Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-22

An announcement of interest to the
Christian communities of this country
is to the effect that what will be known
as the American standard Bible is to
be published in the latter part Of next
year. This will be substantially the
revised English version but with ma
terial differences As is well known,
when the revised version was being
prepared many suggestions OF the
members OF the American committee
were only embodied in an appendix. al
though admitted to be nearer accuracy
than the readings retained in the text
The proposition now Is to give these q
place In the text and to make such
other alterations AS may seem nee
essary. The work OF revision is being
performed gratuitously by American
scholars solely for the purpose. 1t Is
stated, of giving to the American pub
lie Bible true to the spirit and the
letter of the original.
1t is curious fact, not quite salts
factorily accounted for that the peo-
pie most interested in n faithful repro
duction of the sacred writings In
modern form are slow us rule to ac-
cept any proposed improvements In the
version with which they are familiar.
even IL they are fully aware of the need
of corrections. People prefer the text
that was prepared centuries ago. in a
less scholarly age than our own; the
style of the early days of Bible trans
lation is more pleasing to them than
modern and more elegant expressions,
and as consequence they prefer King
James's version to the revised one.
though the latter is regarded as SUI
1r in scholarship 1t is not easy to
az cunt for this, unless 1t can be as
sumed that modern languages CEN
turtles ago were better suited for re-
ligious purposes than they are now. or
which amounts to the same thing
that the development of speech has
been 80 one-sided in secular direction
MS to provide no new dress in which
to clothe sacred thought.
There can be no doubt that language
in the period of mans history when re-
ligion was the dominant element in
public and private affairs. naturally
brew. in its golden age, was capable
OF expressing the ideas of God-inspired
seers. For modern business purposes
II would probably be about useless.
But It's poetrv. its word -paintinr. its
power to awaken holy emotions. are un-
excelled. 1t Is, by its very character
istics, sacred" No translation has
ever been made that equals the origi-
nal and those best familiar with II
have despalred of rendering 1t into
modern forms to perfection. In the
same way. IT is reasonable TO suppose
that in the age of the Reformation and
subsequent centuries, when religious
thought was predominant. Language,
were largely moulded accordingly. and
this would account for the fact that
Luthers Bible TRANSLATION for in
stance. though admittedly inaccurate
in many places, is stu regarded as a
literary marvel and retains Its non
ularity Notwithstanding the spperior
efforts of modern scholars from !, sol.
entific point of view. IT voula also
account for the fact that kim Ja,,as,,,
Bible In more popuIar than tho ro,.,s.d
version. the result of the host .cboi,r
ship of our century. And 10 tbis ,,,au,
is correct. the American standard M
BILE, to become populnr mus, ho ax
cellent indeed.
one Improvement muoh neadoa t.,
revised edition of the RIb,a 10 10 ranao,.
as far as possible tho soma ,,arn a,
the original Inv the s,rra rn,r,,ah
word. This rule 10 II, ~
authorized version s,,,,a,,,,..,
en- unnecessarily M ,,ha ~
same word ia ,ron.,o,a, ..a,,,,,,.,,,',.
and "adyoco.e." ..cn,ero,t, ..., 49,.
tament;r "lifer ana osonI. a. 49,
other hand different woras u, w.
original are sometimes ,erdara, H., a.,
same word in Eng,,sr M ",
.ronentonca,, menus, ,,,,,,, -
conduct and n chance a, ,isns",,,e.
mind and 10 r.,rosa,,oa a.. 80 ',,s
ferent words In ,ho NJ. ,r.,,.
The word .ba,I, 10 n ,rans,o,,s. % ~.
words ono r,o,r,n, ,nI,, 49, $3.50 w.
thu darar,.d s,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,, W
TO their condition n, hon,,nass ~