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diff --git a/25412.txt b/25412.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..39258f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/25412.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3091 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy +Scripture, by C. J. Ellicott + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy Scripture + + +Author: C. J. Ellicott + + + +Release Date: May 9, 2008 [eBook #25412] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADDRESSES ON THE REVISED VERSION +OF HOLY SCRIPTURE*** + + +Transcribed from the 1901 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge +edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + +Addresses on the Revised +Version of Holy +Scripture. + + + BY + C. J. ELLICOTT, D.D., + + BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER, + AND HON. FELLOW OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. + + PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE. + + LONDON: + SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, + NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.; 43 QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C. + BRIGHTON: 129 NORTH STREET. + NEW YORK: E. & J. B. YOUNG & CO. + 1901. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTE. + + +The following Addresses form the Charge to the Archdeaconry of +Cirencester at the Visitation held at the close of October in the present +year. The object of the Charge, as the opening words and the tenor of +the whole will abundantly indicate, is seriously to suggest the question, +whether the time has not now arrived for the more general use of the +Revised Version at the lectern in the public service of the Church. + + C. J. GLOUCESTER. + +_October_, 1901. + + + + +CONTENTS. + PAGE + ADDRESS I. EARLY HISTORY OF REVISION 5 + ,, II. LATER HISTORY OF REVISION 17 + ,, III. HEBREW AND GREEK TEXT 48 + ,, IV. NATURE OF THE RENDERINGS 81 + ,, V. PUBLIC USE OF THE VERSION 117 + + + + + +ADDRESS I. +EARLY HISTORY OF REVISION. + + +As there now seem to be sufficient grounds for thinking that ere long the +Revised Version of Holy Scripture will obtain a wider circulation and +more general use than has hitherto been accorded to it, it seems +desirable that the whole subject of the Revised Version, and its use in +the public services of the Church, should at last be brought formally +before the clergy and laity, not only of this province, but of the whole +English Church. + +Twenty years have passed away since the appearance of the Revised Version +of the New Testament, and the presentation of it by the writer of these +pages to the Convocation of Canterbury on May 17, 1881. Just four more +years afterwards, viz. on April 30, 1885, the Revised Version of the Old +Testament was laid before the same venerable body by the then Bishop of +Winchester (Bp. Harold Browne), and, similarly to the Revised Version of +the New Testament, was published simultaneously in this country and +America. It was followed, after a somewhat long interval, by the Revised +Version of the Apocrypha, which was laid before Convocation by the writer +of these pages on February 12, 1896. + +The revision of the Authorised Version has thus been in the hands of the +English-speaking reader sixteen years, in the case of the Canonical +Scriptures, and five years in the case of the Apocrypha--periods of time +that can hardly be considered insufficient for deciding generally, +whether, and to what extent, the Revised Version should be used in the +public services of the Church. + +I have thus thought it well, especially after the unanimous resolution of +the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury, three years ago {6}, +and the very recent resolution of the House of Laymen, to place before +you the question of the use of the Revised Version in the public services +of the Church, as the ultimate subject of this charge. I repeat, as the +ultimate subject, for no sound opinion on the public use of this version +can possibly be formed unless some general knowledge be acquired, not +only of the circumstances which paved the way for the revision of the +time-honoured version of 1611, but also of the manner in which the +revision was finally carried out. We cannot properly deal with a +question so momentous as that of introducing a revised version of God's +Holy Word into the services of the Church, without knowing, at least in +outline, the whole history of the version which we are proposing to +introduce. This history then I must now place before you from its very +commencement, so far as memory and a nearly life-long connexion with the +subject enable me to speak. + +The true, though remote fountain-head of revision, and, more +particularly, of the revision of the New Testament, must be regarded as +the grammar written by a young academic teacher, George Benedict Winer, +as far back as 1822, bearing the title of a Grammar of the Language of +the New Testament. It was a vigorous protest against the arbitrary, and +indeed monstrous licence of interpretation which prevailed in +commentaries on Holy Scripture of the eighteenth and nineteenth +centuries. It met with at first the fate of all assaults on prevailing +unscientific procedures, but its value and its truth were soon +recognized. The volume passed through several successively improved +editions, until in 1855 the sixth edition was reached, and issued with a +new and interesting preface by the then distinguished and veteran writer. +This edition formed the basis of the admirable and admirably supplemented +translation of my lamented and highly esteemed friend Dr. Moulton, which +was published in 1870, passed through a second edition six years +afterwards, and has, since that time, continued to be a standard grammar, +in an English dress, of the Greek Testament down to this day. + +The claim that I have put forward for this remarkable book as the +fountain-head of revision can easily be justified when we call to memory +how very patently the volume, in one or another of its earlier editions, +formed the grammatical basis of the commentaries of De Wette and Meyer, +and, here in England, of the commentary of Alford, and of critical and +grammatical commentaries on some of St. Paul's Epistles with which my own +name was connected. It was to Winer that we were all indebted for that +greater accuracy of interpretation of the Greek Testament which was +recognized and welcomed by readers of the New Testament at the time I +mention, and produced effects which had a considerable share in the +gradual bringing about of important movements that almost naturally +followed. + +What came home to a large and increasing number of earnest and +truth-seeking readers of the New Testament was this--that there were +inaccuracies and errors in the current version of the Holy Scriptures, +and especially of the New Testament, which plainly called for +consideration and correction, and further brought home to very many of us +that this could never be brought about except by an authoritative +revision. + +This general impression spread somewhat rapidly; and soon after the +middle of the last century it began to take definite shape. The subject +of the revision of the Authorised Version of the New Testament found a +place in the religious and other periodicals of the day {10a}, and as the +time went on was the subject of numerous pamphlets, and was alluded to +even in Convocation {10b} and Parliament {10c}. As yet however there had +been no indication of the sort of revision that was desired by its +numerous advocates, and fears were not unnaturally entertained as to the +form that a revision might ultimately take. It was feared by many that +any authoritative revision might seriously impair the acceptance and +influence of the existing and deeply reverenced version of Holy +Scripture, and, to use language which expressed apprehensions that were +prevailing at the time, might seriously endanger the cause of sound +religion in our Church and in our nation. + +There was thus a real danger, unless some forward step was quickly and +prudently taken, that the excitement might gradually evaporate, and the +movement for revision might die out, as has often been the case in regard +of the Prayer Book, into the old and wonted acquiescence of the past. + +It was just at this critical time that an honoured and influential +churchman, who was then the popular and successful secretary of the +Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Rev. Ernest Hawkins, +afterwards Canon of Westminster, came forward and persuaded a few of us, +who had the happiness of being his friends, to combine and publish a +version of one of the books of the New Testament which might practically +demonstrate to friends and to opponents what sort of a revision seemed +desirable under existing circumstances. After it had been completed we +described it "as a _tentamen_, a careful endeavour, claiming no finality, +inviting, rather than desiring to exclude, other attempts of the same +kind, calling the attention of the Church to the many and anxious +questions involved in rendering the Holy Scriptures into the vernacular +language, and offering some help towards the settlement of those +questions {12}." + +The portion of Scripture selected was the Gospel according to St. John. +Those who undertook the revision were five in number:--Dr. Barrow, the +then Principal of St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford; Dr. Moberly, afterwards +Bishop of Salisbury; Rev. Henry Alford, afterwards Dean of Canterbury; +Rev. W. G. Humphry, Vicar of St. Martin's in the Fields; and lastly, the +writer of this charge. Mr. Ernest Hawkins, busy as he was, acted to a +great extent as our secretary, superintended arrangements, and encouraged +and assisted us in every possible manner. Our place of meeting was the +library of our hospitable colleague Mr. Humphry. We worked in the +greatest possible harmony, and happily and hopefully concluded our +Revision of the Authorised Version of the Gospel of St. John in the month +of March, 1857. + +Our labours were introduced by a wise and attractive preface, written +mainly by Dr. Moberly, in the lucid, reverent, and dignified language +that marked everything that came from the pen of the late Bishop of +Salisbury. + +The effect produced by this _tentamen_ was indisputably great. The work +itself was of course widely criticized, but for the most part favourably +{13}. The principles laid down in the preface were generally considered +reasonable, and the possibilities of an authoritative revision distinctly +increased. The work in fact became a kind of object lesson. + +It showed plainly that there _were_ errors in the Authorised Version that +needed correction. It further showed that their removal and the +introduction of improvements in regard of accuracy did not involve, +either in quantity or quality, the changes that were generally +apprehended. And lastly, it showed in its results that _scholars_ of +different habits of thought could combine in the execution of such a work +without friction or difficulty. + +In regard of the Greek text but little change was introduced. The basis +of our translation was the third edition of Stephens, from which we only +departed when the amount of external evidence in favour of a different +reading was plainly overwhelming. As we ourselves state in the preface, +"our object was to revise a version, not to frame a text." We should +have obscured this one purpose if we had entered into textual criticism. + +Such was the tentative version which prepared the way for authoritative +revision. + +More need not be said on this early effort. The version of the Gospel of +St. John passed through three editions. The Epistles to the Romans and +Corinthians appeared in 1858, and the first three of the remaining +Epistles (Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians) in 1861. The third +edition of the Revision of the Authorised Version of St. John was issued +in 1863, with a preface in which the general estimate of the revision was +discussed, and the probability indicated of some authoritative procedure +in reference to the whole question. As our little band had now been +reduced to four, and its general aim and object had been realized, we did +not deem it necessary to proceed with a work which had certainly helped +to remove most of the serious objections to authoritative revision. Our +efforts were helped by many treatises on the subject which were then +appearing from time to time, and, to a considerable extent, by the +important work of Professor, afterwards Archbishop, Trench, entitled "On +the Authorised Version of the New Testament in connexion with some recent +proposals for its revision." This appeared in 1858. After the close of +our tentative revision in 1863, the active friends (as they may be +termed) of the movement did but little except, from time to time, confer +with one another on the now yearly improving prospects of authoritative +revision. In 1869 Dean Alford published a small handy revised version of +the whole of the Greek Testament, and, a short time afterwards, I +published a small volume on the "Revision of the English Version," in +which I sought to show how large an amount of the fresh and vigorous +translation of Tyndale was present in the Authorised Version, and how +little of this would ever be likely to disappear in any authoritatively +revised version of the future. Some estimate also was made of the amount +of changes likely to be introduced in a sample portion of the Gospels. A +few months later, a very valuable volume ("On a Fresh Revision of the New +Testament") was published by Professor, afterwards Bishop, Lightfoot, +which appeared most seasonably, just as the long-looked-for hope of a +revision of the Authorised Version of God's Holy Word was about to be +realized. + +All now was ready for a definite and authoritative commencement. Of +this, and of the later history of Revision, a brief account will be given +in the succeeding Address. + + + + +ADDRESS II. +LATER HISTORY OF REVISION. + + +We are now arrived at the time when what was simple tentative and +preparatory passed