The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-19
LUEHERANS WILL
celebrate EVENT
Thursday Marks 4o0th Ami
yersary of luther's Bibtt-
cal Transactions.

gtnia will this week celebrate the
tortteth centennial Of the transla-
ton Of the New Testament into
the language Of the masses Of the
people. Protestant churches to al
lesser degree will also observe the
at Grace Lutheran church Rev
Roy j. Meyer will preach a spec
IA sermon on this subject at
tue mtd-week service on Wednes.
day evening at.7:SO o'clock.
It was on September 2, 1922.
that Martin Luther first brought
from the press OF Wittenberg
Germany, his translation OF the
NeW Testament from the original
Greek into his Saxon dialect |
which through this event develop.
ed into the modern High German
language. This huge task OIL
Lnther's accomplished in 1922,
played a very important part in
the Protestant, Reformation. I'll
was; the first time that the New
Testament appeared without omis.
sions and in a direct translation
from the original Greek.
Previous TO Luther's translation
OF the Testament, there had been
numerous vernacular translation
but all Of them were taken from
the Latin Vulgate, the official
blole Of the Catholic Church.
Luther's work has the distinction
OF being the first translation into
any language In general use from
the original Greek In which the
New Testament was written
When Luther was forced to
seek refuge from Worms, HIS
friends took him to Eisenach and
concealed him in the Wartburg
Castle. In this ancient and i'm.
posing fortress he remained ini
confinement for nearly. a year. To
IND relief from mental depression,
from which be SO often suffered, !
ne became absorbed In work and
among his writings were "deyo.
tional tracts. popular sermons
Scripture exposittons, and poleutc
pamphlets. Z" But the most signi-
ticant product OF his labors was
MS translation Of the New Tesla
ment, completed In less than
three months. It was rushed toi
the press-fortunately the printing
press had been invented for the
ltetormation-and on September
q, 1929, appeared the first edi.
ton. It was now possible for the
common man to get possession oi
Gods Word, and read It in his own
tongue.
While the New Testament was
In the hands OF the printer,
Luther began his translation Of |
the Old Testament. assisted by
his friends. Melanchton, Burgen.
hagen, Jonas, Cruciger, Aurogal- |
lus and Spalatin. In 1924 about
two.thirds of the Old Testament
had been rendered into German,
but owing to the stress OF other
duties. the work of translating had
to be laid aside until 1923. In 1884,
the entire Bible was issued in Ger
man and the book was sold at a.
low price, making it possible for
every family to have a COPY.
Despite the difficulties of the
early days of the newly invented
printing press. Luther's authorize
ed printer at Wittenberg sold
100000 copies OF the Bible In |
forty years-from 1894 to 1674
This was the most spectacular
book issue up to that time, and in
fact for more than two centuries
following.
Luther was not the first 10 rem.
der the Bible into German. Yer.
nacular translation were preval.
ent, but there was a vast differ.
ence between his translation and
these earlier ones. They were
written In crude German and
based on the Latin Vulgate.
Luther translated the New Tesla.
ment from the original Greek AMI
the Old Testament from the He.
brew into his own Saxon dialect.
He created the modern High
German language and gave to the
world an open Bible.
Other translation Of the New
Testament and Of the Bible into
modern languages quickly follow
ed upon Luther's. Hans Mikkel-
sen published New Testament in
Danish in 1924; Christian peder.
sen, in 1897. LaurentIus Andreae
issued New Testament In Swed-
ish in 1896; olavus Petrl, the
whole Bible In 1871. A Dutch YER
sion Of the New Testament ap-
peared in 1926, an Icelandlc In
1910. a Polish In 1861, and Italian
In 1882. a Finnish, etc., in short
order. All Of these were based
upon Luther's monumental work.
The first translation OF the New
Testament in England did not APP
pear until 1926 William Tyndale,
an English tutor, was responsible
for this work, prepared at Worms
following his declaration that the
Bible should be placed in the
hands Of every ploughboy in Eng.
land, who, he said. would soon
know 1t better than the priests.
Following the English edition of
the New Testament, Tyndale be-
gan the translation Of the Hebrew
Testament but his work was ham
pered by constant persecution by
agents of the king and pope
which necessitated frequent
flights from city to city. He was
being backed by wealthy friends
in England who were as anxious
as, he that the Bible be made
available to the common people.