The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-18

corning it a popular and special interest.
The coming Louisiana Purchase EXPOSE
ton, which is already bringing forth many
half-forgotten records and traditions con-
corning the occupation of the West and
by the French, will be Of benefit
In emphasizing the Importance of that
neglected and disregarded fea-
ture of our history.
Mr.. .Dunn'S researches leading to the
production of this monograph began with
an attempt 10 locate a memoir relative to
the importance OF terrifying the Wabash,
written by Father Beaubois, a Jesuit priest
once stationed az New Orleans, and alluded
to by Sommervogel, the Jesuit biographer.
Sommervogel was not able 10 say whether
he saw the document in the archives of
the French government in Paris, or wheth-
er he found il in canada. Request having
been made of Consul General GoWdy to
find IL If possible, that gentleman caused
search to be made. The Beaubois memoir
was not found, but some other
were unearthed, including two letters writ
ten by Sieur de Vincennes himself, which
furnish more as TO the found
ing of the post than has ever been in the
possession of Indiana historians before.
One of the Vincennes letters was written
from the post In 1888, and states that the
post had then been under construction for
three years. 1t also furnishes evidence
that there was no French settlement at
this point prior to the founding of the post,
the statement being expressly made that in
1873 the only buildings there were the fort,
or stockade, and two houses within il. The
danger OF attack by hostile Indians at this
point was the greater because at this time
there were no friendly Indians-in fact,
no Indians at all-located on the Ouabache
within the boundaries of Louisiana. Mr..
Dunn says: 1T has often been surmised
that there was an Indian village at the
site of Vincennes prior to the French set
but these disproVe
that. AS we have seen, the original
project was TO have Sieur de Vincennes in
duce the Ouiatanons to remove TO the
lower Ouabache TO serve as a protection
against the Southern Indians. He did not
succeed in this, but he did induce the
Piankeshaws TO move. AS appears by
BienvilIe's letter of June %, 1877, it was his
to nave the establishment made
at the mouth of the Ohio"-that is, the
mouth of the Wabash tat that time the
Ohio was considered tributary to the Wa
bash and the latter river held the name
until it reached the MississippD-but this
was prevented, and the post was placed at
Vincennes, because the Indians refused to
go any lower down. And after the disaS-
trous Chickasaw campaign, and the death
of Sieur de V%incennes. st. Ange reported
that the greater part of the Piankeshaws
had abandoned the posi-, and returned 10
tneir old village on the Vermillion.' The
boundary line between Louisiana and Can
ada crossed the Wabash about the site of
Terre Haute, and consequently this Pianke-
shaw village was in Canada. There was
no Indian village on the Ouabache be-
low IT,"
Among other documents quoted are some
giving interesting gllmpses of the char
acter of Father Beaubois, and of the rival
rieS and 1ealOuSleS among the inherent
priestly orders. Beaubois went over to
France to secure missionaries for various
points I'm Louisiana and nuns for a pro-
posed convent at New orleans. An ac-
count of the journey of this party is con-
tanned in some letters written by one OF
the nuns. and shows the perils of travel
at that time in France as We'll as In this
country. The pamphlet. in addition 10 Its
historical value, has all the interest and
fascination of romance, and Mr.. Dunn has
probably supplied material here that will
"a lie na h
foundation for an historical novel.
Facsimiles of the Vincennes letters form
an interesting addition TO the publication.
If the Bible were to be translated now
for the first time from the original Hebrew
of the Old Testament and the original
Greek of the New Testament 1t would, of
course, be turned into the English Of to-
day. King James's version was the classic
English Of that day, but the language and
the times have changed TO such an extent
that that version does not express the true
meaning of the original and the living
language of the present time. 1t is not
hat the King James version will
ever be wholly s~upplanted, as it is pro-
tected by a sort of sacred and reverent
superstition, but revised and modernized
versions of the Bible will find an ever-in-
creasing number Of readers. THE TWEEN
tieth Century New Testament recognizes
this want, and essays TO fill IL by turning
the New Testament directly from the orig
inal Greek into modern English. The work
has been done by a company of twenty
eminent English scholars, representing
various religious denominations, and the
result is not a p~araphrase or a revision of
previous TRANSACTIONS, but an entirely new
translation from the original Greek in the
best English of the present time. The
new translation is pronounced by students
of the original everywhere as a most schol-
arly, conscientious and accurate piece of
work. 1t embraces the whole Of the New
Testament, including the four Gospels. the
Acts, the various epistles or letters and
the book OF Revelations. 1t would be i'm
possible in a limited space to enumerate all
of the distinctive features of this transla-
expression, but intelligent readers will. find
them interesting and instructive. The trans
latOrs say In a preface: 1T is probable
that our translation will meet with a cold
reception from many. This was the case
with the King James version itself, when
ii first made its appearance. Long after
that date many preferred TO use the plain
and vigorous Geneva Version, which, like
the present translation, was without
authority from church or state. Each sue
cessive translation, indeed, has been re-
ceived with some amount OF distrust by
those who have preferred the retention of
the familiar form OF words 10 an accurate
~ GC0AlNallOA VI IAN AAHaAAAAA6 al IIoI -
ern language" But, while recognizing and
respecting this feeling the translators be-
lieve their work Will comment itself to
students, readers and ~eXpounders of the
New Testament. Two familiar specimens
from the sermon on the mount may serve
as a sample OF the style Of the present
translation:
Happy are the poor-in spirit. for IL is to
them that the kingdom OF heaven belongs.
Happy are the sorrowful, for it is they
who will be COM ted.
Happy are the gentle, for ii is they who
will inherit the earth.
Happy are those that hunger and thirst
for the right. for ii is they who will be
plentifully fed.
Happy are the merciful, for it is they
who will have mercy shown them.
Happy are the pure-in heart, for il is
they who will see Goa.
Every one. then. that listens TO this
teaching of mine and acts upon il may be
compared 10 a prudent man. who builds his
house upon rock. Down comes the rain. the
rivers rise, the winds blow and beat upon
the house-and yet IT does not fall, for It's
foundations are upon rock.
But every one that listens 10 this teach
ing of mine and does not act upon il may
be compared 20 a foolish man, who builds
his house on sand. Down comes the rain.
the rivers rise. the winds blow and strike
upon the hOuse-and IL falls: and great
indeed Is it's downfall.
by the time Jesus had finished speaking
the crowd was greatly struck with His