New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-18
THE NEW OLD TESTAMENT.
COMMENTS ON TIE REVISION.
DIR. scHAFT TRYING TO HURRY THE DAY OF PUB
LiCATIoS-sALE or THE BOOK.

from London. he sent dispatch asking ne couu n'o
the day of publication xed for "Wednesday instead Oh
Thursday OF this week Late last night he had not re-
ceved an answer bat he hopes to have one to-day Civ
ing him the authority to issue book day after 10
is distributed 10 Loudon To TRIBUNE reporter who
called on him yesterday at his home No. ID East Forty
third-st. DR.. Schaff said:
"As now arranged the public will be able TO get their
books on Thursday. Each member OF the Revision
Committee received copy yesterday and arrangements
have beeu made with the Adams Express Company 10
deliver the presentation copies 10 those entitled to them
early on Thursday Tie books designed for distant
points will I've started Wednesday. AS the Old Testa-
ment such large volume 1t will doubtless DO seVerai
days before there will be any American edition pup
lshed, that the English books will have large sale'
There 800 presentation copies to be given 10 tho'e
who contributed least $50 to the expenses OF the com
mittee The Old Testament in four volumes, bound
similar to them without the inscr pon, will be sold
for S44. Yes, presume that commentaries ana con-
cOrdances will started. do not know that any
American scholar will embody the preferences of the
American revisers be found IN the appendix IN tho
text as President Hitchcock did with the New Tesla
ment"
How soon will the work take the place fthe King
James BbleF
THAT Is difficult to say. It took the present author
ICED version 1911 until after 1860 before 1t took the
place OF the Bible which the Puritans as rule
brought to this country The COnVocaton OF Canter'
work they orig mated the revision and will probably re-
fer the book a committee for reference when THIS
committee has reported In three months, half year. or
perhaps year. then the ConvocaOn will either reject
the version adopt 1t or recommit IT, III they adopt
II they will authorize It's use but presume an order OF
the Queen will be given TO make 1t the authorized YER
sion OF England for the religious bodies on this side
Of the waters they upon 1t any time' but IL Is
the general public that will decide upon It's adoption
Dr. schaf next spoke Of tue reception which he
thought the work would receive, saying:
believe that It will be accepted as the best
possible revision. There have been great changes
only such improved knowledge OF the HEBREW
text would warrant. AS for the word hell which ha'
been translated sheol' the pit and the grave, the
word u,ed in the Old version hal lost ITS original mean
ing sheo' the spirit world. or the place i'll
habited by the dead It has Of the Significance at
tached TO hell place Of sOrrucnr so that the cnangs
made IL an essential dare say that many people
vanity ,e1ation Of spirit TO vanity and sriyns
after wind yet the ramsators OF The old version wsre
amiss IN the meaning OF the Hebrew wofd, ana wan
Tb fTerrs" i'm the work has been widespread. far
yrentrr imam generally supposed. IL will undoubtedly
have large sale. though IN no comparison win thst Oi
course no opportunity lean yet what II thougnt
of the new work. scholar VIII venture an "PIn!,h
,,on Il fron cable accounts We must wait until the
work has appeared here and has been crlucaIy oAan
mrd." , .. ma >, s.,d tina Row
DIR William NJ Taylor. is that IL enables me 10 give tue
true translation text and tell my people that TINS Is
viii" gave a reading OF different from thai In ne
English Bible was In danger OF being chtr- Wi I
infantry have not been able TO form much OF an IDEA
OF the old Testament as yet ami am WAITING Ior tne
importance NJ the book itself After nave hsd tlne 10
IN tie case Of the New Testament use the New lesta
ment constantly IN my stu " put naEe We. n rbv'hm
cadence that lacking In the new version lhe REVISED
"9 TS aneHts Of the Oxford Press T. Nelson Co..
OF No. Beeckrrst and Lippncott Co. or fhliSIt LEI
phia represent the Cambridge Press mem0er OF the
nrn m this city said yesterday: The sale OF the GA
Testament will not IN any degree APP roach tnat o the
New Testament The work Il sold ut ali prices Hom
81 To Si4 while the cheap 81 copies Oi the keEissu
New Testament were sold Tor 10 cents luat win ne
ono great reason for the smaller sale. There was great
deal Of yctement too the appearance OF the New
Testament ami ncwsboys hswked It upon the street So
mat within three days We SOFA 3VOvOO
copies There will be nothing Ike that safe now, we
hvin filinw thrin on Thursday IA early 4 CITY
orders will probably be ned early a our city ueaIers
will send their OuyeyanceS here at an early 6our our
shneDs FOR the trade viii he made as rapid
y as possible with view getting the books out on thr
afternoon trains We shall lave large ezra iorre Vi
men on hand to facilitate The work: We nav great
many orders from teal scholars out INC Msue WIN
lisa cheap edition will he sold ut about 81 cents. and
that with the duty Will prevent competition mere from
abrOad.'
"Tne Revised Bible" was the subject OF the sermon
preached yesterday morning by the Rev James Cham
One biudred-and. hrtcenth-st. between Madison and
Fourth ayes He selected as his text the declaration OF
the prophet Habakkuk, H. =: write tue vision
and make IL plain upon the tables, that he may run
that readeth it," The prophet he said spoke with regard
To " hat was become OF the chosen people OF God
Gods will had been rngraveu IN permanent form for
tablets Of stone and the material on winch
IL Was wrten was emb.matic. This WAS the eOnstitu
OF their government Whatever may be lndivldna
Of written reNeatlOn bOd hdS
tbonyht n proper ami on this prncp g tue Christian
Church founded The history Of tue book Is the ro'
nance OF literature. IL Is written miracle stranger
than the fairy finces of childhood When It IA remrm
bered that OF thousand books published IN one year
nS T SeT that OF publications. Of the seven
teenth century hut nitynne are now deemed worthy OF
The Bible has held Its for ages aud Vt wiz i've for
ever Bible have II now Is the growth OF years
under Divine superiniendtnce. our cohNicuons may
often lead wrong impressions or II, and we nave
inclined to regard any change OF expression AS tam
perng with the Divine word. Inns might De
true II we had the original tables OF stone
"a the result the toll OF past years. toll that was well
and noby done II II not perfect II is TIE purpose
not 20 MAKE new translation, but 10 change the text
aud bring 1t down to our own time TO make 1t clear
and plain SO that he who runs may read
IN Is TO be expected that this will call forth much crit
iosm. The old face OF the book that we have known
from childhood will be changed; and have become
an achrd even s faults II is right 10 respect these
feelings OF attachment, but II Is not CONSIST
emf tn affirm that the Kiug James version or the
Bble cannot he Improved IL Is the result OF hve other
versions. ana IL selected because was me Oest oil
them. Only the copies OF the origlnaI % wi E
from them the most perfect copy pOsSole' one VI she
familiar features OF the Ola VerslOn ne
imo chapters and verses. will he changed In the new
version but that division was an arbitrary one Whoh was
not In accordance with the text The reviSers BRUSH
and American made this work labor o. love they
have toled not for any recompense, aud their work
should not be hastily condemned do nOtcaim LOT the
msniration but | do believe tLelr work c0ulu not
have been done II has been without higher spiritual
direction which may not have kept them from human
errors but winch has made their EFFORTS @ m
shaken by the revision Of the Bible In me course
work the acutest minds have not any S
to weaken their confidence IN CHRISTIAN reVeisuon %
far as petty human genius can make IT, the new re-