into definite and authoritative realization. + +The initial step was taken on February 10, 1870, in the Upper House of +the Convocation of Canterbury. The Bishop of Oxford, seconded by the +Bishop of Gloucester, proposed the subjoined resolution, which it may be +desirable to give in the exact words in which it was presented to the +House, as indicating the caution with which it was framed, and also the +indirectly expressed hope (unfortunately not realized) of the concurrence +of the Northern Convocation. The resolution was as follows: + + "That a committee of both Houses be appointed, with power to confer + with any committee that may be appointed by the Convocation of the + Northern Province, to report upon the desirableness of a revision of + the Authorised Version of the New Testament, whether by marginal + notes or otherwise, in those passages where plain and clear errors, + whether in the Hebrew or Greek text originally adopted by the + translators, or in the translations made from the same, shall on due + investigation be found to exist." + +In the course of the debate that followed the resolution was amended by +the insertion of the words "Old and," so as to include both Testaments, +and, so amended, was unanimously accepted by the Upper House, and at once +sent down to the Lower House. After debate it was accepted by them, and, +having been thus accepted by both Houses, formed the basis of all the +arrangements, rules, and regulations which speedily followed. + +Into all of these it is not necessary for me to enter except so far as +plainly to demonstrate that the Convocation of Canterbury, on thus +undertaking one of the greatest works ever attempted by Convocation +during its long and eventful history, followed every course, adopted +every expedient, and carefully took every precaution to bring the great +work it was preparing to undertake to a worthy and a successful issue. + +It may be well, then, here briefly to notice, that in accordance with the +primary resolution which I have specified, a committee was appointed of +eight members of the Upper House, and, in accordance with the regular +rule, sixteen members of the Lower House, with power, as specified, to +confer with the Convocation of York. The members of the Upper House were +as follows: the Bishops of Winchester (Wilberforce), St. Davids +(Thirlwall), Llandaff (Ollivant), Salisbury (Moberly), Ely (Harold +Browne, afterwards of Winchester), Lincoln (Wordsworth; who soon after +withdrew), Bath and Wells (Lord Arthur Hervey), and myself. + +The members of the Lower House were the Prolocutor (Dr. Bickersteth, Dean +of Lichfield), the Deans of Canterbury (Alford), Westminster (Stanley), +and Lincoln (Jeremie); the Archdeacons of Bedford (Rose), Exeter +(Freeman), and Rochester (Grant); Chancellor Massingberd; Canons +Blakesley, How, Selwyn, Swainson, Woodgate; Dr. Jebb, Dr. Kay, and Mr. De +Winton. + +Before, however, this committee reported, at the next meeting of +Convocation in May, and on May 3 and May 5, the following five +resolutions, which have the whole authority of Convocation behind them, +were accepted unanimously by the Upper House, and by large majorities in +the Lower House: + + "1. That it is desirable that a revision of the Authorised Version + of the Holy Scriptures be undertaken. + + 2. That the revision be so conducted as to comprise both marginal + renderings and such emendations as it may be found necessary to + insert in the text of the Authorised Version. + + 3. That in the above resolutions we do not contemplate any new + translation of the Bible, nor any alteration of the language, except + where, in the judgement of the most competent scholars, such change + is necessary. + + 4. That in such necessary changes, the style of the language + employed in the existing version be closely followed. + + 5. That it is desirable that Convocation should nominate a body of + its own members to undertake the work of revision, who shall be at + liberty to invite the co-operation of any eminent for scholarship, to + whatever nation or religious body they may belong." + +These are the fundamental rules of Convocation, as formally expressed by +the Upper and Lower Houses of this venerable body. The second and third +rules deserve our especial attention in reference to the amount of the +emendations and alterations which have been introduced during the work of +revision. This amount, it is now constantly said, is not only excessive, +but in distinct contravention of the rules which were laid down by +Convocation. A responsible and deeply respected writer, the late Bishop +of Wakefield, only a few years ago plainly stated in a well-known +periodical {21} that the revisers "largely exceeded their instructions, +and did not adhere to the principles they were commissioned to follow." +This is a very grave charge, but can it be substantiated? The second and +third rules, taken together, refer change to consciously felt necessity +on the part of "the most competent scholars," and these last-mentioned +must surely be understood to be those who were deliberately chosen for +the work. In the subsequently adopted rule of the committee of +Convocation the criterion of this consciously felt necessity was to be +faithfulness to the original. All then that can justly be said in +reference to the Revisers is this,--not that they exceeded their +instructions (a very serious charge), but that their estimate of what +constituted faithfulness, and involved the necessity of change, was, from +time to time, in the judgement of their critic, mistaken or exaggerated. +Such language however as that used in reference to the changes made by +the Revisers as "unnecessary and uninstructive alterations," and +"irritating trivialities," was a somewhat harsh form of expressing the +judgement arrived at. + +But to proceed. On the presentation of the Report it was stated that the +committee had not been able to confer with the Northern Convocation, as +no committee had been appointed by them. It was commonly supposed that +the Northern President (Abp. of York) was favourable to revision, but the +two Houses, who at that time sat together, had taken a very different +view {22}, as our President informed us that he had received a +communication from the Convocation of York to the effect that--"The +Authorised Version of the English Bible is accepted, not only by the +Established Church, but also by the Dissenters and by the whole of the +English-speaking people of the world, as their standard of faith; and +that although blemishes existed in its text such as had, from time to +time, been pointed out, yet they would deplore any recasting of its text. +That Convocation accordingly did not think it necessary to appoint a +committee to co-operate with the committee appointed by the Convocation +of Canterbury, though favourable to the errors being rectified." + +This obviously closed the question of co-operation with the Northern +Convocation. We sincerely regretted the decision, as there were many +able and learned men in the York Convocation whose co-operation we should +have heartily welcomed. Delay, however, was now out of the question. +The working out of the scheme therefore had now become the duty of the +Convocation that had adopted, and in part formulated, the proposed +revision. + +The course of our proceedings was then as follows: + +After the Report of the committee had been accepted by the Upper House, +and communicated to the Lower House, the following resolution was +unanimously adopted by the Upper House (May 3, 1870), and in due course +sent down to the Lower House: + + "That a committee be now appointed to consider and report to + Convocation a scheme of revision on the principles laid down in the + Report now adopted. That the Bishops of Winchester, St. Davids, + Llandaff, Gloucester and Bristol, Ely, Salisbury, Lincoln, Bath and + Wells, be members of the committee. That the committee be empowered + to invite the co-operation of those whom they may judge fit from + their biblical scholarship to aid them in their work." + +This resolution was followed by a request from the Archbishop that as +this was a committee of an exceptional character, being in fact an +executive committee, the Lower House would not appoint, as in ordinary +committees, twice the number of the members appointed by the Upper House, +but simply an equal number. This request, though obviously a very +reasonable request under the particular circumstances, was not acceded to +without some debate and even remonstrance. This, however, was overcome +and quieted by the conciliatory good sense and firmness of the +Prolocutor; and, on the following day, the resolution was accepted by the +Lower House, and the Prolocutor (Bickersteth) with the Deans of +Canterbury (Alford) and Westminster (Stanley), the Archdeacon of Bedford +(Rose), Canons Blakesley and Selwyn, Dr. Jebb and Dr. Kay, were appointed +as members of what now may be called the Permanent Committee. + +This Committee had to undertake the responsible duty of choosing experts, +and, out of them and their own members, forming two Companies, the one +for the revision of the Authorised Version of the Old Testament, the +other for the revision of the Authorised Version of the New Testament. +Rules had to be drawn up, and a general scheme formed for the carrying +out in detail of the whole of the proposed work. In this work it may be +supposed that considerable difficulty would have been found in the choice +of biblical scholars in addition to those already appointed by +Convocation. This, however, did not prove to be the case. I was at that +time acting as a kind of informal secretary, and by the friendly help of +Dr. Moulton and Dr. Gotch of Bristol had secured the names of +distinguished biblical scholars from the leading Christian bodies in +England and in Scotland from whom choice would naturally have to be made. +When we met together finally to choose, there was thus no lack of +suitable names. + +In regard of the many rules that had to be made for the orderly carrying +out of the work I prepared, after careful conference with the Bishop of +Winchester, a draft scheme which, so far as I remember, was in the sequel +substantially adopted by what I have termed the Permanent Committee of +Convocation. When, then, this Committee formally met on May 25, 1870, +the names of those to whom we were empowered to apply were agreed upon, +and invitations at once sent out. The members of the Committee had +already been assigned to their special companies; viz. to the Old +Testament Company, the Bishops of St. Davids, Llandaff, Ely, Lincoln (who +soon after resigned), and Bath and Wells; and from the Lower House, +Archdeacon Rose, Canon Selwyn, Dr. Jebb, and Dr. Kay: to the New +Testament Company, the Bishops of Winchester, Gloucester and Bristol, and +Salisbury; and from the Lower House, the Prolocutor, the Deans of +Canterbury and Westminster, and Canon Blakesley. + +Those invited to join the Old Testament were as follows:--Dr. W. L. +Alexander, Professor Chenery, Canon Cook, Professor A. B. Davidson, Dr. +B. Davies, Professor Fairbairn, Rev. F. Field, Dr. Gensburg, Dr. Gotch, +Archdeacon Harrison, Professor Leathes, Professor McGill, Canon Payne +Smith, Professor J. J. S. Perowne, Professor Plumptre, Canon Pusey, Dr. +Wright (British Museum), Mr. W. A. Wright of Cambridge, the active and +valuable secretary of the Company. + +Of these Dr. Pusey and Canon Cook declined the invitation. + +Those invited to join the New Testament Company were as follows:--Dr. +Angus, Dr. David Brown, the Archbishop of Dublin (Trench), Dr. Eadie, +Rev. F. J. A. Hort, Rev. W. G. Humphry, Canon Kennedy, Archdeacon Lee, +Dr. Lightfoot, Professor Milligan, Professor Moulton, Dr. J. H. Newman, +Professor Newth, Dr. A. Roberts, Rev. G. Vance Smith, Dr. Scott (Balliol +College), Rev. F. H. Scrivener, the Bishop of St. Andrews (Wordsworth), +Dr. Tregelles, Dr. Vaughan, Canon Westcott. + +Of these Dr. J. H. Newman declined, and Dr. Tregelles, from feeble health +and preoccupation on his great work, the critical edition of the New +Testament, was unable to attend. It should be here mentioned that soon +after the formation of the company, Rev. John Troutbeck, Minor Canon of +Westminster, afterwards Doctor of Divinity, was appointed by the Company +as their secretary. A more accurate, punctual, and indefatigable +secretary it would have been impossible for us to have selected for the +great and responsible work. + +On the same day (May 25, 1870,) the rules for the carrying out of the +revision, which, as I have mentioned, had been drawn up in draft were all +duly considered by the committee and carried, and the way left clear and +open for the commencement of the work. These rules (copies of which will +be found in nearly all the prefaces to the Revised Version hitherto +issued by the Universities) were only the necessary amplifications of the +fundamental rules passed by the two Houses of Convocation which have been +already specified. + +The first of these subsidiary rules was as follows:--"To introduce as few +alterations as possible in the text of the Authorised Version +consistently with faithfulness." This rule must be read in connexion +with the first and third fundamental rules and the comments I have +already made on those rules. + +The second of the rules of the committee was as follows:--"To limit, as +far as possible, the expression of such alterations to the language of +the Authorised and earlier English versions." This rule was carefully +attended to in its reference to the Authorised Version. I do not however +remember, in the revision of the version of the New Testament, that we +often fell back on the renderings of the earlier English versions. They +were always before us: but, in reference to other versions where there +were differences of rendering, we frequently considered the renderings of +the ancient versions, especially of the Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic, and +occasionally of the Gothic and Armenian. To these, however, the rule +makes no allusion. + +The third rule speaks for itself:--"Each Company to go twice over the +portion to be revised, once provisionally, the second time finally, and +on principles of voting as hereinafter is provided." + +The fourth rule refers to the very important subject of the text, and is +an amplification of the last part of the third fundamental rule. The +rule of the committee is as follows:--"That the text to be adopted be +that for which the evidence is decidedly preponderating; and that when +the text so adopted differs from that from which the Authorised Version +was made, the alteration be indicated in the margin." The subject of the +text is continued in the fifth rule, which is as follows:--"To make or +retain no change in the text on the second final revision by the Company +except _two-thirds_ of those present approve of the same, but on the +first revision to decide by simple majorities." + +The sixth rule is of importance, but in the New Testament Company (I do +not know how it may have been in the Old Testament Company) was very +rarely acted upon:--"In every case of proposed alteration that may have +given rise to discussion, to defer the voting thereupon till the next +meeting, whensoever the same shall be required by one-third of those +present at the meeting, such intended vote to be announced in the notice +for the next meeting." The only occasion on which I can remember this +rule being called into action was a comparatively unimportant one. At +the close of a long day's work we found ourselves differing on the +renderings of "tomb" or "sepulchre" in one of the narratives of the +Resurrection. This was easily and speedily settled the following +morning. + +The seventh rule was as follows:--"To revise the headings of chapters and +pages, paragraphs, italics, and punctuation." This rule was very +carefully attended to except as regards headings of chapters and pages. +These were soon found to involve so much of indirect, if not even of +direct interpretation, that both Companies agreed to leave this portion +of the work to some committee of the two University Presses that they +might afterwards think fit to appoint. Small as the work might seem to +be if only confined to the simple revision of the existing headings, the +time it would have taken up, if undertaken by the Companies, would +certainly have been considerable. I revised, on my own account, the +headings of the chapters in St. Matthew, and was surprised to find how +much time was required to do accurately and consistently what might have +seemed a very easy and inconsiderable work. + +The eighth rule was of some importance, though, I think, very rarely +acted upon: "To refer, on the part of each Company, when considered +desirable, to divines, scholars, and literary men, whether at home or +abroad, for their opinions." How far this was acted on by the Old +Testament Company I do not know. In regard of the New Testament Company +the only instance I can remember, when we availed ourselves of the rule, +was in reference to our renderings of portions of the twenty-seventh +chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. In this particular case we sent our +sheets to the Admiralty, and asked the First Sea Lord (whom some of us +knew) kindly to tell us if the expressions we had adopted were nautically +correct. I believe this friendly and competent authority did not find +anything amiss. It has sometimes been said that it would have been +better, especially in reference to the New Testament, if this rule had +been more frequently acted on, and if matters connected with English and +alterations of rhythm had been brought before a few of our more +distinguished literary men. It may be so; though I much doubt whether in +matters of English the Greek would not always have proved the dominant +arbiter. In matters of rhythm it is equally doubtful whether much could +have been effected by appealing to the ears of others. At any rate we +preferred trusting to our own, and adopted, as I shall afterwards +mention, a mode of testing rhythmical cadence that could hardly have been +improved upon. + +The concluding rule was one of convenience and common sense: "That the +work of each Company be communicated to the other, as it is completed, in +order that there may be as little deviation from uniformity in language +as possible." + +All preliminaries were now settled. The invitations were issued, and, +with the exceptions of Canon Cook, Dr. Pusey, and Dr. Newman, were +readily accepted. Three or four names (Principal Douglas, Professor +Geden, Dr. Weir, and, I think, Mr. Bensley), were shortly added to those +already mentioned as invited to join the Old Testament Company, and, in +less than a month after the meeting of the committee on May 25, both +Companies had entered upon their responsible work. On June 22, 1870, +both Companies, after a celebration of the Holy Communion, previously +announced by Dean Stanley as intended to be administered by him in +Westminster Abbey, in the Chapel of Henry VII, commenced the +long-looked-for revision of the Authorised Version of God's Holy Word. +The Old Testament Company commenced their work in the Chapter Library; +the New Testament Company in the Jerusalem Chamber. + +The number of the members in each Company was very nearly the same, viz. +twenty-seven in the Old Testament Company, and, in nominal attendance, +twenty-six in the New Testament Company. In the former Company, owing to +the longer time found necessary for the work (fourteen years), there were +more changes in the composition of the Company than in the case of the +latter Company, which completed its work three years and a half before +its sister Company. At the close of the work on the New Testament +(1880), the numbers in each Company were twenty-six and twenty-five; but +owing to various reasons, and especially the distance of many of the +members from London, the number in actual and regular attendance was +somewhat reduced as the years went onward. How it fared with the Old +Testament Company I cannot precisely state. Bishop Harold Browne, after +his accession to the See of Winchester, was only able to attend twice or +three times after the year 1875. In that year Bishop Thirlwall died, and +Bishop Ollivant ceased to attend, but remained a corresponding member +till his death in 1882. Vacancies, I am informed, were filled up till +October 1875, after which date no new members were added. The Company, +however, worked to the very end with great devotion and assiduity. The +revision occupied 794 days, and was completed in eighty-five sessions, +the greater part of which were for ten days each, at about six hours a +day. + +I can speak a little more exactly in reference to the New Testament +Company. The time was shorter, and the changes in the composition of the +Company were fewer. At the end of the work a record was made out of the +attendances of the individual members {35}, from which it was easy to +arrive at the average attendance, which for the whole time was found to +be as much as sixteen each day. The number of sessions was 101 of four +days each, and one of three days, making a total of 407 days in all. +More than 1,200 days were thus devoted to the work of the revision of the +Authorised Versions of both Testaments. The first revision, in the case +of the New Testament lasted about six years; the second, two years and a +half. The remaining two years were spent in the consideration of various +details and reserved questions, and especially the consideration of the +suggestions, on our second revision, of the American Revisers, of whose +work and connexion with the English Revisers it will now be convenient to +speak. + + * * * * * + +The idea of a connexion with America in the great work of revision was +nearly as early as the movements in Convocation of which an account has +been given. It appears that, in the session of Convocation in July, +1870, it was moved in the Lower House by Lord Alwyne Compton (afterwards +and now Bishop of Ely) that the committee of Convocation should be +instructed to invite the co-operation of some American divines. This was +at once agreed to by both Houses, and measures were taken to open +communications with America. The correspondence was opened by the acting +Chairman of the New Testament Company (the present writer) in a letter to +Dr. Angus (dated July 20, 1870 {36}) who was about to visit the United +States, empowering him to prepare the way for definite action on the part +of American scholars and divines. This he did in a letter ("Historical +Account," p. 31) sent round to American scholars, and especially by +communication with Dr. Philip Schaff of the Bible House at New York, who, +from the first, had taken the deepest interest in the movement. This +active and enterprising scholar at once took up the matter, and operated +so successfully that, as he himself tells us in his valuable and accurate +"Companion to the Greek Testament and the English Version" (New York, +1883), a committee of about thirty members was formally organized Dec. 7, +1871, and entered upon active work on Oct. 4, 1872, after the first +revision of the Synoptical Gospels had been forwarded by the New +Testament Company. + +Our Old Testament Company was no less active and co-operative. As they +tell us in the Preface prefixed to their revision, "the first revision of +the several books of the Old Testament was submitted to the consideration +of the American Revisers, and, except in the case of the Pentateuch +(which had been twice gone through prior to co-operation) the English +Company had the benefit of their criticisms and suggestions before they +proceeded to the second revision. The second revision was in like manner +forwarded to America, and the latest thoughts of the American Revisers +were in the hands of the English Company at their final review." Both +our English Companies bear hearty testimony to the value derived from the +co-operation. In the case of the New Testament Company, the "care, +vigilance, and accuracy" which marked the work of their American brethren +is distinctly specified. + +But little more need be said of the American Companies. They were soon +fully organized, and, so far as can be judged by the results of their +work, carefully and judiciously chosen. The Old Testament Company +consisted of fifteen members, Dr. Green, Professor in Princeton, being +Chairman: the New Testament Committee consisted of sixteen members, three +of those who had at first accepted having been obliged, from ill-health +and stress of local duties, to resign. Dr. Woolsey, Ex-President of Yale +College, was Chairman, and Bishop Lee, of the Diocese of Delaware, one of +the most faithful and valuable participators in the work, a member of the +Company. Dr. Philip Schaff, Professor of Sacred Literature in the Union +Theological Seminary, New York, was also a member, and was President of +the whole undertaking, Dr. George Day of Yale College, a member of the +Old Testament Company, being the general secretary. The two Companies +met every month (except July and August) in two rooms in the Bible House, +New York, but without any connexion with the Bible Society, which, as in +England, could only circulate the Authorised Version. + +The American Committee, Dr. Schaff tells us, included representatives of +nine different denominations, viz. Episcopalians, Presbyterians, +Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists and, to the extent of one +member, Lutherans, Unitarians, and Society of Friends. The Episcopal +Church of America was applied to by Bishop Wilberforce with the request +that they would take part in the revision: this was declined. The +American Church however, as we have already shown, was not wholly +unrepresented in the work. The whole Committee was obviously much more +mixed than the English Committee; but it must not be forgotten that +though the English Companies were chosen by Episcopalians, and +Episcopalians, as was natural, greatly preponderated, nearly one-third of +the two Companies were not members of the Church of England. If we +assume that each Company consisted at any given time of twenty-five +members, which, as we have seen, would be approximately correct, the +non-Episcopal members will be found to have been not less than sixteen, +viz. seven Presbyterians, four Independents or Congregationalists, two +Baptists, two Wesleyans, and one Unitarian. Be this however as it may, +it is certain that by the great blessing, we may humbly say, of God the +Holy Ghost, the greatest possible harmony prevailed in the work both here +and in America. Here, as is well known, this was the case; and in +America, to quote one only out of many similar witnesses, one who was +himself a reviser, and the only pastor in the Company (the Old Testament +Company), thus gives his experience, "Never, even once, did the _odium +theologicum_ appear. Nothing was said at any time that required +retraction or apology {41}." + +This brief notice of our American brethren may close with one further +comment. Their work began, like ours, with reliance on financial aid +from the many who would be sure to be interested in such an important and +long-desired work. Help in our case was at once readily proffered, but +very soon was found not to be necessary, owing to our disposal of +copyright to the Presses of the two Universities. With the American +Revisers it was otherwise. During the whole twelve years all the +necessary expenses of travelling, printing, room-rent, and other +accessories were, as Dr. Schaff mentions, cheerfully contributed by +liberal donors from among the friends of biblical revision. There +remained, however, a grave difficulty. It was plainly impossible that +such distinguished men as those who formed the two American Companies +could simply act the part of friendly critics of what was sent over to +them without being recognized as fellow revisers in the full sense of the +words. How, however, formally to establish this parity of position was +found to be very difficult, owing to our connexion with the Presses, who +had trade rights which had properly to be guarded. The result was much +friendly negotiation for several months, but without any definite +adjustment {42a}. At last, by the wise and conciliatory action of the +Presses an agreement was arrived at in August, 1877 {42b}, by which we on +this