REVISION OF THE VULGATE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12395, 20 February 1908, Page 7

REVISION OF THE VULGATE.

A Stupendous Task*

EQME, December 28. The most important feature' of The audience which Father Gasquet, Abbot President of the English Benedictines, had of the Pope to-day was the interest taken by his Holiness in the work of the revision of the Vulgate, which he has entrusted to the Benedictines, appointing for the purpose a commission, presided over by Father Gasquet, and including Father Samelli (prior *of Montecassino), Father Jansen (rector of Sant Anselmo, Eome), and Professor Debreuile, of Louvaih. The Pope showed that he realised the gigantic nature of the task which has been undertaken, and that he placed the utmost cpnfidenpe in Father Gasquet, leaving him free to associate whomever he may think best in the researches, Which will have to be carried out throughout the world. His Holiness repeatedly insisted on the necessity of the work bein<j done in the most scientific manner, so that both Catholics and non-Catholics may be satisfied that it was a most jf engine r aud sincere attempt to get at the true "Basis of the text of St. Jerome. As regards another aspect of the work, to quote .Father Gasquet'e own words, "Even Beneaictines must eat," and one of the most serious sißes of the problem is certainly the cost. The needs of the commision are estimated at from i>Boo to .£IOOO a year, including expenditure for journeys to various countries where documents are preserved but cannot be removed, as, for example, England, where a special Act of Parliament would be. necessary for the removal of such documents out of the country. Then • numbers of documents-, manuscripts, and Bibles w.ill 'have to be photographed and copies made, which will be sent to Eome, where the collation of the results of all the various researches will be carried out.

In/order to start the work, Father Gasquet proposes *to remain in Borne for six months, his plan being to begin only on part of the Bible. He has not yet decided whether this should be the Pentateuch, the Psalms, or some other section, hut he thinks that the life of one man is hardly sufficient for one of these parts, and that the rest must be left for succeeding generations . — Eeuter.