The sun., 1904-05-15
The Old and the New Bible.

The Old and the New Bible.
A significant incident-it may be said
to be consequence-of the criticism to
which the Bible has been subjected dur
ing recent years is the decision Of the
managers OF the American Bible So
ciety on Thursday, to amend the con-
stitution of that society 80 as to permit
the printing of the revised version of
the Scriptures completed in 1885 by
British and American committees, in
accordance with principles and rules
laid down by the Convocation Of the
Province of Canterbury in 1870, and
further revised and edited by the Ameri-
can committee in 1901.
The Canterbury plan was simply for
a revision of the King James version,
made in 1911, or of the standard and
authorized English Bible of all Protes-
tants, and not for a dstinctively new
version. The resolutions Of the Con-
vocation, in view of the veneration in
which this ancient and authorized YER
sion was regarded. took pains to an
nounce that we do not contemplate
any new translation Of the Bible or any
alteration Of the language except where
in the judgment of the most competent
scholars such change is necessary y
Even where changes we're made, the
revisers were enjoined to follow closely
"the style of the language employed in
the existing version.
In 1885. when the revised version was
completed and was published by the
University Presses Of Oxford and Cam
bridge, there was great demand for the
| new Bible in both England and America.
In the course of single year as many as
three million copies were sold in thu two
countries, and it was a leading subject
of discussion in the religious world of
that day. The general feeling in the
two countries, however. was Of disap-
pointment. The changes made by the
revisers, under the compulsion of fidelity
to the originals, came as a shock to the
sentiment Of veneration which had
grown up around the old version, 80
that its very language had become en-
balmed in English literature and had
profoundly affected the whole thought
and the doctrinal statement and con-
viction of English speaking Protes-
tantism.
Accordingly, after the brief period in
which the revised Bible awakened sensa-
tional interest, it ceased to attract any
large degree of attention. During the
twenty years since its first publication
it has made no headway. The old YER
sion has continued to hold the affections
of the people, to be the source from,
which Biblical quotations are made and
from which lessons are read at church
services. The revision is used in critical
rather than pious study OF the Scriptures.
1t is true that two years ago the British
and Foreign Bible Society anticipated
the decision of our own Bible Society on
Thursday by amending it's constitution
SO as to authorize the publication of the
revised Bible among its issues, but the
demand for the new has been trifling rela-
lively to that for the old version.
OF all the books printed since the in
vention of printing, the Bible has been
by far the most numerously sent out
from the presses of both Europe and
AIItIlSd. uc COtdt Va tIC lb6ucS
of the English society since it's organiza-
ton in 1904 has been toward 200 900 900,
and of the American Society about half
as many. So far as concerns the English
language, these have been of the old
King James version. Meantime the
Bible has been translated in whole or in
part into hundreds of languages and dia-
lects or practically into every speech OF
the earth. The amount of labor ex-
pended by Protestant missionaries in
this direction has been prodigious. Civ
ing the Bible to every people of the earth
has been considered by them the first
great religious obligation.
The American Bible Society, by it's de-
cision to add the revised version to it's
issues, now admits tacitly the imperfec-
tion of this King James version as meas
ured by the standards Of modern scholar
ship, but the new is not venerated and il
never will be venerated like the old. The
Bible as revised is a strange book. Changes
made in passages hallowod by three GEN.
turies OF devout use produce q painful
impression of almost sacrilege In the re-
ligious mind. The Word of COP, in the e.
timation of the great mass Of the Eng
lish speaking Protestant public, is the
very language of the Bible as It was
translated in 1911 by commission OF
forty-seven members under JAMEsI.
At this time, too. when the new re-
vision is made authoritative, there is
throughout Christendom a criticism
of the Scriptures which goes far be-
yond the mere imperfections Of any
translation. II weighs in the balance