New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-08
THE REVISION OF THE TULGATE.

THE REVISION OF THE TULGATE.
Biblical students throughout the world with
/ little regard to creed, have cause for interest
! in the progress which Is being made with the
revision Of the Latin Bible which was under
taken under Papal patronage about two years
ago. The commission of classical scholars
which appointed by Plus y in 1907 has
been working theoretically, sparing according
! TO Instructions neither labor nor money in max
| ing the revision as thorough as possible Every
accessible public and private library in Europe
| is being searched for manuscripts especially
those in Spain, for the reason that the latter
country was not under the authority Of Charlie
imagine, and therefore was not subjected To the
! influences of the Aicuin revision wherefore it
! is hoped there to find some earlier copies and
versions of the Vugate than other lands afford.
A singularly comprehensive and careful COLA
ton of all varying texts is being made which
| in itself as an exposition Of different versions
/ of the Scriptures. will be of neStimable value.
The purpose of the revision is primarily
restoration Every effort will be made to
ascertain the exact form of JerOme's original
! translation. OF course, II may not be conceded
by all that that was the most accurate and
authoritative version of the Scriptures. but
| that it had very great authority no judicous
| scholar will for moment dispute. At the
| time when it made in the fourth century.
| there were already numerous versions III exist
ence chief among them perhaps being the ITALIA
version. the origin of which is unknown but
which remained in common use until the time
of Gregory the Great. Now, Jerome had all
these versions before him. and also many
ancient texts which have now wholly persisted.
| He had Of course. the HeNaplar and other
| manuscripts Just as they had come from the
| hands Of Origen. containing the Septuagnt in
a state OF original purity unknown in our day.
and the Greek TRANSACTIONS Of AQUila TheOdo-
| ton and Symmachus Of which only fragments
are now available With that amplitude Of
material before him, with his own unsurpassed
scholarship and devotion. and with the COM
mands of Pope Damascus conStraining him.
Jerome performed work of which most serious
account must m all times he taken by Biblical
students and the restoration of which 70 the
condition in which he left it will be an achieve
ment of great interest and practical value
It will be interesting and instructive. when
this work is done to examine those texts in
which the Clementine Vulgate strikiugIy dit
fers from the King James version and 10 see
If the restored text Of Jerome maintains the
differences or harmouizeS them-as. for ex-
ample. the passage in lob which in the one
version reads u know that nv redeemnr Uvetb
"and that be shall stand nj the latter dav
upon the earth" and in the other "and that in
the hast day ! shall be raised uD" II Is i'm
probable that there viii ever be made version
of the Bible which all viii accept as in an re-
spects accurate and authentic But every clint
nation Of inaccuracv. however slight and overv
accession Of authority. must be welcomed by
al sincere and reyerent students II is much
10 be wished that some day there might he
cooperation among scholars Of all faiths
| Catholic. Protestant Greek and Armenian
and. for the OH Testament Jewish-in WHAT
might he regarded as n universal ard deCnf-
tive revision ~ the Book; and perhaps thar
VIII come in time, 10 the great advantage Of