The Magnolia gazette., 1899-11-11

used. The vowel sounds were
inserted by the Massoretes in the
ninth century A. D.. The tradi-
tional pronunciation made it easy
for the reader to distinguish the
words; then each Hebrew word
has meaning for its radical form
and other forms take derived
meanings. The Hebrew was read
from right to left. To illustrate:
Suppose we take a sentence with
the consonants--L T s M X M N.
II these were Hebrew characters
1.-THE equivalent for the English),
a jew OF Old Testament times
would understand it. But in later
times. to make sure of the correct
meaning, the vowel points were
invented and inserted. We read
again, Let us Make Man.
The New Testament was written
in Greek. At first there were no
accents to the words and no
spaces between the words. For
example ito use the English)
Inthebeginr ingwastheword. On
each page OF the MS. are several
columns.
The divisions in the Bible are
by no means authoritative, being
intended only as help for the
memory and reference. The
Massoretes divided the Old Testa-
ment in sections of varied length,
the full intent of which has not
yet been discovered. The New
Testament by the early Fathers"
had been divided, but not any OF
these divisions have been trans
ferred to our modern Bibles. To
Stephen Langton (died 1228) we
are indebted for our chapter di-
visions which were first applied
to the Latin Vulgate and thence
into the printed Greek Testament.
Robert Stephen, while on jour-
ney from Paris to Geneva, made
our verses and introduced them
into his Greek Testament publish
ed in 1851. The autographs of the
inspired writer's consisted of SIM
pie SUGGESTIONS of letters, and
each scholar must separate them
either for himself directly or by
an accepted proxy.
ii. THE TRANSMISSION.
1. Early Jewish Custom.
The Jews were extremely zeal
Gus 10 maintain the sacred wri-
tings inviolate. Accordingly the
custom early prevailed of COM
mitting, to memory the scriptures.
Their memory vas thus wonder
fully cultivated, and this became
an important factor in the trans
mission of the sacred text, es-
pecially the pronunciation.
2. COPYING.
For the Jewish copyist. during
the times of the Massoretes. ex-
acting rules were made. Only
MSS. of approved character were
used as standards from which to
make new MS. The skin must
be that of clean animal, pre-
pared for the purpose by Jew,
the ink must be made according
to a certain formula, the memo-
ry must never be trusted by the
writer, he must look at the origi-
nal word each time, and every
word must be pronounced, and
as often as the name of God ap-
pears the copyist must purify
himself and wash the entire body.
Many other rules must be observ-
ed, and few flaws were sufficient
to inviolate the MS. The trans
mission of the MSS. was not left to
the chance inclination OF possi-
oily few pious men, but the PRIEST
ly class had special charge OF
them. Because of the antiquity
OF the writings and the narrow
limits OF Jewish scripture circula-
ton there seems not to have been
as much copying of the Old Tes-
lament as the New. Each SYM
agogue had its roll and the Off
clal interpreter would read the
Hebrew and renderit meaning
into Aramaic. The words OF
f'riar Pacificus in Longfellow s
'Golden Legend transn.la as to
these old transcription days:
sit is growing darki yet one line more
And then my work for the day is o'er.
come again to the name OF the Lord!
Ere that awful name record,
That is spoken so lightly among men,
Let me pause awhile and wash my pen;
Pure from blemish and that must it be
When it writes that word of mysteryl"
The New Testament has been
widely copied and testimonies in
the form Of MSS. came from many
quarters. The copvists of the