side of the Atlantic were bound not only to send over the various +stages of our work to our American brethren and carefully to consider all +their suggestions, but also to sanction the publication in every copy of +the revision of a list of all the important passages, in regard of text +and renderings, upon which the English and American Revisers could not +finally agree. The American Revisers on their part undertook not to +publish any edition of their own for fourteen years. + +The fourteen years have now passed away, but prior to the expiration of +the time the long-needed marginal references were completed, and in +September, 1898, were attached to the pages of all the larger English +copies of the Revised Version of the Holy Scripture, with a short account +of the sources from which they were derived, and of the circumstances of +their delayed publication. As they were somewhat closely connected with +the labours of two of the members of the New Testament Company, and had +received the general approval of that Company, I had real pleasure in +presenting to both Houses of Convocation on Feb. 10, 1899, the completed +body of references, and, in them, the very last portion of every part of +the work of the Company with which I had so long been connected. + +The appearance of the references was very seasonable, as it enabled the +Universities to acquire copyright for any of the editions _with these +references_ which they might publish, or cause to be published in +America. The University Press of Oxford has, I know, acted on this +right, but whether in conjunction with the Cambridge University Press or +independently I am not able to say. The right at any rate remains, and +in the sequel may be of greater importance in America than we may now +suppose, as it may tend to discourage the spread of altered editions of +the revision, which from time to time might be brought forward by +irresponsible publishers {44}. + +One subject still remains to be noticed in this portion of my address +which cannot be passed over--the revision of the Apocrypha. This the +English revisers were pledged to the University Presses to complete, +before our connexion with them could be rightfully concluded. This +revision, as we know, has been completed, though perhaps not in a manner +that can be considered as completely satisfactory, owing to the want of a +co-ordinating authority. The arrangement, of which a full and clear +account will be found in the preface to the published volume, was briefly +as follows. On March 21, 1879, as the New Testament Company was fast +approaching the completion of its labours, it was agreed that the Company +should be divided into three portions, each consisting of eight members, +to which the names of the London, Westminster, and Cambridge Companies +were to be respectively assigned. The portion of the work that each of +the three Companies was to take was settled by lot. To the London +Company, of which I was a member, the book of Ecclesiasticus was +assigned; to the Westminster Company, the first book of Maccabees, and +subsequently the books Tobit and Judith; and to the Cambridge Company, +the second book of Maccabees and the Wisdom of Solomon. + +On the completion of their work, the Old Testament Company assigned to a +special committee chosen out of their number the remaining books of the +Apocrypha, viz. 1 and 2 Esdras, the remainder of Esther, Baruch, Song of +the Three Children, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and the Prayer of +Manasses. + +It was agreed that each Company and the above-named committee should go +through their work twice, but without the two-thirds condition, and that +each body should send its work when completed round to the rest. The +times, however, at which the portions were completed were by no means, +even approximately, the same. The London Company completed its work in +May, 1883. The Westminster Company finished the first book of Maccabees +in November, 1881, and the books of Tobit and Judith in October, 1882. +The Cambridge Company completed its revision of the second book of +Maccabees in December, 1889, and of the Book of Wisdom, which underwent +three revisions, in November, 1891. The revision of the remaining books, +undertaken by the Old Testament Company, does not seem to have been +completed till even two or three years later. This interval of ten or +twelve years involved in some of the books, especially in reference to +Ecclesiasticus, the clear necessity for further revision. This compelled +me, with the help of my valued friend Dr. Moulton, to go over the work of +my former Company on my own responsibility, my coadjutors in the work +having been either called away by death or too seriously ill to help me. + +It was thus with some sense of relief that, on the request of those +connected with the publication of the volume, I presented the Revised +Version of the Apocrypha to the two Houses of Convocation on February 12, +1896. + +The rise and progress of the desire for a revision of the Authorised +Version of Holy Scripture has now been set forth as fully as the limits +of these Addresses permit. What now remains to be specified is what may +be called the internal history of this Revision, or, in other words, the +nature and procedure of the work, with such concluding comments as the +circumstances of the present may appear to suggest. + + + + +ADDRESS III. +HEBREW AND GREEK TEXT. + + +We now pass from what may be called the outward history of the Revision +to the inward nature and character of the work of the Revisers, and may +naturally divide that work into two portions--their labours as regards +the original text, and their labours in regard of rendering and +translation. + +I. First, then, as regards the original text of the Old Testament. + +Here the work of the Old Testament Company was very slight as compared +with that of the New Testament Company. The latter Company had, almost +in every other verse, to settle upon a text--often involving much that +was doubtful and debatable--before they proceeded to the further work of +translating. The Old Testament Company, on the contrary, had ready to +hand a _textus receptus_ which really deserved the title, and on which, +in their preface, they write as follows: "The received, or, as it is +commonly called, the Massoretic text of the Old Testament Scriptures has +come down to us in manuscripts which are of no very great antiquity, and +which all belong to the same family or recension. That other recensions +were at one time in existence is probable from the variations in the +Ancient Versions, the oldest of which, namely, the Greek or Septuagint, +was made, at least in part, some two centuries before the Christian era. +But as the date of knowledge on the subject is not at present such as to +justify any attempt at an entire reconstruction of the text on the +authority of the Versions, the Revisers have thought it most prudent to +adopt the Massoretic text as the basis of their work, and to depart from +it, as the Authorised Translators had done, only in exceptional cases." + +That in this decision the Revisers had exercised the sound judgement +which marks every part of their work cannot possibly be doubted by any +competent reader. The Massoretic text has a long and interesting +history. Its name is derived from a word, Massora (tradition), that +reminds us of the accumulated traditions and criticisms relating to +numerous passages of the text, and of the manner in which it was to be +read, all which were finally committed to writing, and the ultimate +result of which is the text of which we have been speaking. That the +formation of the written Massora was a work of time seems a probable and +reasonable supposition. A very competent writer {50} tells us that this +formation may have extended from the sixth or seventh to the tenth or +eleventh century. From the end of this Massoretic period onward the same +writer tells us that the Massora became the great authority by which the +text given in all the Jewish manuscripts was settled. All our +manuscripts, in a word, are Massoretic. Any that were not so were not +used, and allowed to perish, or, as it has been thought, were destroyed +as not being in strict accordance with the recognized standards. Whether +we have sustained any real critical loss by the disappearance of the +rejected manuscripts it is impossible to say. The fact only remains that +we have no manuscript of any portion of the Old Testament certainly known +to be of a date prior to A.D. 916. The Massora, it may be mentioned, +appears in two forms--the _Massora parva_ and the _Massora magna_. The +former contains the really valuable portion of the great work, viz., the +variation technically named K'ri (_read_), and placed in the margin of +the Hebrew Bibles. This was to be substituted for the corresponding +portion in the text technically named C'thib (_written_), and was +regarded by the Massoretes themselves as the true reading. The _Massora +magna_ contained the above, and other matter deemed to be of importance +in reference to the interpretation of the text. + +The Revisers inform us that they have generally, though not uniformly, +rendered the C'thib in the text, and left the K'ri in the margin, with +the introductory note, "Or, according to another reading," or, "Another +reading is." When they adopted the K'ri in the text of their rendering, +they placed the C'thib in the margin if it represented a variation of +importance. + +These things, and others specified in the preface, should be carefully +attended to by the reader as enabling him to distinguish between the +different characters of the alternative renderings as specified in the +margin. Those due to the Massoretes, or, in other words, the K'ris, will +naturally deserve attention from their antiquity. They are not, however, +when estimated with reference to the whole of the sacred volume, very +numerous. In the earliest printed bible they were 1,171 in number, but +this is generally considered erroneous in excess, 900 being probably much +nearer the true estimate. + +We cannot leave the subject of the Hebrew text without some reference to +the emendation of it suggested by the Ancient Versions. But little, I +believe, of a systematic character has, as yet, been accomplished. The +Revisers mention that they have been obliged, in some few cases of +extreme difficulty, to depart from the Massoretic text and adopt a +reading from the Ancient Versions. I regret to observe that it is stated +by one of those connected with the forthcoming American revision of the +Old Testament version that in nearly one hundred cases the marginal +references to the Ancient Versions will be omitted. Reasons are given, +but these could hardly have escaped the knowledge and observation of the +learned men by whom the references were inserted. The Revisers also +mention that where the Versions appeared to supply a very probable, +though not so absolutely necessary, correction as displacement of the +Massoretic text, they have still felt it proper to place the reading in +the margin. + +This recognition of the critical importance of the Ancient Versions by +the Revisers, though obviously in only a limited number of cases, seems +to indicate the great good that may be expected from a more complete and +systematic use of these ancient authorities in reference to the current +text of the Old Testament. At present the texts implied in them have, I +believe, never yet been so closely analysed as to enable us to form any +just estimate of their real critical value. They have been used by +editors, as in the case of Houbigant, but only in a limited and partial +manner. Lists, I believe, are accessible of all the more important +readings suggested or implied by the Versions; but what is needed is far +more than this. In the first place we require much more trustworthy +texts of the Versions themselves than are at present at our disposal. In +the case of the Septuagint we may very shortly look forward to a +thoroughly revised text; and a similar remark may probably be made in +reference to the Vulgate, but I am not aware that much has been done in +the case of the Syriac {53}, and of other versions to which reference +would have to be made in any great critical attempt, such as a revision +of the _textus receptus_ of the Old Testament. + +If, however, a first need is trustworthy editions of the Versions, a +second need appears to be a fuller knowledge of the Hebrew material, late +in regard of antiquity though it may be, than was, at any rate, available +till very recently. The new edition of the text of the Hebrew Bible by +Dr. Ginsburg, with its learned and voluminous introduction, may, and +probably does, supply this fuller knowledge; but as in regard of these +matters I can speak only as a novice, I can only reproduce the statement +commonly made by those who have a right to speak on such subjects, that +the collation of the Hebrew manuscripts that we already possess has been +far from complete. There appears to have been the feeling that they all +lead up to the Massoretic text, and that any particular variations from +it need not be treated over-seriously; and yet surely we must regard it +as possible that some of these negligible variations might concur with, +and by their concurrence add weight to, readings already rendered +probable by the suggestive testimony of the Ancient Versions. It may be +right for me to add that the whole question was raised in 1886 by Dr. +Green and Dr. Schaff in a circular letter addressed to distinguished +Hebrews in Germany and elsewhere. The answers are returned in German +{55}, and are translated. They are most of them interesting, though not +very encouraging. The best of them seems to be the answer of Professor +Strack, of Berlin. + +But here I must pause. The use made by the Revisers of these ancient +documents has called out the foregoing comments, and has awakened the +hope, which I now venture to express, that the critical use of the +Versions may be expanded, and form a part of that systematic revision of +the text of the Old Testament which will not improbably form part of the +critical labours of the present century. + +II. We may now turn to the