The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-12-18
CHANGING OF BIBLE HAS
GONE ON SIX CENTURIES
PROF. GOODSPEED'S TRANS.
LATION INTO LANGUAGE OF
DAY is LAST ATTEMPT.
MANY ORIGINAL COPIES EXIST
Tyndale Forfeited Life for His Yer
sion Many Others Recall Lively
Criticisms When Verbage of Holy
Writ Has Been Changed.

Writ Has Been Changed.
CHICAGO.-While ministers and
laymen are discussing the translation
of the New Testament by Prof. E. ].
Goodspeed, University OF Chicago, in
to everyday English long row of
ancient Bibles at the Newberry library
here offers evidence that the same
controversy has been going on at least
900 years, according to Pierce Butler,
authority on early printing.
The Newberry contains virtually all
the. originals on the subject of how
the Bible should be rendered in Eng
lish. Many are suggestive OF the old
days when translating the Bible did
more than cause criticism OF the trans
lators
The first published in English was
Wiclif's New Testament, 1880, man
uscripts of which are extremely rare.
The only reason Wiclif died in his
bed was he had so many followers
that nobody dared touch him, said
Mr. Butler Like Prof. Goodspeed,
Wiclif and his disciples wanted a
translation in everyday speech,
Defense of Wiclif's Plan.
This is an explanation from the
sixty-page defense of the plan which
appeared in later editions: First, it is
knowe that the best translation is out
of Latyn into English, to translate
after the sentence, and not oneli after
the worlds, so that the. sentence be as
opin, either openere, in English as in
Latyn, and go not fer fro the lettre.
Although this ancient manuscript is
not at the Newberry, the Bible of the
next man who tried his hand at what
he called plough boy English" was
William Tyndale, who later met death
for his act Not the least of the crit
cisms made against him was that he
eliminated various terms dear to the
clergy
Then came Myles Coverdale, 1887,
who got out an English edition under
the kings authority with the beloved
terms replaced Two years later came
the so-called Great Bible.
There are many other Bibles in the
Newberry collection that recall vigor-
Gus criticism The Bishops Bible,
1903, pleased as a translation, but the
pictures shocked the devout-Leda
with her swans sprawled across page
and a cut of the Earl OF LEICESTER,
whose relation to the subject was
considered dubious
"Breeches Bible" Recalled.
The Geneva Bible, translated by
Protestant refugees after the accession
of Queen Mary, still bears the name
OF THE Brooches Bible" because in
the story of Adam and Eve the first
man and woman are said to have
made themselves breeches from fig
leaves. The Doual Bible was printed
by the English Catholics in l609-10
refugees in their turn This version is
said to be an almost literal translation
of the Latin Vulgate.
1t is sometimes known as the "rosin
Bible" because the familiar line
There is nc balm in Gilead," is trans
lated There is no rosin in Gilead"
In another version the construction is
There is no treacle in Gilead,
"All translation should be made in
to everyday English" Mr. Butler said
Modern scholars know that the Greek
of the New Testament is vernacuar
Greek, that is, the Greek OF the peo-
pie and not the literary language
Why, then, should not English trans
lations be in homely, everyday
speech?"