River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-21


the adoption of the following resolutions:
THE FIRST STEPS.
THAT it Is desirable that revision of the
authorized version OF the Holy Scripture
be undertaken: that the revision he so con-
dacted as 10 comprise both marginal render
ings and such cancellations it may be found
necessary TO insert in the text OF the authorized
version; that we do not contemplate any new
translation of the Bible, any alteration Of
language, except where in the Judgment OF the
most competent scholars, such change Is neces-
sary; that in such necessary changes the style Of
language employed in the existing version be
closely followed; that IL is desirable that the
conyocation should nominate body Of its own
members to undertake the work OF revision who
shall be at liberty to invite the corporation of
any eminent for scholarship, to whatever nation
or religious body they may belong Steps
toward the formation of an American committee
of revision were taken almost Immediately after
the organization OF the English committees. The
first meeting OF the New Testament committee
in England was held June 22, 1870 On the 18th
OF July following the two houses of
vocation voted TO invite cooperation of
some American divines, and to Bishop WILDER
force and Dean Stanley was assigned this task
The result was the selection of certain gentle-
men vino were fitted for the work, and were
likely 70 be regarded as authorities in biblical
learning by the American public, and the sub
mission of their names to Bishop Ellicott and
Dean Stanley representing the English body.
few months later, on Jan ID, 1871, Dean
Stanley wrote to DR. Schaf, who was in the
United States, Offering suggestions in the way
facilitating communication between the English
and American diyines and requesting him TO
present the matter to Bishop Potter of New
YORK, representing the Protestant Episcopal
church and arrange mode of cooperation. On
the same subject Bishop WilberfOrce addressed
two letters to Bishop Potter which were sub
mittcd To the house of bisaops in New York.
That body decided to take no official part in the
work, but left individual members free to act as
they Iii ght. Final arrang ,ments for the American
commission were not made until the summer OF
1872. In the autumn the commission began its
work. Though nearly two years later than the
English companies in beginning the work. they
passed forward with such activity that they
were enabled to comp'e.e Ii tcmporaueOusly
W it'll their English bret ern.
THE BOOK ITSELF.
The Bible appears bound with the New Tesla
ment. The preface opens with a statement of
the general principles on which the revision has
been conducted, The reviSers have borne in
mind their duty not to make a new translation,
but to revise that already existing and have de-
parted from it only when it disagreed with the
translat0rs of 1911 upon the meaning OF word
on sentence. The terms Of natural history are
only changed when it is certain that the author
or there is an alternative, the rendering is
given the margin In words OF
frequent occurrence the authorized version
being either inadequate or inconsistent, changes
have been introduced with as much uniformity
practicable. For instance: Tabernacle of
the congregation" has been everywhere changed
to tent of meeting In regard to the word
Jehovah, the usage of the authorized version
is followed, the revisers not thinking IL advis-
able 10 insert it uniformity in place of lord o
God, which, when printed In small capitals,
represent the words substituted by Jewish Gus
tom for thu infalable name of technical terms
from the Hebrew, or in three seem to have
been generally introduced. The word Grove
Judges XXvlit) has been replaced by "Ashera,
with its pIurals "Asherini and Ashcroft"
In the peetical books SHOOT" replaces hell"
which has been changed in prose passaRea to
tho grove. and the pit with sheol in the
maryin. OF these renderlngs hell, saws the
preface If it could be taken in It's original sense
rs used in the creed, would be fairly adequate
eqi ivalent for the Hebrew word, but it is SO
commonly understood as the place of torment
that TO employ 1t frequently would lead to inev-
table misunderstanding" In Isaiah XIV, where
hell is used in more of its original sense, the
sheol in the margin Abadd0n, which has
hitherto been known to English readers Of the
has been introduced i'll three passages-once In
Job and twice in Proverbs. The term
MEAT OFFERING,
| term having ceased to be the general name for
ali food. new plural-peoples-ha been in
troduced, although sometimes this becomes
Gcn:iles when the contrast to the chosen peo-
pie is marked All headings of chapters nave
been dropped, in the revised New Testament,
aud the text has been divided into paragraphs,
but the old chapter and verse divisions nave
| been retained Oh the margin for convenience of
reference BY this means the revlsers have been
enabled to rejoin psalm K. to psalm tx. and
Ds4!rn xiii. to psalm xii, and to begin
Isaih lii. at chapter ill., verse ID The several
DAYS of the creation are made more prominent OV
breaks of line between the verses. This ex-
pcdicnt has enabled the revisers to make use OF
he dialogue form, and to show the dramatic
eaaTdCJer OF the song OF SONGS. Jue HiSb CJdptth
4 which, for example, Is divided into seven
speeches. The Psalms are definitely divided into
| tive books, the last four beginning respectively
4t xiii, xiii, &c. and evil striking improve
ment is the printing of all poeticsl passages in
poetica form. This has been done in the Psalms,
Proverbs. Job and the canticles, but the Prophets
have been left in prose- however passionate their
cutlery; the songs of Lamech, Jacob, Miriam,
Moses Deborah and Hannah; the psalm of Jonah
and Habakkuk. and Dayid's lament in
second Samuel, appear in yerslned ballad
the origin of Joshuah miracle. Sun, stand thou
still upon Gideon" is indicated by its verse
character. So also Is the triumphant cry OF
samson Judges XIV, 161 Examination OF the
more familiar passages and phrases disclosed
the fact that was taken in preserving intact
household words. The old literary form has
been held sacred, and the revisers cannot be
charged with any pedantic s,rainfng after the
! original text. But not all the familiar features
! IT the scripture have escaped untouched. The
| high priest no longer casts lots for the scape-
| coat he does so for Azaze The summary of
EACH DAYS WORK AT THE CREATION
now runs according to the formula: And there
was evening and there was niarning one day'
! there evening and there was morning a
second day, third day, and so on, giving
suggestion of successive stages, with long inter
yAis The Apples of Gold" of Prov
cribs XIV. IL, are now encased IN b2-
urc work" OF silver, instead OF pictures.
