The evening times., 1899-04-11
FATHER SPENCER
REVISING THE bible
Now at Work ON the Acts of
the Apostles.
Translating Holy Writ Into the
English of Today.
The Priest Explains His Objects
Features of the Latest Ver-
sion of Scripture.

Rev. Father Aloysius Spencer, a member
of the Dominican Order of Catholic Priests.
has compiled new translation Of the first
four gospels of the New Testament, which
it is expected will aid greatly in the teach
ing of the Scriptures.
Father Spencer has made his translation
from the original Greek into modern Eng
lish and the result has been an entirely
satisfactory one to the translator and his
associates.
The new work is more complete than the
revised edition of the Bible which was made
a number of years ago and is now in use in
some of the Protestant churches. Every
sentence and every verse of the gospels
that have so far been translated is in the
language of today, bringing home to the
people at large many of the utterances OF
the disciples that have scarcely been intel
ligible to them heretofore. The phraseolo-
gy of the period of James l. when the Bible
was translated, has been eliminated and
the work is entirely in modern English ex-
cept where prayers are offered, when the
old English is used.
In many respects this change has been
for the better but perhaps the most I'M
portant feature is in the refinement of
the new edition. In the eleventh chapter
of the Gospel of John. where Jesus goes
10 the tomb Of Lazarus and raises him
from the grave this is especially notice
able. and the superiority OF modern
phraseology is strongly Illustrated. Mary
tells Christ in the old translation that
the man has been four days dead and "the
body stinketh." In Father Spencer's
translation the passage reads the odor is
offencive." This is only one of the many
changes that have been wrought in the
work, and that it will greatly aid in teach
ing the Bible the priests of the churches
into which it has been introduced have
no doubt
Father Spencer is a native OF New York
and has lived in this country all his life.
About four years ago he commenced the
translation of the four gospels that have
been issued, and is now engaged in COM
pleting the New Testament. 1t is not
known how long it will take to complete
the work. but Father Spencer intends that
il shall be published as soon as possible.
He has been connected with st. Domincs
Church in this city for about two years
during which time he has finished the
book that has just been published and
has started on the remainder of the Tes-
lament. In speaking of the translation
TO a reporter for The Times today Father
Spencer said:
Il hope and | fervently believe that the
new translation will be of great help in
the propagation of Christian faith in this
country. 1t gives the people an oppor-
tunity to see in modern English what they
before had only the stilted phrases of
years ago to guide them. The gospels
were all translated from the original Greek
and are as complete as it is in the power
OF the modern translator to make them.
1T is hardly possible TO say Just row
what effect the new work will have on the
masses but from the letters and notices
1 have received l believe that it has been
Of great assistance TO the teachers. The
language is such as is used in conversa-
lion today. and the people are better able
to understand it than they were the old
phrases"
DO you think that the new volumes will
detract in a measure from the religious
sentiment that pervades the language of
the old Bible, and the translation of it into
modern English will detract from the