New Testament, and to the revision of the +_textus receptus_ of the New Testament which our rules necessitated, and +which formed a very important and, it may be added, a very anxious part +of our revision. + +And here, at the very outset, one general observation is absolutely +necessary. + +It is very commonly said, and I fear believed by many to be true, that +the text adopted by the Revisers and afterwards published (in different +forms) by the two University Presses, hardly differs at all from the +afterwards published text of the two distinguished scholars and critics, +one of whom was called from us a few years ago, and the other of whom +has, to our great sorrow, only recently left us. I allude, of course, to +the Greek Testament, now of world-wide reputation, of Westcott and Hort. +What has been often asserted, and is still repeated, is this, that the +text had been in print for some time before it was finally published, and +was in the hands of the Revisers almost, if not quite, from the very +first. It was this, so the statement runs, that they really worked upon, +and this that they assimilated. + +Now this I unhesitatingly declare, as I shall subsequently be able to +prove, is contrary to the facts of the case. It is perfectly true that +our two eminent colleagues gave, I believe, to each one of us, from time +to time, little booklets of their text as it then stood in print, but +which we were always warned were not considered by the editors themselves +as final. These portions of their text were given to us, not to win us +over to adopt it, but to enable us to see each proposed reading in its +continuity. How these booklets were used by the members of the Company +generally, I know not. I can only speak for myself; but I cannot +suppress the conviction that I was acting unconsciously in the same +manner as the great majority of the Company. I only used the booklets +for occasional reference. In preparing the portion of the sacred volume +on which we were to be engaged in the next session of the Company, I took +due note of the readings as well as of the renderings, but I formed my +judgement independently on the evidence supplied to me by the notes of +the critical edition, whether that of Tischendorf or Tregelles, which I +then was in the habit of using. This evidence was always fully stated to +the Company, nearly always by Dr. Scrivener, and it was upon the +discussion of this evidence, and not on the reading of any particular +editor, on which the decision of the Company was ultimately formed. We +paid in all cases great attention to the arguments of our two eminent +colleagues and our experienced colleague, Dr. Scrivener; but each +question of reading, as it arose, was settled by the votes of the +Company. The resulting text, as afterwards published by the Oxford +University Press, and edited by Archdeacon Palmer, was thus the direct +work of the Company, and may be rightly designated, as it will be in +these pages, as the Revisers' text. + +It is of considerable importance that this should be borne in mind; for, +in the angry vituperation which was directed against the Revisers' text, +it was tacitly assumed that this text was practically identical with that +of Westcott and Hort, and that the difficulties which are to be found in +this latter text (and some there certainly are) are all to be found in +the text of the Revisers. How very far such an assumption is from the +true state of the case can easily be shown by a simple comparison of one +text with the other. Let us take an example. I suppose there are very +few who can entertain the slightest doubt that in Acts xii. 35, St. Luke +tells us that Barnabas and Saul returned _from_ Jerusalem after their +mission was over, and took with them (from Jerusalem) St. Mark. Now what +is the reading of Westcott and Hort?--"to Jerusalem" with the Vatican +Manuscript, and a fair amount of external support. We then turn at once +to the Revisers' text and find that _from_ ([Greek text]) is maintained, +in spite of the clever arguments which, in this case, can be urged for an +intrinsically improbable reading, and, most likely, were urged at the +time, as I observe that the Revisers have allowed the "to" to appear in a +margin. + +I regret that I have never gone through the somewhat laborious process of +minutely comparing the Revisers' text with the text of Westcott and Hort, +but I cannot help thinking that the example I have chosen is a typical +one, and does show the sort of relations between the two texts, when what +a recent and competent writer (Dr. Salmon, of Trinity College, Dublin) +considers to be the difficulties and anomalies and apparent perversities +in the text of Westcott and Hort are compared with the decisions of the +Revisers {59}. There are, I believe, only sixty-four passages in the +whole revision, in which the text of the Revisers, when agreeing with the +text of Westcott and Hort, has not also the support of Lachmann, or +Tischendorf, or Tregelles. + +I observe that the above-named writer expresses his satisfaction that the +Revised Version has not superseded the Authorised Version in our Churches +{60a}, and that things which were read at Rome in the second century may +still be read in our own Churches in the nineteenth century. This, +perhaps, is a strong way of expressing his aversion to the text of +Westcott and Hort, but it is not perfectly clear that the Revisers' text +has "so closely" followed the authority of these two eminent critics as +to be open, on Dr. Salmon's part, to the same measure of aversion. Until +more accurate evidence is forthcoming that the Revisers have shown in +their text the same sort of studied disregard of Western variations as is +plainly to be recognized in the text of Westcott and Hort, I can only +fall back on my persuasion, as one who has put to the vote these critical +questions very many times, that systematic neglect of Western authority +cannot fairly be brought home to the Revisers. It is much to be +regretted then, that in the very opening chapter of his interesting +volume, Dr. Salmon roundly states that Westcott and Hort exercised a +"predominating influence" on their colleagues in the revision on the +question of various readings {60b}, and that "more than half of their +brother members of the Committee had given no special attention to the +subject." Now, assuming that the word "Committee" has been here +accidentally used for the more usual term Company, I am forced to say +that both statements are really incorrect. I was permitted by God's +mercy to be present at every meeting of the Company except two, and I can +distinctly say that I never observed any indication of this predominating +influence. We knew well that our two eminent colleagues had devoted many +years of their lives to the great work on which they were engaged; and we +paid full deference to what they urged on each reading as it came before +us, but in the end we decided for ourselves. For it must not be +forgotten that we had an eminent colleague (absent only eight times from +our 407 meetings) who took a very different view of the critical evidence +to that of Westcott and Hort, and never failed very fully, and often very +persuasively, to express it. I am of course alluding to my old friend +Dr. Scrivener. It was often a kind of critical duel between Dr. Hort and +Dr. Scrivener, in which everything that could be urged on either side was +placed before the Company, and the Company enabled to decide on a full +knowledge of the critical facts and reasonings in reference to the +reading under consideration. + +Now it is also not correct to say of the Company that finally decided the +question, that more than half "had given no special attention to the +subject." If this refers to the matter _subsequently_ put forward by Dr. +Hort in the introductory volume to Westcott and Hort's Greek Testament, +to the clever and instructive genealogical method, and to the numberless +applications of it that have given their Greek Testament the pre-eminence +it deservedly holds--if this be the meaning of the Provost's estimate of +the critical knowledge of the Company, I should not have taken any +exception to the words. But if "the subject" refers to the general +critical knowledge at the time when the Company came together, then I +must gently protest against an estimate of the general critical +capabilities of the Company that is, really and truly, incorrect. All +but three or four are now resting with God, and among these twenty they +were not few who had a good and full knowledge of the New Testament +textual criticism of the generation that had just passed away. Among +them were not only the three experts whom I have mentioned, but editors +of portions of the New Testament such as Bishop Lightfoot and others, +principals of large educational colleges both in England and Scotland, +and scholars like Dean Scott, who were known to take great interest in +questions of textual criticism. A few of these might almost be +considered as definitely experts, but all taken together certainly made a +very competent body to whose independent judgement the settlement of +difficult critical questions could be safely committed. + +And, as I venture to think, the text which has been constructed from +their decisions, their resultant text as it might be called, will show +that the Revisers' text is an independent text on which great reliance +can be placed. It is the text which I always use myself in my general +reading of the New Testament, and I deliberately regard it as one of the +two best texts of the New Testament at present extant; the other being +the cheap and convenient edition of Professor Nestle, bearing the title +"Novum Testamentum Graece, cum apparatu critico ex editionibus et libris +manu scriptis collecto. Stuttgart, 1898." This edition is issued by the +Wurtemberg Bible Society, and will, as I hear, not improbably be adopted +by our own Bible Society as their Greek Testament of the future. + +The reason why I prefer these two texts for the general reading of the +sacred volume is this, that they both have much in common with the text +of Westcott and Hort, but are free from those peculiarities and, I fear I +must add, perversities, which do here and there mark the text of that +justly celebrated edition. To Doctors Westcott and Hort all faithful +students of the New Testament owe a debt of lasting gratitude which it is +impossible to overestimate. Still, in the introductory volume by Dr. +Hort, assumptions have been made, and principles laid down, which in +several places have plainly affected the text, and led to the maintenance +of readings which, to many minds, it will seem really impossible to +accept. An instance has been given above on page 58, and this is by no +means a solitary instance. + +Having now shown fairly, I hope, and clearly the thoroughly independent +character of the text which I have called the Revisers' text, I will pass +onward, and show the careful manner in which it was constructed, and the +circumstances under which we have it in the continuous form in which it +has been published by the Press of the University of Oxford. + +To do this, it will be necessary to refer to the rule under which we were +directed to carry out this portion of our responsible work. We had two +things to do--to revise the Authorised Version, and also to revise under +certain specified limitations the Greek text from which the Authorised +Version was made; or, in other words, the fifth edition of Beza's Greek +Testament, published in the year 1698. The rule under which this second +portion of our work was to be performed was as follows: "That the text to +be adopted be that for which the evidence is decidedly preponderating; +and [let this be noted] that when the text so adopted differs from that +from which the Authorised Version was made, the alteration be indicated +in the margin." Such was the rule in regard of the text, and such was +the instruction as to the mode of notifying any alterations that it might +have been found necessary to make. + +Let us deal first with the direction as to notifying the alterations. +Now as it was soon found practically impossible to place all the +alterations in a margin which would certainly be needed for alternative +renderings, and for such matters as usually appear in a margin, we left +the University Presses to publish, in such manner as they might think +most convenient, the deviations from the Greek text presumed to underlie +the Authorised Version. The Cambridge University Press entrusted to Dr. +Scrivener the publication of the Received Text with the alterations of +the Revisers placed at the foot of the page. The Oxford University Press +adopted the more convenient method of letting the alterations form part +of the continuous text (the readings they displaced being at the foot of +the page), and entrusted the editing of the volume to Archdeacon Palmer +(one of our Company) who, as we know, performed the duty with great care +and accuracy. Hence the existence of what I term throughout this address +as the Revisers' text. + +We can now turn to the first part of the rule and describe in general +terms the mode of our procedure. It differs very slightly from the mode +described in the preface of the Revisers of the Old Testament. The verse +on which we were engaged was read by the Chairman. The first question +asked was, whether there was any difference of reading in the Greek text +which required our consideration. If there was none, we proceeded with +the second part of our work, the consideration of the rendering. If +there was a reading in the Greek text that demanded our consideration it +was at once discussed, and commonly in the following manner. Dr. +Scrivener stated briefly the authorities, whether manuscripts, ancient +versions, or patristic citations, of which details most of us were +already aware. If the alteration was one for which the evidence was +patently and decidedly preponderating, it was at once adopted, and the +work went onward. If, however, it was a case where it was doubtful +whether the evidence for the alteration _was_ thus decidedly +preponderating, then a discussion, often long, interesting, and +instructive, followed. Dr. Hort, if