The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-05-19
How Do We Know That Bible
Manuscripts Are Really
Genuine z
BY ERASMUS WILSON.

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God, that is almost inborn in every
Christian child, there is still desire
In the heart of nearly every one to
know the origin of the manuscripts
from which the Book was compiled.
or course, 1t was not 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,
orized 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 H.
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
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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
IN 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-
sndorf 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 Sinaitic manuscript
now held by the Czar of Russia.
Inerency 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
comparing 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
manuscripts 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-
ity and genuineness of Biblical rec
ords.
Different Versions.
In discussing the versions of the
Bible he passed rapidly from the
septuigent to the vulgate, and then
after speaking of the unique work of
Wickliffe and Tyndal amidst great
opposition, eliminating in disinterring
the bones Of the former and cast
ing his ashes upon the river Swift,