The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-09
REVISION.
IS URGED BY
GRANT
Finding of Ancient Text Gives
impetus to Plans of Tyson
Foundation.
BY VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE,
Cosmopolitan News Service.

BY VIOLA BROTHERS SHORE
Cosmopolitan News Service.
NEW YORK, May 9.-The
worlds most famous and revered
book, the Bible, is the center to-
day of a double-barreled attack
here.
In an unflinchable pursuit of
the truth, DIR. e. s. Buchanan,
an, authority on ancient manu-
scripts, asserts he can prove that
an earlier text of the Bible, diff
fering widely from the King
James translation, exists In the
underscript Of an ancient parch-
ment written by Spanish monk
about the fourth century. This
parchmet book, owned by Archer
Huntington, reposes in the
museum here, dedicated to
Spanish art.
Want "Up-tO-Date" Version.
Now comes the Tyson .Lectureship
Foundation, Inc, supported by lead
ers in ethical thought and religion,
who proposes to rewrite the Bible.
This organization believe the Bible
should be brought up-to-date to con-
form to sound scientific and ethical
theories"
DR., Buchanan, not identified with
those who would reWrite the Bible.
simply points out that the under
writing on the Huntington manu-
script, contains a Lords Prayer diff
fering substantially from the accept
ed one, that there is no mention of
baptism. hell and other doctrines
which are mentioned in correspond
ing sections Of the King James
version.
Meanwhile, DIR. Percy Stickney
Grant, rector of the Church Of the
Ascension, who has amazed the
Episcopalian clergy with his attacks
on what he terms the mythology"
of the Bible, including the divinity
of Christ, is happy at the discussion
stimulated.
Commenting on the Huntington
manuscript, which DIR. Buchanan
hopes to translate in full, DR.. Grant
said:
There has got to be such a re-
vision Of the Christian religion on
the basis of the present, received
documents that 1t does not make
much difference so far as revision
goes whether there are new and
startling manuscripts discovered or
not" he said.
But it is a good thing to present
to the public new manuscripts or
documents. Anything which makes
people learn about their religion
and think about 1t. instead OF ac.
cepting it on authority as an Inn
mutable formula, is valuable.
LAS far as / am concerned, per-
sonally, in religious discussion, my
aim has been not to introduce a
spectacular note into religion but
solely to make people think about
their beliefs-to examine their re.
ligion by the light of q modern edu.
cation - which means modern
science-and to abandon mythology.
In short, to bring their religion up
to date instead of living religiously
according to the science and phi
losophy of two or three thousand
years ago.
For that reason have read with
interest what the papers have said
about DIR. Buchanan's discovery.
"As for the controversial aspects
of the matter, / am not qualified
to speak. Besides, do not think
the importance of the find lies in
the variations of the text from the
accepted version of the Bible. Any
discovery is important that win
create interest in the Bible--that
will stimulate study-that will make
religion a topic of daily news and
hence of live interest to laymen as
well as clergymen. Discussion will
clarity religion as it does other sub.
jects.
THE controversy, 1 think, will
be cleared up now that Mr.. Archer
Huntington has declared the manu-.
script open to examination.
DIR. Buchanan is a great scholar.
I do not know anybody better quail
flied to speak on the manuscripts
of the Bible.
Most of the manuscripts of the
Bible which are in existence he has
had in his hand and studied. There
are 80 or 33 manuscripts in the
world, and DR.. Buchanan has in.
spected and studied 90 of them. The
figures may not be accurate. but
it amounted to this--that he has
had all but four or five in his hand
for study.
II have never met any one who
knew so much about manuscripts
as DR.. Buchanan. Hiss associa.
tions, too, on the other side, with
the bishop Of Salisbury and other
notables, were such as to sustain
the claim Of his scholarship"