The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-01
Religious....

THE MODERN American Bipie'
translated by Frank Schell Bal
lentine: published by Thomas
u Whitaker New York: This is
translation of the books OF the
Bible I'm M 'tlern American idiomatic
English with notes. The notes are ut
erary and PRACTICAL. They avoid the
manner and spirit of theologic con-
troversy and deal only in those great
fundamental truths which tend TO the
building up of strong ana ROBUST
character on the Rock, Christ Jesus.
AS the New York Churchman SAYS:
"rhe attempt to tell the gospel story
in the ordinary form of our American
literature was Il sensible ana uselul
idea. One gains from Mr.. Ballentne's
version of the Greek text new ignt
and added c;earness. His short. cpl
gl'ammatic sentences have directness
and force md familiarity of diction.
The notes are brief, suggestive and
usually add some distinct thought to
the interpre alton"
The New York Evangelist says: "The
greatest gain is in the presentation OF
the text to the eye"
The New York Christian Intelligencer
says: "'rhe different literary forms are
printed in "a manner characteristic or
modern graphical arrangement.
Poetry is printed as poetry, and prose
as prose. BY this method the Hebrew
parallelism OF prose as we'll as OF
poetry is clearly brought out. The con-
versational parts of the Bible are ar
ranged as in all modern stories, after
the method of Henri Lesserre in his
Les Saints LHangiles. The volumes are
conveniently small: can easily be car
red in ones pocket. are neatly bound
in flexible clcth with gilt top"
The Outlook of New York, says:
MIR. Ballentine emphasizes the Ameri-
can form: he uses dollars and cents In
his version, not pounds, Shillings, pence
and fartllings.1 He makes some popular
changes, .too--'charger' to DISH mann
mon to money watch of the night,
first hour etc, to our present desig-
nations of time. The arbitrary divis
ions into chapters and verses are
dropped. and the print runs, not in
two narrow columns, but across the
page The notes well emphasize the
text"
The Philadelphia Church Standard
says: "These two clearly printed and
prettily bound volumes are first in
Testament lin modern form and phrase
Mr.. Ballentines translation is both
pleasing and edifying. 1t is another
illustration Of the fact that any faith
full and reverent translation. on what
ever particular plan it may be made, is
Il publication of the word of God and
must tend to edification. In addition
to the translation, Mr.. Ballentine gives
nf nf
which are really admirable"
The Sunday School Times. Phiadel-
phia, says: I'VE have come to APP
preciate the value of simplicity, and
Mr.. Ballentine seeks to make the mar
rative more simple and more natural
20 American readers than it is in either
the authorized or revised version. He
drops all antiquarianisms, such as the
final 'eths' of the verbs: he uses the
familiar terms in place of those which
are obsolete; he employs quotation
marks, and thus escapes the necessity
of repeating 'he said He prints quo
tationS from the Old Testament in
somewhat smaller type. In Matthews
gospel, he tries to reproduce the effec,
of the Hebraic rythm by the free use
of paralleisms in printing. The effect
is generally good. The great
est innovation is in the close rendering
of the lenses of the original Creek
The Presbyterian, Philadelphia, says:
'"rha author has devoted much care
and pains to his undertaking. Under
the arrangement renewed interest is
awakened in familiar truth, and in
some cases Il better understanding OF
it may be obtained. The spirit that
'characterizes this attempt to modern
iae the Bible writings is reverent and
devout."
Mr.. w. r. Plumley, of the School of
the Lackawdnna, says: For many
years to come, ! hope your translation
of the gospels will be found within
easy reach upon my desk. May l say
without seeming irreverence that it is
Il most delightful book =" That
you should have found time
anc inspiration for this beautiful task
seems to me wonderful"
Our former townsman, Prof. Walter
ii. Buell., says: EVERY attempt to
make the English Bible more intellig-
ible, more interesting and more popular
is a matter OF general commendation.
But when the attempt is replete with
such literary appreciation, painstaking