Vanity and veXation of spirit tEccs, H. Id, has
become Vanity and a striving after wind.
| Happy is the man that hath his culver futl OF
| them Psalms cXxvI., %, has been changed
into HAPPY j. the man that hath filled his quiv-
| er with them" Ryuben's curse Genesis, xix,
! verse d Unstable as water, thou shalt not ex-
| eel now reads, Unstable as water have not
then the excellency." The following changes also
CRATE against the association In the authorized
Genesis chapters VI, verse A, There were giants
on the earth in those days" is revised, The
/ uephelirn were in the earth in those days In
| the .u5horized edition Job XXXI verse 81, oh
| that would hear me behold my desire ~
| that ne almighty would answer me and that
| mine &C EeTsary had written hook is revised
/ oh that one would hear me; behold my desire
! is tllat he almighty would answer me, and that
I hF tie indctmedt which my adversary hath
/ writrel
| Tie authorized Psalm VIII, verse
5 TOR thou hast made him little lower than
| thu ,tls" is revised for thou hast made him
| A lit wer vasn God" The authorized Psalm
! CIV. ve,;o IL, y said IN my haste all men are
| liars, revised. I said when l made
P Eeea s4 escape s "a 81 e sh us re hear the
| conclusion OF the whole matter, fear God" etc
| has been revised to read This is the end of the
NATTER all hath been heard; fear God, etc
/ Proverbs. xiv, 3: Fools make mock al sim but
among the righse there is favor; revised
reads The foolish scorn the guilt Offering:
but among the upright there Is good Will"
ages in which shock is given to
| old a. associations. In other passages there are
| found variations which cannot be called rash
al crations For instance, Isaiah lii, ID, in the
| authorized vrsiOn is: Behold my servant
shall deal p.udentlv, he shall be exalted and
/ reads Behold servant shall deal wisely,
Ire shall be lifted up and shall be
/ very high. Isaiah I'LL. IN the
! authorized version is: He is despised and re-
| iected Of man; a Tncn of sorrows and acquainted
with grief and We hid as IL were faces from
him: he was de- giscd and we esteemed him not.
| In the revised ysads lie Is despised aud re-
/ jectei Of men. y atan of sorrow, and acquainted
( with grief; and as one from whom men hide
! their faces he was despised, and we esteemed
1 him not" The same chapter, verse 2, Is
/ changed to read:
lie WAS AFFLICTED,
/ vet he opened not his mouth, lamb that he
led to the slaughter" etc. The same chapter,
verse 3 He was taken from prison and from
Judgment and who shall declare his generation.
! is revised to read. by oppression and Judgment
/ he was taken away, and who constdereth his
generation The christologv of the Old Tesla
/ ment is almost entirely unaffected by the re-
/ vision The crucial passage. Isaiah, vii, IA
I Behold virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
renaias unchanged. except that the margin
suggests a return to the style now In the Book
4 of Common PRAYER. In the Fifth command
I ment Honor thy father and thy mother, that
I thy days may b. long in the land which the
Lord thy God ciyeth thee, becomes,
I Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy
! DAYS may be long upon the land which the
! Lord thy God giveth thee The following
are examples in which the actual text OF the
4 revision Is distinctly seen Authorized version,
/ Genesis xxi, Il: In the mount OF the Lord II
( shall be seem revised version: In the mount
/ of the Lord il shall be provided" Authorized
version, Exodus xiv, 20: And it was cloud