Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-03-14

This year its Centenary is ceie-
brated- 1t is a grand book. 1t has
done a grand work. The fact that IL
is not perfect must not condemn a
work possessed of so many glorious
qualities. 1t was the result Of seven
years labor on the part Of forty-seven
persons learned in the languages and ap-
pointed by King James of England for
its preparation. They labored to some
disadvantage by reason of the COM
mand given them to follow an earlier
translation styled, The Bishops Bible,
and to alter it as little as the original
would allow. They were also instruct
ed that if the Tyndale, Coverdale, Mat
thew, Cranmer or Whitchurch transla-
lions and the Geneva Editors agreed
better with the text, theirs should be
accepted as instead OF the Bishops.
The translation was. perhaps, the best
that could be made at the time.
Published by kingly authority, it is
now venerated by English and Amer
lean Protestants as though 1t had come
direct from the finger of God. This is
mistake. We are to worship God
and to reverence His Word and to
search as carefully as possible to have
the precious Ointment provided by the
spirit of the Truth free from all dead
fies-free from al human additions
and mistranslations and superstitions
of the Dark Ages"
The basis for our Common Version
was the Latin Vulgate, which was dill
gently revised and compared with the
Greek MSS. of the time. But there
were few Greek MSS. known at that
time. whereas at the present time there
are over 700. Three of these are quite
ancient.
a. The Sinaitic MS, found in a Con-
vent on Mt Sinai so recently as 1860
This is acknowledged to be the Oldest
Greek MS. known In the world Its
date is estimated to be about the year
331 A. d. This MS. is now In the pos
session Of the Russian government at
ST. Petersburg.
e. The Vatican MS. 1909, is credited
with being next in age 1t was found
amongst old MSS. In the Vatican Lii
brary and is still there and catalogued.
The date of its writing is estimated to
be about the year $50 A. d.
g. The third of these oldest known
Greek MSS. of the New Testament is
styled the Alexandrine, because it was
found in Alexandria in Egypt. 1t is
now in the British Museum, where
any visitor can behold it in a glass
case. 1t is supposed to have been writ
ten about A. d. 400 The readings of
all three of these Greek MSS. can be
secured and the variations between
their readings and our Common YER
sion are SO simply arranged as to leave
no excuse for ignorance on the part of
Bible students. Our Common Yer.
sion with rotations of these MSS. can
be obtained through any bookseller.
A Responsible and Sacred Trust.
Prof. Tischendorf, writing respecting
these ancient Greek MSS. says
"To treat such ancient authorities
with neglect would be either unwar-
rantable arrogance or culpabie negli-
gence. Indeed, it would be a misun-.
Outstanding of Providence if, after all
these documents had been preserved
through all the dangers of fourteen or
fifteen centuries and delivered safe
into our hands. we were not ready to
receive them with thankfulness as
most valuable instruments for the
calculation of Truth"
The Truth In the Love of 1t.
The Lord speaks of some who re-
ceive not the Truth in the love of it.
and tells that they ultimately will be
ensnared by the Adversary. Evident
ly heart-honesty is one of the most
precious elements in the Divine sight
1t is not sufficient that we should be
Christians in name merely and with
form and ceremony 1t would not be
sufficient in the Lords sight that we
should worship sect or party or even
the Bible. 1t is the Divine Truth that
we must reverence next to the Divine
person.
1t is not sufficient to have Bibles
on our center tables merely, nor suf-
| ficient 10 carry them under our arms.
We must "eat" the Word of God-that
is to say, we must, as spiritual chill
dren of God. feed upon His message.
And this truly implies careful dis
elimination to discern between Gods
inspired Revelation and all human adj
ditions and admixtures. There is,
therefore, a difference between rever-
encing and loving the Word Of God
and reverencing and loving particu-i
lar translation. errors aud all.
"Thy Word Is Truth"
Our Masters prayer for all of His
true disciples, or footstep followers,
was and still is, "Sanctify them
through Thy Truth; Thy Word is
Truth" Whoever would have the
sanctifying influence Of the Divine
Word should so far as possible rid
himself of every unsanctifying admix-
ture of human tradition and interpola-
ton. The true sanctifcation or set
ting apart of the heart to know and
to do the Lords viii could not be con-
tent to accept with the sanctfying
Truth defiling errors. chat and nom
sense.
If thousands are turning away from
lUt DlDlc luGIt Is IedSOu II
is not the pure Truth that drives them
away, but the foreign admixture and
the slanderous neutrality-suspicious.
handed down to US by our well-mean-
ing but deluded ancestors of several
centuries ago. It Is high time for
all to manifest to God their love Of
the Truth by spending some of their
time in studying it-in learning its
precious lessons and in telling forth
its "good tidings of great joy to all
people"
"'Tis one thing now to read the Bible
through.
Another thing to read. to learn and do:
IT'S one thing now to READ It with delight.
And quite another thing to read 1t right.