The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-04-30
How Do We Know That Bible
Manuscripts Are Really
Genuine =?
BY ERASMUS WILSON. ,as.s.


God, that is almost Unborn in every
Christian child, there is still a desire
in the heart Of nearly every one to
know the origin of the manuscripts
from which the Book was compiled.
OF course, it was lot written, much
less printed, from the beginning, nor
was 1t handed down to man in written
or printed form. The Ten Command
ments were said to have been writ
ten on tables, or tables of stone.
The manuscripts, after the inven-
tion of writing, were made up from
the memories Of those who had men,
orzed them, and whose duty 1t was
to repeat them to the people.
Mr. w. c. Lyme, of the Third Pres
byterian Church, gave a talk before
the Pittsburg adult Bible class in the
East Liberty Presbyterian Church on
Sunday afternoon last on this subject
that was intensely interesting and
highly instructive.
The Sources of the Bible.
After showing that the sources
from which the accepted Bible was
made up were ancient manuscripts,
Mr.. Lyme said that none OF the orig
inal records from which these manu-
scripts were compiled are known to
be in existence, but there can be no
doubt as to the genuineness Of the
copies.
A feature Of much interest was the
exhibit by the speaker of a rare old
manuscript written by monks on vel
lum 500 years ago-before printing
was invented. This rare curio was IL
Illuminated with beautiful initial let
tering in gold, and exquisite minia-
ture paintings executed years before
Raphael's famous frescos and paint
ings upon canvas. The work Of these
old artists upon the vellum retain a
freshness in coloring and delicacy In
technique that was most suggestive !
Of how durable work on manuscript |
was.
The speaker also circulated among
the audience facsimile prints of the |
three oldest Bible manuscripts in the |
world, and by means Of these gave |
an interesting idea of the character |
Of the original writings and the care |
taken in transcribing. He also gave |
an intelligent reason why some por-
tions of our present Bible were omit
ted as doubtful authority in the new ,
revised version.
The romantic discovery by Tisch- :
endorf in a basket of rubbish in an
old convent at the foot Of Mount |
Sinai of the most valuable manu-
script in existence just as the monks |
were about to commit it to the flames, |
was made more Interesting by prints |
of the Convent of st. Catherine. and |
facsimilies of the Sinaitc manuscript |
now held by the Car of Russia.
Inerrency of Manuscript.
While he did not claim absolute in
errency for accepted manuscripts, Mr..
Lyme showed that no important doc
trine or fact had been disturbed by
existing records with man
uscripts buried from sight and the
knowledge Of scholars for 1900 years.
Jewish manuscripts had always been
placed in the most guarded places,
the copies Of the old Jewish law be-
ing placed in the ark Of the covenant
and temple and in times of danger
rescued from destruction as by JOS
ephus in the days of Titus, when the
temple was burning.
The copying and transmitting of
has been guarded with |
such scrupulous care that convincing |
proof Of their integrity and genuine
ness was furnished by knowledge of !
facts. Scribes were bound by solemn !
oath to make no change of word or
letter, and were required to record |
the number Of words, the middle |
verse and letter of manuscript, and |
even the number Of times a certain |
letter began words. Then, too, the |
rival academic schools of both Ces- |
aera and Babylon watched with jeal-
Gus care the work Of the other.
Later on both Jew and Gentle |
were vigilant in watching the fidelity !
of the other in copying records, and |
by singular coincidence the three |
most valuable manuscripts OF the
Bible were in the separate possession
Of the three great branches OF the
Christian church. The Alexandrian
manuscript was in the keeping of the
Anglican church in the British Mu-
scum; the Vatican manuscript was
held by the church of Rome in the
Vatican, and the Sinaitic manuscript
was held by the Greek church at
st. Petersburg. Such remarkable
safeguards were not accidental. but
wise design for perpetuating the pur-
fly and genuineness of Biblical rec
ords.
Different Versions.
In discussing the versions OF the
Bible he passed rapidly from the
septCigent to the vulgate, and then
after speaking of the unique work of
Wickliffe and Tyndal amidst great