperation will easily suggest
themselves. On them need not at present enter
but will conclude with the hope that the joint and
cordial cooperation in this great and holy work may
add another link to the friendly intercourse and
erful and everincreasing offspring that it has pro-
duced beyond the Atlantic.
Yours, very faithfully A. P. STANLEY.
Bishop. Wilberforce had somewhat earlier,
WIlItcu w OiouOP ott0r, VI NOW IoIh dShluS
the cooperation of the divines Of the Episcopal
Church in this country but as the general con-
vention of the church did not meet until the
following autumn, the subject could not be
formally brought before the house Of bishops
before that time. Under date of August T. 1876
Bishop Wilberforce again addressed Bishop Pot
ter in a letter which was submitted to the house
of bishops for their decision. The house of
bishops decided to take no official part in the
work, but left individual members free to act as
they might; but 80 much time elapsed in pre-
liminary communications between America add
England that final arrangement for the Ameri-
can committee were not made until the summer
of 1872. These arrangements were con-
cluded by DR.. Schaf who visited
England that summer for the purpose. On his
return in autumn, the committee began its work
Though nearly two years later than the English
companies in beginning the work, they pressed
forward with such activity that they were en-.