The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-27
HE MESSAGE OF JEHOVAH.
BY Dr.. L. IL. KING3BURY.

selves In addition to the Syriac
scriptures, written III the language on
people VINO heard Jesus, there have
come down to the present parchments
containing Egyptian Ethiopic and Ar
menian Versions, but which unfortu-
nateiy are not understood by Biblical
transi1tors and scholars. There is also
an old Latin Version, tie Oldest of all
known Versions except the Syriac
these two are regarded as "the most
valuable for the purpose of textlIal
criticism. 1t is what is known among
scholars as Jerome's Latin Vulgate.
and is understood to be The tired,
Revised Bible of the ancient Western
church. 1t was completed by the
great scholar and Christian by A. -.
365. That is. the New Testament
was completed, but the Old Testament
translation was later. 1t is affirmed by
a Protestant scholar that mo othel
work has ever had such an influence
on the history of the Bible The pro-
fessional theologians and scholars treal
of what | have but glimpsed in an
elaborate and ample manner 1t is an
aScertained fact that the New Tesla
ment had been translated and copied
often IN the languages of early Chris
tendon not long after It had been
written and gathered. 1t is also known
that so early as that even commen-
tarieS and harmonies of the Gospels
had been. written, and a list of the
Books called the New Testament had
been prepared. a portion still remains,
and is known as the "Muratorian
Fragments"
Another important and useful
source arc the many Quotations in
early Caristian Writers and have
been found valuable especially those
that go back to the days of the or
iginal New Testament writings. - TO
know all about these many things ]
have merly named, you must study
the standards as to ancient Versions
and Quotations. In the supposed
Epistle of Barnabus there are Scrip
tural quotations. The Epistle of Glenn
cnt, who is mentioned by ST. Paul, who
was one of the carly BiSchopS OF
Rome, is regarded as one of uncOm-
mon interest. Irenaeus, Bishop of
Lyons, Ettle later, says of the famous
letter. 1T was written by Clement, who
had seen the blessed Apostles, ana
conversed with them, who had the
preaching of the blessed Apostles still
sounding in his ears and their tradi-
ton before his eyes" The letter was
addressed to the Church at Corinth.
About a. d. 10, the then Bishop OF
COrinth, D.OnYSius, stated that
1T had bedn wont to be
read IN lis church from an
Gent tines Then there are quota
tons found by Iquatlras, Bishop OF
Antioch, and but forty years after
Christ's Ascension. Then, too, the
Christian martyr, Polycarp, who knew
ST. John personally and was his disci-
pie, was known well to Irenaeus, who
said OF hint can tell the place in
which the blessed Polycarp sat ana
taught and how he related hi;
conversations with John and others
who had seen the Lord all which
Polycarp related agreeably to the
Scriptures. Of his remains it is re
ported that they contain nearly forty
clear illusions to the New Testament
books" All this is very interesting
certainly. Polycarp knew the Apos-
tie John wolf and was his disciple, anG
he, PolyCarp, was well known to Ire
nalUS, Bishop of Lyons, who lived
near to Apostolic times. Justin Mar
tyr wrote a book called apologies.
This was about A. u. $50. John died
about A. ID. 81. They contain very In
tercst.ng quotations from the eternal
Scriptures of Inspiration. In addition
to tho citations of the early fathers,
there are very important quotations
found in Origen, Clement of AlcXau-
dria, Basil, Augustine and Jerome-all
within the third and fourth centuries.
Other sources of interest showing
how VIC obtained our precious English
Bible, are found in the several early
English Versions, Caedmon, Bede
King Alfred. Wycliffe, Tyndale's and
the later and more important James
Version Fifty years elapsed after
Tyndale before King James summon
ed the Bishops and Clergy of the Els
tabliehed Church of England to meet
for the consideration of plans for an
English Version of the Bible. In 1858
the Bishops Bible had appeared In
June. 1870, a company Of learned and
eminent men met at Westminster Ab
hey for Revised Version In 1881
the New Testament Revision appeared,
having been completed on November
IL The Old Testament was complct~
ed in 1885, and soon the Revised Bible
was completed and on May 5th it was
in the hands of the eager readers. The
objections urged are that it took too
many liberties with the James YER
sion so dear to Bible lovers. A
promise had been made ito introduce
as few alterations as possible into the
text Of the Authorized Version 1t is
genuine, positive value-an excellent
commentary on the Authorized
(Jamcs) Version, and places the read
ers "as nearly as an English Version
can do on a level with the original
tongues.
The reader must remember that the
Old and New Testaments had to be
copied by writer's. and that it was very
easy to commit errors. Many occur
red, and were followed by other
copyists. 1t is, therefore. very neces-
sary to examine all the various
sources of information that are now
accessible so as to obtain the precise
needs of the Bible in so far as it is
made possible by the numerous
sources that may be drawn upon.
What [ have given is the merest hint
of the resources, and the inn
portance of all of the sources
that are drawn upon. Mistakes in
abound. Here is a sample
of mistakes in the Old Testament. Sec
Psalm 4S:14. 1t reads: This God is
our God forever and ever: He will
be our guide unto death" Some He
brew manuscripts have changed it to
for ever" This occurred by altering
II. In. T. H. to II. L. M. T. H." A
learned critic gives an old story of an
infidel He wrote over his bed-God
Is nowhere" His little boy read it
God is now here.
The oldest Hebrew manuscript (of
tho s'Old Taeta n, eDt") in existence now