Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-03-28
CHARLES MARSH MEAD.
MAKING THE REVISED OLD
TESTAMENT.

M. B. Riddle, ID. d., LII. ID.
During the year 1911 the last sur
vivors of the Old Testament Company
of American Revisers departed this life.
These were Professor Charles M. Mead,
of New Haven, Connecticut, and Pro-
fessor Howard Osgood, of Rochester,
New York. The former was the young
est members of the company. and be-
came, in the years preceding the publ
cation of the American Revised Version,
virtually the editor of the Old Testa-
ment portion. In view of this, it seems
desirable to give the public some facts
respecting his arduous labors, as per-
sonal memorial to such an able and
careful scholar. Every reader of the
Revised Old Testament is under obliga-
ton to him as will presently appear.
But, as an entire generation has
grown up since the inception of the
movement for revision, it will be
proper to recall the leading points in
the story of the American Old Tesla
ment Company. While fifteen names
appear in the published lists, there
were never more than twelve members
actively engaged in the work. They
had been selected to represent the Old
Testament scholarship of this country,
from as many denominations as prac-
ticable. Naturally, convenience as to
distance from New York was recog-
nized The two companies had sepa-
rate organizations, beside that of the
entire committee. DR.. William Henry
Green, of Princeton Theological Semi
nary, was chosen chairman of the Old
Testament company, and DR.. George f.
Day, of Yale Divinity school, was made
secretary, both of the entire committee
The other active members were: Drs.
Charles A. Aiken of Princeton Semi
nary; Talbot w. Chambers of New
York; John Dewitt of New Brunswick
seminary; George Emlen Hare of Phila-
delphia Divinity school; Charles Porter
field Krauth of Lutheran seminary,
Philadelphia Charles Marsh Mead of
Andover seminary; Howard Osgood of
Rochester seminary; Joseph Packard of
Alexandria seminary; Caloin Ellis Stowe
of Andover. Theological seminary; James
Strong of Drew Theological seminary.
DR.. Stowe attended, resigning in 1876,
DR.. Krauth died in 1888, before the
publication of the Anglo-American Re-
vision. All were professors of Hebrew
except DR.. Chambers, and represented
eight denominations.
At this point the special work of Dr.
Mead comes into prominence. IL is my
privilege to give tardy recognition OF
his activity, and to show with some de
tail how much the readers of the
"Standard" Old Testament are in
debted to him. In 1897 DR.. Mead wal
professor in the Hartford Theological
seminary, but very shortly afterwar(
relinquished that position, removed t.
: New Haven, in order to be in close
) touch with DR.. Day. and gave his who'll
D time to the work of revision. Thi
soon resulted in his becoming the re
sponsible editor of the Old Testament
? DR.. Day though constantly consulted
was unable, on account of defectiv
sight and hearing, to take up the activ
1 labor.
y Few people can estimate the eXten
: of DIR. Mead's labors, and the weight o
p responsibility that was thus providen
TALLY thrown upon him. Every word o
d the Old Testament Revision of 1885 ha
to be reconsidered, every change to b
discussed, adopted, and recorded, eve
the smallest details.
l. All this preliminary discussion wa
d directed by DR.. Mead. In 1898 he wa
o appointed by the Old Testament CON
70 pany to make "Notes and Suggestions
V on the entire Old Testament, and sen
= them to the other members for thei
}, consideration. He added a number G
l. renderings which had been adopted b
two-thirds vote in the previous dis
r cussion, but had not been included
d the American Appendix of the l8s
% edition. These "Notes and Sugge!
n tons" were sent, from time to time,
N the other members. Their preference
lie were colated, and recorded in the cop
( for press when approved by majo
W ity'
10 The agreement with the publisher
called for the selection of a new set {
n Scripture references, Those printed
a, editions of King James Version wei
Or very frequently useless or misleading
a 1t was huge task. DR.. Dewitt hs
n, already made tentative list, but tn
too required careful revision. I'll
labor on these references was so in
mense that DR. Mead was obliged to CT
rs upon some friends, not members of Il
as Revision company to assist him. Y
H. the responsibility rested upon him alon
e, and it was he who must adjust Il