New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13

That these earliest writer's Of the books OF the
New Testament used the fibre OF the papyrus for
their records is shown by the recent discovery of
some papyrus rolls containing sayings Of Jesus
Christ in Ptoemaic metropolis at El-hibet Egypt.
Dr. Bernard P. Grenfell who conducted the exca-
vation said that the manuscripts dated back 10
the second century.
Accordingly. all that the modern Bible scholars
have to trace out the origin Of the present day
versions Of the Scriptures. either Protestant or
Roman Catholic. are manuscripts and fragnentary
writings which fail 70 reach back to the days OF
Christ, or even OF his Apostles. The manuscripts
upon which scholars have based most of their
versions Of the Bible date back no further than
the fourth century. The Oldest OF these manu-
scripts are at the Vatican and in St. Petersburg
Copies Of the Vatican manuscripts are 10 be ex-
hibited along with other Vatican treasures at the
ST. Louis Fair.
The chief difference between the origins Of the
Protestant and the Roman Catholic versions in use
is that the Douai Bible is a translation from the
Vulgate Of the fourth century, whereas the King
James Bible drew not only the Nulgate but also
on ancient Greek and Hebrew manuscripts,
The Bible Of the Roman Catholics takes its name
from a town in France, where there was estab-
Iished in the reign Of Queen Elizabeth. Roman
Catholic college for English refugees. Through a
Hupuenot riot, the college in 1913 was moved TO
Rheims Here a few exiled Oxford men undertook
the task Of transatng into English the Latin BlD4e
oF their Church Several versions Of English Bibles
had been nrinted and widely circulated in England
which were the work Of Protestants. Accordingly
when The New Testament was published in Rheims
IN 1850 II contained these words. among others on
its frontspiece;
for the discoverie of the corruptions Of divers
late TRANSACTIONS and for Cheering the Controversies
in religion Of these daies
The Old Testament was published IN loOS az
Douai 20 which the college had returned from
rheims To the eye Of the modern English scholar
-bo chief neculiarfty of the original text Of the
r,fb,a 70 the priuting Of ''vv for w. The French
nr,1+ers had no w. in their fonts. as they did
not need it for their own alphabet
The reason that the Catholic translators at
rI,.,,,z and Douai chose the VUgate as their text
s because the Council Of Trent, in 1916, had made
tbA yulgate of Jerome the standard Bloie or the
por,ar Catholic Church The Council decreed what
books were TO be received as canomcaL ana pro-
rounced the Latin text authentic By going 10
The vrlgate the Rheims and Douai scholars went
back to the days Of Jerome, who in SSS UNDERTOOK
hts great task OF translating the Bible There were
various Latin versions in his time. and these
he studied with great thoroughness. For the pur-
nose of obtaining new and more faithful trans
iation 81 the Old Testament from the Hebrew he
rnsn+ fourteen wears in Bethlehem and travellers
st the present time will find a crypt under the
church Of the Nativity which IS called the Chapel
OF ST. Jerome.
The work Of Jerome was called the Fulgata, be
cause IL was intended TO be read universally oy
Iatfn-speakng peoples. At first the DOCK met with
bitter criticism and Interpretation. and it won its
-, slovvlv 1T was exposed TO corruption" says
the writer on the subject in The New 4nterna-
tionsI encyclopaedia" -and in spite OF the labors
- rassjdor7ls Alcuin. Lanfranc and others. was
FOUND nv Roger Bacon horribly corrupt
Cod manuscripts were used by Robert stephanus
For hi, edition dA20. which became the foundation