present (and he was seldom absent; +only forty-five times out of the 407 meetings) always took part, and +finally the vote was taken, and the suggested alteration either adopted +or rejected. If adopted, due note was taken by the secretary, and, if it +was thought a case for a margin, the competing reading was therein +specified. If there was a plain difficulty at coming to a decision, and +the passage was one of real importance, the decision was not uncommonly +postponed to a subsequent meeting, and notice duly given to all the +members of the Company. And so the great work went on to the end of the +first revision; the members of the Company acquiring more and more +knowledge and experience, and their decisions becoming more and more +judicial and trustworthy. + +Few, I think, on reading this simple and truthful description, could fail +to place some confidence in results thus patiently and laboriously +arrived at. Few, I think, could forbear a smile when they call to mind +the passionate vituperation which at first was lavished on the critical +efforts of the Revisers of the text that bears the scarcely correct name +of the _textus ab omnibus receptus_. + +But what I have specified was only the first part of our responsible +work. By the memoranda of agreement between the English Companies and +the American Committee, it had to be communicated to the American Company +of the Revisers of the Authorised Version of the New Testament, among +whom were some whose names were well and honorably known in connexion +with textual criticism. Our work, with the American criticisms and +suggestions, had then to undergo the second revision. The greater part +of the decisions relating to the text that were arrived at in the first +revision were accepted as final; but many were reopened at the second +revision, and the critical experience of the Company, necessarily +improved as it had been by the first revision, finally tested by the +two-thirds majority the reopened decisions which at the first revision +had been carried by simple majorities. The results of this second +revision were then, in accordance with the agreement, communicated to the +American Company; but, in the sequel, as will be seen in the lists of the +final differences between ourselves and the American Company, the +critical differences were but few, and, so far as I can remember, of no +serious importance. + +The critical labours of the Revisers did not however terminate with the +second revision. The cases were many where the evidence for the readings +either adopted or retained in the text was only slightly stronger than +that of readings which were in competition with it. Of this it was +obviously necessary that some final intimation should be given to the +reader, as the subsequent discovery of additional evidence might be held +by a competent critic to invalidate the right of the adopted reading to +hold its place in the text. This intimation could only be given by a +final marginal note, for which, as we know, by the arrangement of the +University Presses (see p. 66), our page was now available. + +These notes were objected to by one of our critics as quite unprecedented +additions; but it will be remembered that there are such notes in the +margin of the Authorised Version, though of course few in number +(thirty-five, according to Dr. Scrivener), textual criticism in 1611 +being only in its infancy. + +The necessity for the insertion of such notes was clearly shown in a +pamphlet that appeared shortly after the publication of the Revised +Version, and was written by two members of the Company. The three cases +in which these notes appeared certainly to be required were thus stated +by the two writers: "First, when the text which seemed to underlie the +Authorised Version was condemned by a decided preponderance of evidence, +but yet was ancient in its character, and belonged to an early line of +transmission. Secondly, when there were such clear tokens of corruption +in the reading on which the Authorised Version was based, or such a +consent of authority against it, that no one could seriously argue for +its retention, but it was not equally clear which of the other competing +readings had the best claim to occupy the vacant place. In such a case +there was not, in truth, decidedly preponderant evidence, except against +the text of Beza, and some notice of this fact seemed to be required by +critical equity. The third and last case was when the text which, as +represented in the Authorised Version, was retained because the competing +reading had not decidedly preponderant evidence (though the balance of +evidence was in its favour), and so could not under the rule be admitted. +In such a case again critical equity required a notice of the facts in +the margin." + +This quotation, I may remark in passing, is not only useful in explaining +when and where marginal notes were demonstrably needed, but also in +showing how carefully such questions were considered, and how +conscientiously the rules were observed under which our work was to be +carried out. + +Such were the textual labours of the Company. They were based on, and +were the results of, the critical knowledge that had been slowly acquired +during the 115 years that separated the early suggestions of Bentley from +the pioneer text of Lachmann in 1831; and, in another generation, had +become expanded and matured in the later texts of Tischendorf, and still +more so in the trustworthy and consistent text of our countryman +Tregelles. The labours of these three editors were well known to the +greater part of the Revisers and generally known to all; and it was on +these labours, and on the critical methods adopted by these great +editors, that our own text was principally formed. We of course owed +much to the long labours of our two eminent colleagues, Dr. Westcott and +Dr. Hort. Some of us know generally the principles on which they had +based their yet unpublished text, and were to some extent aware of the +manner in which they had grouped their critical authorities, and of the +genealogical method, which, under their expansion of it, has secured for +their text the widespread acceptance it has met with both at home and +abroad. + +Of these things some of us had a competent knowledge, but the majority +had no special knowledge of the genealogical method. They did know the +facts on which it was based--the ascertained trustworthiness of the +ancient authorities as compared with the later uncial, and the cursive +manuscripts, the general characteristics of these ancient authorities, +the alliances that were to be traced between some of them, and the +countries with which they were particularly connected. This the majority +knew generally as a part of the largely increased knowledge which the +preceding forty or fifty years, and the labours of Lachmann, Tischendorf, +and (so far as he had then published) Tregelles, had placed at the +disposal of students of the Greek Testament. It was on this general +knowledge, and not on any portions of a partly printed text, that the +decisions of the Company were based; these decisions, however, by the +very nature of the case and the use of common authorities, were +constantly in accordance with the texts of Lachmann, Tischendorf, and +Tregelles, and so with the subsequently printed text of Westcott and +Hort. + +Such a text, thus independently formed, and yet thus in harmony with the +results of the most tested critical researches of our times, has surely +great claims on our unreserved acceptance, and does justify us in +strongly pleading that a version of such a text, if faithfully executed, +should, for the very truth's sake, be publicly read in our Churches. + +That the Revised Version has been faithfully executed, will I hope be +shown fully and clearly in the succeeding chapter. For the present my +care has been to show that the text of which it is a version, and which I +have called the Revisers' Text because it underlies their revision, and, +as such, has been published by the Oxford University Press, is in my +judgement the best balanced text that has appeared in this country. I +have mentioned with it (p. 63) the closely similar text of the well-known +Professor Nestle, but as I have not gone through the laborious task of +comparing the text, verse by verse, with that of the Revisers, I speak +only in reference to our own country. I have compared the two texts in +several crucial and important passages--such for example as St. John i. +18--and have found them identical. Bishop Westcott, I know, a short time +before his lamented death, expressed to the Committee of the Bible +Society his distinct approval of their adopting for future copies of the +Society's Greek Testament Professor Nestle's text, as published by the +Wurtemberg Bible Society. + +I have now, I trust, fairly shown the independence of the Revisers' Text, +and have, not without reason, complained of my friend Provost Salmon's +estimate of its dependence on the text and earnestly exerted influence of +Dr. Hort and Dr. Westcott. Of course, as I have shown, there is, and +must be, much that is identical in the two texts; but, to fall back on +statistics, there are, I believe, more than two hundred places in which +the two texts differ, and in nearly all of them--if I may venture to +express my own personal opinion--the reading of the Revisers' Text is +critically to be preferred. Most of these two hundred places seem to be +precisely places in which the principles adopted by Westcott and Hort +need some corrective modifications. Greatly as I reverence the unwearied +patience, the exhaustive research, and the critical sagacity of these two +eminent, and now lamented, members of our former Company, I yet cannot +resist the conviction that Dr. Salmon in his interesting Criticism of the +Text of the New Testament has successfully indicated three or more +particulars which must cause some arrest in our final judgement on the +text of Westcott and Hort. + +In the first case it cannot be denied that, in the introductory volume, +Dr. Hort has shown too distinct a tendency to elevate probable hypotheses +into the realm of established facts. Dr. Salmon specifies one, and that +a very far-reaching instance, in which, in the debatable question whether +there really was an authoritative revision of the so-called Syrian text +at about A.D. 350, Dr. Hort speaks of this Syrian revision as a _vera +causa_, as opposed to a hypothetical possibility. This tendency in a +subject so complicated as that of textual criticism must be taken note of +by the student, and must introduce some element of hesitation in the +acceptance of confidently expressed decisions when the subject-matter may +still be very plainly debatable. + +In the second place, in the really important matter of the nomenclature +of the ancient types of text which, since the days of Griesbach, and to +some extent before him, have been recognized by all critical scholars, it +does not seem possible to accept the titles of the fourfold division of +these families of manuscripts which have been adopted by Westcott and +Hort. Griesbach, as is well known, adopted the terms Western, +Alexandrian, and Constantinopolitan, for which there is much to be said. +Westcott and Hort recognize four groups. To the first and considerably +the largest they give the title of Syrian, answering to some extent to +the Constantinopolitan of Griesbach; to the second they continue the +title of Western; to the third they give the title of Alexandrian, though +of a numerically more restricted character than the Alexandrian of +Griesbach; to the fourth, an exceedingly small group, apparently +consisting of practically not more than two members, they give the title +of Neutral, as being free alike from Syrian, Western, and Alexandrian +characteristics. On this Neutral family or group Westcott and Hort lay +the greatest critical stress, and in it they place the greatest reliance. +Such is their distribution, and such the names they give to the families +into which manuscripts are to be divided and grouped. + +The objections to this arrangement and to this nomenclature are, as Dr. +Salmon very clearly shows, both reasonable and serious. In the first +place, the title Syrian, though Dr. Salmon allows it to pass, is very +misleading, especially to the student. It is liable to be confounded +with the term Syriac, with which it has not and is not intended to have +any special connexion, and it fails to convey the amplitude of the family +it designates. If it is to be retained at all, it must be with the +prefix suggested by Dr. Schaff--the group being styled as the +Graeco-Syrian. But this is of slight moment when compared with the +serious objections to the term Neutral, as this term certainly tends in +practice to give to two manuscripts or even, in some cases, to one of +them (the Codex Vaticanus), a preponderating supremacy which cannot be +properly conceded when authorities of a high character are found to be +ranged on the other side. There are also other grave objections which +are convincingly put forward by Dr. Salmon in the chapter he has devoted +to the subject of the nomenclature of the two editors. + +We shall be wise therefore if we cancel the term Neutral and use the term +Older Alexandrian, as distinguished from the later Alexandrian, and so +fall back on the threefold division of Alexandrian (earlier and later), +Graeco-Syrian, and Western, though for this last-mentioned term a more +expressive designation may perhaps hereafter be found. + +The third drawback to the unqualified acceptance of the text of Westcott +and Hort is their continuous and studied disregard of Western +authorities; and this, notwithstanding that among these authorities are +included the singular and not unfrequently suggestive Codex Bezae--of +which Dr. Blass has lately made so remarkable a use--the Old Latin +Version, the Graeco-Latin manuscripts, and, to some extent, the Old +Syriac Version, all of them authorities to which the designation of +Western is commonly applied. To this grave drawback Dr. Salmon has +devoted a chapter to which the attention of the student may very +profitably be directed. Here I cannot enter into