The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-01-25

PreSs.)
| ROME, Jan. 25-After five years Of
constant work, announcement has just
been made by Pope Plus Bible re-
vision commission that within another
five years the Catholic church may
hope to have it's revised Bible.
When completed, the new version
will be based upon the most rigid COM
parison of the present text with all
existing Biblical manuscripts which
previous to the comparison, were sub
mitted to the most exacting tests OF
modern criticism and research. The
new Bible, or Vulgate, as it is known
in the Catholic church, it is expected
will be the most perfect translation OF
the Holy Scriptures in existence, and
as one of the greatest works under
taken under the pontificate of Pope
Plus X
Inquiry has revealed to some extent
the gigantic proportions of the work
undertaken. 1t was in 1907 that Pope
Plus appointed his commission for the
task, and this body at once delegated
the actual work of making the re-
vision to the Benedictine monks. The
work is now being carried on in their
monasteries in all parts of Europe,
extending from the famous monastery
of that order at MOntecassino, in the
south of Italy, to that of Fort August
us, in the north of Scotland. A large
amount of the work has also been
delegated to nuns, and these women
revisers are busily at work in the con-
vents of England, Belgium and France.
Many Photographs Taken.
To make possible what is virtually
the comparison with the original man
uscripts, photographs of these have
been taken in the various libraries
where they exist, such as at Madrid,
Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Rome,
Amiens, and Zurich. For this purpose
special camera was constructed,
which would take the photograph
from the manuscript as it was lying
fiat on a table AT the present time
there are over 1870 immense volumes
of these photographs on file at the.
home of the Biblical commission at the
International College of Saint Anslem,
in Rome.
Although the making of these photo
graphs has entailed an immense eX
pense. it has presented many advant-
ages. 1t has made it possible for what
are practically the original manu-
steries and converts where the work
of revision is being done, instead of
making it obligatory on the revisers
to visit the various cities and libraries
where the manuscripts are preserved
and where the work would have to be
done under perhaps unfavorable work
ing conditions. 1t has also made pos
sible the keeping at Rome of photo
graphic copy of the manuscript for
later reference
AS the second step toward the act |
lal revision, about 400 copies of the |
present text of the Bible were printed, |
.wo-thirds of each page being left |
blank for corrections, and the entire |
ext being printed without capital let
ers, punctuation, or word divisions.
With these copies the revisers are able
o correct the existing text by noting
he changes which the original manu-
scripts show necessary, merely by
adopting the usual proofreading
marks.
Up to the present time the commits
ion has received and has on file over
90 volumes of this revised work. The
NAL work of the revision, which will
AXE place at Rome, and which is al
eady under way, is also interesting.
his is the entering up of all the vari-
noes that are found existing between ,