The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-07
THE HOLY BIBLE.
Reached Us Through
Many TRANSACTIONS.
DIR. Mackenzie Begins an Interesting
Series of Addresses on the
Sacred Volume.

DR.. Mackenzie made the first of the
series of addresses yesterday to be deliv
cred to the training class each Sunday
afternoon.
During this course the history OF the
Bible will be eXhaustively dealt With. and
a commencement was made by DR.. Mac
kenZie speaking Of the Bible now in use
outside of the Catholic Church, and how it
came down to US.
1.-THE word Bible," he remarked, ibid
not come into use until about 400 years
afteS Christ. 1t is from Greek word,
which, in the plural, means little books
and as the various books formed series
Of pamphlets the term was appropriate.
All combined together under one cover
received the singular appellation of The
Book or Bible
'"rhe original language of the Old Tesla
ment was Hebrew. the New Testament
being originally written in Greek. AS the
Greek language was the English of those
lays it W as felt desirable to have the Old
Testament translated into the popular
tongue. This was done by seventh jew
ish translatOlS at Alexandria, AM is known
as the Septuagint version.
Later the Latin became the p-eGomi-
mating language and the Vulgate version
was made, and still later translations into
English Wyckliffe's translation was
given to the world in 1882 and was made
from the Latin; Tyndae's New Testament
being translated from the Greek. The
Coverdale was the first printed Bible and
saw the light In 1885. In 1860. however.
the Geneva version, made from the He
brew and Greek originals. was issued and
created no nconsiderable amount of ex-
element. John Calvin and many of the
divines who, through persecution. sought
a refuge at Geneva, were responsible Tor
this translation. They and their follow
ers had a very American detes ton for
the arbitrary rule Of kings, and in multi
Genevan Bible they embodied very repub-
Iican ideas. 1t was the first Bible printed
in Scotland and created such stir that
the RnyalistS determined on making a
translation. 1t was based largely on the
Geneva version and was printed in 1865,
being known as the Bishops Bible.
"a law was passed making it incumbe
on every Bishop to have copy of the
Bible where it might be read and studied
by the people. AS an ordinary laborng
man received cents per day for his wage
and Bible cost about $50 it would take
him about fifteen years, if he saved all his
money, to become purchaser of the
book.
IGOR forty years the Bishops Bible was
the authorized version. but in 1904 James
VI of Scotland and First of England de-
termined on an other translation. He was
Stuart and therefore vain; and his
form of vanity lay in an ambition to be
thought scholar and patron OF
scholars. Fifty-four translators were
appointed and received instructions not to
deviate unnecessarily from the text of the
Bishops version. In 1911 the authorized
version, which IL in general use to-day,
was published. 1t was bitterly attacked.
"FOr years there was great antagonism
to the new version and ministers con-
tinued to take their text from the Bishops
Bible, while privately they studied the
later version. Finally NJ o ton IVES made
in the parliament that another vers On be
made, and then it was found tina he
James version had quietly been gairing
friends.
But as we get a deeper knowledge OF
the original tongues. and as our can
is necessary from 'ti.ne to time that a re-
vision shou'd De made. In 1870 the convo-
cation CT the English church appointed a
revising committee. consisting of sixty
seveI English and thirty-four American
scholars, to carry out the work of prepar-
ing revised version of the Bible.
"The actual work, however. was done
by ffty-two English and twenty seven
American scholars noted for special at
tainments. In 1881 the New Testament
was issued to the public, and most I'M
fortunately So In 1885 the Old Testament
made its appearance. The latter is not
only an excellent translation but couched
in fine and flowing English. Not so the
New Testament. The translation is good,
but the English very poor. If the Old
Testament had been published first there
is every reason to suppose the revised
version would be In popular use to-day
rather than confined to the study"