details, but of this I +am persuaded, that if there should be any fresh discovery of textual +authorities, it is by no means unlikely that they may be of a Western +character, and if so, that many decisions in the text of Westcott and +Hort will have to be modified by some editor of the future. At any rate, +taking the critical evidence as now we find it, we cannot but feel that +Dr. Salmon has made out his case, and that in the edition of which now we +are speaking there has been an undue, and even a contemptuous, disregard +of Western authorities. + +Here I must close this address, yet not without expressing the hope that +I may have induced some of you, my Reverend Brethren, to look into these +things for yourselves. Do not be deterred by the thought that to do so +you must read widely and consult many authorities. This is really not +necessary for the acquiring of an intelligent interest in the text of the +Greek Testament. With a good edition (with appended critical +authorities), whether that of Tischendorf or of Tregelles, and with +guidance such as that which you will find in the compendious _Companion +to the Greek Testament_ of Dr. Schaff, you will be able to begin, and +when you have seriously begun, you will not be, I am persuaded, very +likely to leave off. + + + + +ADDRESS IV +NATURE OF THE RENDERINGS + + +From the text we now turn to the renderings, and to the general +principles that were followed, both in the Old and in the New Testament. +The revision of the English text was in each case subject to the same +general rule, viz. "To introduce as few alterations as possible into the +Text of the Authorised Version consistently with faithfulness"; but, +owing to the great difference between the two languages, the Hebrew and +the Greek, the application of the rule was necessarily different, and the +results not easily comparable the one with the other. + +It will be best then to consider the renderings in the two Testaments +separately, and to form the best estimate we can of their character and +of their subordination to the general rule, with due regard to the widely +different nature of the structure and grammatical principles of the two +languages through which God has been pleased to reveal His truth to the +children of men. + +I. We begin then with the Revised Version of the Old Testament, and +naturally turn for general guidance to the Preface of those who were +engaged in the long, diversified, and responsible work. Their general +principles as to departures from the Authorised Version would appear to +be included in the following clearly-specified particulars. They +departed from the Authorised Version (_a_) where they did not agree with +it as to the meaning or construction of a word or sentence; (_b_) where +it was necessary, for the sake of uniformity, to render such parallel +passages as were identical in Hebrew by the same English words; (_c_) +where the English of the Authorised Version was liable to be +misunderstood by reason of its being archaic or obscure; (_d_) where the +rendering of an earlier English version seemed preferable; and (_e_) +where, by an apparently slight change, it was possible to bring out more +fully the meaning of a passage of which the translation was substantially +accurate. + +These principles, which I have been careful to specify in the exact words +of the Revisers, will appear to every impartial reader to be fully in +harmony with the principle of faithfulness; and will be found--if an +outsider may presume to make a passing comment--to have been carried out +with pervasive consistency and uniformity. + +The Revisers further notice certain particulars of which the general +reader should take full note, so much of the random criticisms of the +revised text (especially in the New Testament) having been due to a +complete disregard in each case of the Preface, and of the reasons given +for changes which long experience had shown to be both reasonable and +necessary. + +The first particular is the important question of the rendering of the +word "JEHOVAH." Here the Revisers have thought it advisable to follow +the usage of the Authorised Version, and not to insert the word uniformly +in place of "LORD" or "GOD," which words when printed in small capitals +represent the words substituted by Jewish custom for the ineffable Name +according to the vowel points by which it is distinguished. To this +usage the Revisers have steadily adhered with the exception of a very few +passages in which the introduction of a proper name seemed to be +required. In this grave matter, as we all probably know, the American +Company has expressed its dissent from the decision of the English +Company, and has adopted the proper name wherever it occurs in the Hebrew +text for "the LORD" and "GOD." Most English readers will agree with our +Revisers. It may indeed be said, now that we can read the American text +continuously, that there certainly are many passages in which the proper +name seems to come upon eye or ear with a serious and appropriate force; +still the reverence with which we are accustomed to treat what the +Revisers speak of as "the ineffable Name" will lead most of us to +sacrifice the passages, where the blessed name may have an impressive +force, to the reverential uniformity of our Authorised Version, and to +the latent fear that frequent iteration might derogate from the solemnity +with which we instinctively clothe the ever-blessed name of Almighty God. + +The next particular relates to terms of natural history. Here changes +have only been made where it was certain that the Authorised Version was +incorrect, and highly probable that the word substituted was right. +Where doubt existed, the text was left unchanged, but the alternative +word was placed in the margin. In regard of other terms, of which the +old rendering was certainly wrong, as in the case of the Hebrew term +_Asherah_ (probably the wooden symbol of a goddess), the Revisers have +used the word, whether in the singular or plural, as a proper name. In +the case of the Hebrew term "Sheol" (corresponding to the Greek term +"Hades"), variously rendered in the Authorised Version by the words +"grave," "pit," and "hell," the Revisers have adopted in the historical +books the first or second words with a marginal note, "Heb. _Sheol_," but +in the poetical books they have reversed this arrangement. The American +Revisers, on the contrary, specify that in all cases where the word +occurs in the Hebrew text they place it unchanged in the English text, +and without any margin. The case is a difficult one, but the English +arrangement is to be preferred, as the reader would not so plainly need a +preliminary explanation. + +The last case that it here seems necessary to allude to is the change +everywhere of the words "the tabernacle of the congregation" into "the +tent of meeting," as the former words convey an entirely wrong sense. +These and the use of several other terms are carefully noted and +explained by the Revisers, and will, I hope, induce every careful reader +of their revision to make it his duty to study their prefatory words. +The almost unavoidable differences between them and the American +Revisers, as to our own language, are alluded to by them in terms both +friendly and wise, and may be considered fully to express the sentiments +of the New Testament Company, by whom the subject is less precisely +alluded to. + +In passing from the Preface to the great work which it introduces, I feel +the greatest difficulty, as a member of a different Company, in making +more than a few very general comments. In fact, I should scarcely have +ventured to do even this, had I not met with a small but very instructive +volume on the revision of the Authorised Version of the Old Testament +written by one of the American Revisers, and published at New York some +fifteen or sixteen years ago. The volume is entitled--perhaps with +excusable brevity--_A Companion to the Revised Old Testament_. The +writer was Rev. Dr. Talbot W. Chambers, of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch +Church of New York, from whose preface I learn that he was the only +pastor in the Company, the others being professors in theological +seminaries, and representing seven different denominations and nine +different institutions. The book is written with great modesty, and as +far as I can judge, with a good working knowledge of Hebrew. The writer +disclaims in it the position of speaking in any degree for the Company of +which he was a member, but mentions that his undertaking was approved of +by his colleagues, and received the assistance, more or less, of all of +them. He was a member of the Company during the last ten years of its +labours. + +I can recommend this useful volume to any student of the Old Testament +who is desirous to see a selected list of the changes made by the +Revisers in the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetical Books, and +Prophetical Books. These changes are given in four chapters, and in most +cases are accompanied by explanatory comments, which from their tenor +often seem to be reminiscences of corporate discussion. I mention these +particulars as I am not aware of any similar book on the Old Testament +written by any one of the English Company. If there is such a book, I do +sincerely hope the writer will forgive me for not having been so +fortunate as to meet with it. + +The remaining comments I shall venture to make on the rendering of the +Old Testament will rest on the general knowledge I have acquired of this +carefully-executed and conservative revision, and on some consideration +of the many illustrations which Dr. Chambers has selected in his +interesting manual. The impression that has long been left on my mind by +the serious reading of the Old Testament in the Revised Version is that +not nearly enough has been said of the value of the changes that have +been made, and of the strong argument they furnish for the reading of the +Revision in the public services of the Church. Let any serious person +read the Book of Job with the two English versions in parallel columns, +and form a sober opinion on the comparison--his judgement I am confident +will be, that if the Revision of this Book be a fair sample of the +Revision generally, our congregations have a just right to claim that the +Revised Version of the Old Testament should be publicly read in their +churches. Ours is a Bible-loving country, and the English Bible in its +most correct form can never be rightly withheld from our public +ministrations. + +I shall now close this portion of the present Address with a few comments +on the four parts of the Revision to which I have already alluded--the +Pentateuch, and the Historical, Poetical, and Prophetical Books of the +Old Testament. + +What the careful reader of Genesis will not fail to observe is the number +of passages in which comparatively small alterations give a new light to +details of the sacred narrative which, in general reading, are commonly +completely overlooked. A new colouring, so to speak, is given to the +whole, and rectifications of prevailing conceptions not unfrequently +introduced, either in the text or, as often happens, by means of the +margin, where they could hardly have been anticipated. The prophecy of +Jacob as to the future of his children (chap. xlix) will supply an +instance. In the character of Reuben few of us would understand more +than general unsteadiness and changefulness in purpose and in act, but a +glance at the margin will show that impulse and excitability were plainly +elements in his nature which led him into the grievous and hateful sin +for which his father deposed him from the excellency of a first-born. + +What has been said of the Book of Genesis is equally applicable to the +remainder of the Pentateuch. The object throughout is elucidation, not +simply correction of errors but removal of obscurity, if not by changes +introduced into the printed text, yet certainly always by the aid of the +margin; as, for example, in the somewhat difficult passage of Exodus +xvii. 16, where really, it would seem, that the margin might rightly have +had its place in the text. Sometimes the correction of what might seem +trivial error, as in Exodus xxxiv. 33, gives an intelligible view of the +whole details of the circumstance specified. Moses put on the veil after +he had ceased speaking with them. While he was speaking to them he was +speaking as God's representative. In Numbers xi. 25 the correction of a +mistranslation removes what might otherwise lead to a very grave +misconception, viz. that the gift of prophecy was continuous in the case +of the whole elderhood. In the chapters relating to Balaam, +independently of the alterations that are made in the language of his +remarkable utterances, the mere fact of their being arranged rhythmically +could not fail to cause the public reader, almost unconsciously, to +change his tone of voice, and to make the reading of the prophecy more +distinct and impressive. Among many useful changes in Deuteronomy one +may certainly be noticed (chap. xx. 19), in which the obscure and +difficult clause in regard of the tree in the neighbourhood of the +besieged city is made at any rate intelligible. + +In the historical books attention may be particularly called to the Song +of Deborah and Barak, in which there are several important and +elucidatory corrections, and in which the rhythmic arrangement will be +felt to bear force and impressiveness both to reader and to hearer. In +the remaining Books changes will be found fewer in number and less +striking; but occasionally, as for example in 1 Kings xx. 27, we come +across changes that startle us by their unlooked-for character, but +which, if correct, add a deeper degradation to the outpoured blood of +Ahab in the pool of Samaria. + +Of the poetical Books, I have already alluded to the Book of Job and to +the high character of the Revision. The changes in this noble poem are +many, and were especially needed, for the rendering of the Book of Job +has always been felt to be one of the weakest portions of the great work +of the Revisers of 1611. Illustrations I am unable to give, in a cursory +notice like the present, but I may again press the Revisers' version of +this deeply interesting Book on the serious attention of every earnest +student of the Old Testament. + +It is difficult to say much on the Revised Version of the Book of Psalms, +as Coverdale's Version, as we have it in our Prayer Book, so completely +occupies the foreground of memory and devotional interest, that I fear +comparatively few study the Bible Version or the careful and conservative +work of the Revisers. This Revision, however, of the version of the Book +of Psalms deserves more attention than it appears to have received. Not +only will the faithful reader find in it the necessary corrections of the +version of 1611, but clear guidance as to the meaning of the sometimes +utterly unintelligible renderings of the version of the Great Bible which +still holds its place in our Prayer Books. To take two examples: let the +reader look at the Authorised Version and Prayer Book Version of Psalm +lxviii. 