New-York tribune., 1903-03-23

special translation Of 1t came about IN l6l1 IheFe
had been a number Of versions of the Bible
ranging from A. D. 1880 to about 1570-and the want
was felt Of a more perfect and uniform transia-
tion for the people Of the British Isles Accord
ingly Parliament comforting with the Reformed
clergy, passed an ordinance authorizing an as
sembly of learned men," chosen from all parts OF
the kingdom. to make correct translation OF the
Bible This company consisted of forty-seVen men,
chosen because of their fine scholarship in Hebrew
and Greek apd in general Biblical learning. These
translators, throwing aside the previous versions
went directly TO the original languages OF the
Bible-the Hebrew and the Greek-in order to trans
fer to the English tongue vvidly as possible the
precise meaning of the text. The time given 10
the work was about seven years This version was
published in 1911. and is known as the King James
version. In a similar careful manner the last re-
vision-that of 1SS4-was perfected by the comolncd
Biblical scholarship of England and the United
States. the several Protestant denominations TAX
Ing part by sending representative scholars Inc
time employed was about ten years
In contrast. let notice the manner in which
the Catholic Bible, the Douai version, was made
In the days of religious persecution in Engiana
four priests of Oxford fed TO the town OF Doual IN
effects upon the people Of England Of their read
ing and studying the Bible in ther own Rogf to
that Bible. under the plea that it vas pHahsheq .
surely an English version issued with the sanction
Of the Catholic Church itself would attract 10 us
The Council of Trent A D. 1545 (snce deemed
infailible, though composed of faIubIe HleiJ
members when compared in respect to their BloLl-
cal learning with that of 1911 OF the present day
were far inferior IN the scholarship pertaining 10
the Hebrew and Greek languages, deereed that the
EuEate, the tin translation from the creek yer
sion, which from the Hebrew, was authentlc:
These four priests therefore took the Nulsate as
their principal basis and thus produced the Dou6i
version. which is translation Of 5ransiati2n o. OF
q transa ton. In consequence, 1t is less dccurat"
less vivid and lacks the literary excellence or me
King James and the latest revision OF the tngIlsh
Bible. ., s.
In one respect these good men were sadly dis
appointed Instead of having the comrnend uon OF
the Pope and his clergy for their sel.Sdenyings
lsbors these latter virtually condenlneu
s'The Douai version never had any episcopal i'm.
primatur, much less any Papal appreciation
ICatholic Dictionary, p. S4} , , -
AS it does not desire the Bible 1or me Pe4P n
never authorizing the publication of the DoIal
Bible and in consequence 1t has been Puolisheo py
individuals but only a business enterprise. Ins
Roman hierarchy has never, SO far as know: nao
the Bible translated into language OF heatnen-
dom where it has had missionaries; Wne Win VIII n
less than a century the English and American
FihIe societies have had the Bible translated into
more than three hundred languages ana oIaiects
for the people Of heather lands. l. H PATTON.
New-Gork. Feb. z. 1898