RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

THE BIBLE IN ENGLISH. AUTHORISED VERSION. TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. Tlie celebration of the Tercentenary of the Authorised Version of the Bible (1611-1911) will commence in ■Wellington to-morrow, ami will be continued during next week. This great Book has played such a supremely important part in the literature and religious life of English speaking peoples for the last 300 years that it is difficult to make some people realiso that the Bible was not originally written in the Knglish language, and that it is after all only one of the, many translations or versions which have made their appearance, since the early days of Christianity. The Hebrew Bible, was scarcely completed before tho great "Septuagint" translation into Greek was begun under the auspices of Ptolemy Philadelphia (284246 b.c), and when Origen, the great Alexandrian theologian and Biblical scholar, about the year 232 a.d. compiled his sixfold Biblo in parallel columns ho was able to copy out thrco independent Greek versions, besides the Septuagint—those of Aquila, Symmaclius, and Theodotian. Before tho end of tho second century there are traces of an old Latin' version of the entire Scriptures, one Syriae (the Curotouian), two Egyptian (the Thebaic and Memphitic), and at least one Latin version in North Africa; and theso are followed by later Latin, Syriae, and Egyptian versions, and later still by Ethiopio and ■ Armenian translations, the last-named dating from tho fifth century. Then wo have Jerome's great Latin version known as the Vulgate, which for 1000 years was the bible of the whole Western Church, and which is still recognised by Roman Catholics as the authorised rendering of the text of Scripture. It is impossible to over-estimate the inlluencfl of Jerome's work. Then wo have original Gothic version in the fourth century of Ulfihs, which is perhaps the first literary product- in a Teutonic language. Tho Ethiopic and Armenian versions may bo assigned to tho fifth century, ami subsequent ages saw the Georgian version (sixth century), tho Anglo-Saxon (eighth .and eleventh centuries), and tho Slavonic (ninth). From the davs of Wvcliffc new translations

into thn vernacular appeared from time ! to time; then came the Reformation ' Bibles, culminating in the. Authorised ' Version of 1G11; but the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have surpass- . ed all others in the work of translation, . and the Scriptures are now issued in over 400 languages and versions. Vernacular Sibics. The story of the English Bible goes back to the beginnings of our history. Caedmon's paraphrase in the seventh century appears to have been tho first cliort to translate the .Scriptures into English. In the next century we have the I Bode version of St. John's Gospel, and : King Alfred in tho ninth century preface to his code, of laws a fvco rendering of Exodus XX-XXlll and of Acta XV. From tho deatli of Alfred to tho' Norman Conquest Quito a considerable amount of Biblical translation went on, : including an English rendering of a large part of the Old Testament by Aelfric,' Archbishop of York. Tho general unscttlemcnt brought about by the Norman Conquest caused an interruption in the work, but in the beginning of tho thirteenth century we have Ormin's paraphrase of tho l.'assGospols, and a hundred years later William, of Shorehani, and Richard Rolle, of Hampolo, gave the nation two prose versions of the Psalms. The fourteenth century also brings us to the days of AVycliffe, tho famous Master of Balliol, and his great work of Bible translation iiito English. William T.'nclale. The next grout figure in the historj of English Biblical translation is William Tmdalo, who was born in 1484. The Tindala version appeared in different portions between 1525 and his death at the stake at Vilvorde in 1530. He first translated tho New Testament; but though ho had translated the Pentateuch and tho Book of Jonah by 1531, ho published nothing more of tho Old Testament in his lifetime. It is now thought, however, that he finished in prison tho section, of Joshua to II Chronicles, which was published in the following year. If the Authorised Version of 1611 set the standard of English for generations to come, it must not be forgotten that its English is very predominantly that of Tindale. Tindale's version was-followed by tho complete English Bible published by Miles Coverdalo in 1535, which is used to this clay in the Prayer Book version.of the I'sahns. Next in order come "Matthew's Bible," tho "Geneva Bible" of 1560, the "Bishops' Bible" of 1563. On theso tho Authorised Version of IGII largely depends, though it draws something'of its phraseology from Wycliffe, and of its vocabulary from a Roman Catholic version, published partly at Rheims in 1565. and partly (the Old Testament) at Douai in 1610. Tha Version of 1011. "The story of tho version of 1611," writes tho Rev. Lonsdale Ragg, "is, perhaps, too well known to need detailed repetition. Tho idea of it originated at the Hampton Court Conference of i 604, and is due to Dr. John Reynolds, one of the four Puritan representatives at that Conference. But for tho realisation of the idea and the actual working out of it wo have to thank tho •'most High and Mighty Prince James,' without whose zeal and importunity the leaders of tho Church of England would probably have let the matter drop. King James himself drew up a list of fifty-four learned men, and appointed them 'for the translating of the Bible,' and lie, too, probably with the assistance of Bishop Bancroft, of London, drew ii]) an elatorato scheme by which the accuracy and general perfection of the version should be, as far as possible, insured. The whole Bible was apportioned among sit companies of divines, two of which wero to sit at Westminster, two at Oxford, and two at Cambridge. Every man of each company was to make bis own independent revision of each several chapter, and theso independent revisions were to bo considered by a conferenco of the entire company. Each book, when finished by its company, was to be sent round' to each of the other companies for careful consideration, and, finally, the whole was to be overlooked and compared with the original Hebrew and Greek by 'throe or four of the most ancient and giave divines in either of the Universities not employed in trans- ' luting.' When dealing with passages of special obscurity, the appointed translators wero permitted and advised to consult by letter the opinion of 'any learned man in tlio land,' i Sevan Years' Worli. : "After seven years of labour, this 1 carefully organised band produced the well-known version, skilfully intcr- ■ weaving with their own original work • tho best products of the toil and loarn- > ing and devotion of their predecessors. How it came by its name of 'Authorised ■ Version,' and who stamped it as 'ApI pointed to bo read in Churches,'remains - something of a mystery. There is no ■ traco of any resolution of Convocation, or Act of Parliament, or decision of the Privy Council, or Royal Proclamation, 1 formally authorising its use. It seems f tn have slipped as by right into the ; place of tho duly authorised 'Bishops' ' Bible' which it superseded. Certainly it has had no rival (save among Roman • Catholics) in tho hearts of English- ! speaking Christians since the day of its

