The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-27

Not very long since 1 wrote for the
News and Observer a paper on 1.-The
Bible.' There are not many people
who know how the English Bible has
come to us who are living in the TWEEN
tieth century. Great, precious and UNI
equalled among all books ever writ
ten or published is the Holy Bible.
And yet but few preachers compare
lively know any thing of its preserva-
ton and how we obtained it. The
theme is too large for newspaper
discussion with limitations as to space.
With five or six columns one might
gather a good deal of information
bearing on the subject of the preser-
walton of the Bible. l hope to say
enough here to show at least the i'm
portance of the theme. / am of the old
school of Christians, and of Wesleyans.
as to the sacredness of the Word of
Jehovah as to it's reverancy when
properly translated and understood, as
to its supreme excellence and impor-
lance beyond all else and as to is supe-
periority over all of the books of all
the world, past and present 1t Us
greatly superior to all merely human
productions. / gave in my former pa
per the opinions of some eminent men
as to his perfection, beauty, grandeur,
originality, literary excellence and
sublimity. The learned Bishop Horne,
profound and sincere wrote long ago
in this wise: 1.-THE fairest productions
of human w.t. after a few perusals,
like gathered flowers, wither in our
hands and lose their fragrance; but
these unfading plants of Paradise be-
come, as we are accustomed to them,
still more and more beautiful; their
bloom appears to be doubly heighten
ed fresh odors are emitted, and new
sweet Sexhaled from them" 1t be-
comes, therefore, the more important
that we have the Bible as nearly cor
rect as it is possible to make it. There
are errors in existing copies be-
cause of the long transit it has had
from the original writer's down to the
Revision of the Scriptures in 1881. 1t
is a duty as we'll as a necessity that the
Bible shall be presented as nearly
perfect as possible. There is yet some
thing to be done to secure that end.
There is no objection to correcting
palpable, unmistakable errors in the
James Translation, the glory of modern
literature, and they are rather nu-
merous, but l have no patience with
people who have no appreciation uf
the very beautiful melodious, ex-
quisite English in our Old Version, and
would introduce in its place the
called modern English, "as she is
spoke" An English translation is
not infallible or really the work of in
spired men. 1t is to be sacrediy pre-
served where it faithfully rcproduccs
what prophets and apostles ana
evangelists wrote thousands of year;
ago in very different languages, and
under very different circumstances
from ours" There is one thing that
may be said with strict regard for
truth, that there is a strong and
substantial identity of our Scriptures
with those of the first century" and
that the James (our dear old beloved
Version) Bible is a superlative trans
lation of the first century Scriptures,
subject, however, to certain verbal
corrections to be made growing out Of
the record of complete copies OF the
Old Scriptures of the early times, and
a more critical knowledge of the lam
guages in which they were written.
The Bible was not printed first but
was contained in manuscripts or writ
ten copies. The oldest Bibles are the
Vatican manuscript, the Sinaitic
manuscript, and the Alexandrlan
manuscript, known as Goddess Rome
has the first, Russia has the second
and England has the third. Other
sources of Information are Palimpsests,
Cursve Manuscripts and the Old
Testament Revision. There are many
ancient Versions that are valuable in
helping to, the possession of the Scrip
lures. Another valuab BILE source III the
way of helps are the Quotations -
early Christian writer's having quoted
very freely from the written Scrip
lures. The means of ascertaining
precisely what the original Word of
God is have been very much increased
since the James Version was made.
There are accessible now many more
and older manuscripts and Versions
n.10 No4s
when the authorized Version" as it is
called, was made. There are words
used in that Version that have lost
their original meaning or been SO
changed as to make correction abso-
lutely necessary. 1t is said that these
number more than 200 words-amone
them such words as carriages, comfort,
let, prevent, and many others. When
there is error it should be amended.
With the oldest copies of Bible now
extant--the three manuscripts or copies
mentioned above-there are over 1,50v
in Greek alone that exist. These are
of different centuries, and of various
times in centuries, and of course vary
no little. Some are valuable because
they aid in determining somewhat the
readings of the older manuscripts as
many of them may have been copied
from the Oldest manuscripts not now
known. The form of letters is chiefly
relied upon in determining age and
value. Remember that manuscripts
are copies of the original tongue in
which the Scriptures were written
while Versions are but translations in
to other tongues marked distinc-
ton. 1t is known that manuscripts
are of a comparatively late time when
they have initial letters, miniatures,
ornaments, Latin etc. Remember that
the three chief. most valuable,
most reliable, oldest of all manu- |
scripts, named above, were not known |
to the persons who prepared the old |
English Version in 1911, in King |
James reign. They show how the BIZ |
BILE really existed not long after the
Apostolic days-in the end of the first |
century. They are the oldest now pos |
sessed ranging from about A. d. 800 |
to $50. All Greek manuscripts of ear |
lier date persisted during the persecu |
tions of the Christians, and their writ |
ings were no doubt an abomination to |
the enemies.
The Vatican manuscript or CodeX
is not perfect. 1t has lost some $50 |
verses. Ii is perfectly clear and legi- |
BILE after $4,000 years. The Sinaitic
or Codex is very nearly |
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