The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-28
REVISION OF THE BIBLE.
REPORT OF EsPlcoPALIAN CoMMls-
SION ON MARGINAL READINGS.
Object Of the Work Was to Make Pas
sag,s More Clear-Three Inn
portant Changes.
Pittsbure Dlspat,h

I1ttshurR Dispatch.
New York.--k committee of Biblical
scholars, consisting Of Ave bishops and five
priests of the Protestant Episcopal church,
! has completed, after six years Of labor,
what Is practically a new revision of the
Holy Scriptures, This committee is known
us the joint commission on marginal read
ings in the Bible and was appointed at the
general convention OF the Protestant Epis.
copal church in 1895 with Instructions to
report to the general convention of 1898
1t did so. but limited its recommendations
to the books of the New Testament
resolution to continue the commission was
adopted by the house of bishops and the
house of deputies in the convention Of
1898 In order that II might prepare
more complete report for the consideration
OF the convention Of 1901, which meets In
San Francisco in October.
The commission consists OF Bishops bud.
| ley OF Kentucky, chairman; Gallor OF Tenn
essee, Hall of Vermont Niles of New Hamp.
| shire and Whitehead of Plttsburg and
| Reys. Carey, Binney, Body, Packard and
| Waterman. The commission has completed
It's report, and sent copies OF 1t, printed
| pamphlet OF upward of 300 pages, to the
| bishops OF the country and to clerical and
4 lay delegates to the house Of deputies The
report In part is as follows:
| The commission believes that this work
| which they have done by order of the
| church In convention assembled, Is worth
the doing. They know thai ii has been
done most carefully, and at the expense OF
| the commissioners
Five sessions OF the commission were
! held, with slNty-tive days of the common
| work In considering suggestions prepared he
forehand. The suggestions of the members
10 whom different books OF Holy Scrip.
ture were assigned were circulated In nd.
vance among the members OF the commits
sion: Continuing, the report says
! The object of the commission has been
TO give an Ineligible meaning to every
part Of the Bible. This, IL Is believed win
be clear on careful examination of the
proposed marginal readings. Even In quite
minor corrections the element Of instruction
has been the primary thought
with regard TO only three passages in
the New Testament have the commission
ielt called upon 10 make any critical note.
In the instances the commission has simply
stated the fact now universally recognized
that the passages In question are not found
In some Of the earliest manuscripts These
passages are the verse explaining the heal.
ing virtue Of the pool At Bethesda est John,
" ~, the Ethiopian eunuch's profession of
taith before his baptism (Acts will, 30 and
the doNology nc the end OF the Lord y
prayer tSt Matthew. vi, 49,.
st John, ', rs, is given In our margin
without the clause ms to the three heavenly
witnesses, which clause Is absent from all
but the latest Greek manuscripts, aud Is
generally recognized to be no part OF the
| original text
1T has been the object OF the commission
20 eft out of the very large number of al
teratlons made in the familiar English text
by the revised version those which are real
| " Important to make clear the sense OF
Holy scripture. In many cases renderngs
preferable to those In its text are found In
me margin OF the revised version. or
lhese' ana OF the reuderings preferred by
. the American revision commission the com
omission has made use with view to the
best presentation OF the English Bible IA
the people Of our time and country. The
American reylsers often suggest words and
, phrases better adapted 10 our needs than
those OF the English translators of 1911 oi
, lool. with regard to their purpose the
. present commissioners would e-cchn the
declaration of the translGtors of 1911: we
never thought that we should need to make
, new translation nor vet TO make OF a
bad one a good one, but to make good
one better or out OF many good ones one
principally good one, not Justly to be eN
cepted against; that hath been our en-
deaYor, that our work,
The commission therefore respectfully
2 recommends the adoption of the following
resolution by each house of the general con
Ncntlon
Resolved, That the marginal reading,
0 Of the English version OF the Old and New
Testaments reported Ia this house by tn,
joint commission appointed IN 1895, and re
+ appointed In 1895 to make such renort h,
+ published under the direction OF said com
y mission and are hereby authorized Tor ust
a In the public service Of the church"
. The passages noted Ia the new revision
3 as not being found in the earliest manu-
o "For an angel went down at certain
Q season into the pool and troubled the water
e whatsoever then FIRST after the trouhlinI
+ of the water stepped In was made Who'll,
5 OF Whatsoever disease he had."-St John
And Philip said II thou believest with
all thy heart, thou mayest And he an
y lswered and said, believe that Jesus Chris
is the Son Of God. Acts. viii, ~.
For thine Is the kingdom the power ant
the glory forever. Amen."-St. Matthew
vi, IS.