birth. Its effect upon the fixing of the English language may bo estimated by the fiiet that, out of the GUUU words it employs, only 250 are not in common use to-day, alter three full centuries of intellectual development. And as for its stylo—the grave, majestic English of this version, so ditt'erent in its severe simplicity from the ornate and often affected diction of its contemporary literature, struck Newman as exhibiting the words of tho inspired teachers in forms which-, 'even humanly, speaking, are among tho most, sublime and beautiful ever written.' " ' Tho Revised Version, In older to complcto this sketch a short history of tne Hevised Version (iSSJ-18D3J is necessary. Sinco tho appearance of the Authorised Version in lull there has been a great accumulation of material throwing light upon tho text of the Bible, beginning with tho coming to London in lb'2s of tho Codex Alexaudrinus and continuing to tho present day.. Great critical use was made of these materials in tho nineteenth century, and this revealed the defective state of tho received Greek text of the i\ T ew Testament. About the middle of the century scholars began to discuss the need of a revision of the Authorised Version. A great stimulus was given to tho movement by tho discovery of tho Codex binaiticus, and by the work of Tischondorf and Tregelles. In 1870 botli Houses of Convocation of Canterbury passed motions in favour of revision, mid lists of revisers and rules for their guidance were drawn up. Tho Old Testament company consisted of 25 (afterwards 27) members, and the New Testament company of 26. The rules prescribed that there should bo as few alterations in the Authorised Version as possible. consistently . uith faithfulness. Both companies commenced work on June 22, 1870, and the co-operation of American scholars was invited. The Revised New Testament was published on May 17; ISSI, and the canonical books of tho Old Testament wore published in 1885. The revision of tho Apocrpyha was divided between the two companies, and the completed revised Bible made its appearance in 1895. Though the Revised Version has not yet displaced'the Authorised Version in general use, yet in the opinion of ono of the leading English authorities, "it is certain that no student of the Bible can afford to neglect the assistance which it gives towards the true understanding of the Scriptures." . It only remains to he added that the American revisers issued a fresh recension of tho New Testament in mnn ; and of the Old Testament (with Apocryphal in 1901. [The writer of the nWo article is Wnelv indebted to the Rev. Lonsdale Race's recent publication entitled. "The Book of Books: A Study of the Bible."] DR. AKED'S CALL. FRANK DECLARATION TO FIFTH' AVENUE CHURCH..

■ Dr. Akcd had an overflowing congre- ■ gation to hoar his ultimatum to tho J Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, New York, on' March 5. His hearers were pretty well shaken, for New York is not accustomed,to tho spectaclo of a 12,000 dollar preacher announcing in a church with John D. Rockefeller'behind.-it that ho had not been given a big enough sphere for his activities. Dr. Akcd has not yet definitely decided to' accept tho invitation to tho pastorate of tho first Congregational Church in San Francisco, but in his pulpit statement ho left little doubt that ho will obey the call of tho Pacific Coast. His disappointment at tho church's'lack of enterprise was apparent in every word ho uttered this morning. Ho said: "I can discover —it almost breaks my heart to say it —reasons why I should go, but nono why I should remain > oil. I did not como from England to be tho minister of a small community of Baptists meeting in such a building as this. I believe you are ready for vast enterprises, but I fear now that these enterprises arc of such stuff as dreams are made of. Tho span of human lifo is short; my years aro passing, and I cannot afford to wait. I have work to do in tho -world—if not here, elsewhere. I owo something to my own past. I did work in Liverpool and for England which makes my ministry hero look pitifully small. I owe something to tho men and women in England who loved me when to tens of thousands 'of Frco Churchmen in England it looked as tlwugh I were deserting them in tlio hour of their need. Perhaps the failure of the projects on which our minds have been set is the expression of God's disapproval of my action, but Ho is my witness that I believed the best work of my lifo would be done beneath tho American flag. I could givo myself to a great work with deathless passion, but such work doesn't seem possible in this church. So I-ask: Must I hear in tho 'call' to Pacific Coast God's voico bidding mo ceaso unavailing regrets?" THE TABERNACLE INVITED DR. DIXON. Dr. Dixon, of Chicago, who has been preaching at the Metropolitan rawrnacle during the last two months, was on March 14 unanimously invited to the pastorate at a largo and enthusiastic church meeting. Dr. Dixon is a striking personality—above six feet in height. Once when ho met Charles H. Spurgcon, the groat preacher, who was also a great humorist, looked up and down the man who toowrcd above him, and then remarked: "I knew they carried things to great lengths in America but 'Dr Dixon, who has been minister for some years at the Moody Church at Chicago, is an evangelical who clings tenaciously to the "old paths." His preaching has attracted largo attendances at tho Tabernacle, and the invitation to him is given with tho hearty, concurrence of the whole congregation, is confidently anticipated. The expectaDr. Dixon's acceptance of the pastorate tation is that ho will carry on an evangelistic ministry. Teaching centres, it is held, are plentiful in South London, but there aro nono too many evangelistic centres, and as such tho Tabernacle has a fine field of usefulness before it.— "Christian World."