The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-19
Sectarian and Peculiar TRANSACTIONS.


Chicago Times.
In 1929 W. Mace put forth translation of the
New Testament. which came hardly short of the
ridiculous, Astounding in such singular verbiage
as the following. Eating and drinking mar
riages and matches was the business" luke xvii,
~ 1t was something like Harwood's version,
which appeared later, and which told the story
Of "a gentleman of splendid family and opulent
fortune who had two sons" and made Jesus say,
'the young lady is not dead, and, presenting the
narrative with freedom spirit and elegance"
says of Judas: Failing PROSTATE, a violent in
ternal spaSm ensued, and his viscera were
emitted!'
In l764 Anthony Purver, learned Quaker,
published a translation on which he had labored
for more than thirty years. 1t had many excel
lenees, but it was not accepted by the
Society of Friends for whom it
was made In 1859 appeared Blaney's
revised edition of the Bible, prepared under the
direction of the vice chancellor of the press of
Oxford a work designed to be correct and
standard edition of the English text, of which
there was most glaring need. The revival of
Hebrew learning brought out, ten years later,
Bishop Lowth's translation of Isaiah. In 1892 a
sensation was created by Dr. Alexander Goddess
New Version of the Holy Bible for the Use of
Catholics" work of learning and intrinsic
value, but offensive to thu Catholics because it
was particularly an attack on the Douay Bible,
and offensive to the Protestants because, among
other reasons, it was accompanied by notes on
the Pentateuch and other parts of the scripture
which anticipated the destructive criticism of
the last quarter of a century.
In the latter part of the last and the early
part Of this century several editions of the four
gospels. as translated by DR.. George Campbell,
of Aberdeen, Scotland, were given to the public,
and afterward became the denominational text
of the sect founded in this country by Dr. Alex
ander Campbell, sometimes called Complexities
and sometimes Disciples Scarletts Universa,st
Bible appeared just as the last century closed
In the first decade of the present century the
Unitarians adopted as a UNCONVENTIONAL New
Testament the translation of Archbishop New
tor, his use of the Gresoaeh Greek text being
satisfactory to that body of Christians. A trans,
lation of the Bible by DR.. John Bellamy was
published in London in 1881, which failed to
elicit any demand either ON the part
of the learned or the common people.
Fifty years ago DR. Noah Webster published
Bible in the Common Version, with Amend
ments of the Language" work little known.
In 1888 Mr.. Rodolphus Dickinson published in
Boston a translation of the New Testament by
which he opined that he would save the Bible
from the contempt of "many intelligent refined
and amable persons" who were greatly offended
at the Anticipated, rude and indicate style of
the common version. He thought the word of
God was worthy of an elegant diction and a
general furnishing Of literary excellence which,
of course, he proposed to supply. 1t is not
known that his Bible had more than one adj
mirer-that one the author himself. About this
time, or perhaps little earlier, the Society of
Friends secured translation of the Penta-
teuch, the purpose being to SUPPLY the denomi
nation with coraplete translation of the Bible
This hrst part receiving small encouragement
the purpose was abandoned.