The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-03-28

LONDON WILL Be CENTER
Began Sunday, and In All Of the
English Churches the Birthday Of
the English Bible Was Observed
by Special Thanksgiving Services.
With History Of Authorized Version.

| London. March 2T.-Throughout the
British empire preparations were COM
pleted for the fitting observance OF
the tercentenary Of the authorized
version OF the English Bible. In Eng
land London was the center of the
celebration. which began on Sunday.
with special Thanksgiving SER
vices In all the churches. The Bible,
Its history and historical sketches of
the origin of the authorized version OF
the English Bible win form the text
for every sermon tomorrow. The
churches OF every denomination In
Great Britain and. in fact, all English
speaking countries, will join in the OBJ
servance OF the English Bibles BIRTH
day.
The celebration will not be confined
to this city. In the course of the week
meetings will be arranged In leading
provincial centers In Scotland and
ireland, similar to the large mass
meeting to be held in the Royal Albert
hall on Wednesday. The celebration
will continue for several weeks and
will reach It's climax and conclusion
on the Sunday following Easter.
In connection with the interesting
celebration the authorities Of the
British museum have arranged an ex-
hibition OF historical character
which will attract the attention and
held the interest OF the thousands of
Bible scholars who will visit London
during the tercentenary celebration.
The exhibition will be divided into two
sections. manuscripts and printed
books The manuscripts will illus
trafe the progress OF the Bible from
the very earliest times, starting with
examples OF the Hebrew and Greek
4 originals. and going on TO the Latin
vulgata. which brought the Bible Into
England. There will also be numer-
Gus examples OF early English manu-
scripts. produced at various intervals
down 10 the time when the art Of
printing was introduced. There will
be about thirty examples Of Biblical
manuscripts illustrating the various
periods mentioned.
The printed or book section will
start with a copy Of the FIRST ex-
ample OF a portion Of the Bible printed
in England. this being Tyndale's New
Testament. produced In 1896. Other
examples OF printed works will show
all editions produced by private In
diyiduals from Tyndale's time down
, 10 the FIRST edition OF the authorized
version, produced In 1911. when the
special committee appointed seven
years before by James ]. TO revise the
j Bible fo- all time. produced the result
Of It's labor. There will also be- speci-
mems OF some specially interesting
editions Of the authorized version
since that date.
The exhibition will include a speci-
men 81 practically every Bible In the
museum. excluding. however, mere
TRANSACTIONS into foreign languages Of
} the authorized version. Several
copies Will be accompanied by docu-
ments illustrating their history. and
the languages and dialects represented
in the whole collection will include
Hebrew. Greek. Syriac, three dialects
OF Egyptian. Latin. Anglo-saxon and
English Of the middle ages. Tudor
and Elizabethan periods.
II was In 1903 that the Puritan wing
Of the Church OF England pctIiioned
James for the revision Of the Book
Of Common Prayer. To bring about
tinal settlement OF the matter, which
caused considerable dissension among
J his subjects. King James summoned
: conference Of learned men, theoio-
CLANS and Bible students. which con-
yened at Hampton court. In the kings
: presence. on January II. 1904. II
was during the four days Of that con-
ference, which clearly showed the d.
yergence OF opinions regarding the
existing English texts Of the Bible.
the Great, the Bishops and the Geneva
. Bible, that James conceived the idea
Of ordering a new version OF the
Bible. henceforth 70 be accepted as the
only authorized version. He dis
missed the conference. however, With
lout disclosing his plan.
] On July %. OF the sameeyear, he
! called the same scholars together
! once more and charged them with the
I task Of making a new version Of the
, Bible. based upon the Bishops Bible,
! from which they we're 10 deviate only
] where absolutely necessary. The
y hfty-four scholars, OF which the con-
!, ference consisted, organized them
! selves Into six sub-committses, and
with al the available material, from
' the original Greek and Hebrew manu-
D scripts, Bishop Ulhla's Gothic trans.
, lation and later Latin. German
J. French, Italian and Spanish transIa-
: tI0na. 10 the English Bibles Of wy.
? ciIfIe. TyDdale. Coyerdale and the
, Geneva Bible at their disposal. began
: their task, which was not completed
aiuufif seven years later. The pxaci