THE REVISED VERSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3387, 5 August 1885, Page 3

THE REVISED VERSION.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE TIMARU HERAID. 8111,— I do not suppose you would permit a theological controversy to bo carried on m your columns, and fancy that you have been led into publishing the lottcr of Mr Joseph King under its disguise of dealing with tho revised version of the Bible. It is really, however, a cunning putting forward of tho peculiar theological views of the writer picked up from the writings of a certain Dr Thomas of Birmingham and a Mr Roberts of the same city. Any one acquainted with the literature of the subject can at once tell that " whilst the hands are the hands of Esau the voice is Jacob's,"|or to borrow another Biblical reference, it is not difficult to tell "with, whoße heifer " Mr' King " has plowed." He Bpeaks very learnedly of " bis research " m connection with the Hebrew words Sheol and Nephesh, and the Greek Sadts and Psuche (scholars generally write this latter Psttchee to mark the long vowel of the original), and to bo desirous of giving the public of Timaru tho benefit thereof. Perhaps ho will tell the public if he has ever read a line of Hebrew or even knows the Hebrew alphabet, and how much he knows even of tho Greek, that they may have some idea of how far ho is to bo trusted as a competent guide, and what are the value of " his researches." I confess to some doubts whether Mr King would recognise these words if put before him m their original Hebrew and Greek characters. For eolid learning I have a great respect, but for ignorant pretentiousness I liavc a sovereign contempt. I do happen to know a little of Hebrew and Greek aUo, though I make no pretentions to any very extensive acquaintance with either language, and though I cannot boast of any learned researches on my own part, yet I have a little acquaintance with tho researches of learned men m relation to the words referred to by Mr King, and if your columns are open to such a discussion I have no objection to bring forward an array of " learned research " m opposition to Mr King's, and at tho same time point out the fallacies of his reasoning, as his logic is as weak-kneed as his scholarship is slipshod, though I fear my labors would bo of the somewhat inglorious character described by the poet — As a lashing of the billows to the sky, To float a feather or to drown a fly. I am, &c., Lexicon.