16, and of lxxxiv. 5, 6, and contrast with both the rendering of +the Revised Version. This last-mentioned rendering will be found, as I +have said, to correct the Authorised Version, and (especially in the +second passage) to remove what is unintelligible in the Prayer Book +version. It may thus be used by the Prayer Book reader of the Psalms as +a ready and easily accessible means of arriving at the real meaning of +the many ambiguities and obscurities which long familiarity with the +Prayer Book Version has led him to pass over without any particular +notice. The revision of the Prayer Book Version has been long felt to be +a very real necessity. To read and to hear read in the daily services of +the Church what, in parts, cannot be understood can never be spiritually +good for reader or hearer. And yet, such is the really devout +conservatism of the bulk of our congregations, that though a careful +revision, sympathetically executed, has been strongly urged by some of +our most earnest scholars and divines, it is more than doubtful whether +such a revision ever will be carried out. If this be so, it only remains +for us so to encourage, in our schools and in our Bible classes, the +efficient explanatory help of the Revised Version. If this is steadily +done, nearly all that is at present obscure or unintelligible in the +Prayer Book Version will no longer remain so to the greater part of our +worshippers. + +Of the remaining Poetical Books the revision of the Authorised Version of +the Song of Solomon must be specially noticed. In the common version the +dramatic element is almost entirely lost, the paragraphs are imperfectly +noted, and obscurities not a few the inevitable consequence. In a large +degree these serious imperfections are removed, and the whole tenor of +this exquisite poem made clear to the general reader. The margin will +show the great care bestowed on the poem by the Revisers; and the fewness +and trifling nature of the changes maintained by the American Company +will also show, in a confessedly difficult Book, the somewhat remarkable +amount of the agreement between the two Companies. On the Prophetical +Books I do not feel qualified to speak except in very general terms; and +for illustrations must refer the reader to the large list of the +corrected renderings, especially of the prophecy of Isaiah, in the useful +work of Dr. Chambers, who has devoted at least eleven pages to the +details of the Revisers' work on the Evangelist of the Old Covenant. The +impression which the consideration of these details leaves on the mind of +the reader will be, I am confident, the same as that which is I believe +felt by all professed Hebrew scholars who have examined the version, viz. +that it is not only faithful and thorough, but often rises to a very high +level of poetic utterance. Let any one read aloud in the Revised Version +the well-known passage, chap. xiv. 12-23, already nobly rendered in the +Old Version, and ask himself if the seemingly slight and trivial changes +have not maintained this splendid utterance at a uniform height of +sustained and eloquent vigour. + +In the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel the changes are less striking +and noticeable, not however from any diminished care in the work of +revision, but from the tenor of the prophecies being less familiar to the +general reader. Four pages of instructive illustrations are supplied by +Dr. Chambers in the case of each of the two prophecies. The more +noticeable changes in Daniel and Hosea are also specified by Dr. +Chambers, but the remainder of the minor prophets, with perhaps the +exception of Habakkuk, are passed over with but little illustrative +notice. A very slight inspection however of these difficult prophecies +will certainly show two things--first, that the Revisers of 1611 did +their work in this portion of Holy Scripture less successfully than +elsewhere; secondly, that the English and American Revisers--between whom +the differences are here noticeably very few--laboured unitedly and +successfully in keeping their revision of the preceding version of these +prophecies fully up to the high level of the rest of their work. + +II. I now pass onward to the consideration of the renderings in the +Revised Version of the New Testament. + +The object and purpose of the consideration will be exactly the same, as +in the foregoing pages, to show the faithful thoroughness of the +Revision, but the manner of showing this will be somewhat different to +the method I have adopted in the foregoing portion of this Address. I +shall not now bring before you examples of the faithful and suggestive +accuracy of the revision, for to do this adequately would far exceed the +limits of these Addresses; and further, if done would far fall short of +the instructive volume of varied and admirably arranged illustrations +written only four years ago by a member of the Company {96}, now, alas, +no longer with us, of which I shall speak fully in my next Address. + +What I shall now do will be to show that the principles on which the +version of the New Testament was based have been in no degree affected by +the copious literature connected with the language of the Greek Testament +and its historical position which has appeared since the Revision was +completed. It is only quite lately that the Revisers have been +represented as being insufficiently acquainted, in several particulars, +with the Greek of the New Testament, and in a word, being twenty years +behind what is now known on the subject {97}. Such charges are easily +made, and may at first sight seem very plausible, as the last fifteen or +twenty years have brought with them an amount of research in the language +of the Greek Testament which might be thought to antiquate some results +of the Revision, and to affect to some extent the long labours of those +who took part in it. The whole subject then must be fairly considered, +especially in such an Address as the present, in which the object is to +set forth the desirableness and rightfulness of using the version in the +public services of the Church. + +But first a few preliminary comments must be made on the manner and +principles in which the changes of rendering have been introduced into +the venerable Version which was intrusted to us to be revised. + +The foremost principle to be alluded to is the one to which we adhered +steadily and persistently during the whole ten years of our labour--the +principle of faithfulness to the original language in which it pleased +Almighty God that His saving truth should be revealed to the children of +men. As the lamented Bishop of Durham says most truly and forcibly in +his instructive "Lessons on the Revised Version of the New Testament +{98a};" "Faithfulness, the most candid and the most scrupulous, was the +central aim of the Revisers {98b}." Faithfulness, but to what? +Certainly not to "the sense and spirit of the original {98b}," as our +critics contended must have been meant by the rule,--but to the original +in its plain grammatical meaning as elicited by accurate interpretation. +This I can confidently state was the intended meaning of the word when it +appeared in the draft rule that was submitted to the Committee of +Convocation. So it was understood by them; and so, I may add, it was +understood by the Company, because I can clearly remember a very full +discussion on the true meaning of the word at one of the early meetings +of the Company. Some alteration had been proposed in the rendering of +the Greek to which objection was made that it did not come under the rule +and principle of faithfulness. This led to a general, and, as it proved, +a final discussion. Bishop Lightfoot, I remember, took an earnest part +in it. He contended that our revision must be a true and thorough one; +that such a meeting as ours could not be assembled for many years to +come, and that if the rendering was plainly more accurate and more true +to the original, it ought not to be put aside as incompatible with some +supposed aspect of the rule of faithfulness. Proposals were often set +aside without the vote being taken, on the ground that it was not "worth +while" to make them, and in a trivial matter to disturb recollection of a +familiar text; but the non-voting resulted from the proposal being +withdrawn owing to the mind of the Company being plainly against it, and +not from any direct appeal to the principle of faithfulness. If the +proposal was pressed, the vote of the Company was always taken, and the +matter authoritatively settled. + +The contention, often very recklessly urged, that the Revisers +deliberately violated the principles under which the work was committed +to them is thus, to use the kindest form of expression, entirely +erroneous. I have dwelt upon this matter because when properly +understood it clears away more than half of the objections that have been +urged against our Revision. Of the remainder I cannot but agree with +good Bishop Westcott that no criticism of the Revision--and the +criticisms were of every form and kind "pedantry, spiritless literality, +irritating triviality, destroyed rhythm," and so forth--no criticism ever +came upon us by surprise. The Revisers, as the Bishop truly says, heard +in the Jerusalem Chamber all the arguments against their conclusions they +have heard since; and he goes on to say that no restatement of old +arguments had in the least degree shaken his confidence in the general +results. Such words from one now, alas, no longer with us, but whose +memory we cherish as one of the most wide-minded as well as truth-seeking +of the biblical scholars of our own times, may well serve to reassure the +partially hesitating reader of the Revised Version of its real +trustworthiness and fidelity. But we must not confine our attention +simply to the renderings that hold a place in the text of the Revised +Version. We must take into our consideration a very instructive portion +of the work of the Revisers which is, I fear, utterly neglected by the +general reader--the alternative readings and renderings that hold a place +in the margin, and form an integral portion of the Revision. Though we +are now more particularly considering the renderings, I include here the +marginal readings, as the relation of the margins to the Version could +hardly be fully specified without taking into consideration the margin in +its entirety. As readers of the Preface to the New Testament (very few, +I fear, to judge by current criticisms) will possibly remember, +alternative readings and renderings were prohibited in the case of the +Authorised Version, but, as we know, the prohibition was completely +disregarded, some thirty-five notes referring to readings, and probably +more than five hundred to alternative renderings. In the fundamental +rules of Convocation for the Revision just the opposite course was +prescribed, and, as we know, freely acted on. + +These alternative readings and renderings must be carefully considered, +as in the case of renderings much light is often thrown on the true +interpretation of the passage, especially in the more difficult portions +of the New Testament. Their relation however to the actually accepted +Version must not be exaggerated, either in reference to readings or +renderings. I will make plain what I mean by an example. Dr. Westcott +specifies a reading of importance in John i. 18 where he states that the +reading in the margin ("God only begotten") did in point of fact express +the opinion of the majority of the Company, but did not appear in the +text of the Version because it failed to secure the two-thirds majority +of those present at the final revision. This, perhaps, makes a little +too much of an acceptance at a somewhat early period of the labours of +the Company. So far as I remember the case, the somewhat startling +alteration was accepted at the first revision (when the decision was to +be by simple majorities), but a margin was granted, which of course +continued up to the second revision. At that revision the then text and +the then margin changed places. Dr. Hort, I am well aware, published an +important pamphlet on the subject, but I have no remembrance that the +first decision on the reading was alluded to, either at the second +revision or afterwards, in any exceptional manner. It did but share the +fate of numberless alterations at the first revision that were not +finally confirmed. + +The American Revisers, it will be observed, agree as to the reading in +question with their English brethren; and the same too is the judgement +of Professor Nestle in his carefully edited Greek Testament to which I +have already referred. + +I have dwelt upon this particular case, because though I am especially +desirous to encourage a far greater attention to the margin than it has +hitherto received, I am equally desirous that the margin should not be +elevated above its real position. That position is one of subordination +to the version actually adopted, whether when maintaining the older form +or changing it. It expresses the judgement of a legal, if not also of a +numerical, minority, and, in the case of difficult passages (as in Rom. +ix. 4), the judgement of groups which the Company, as a whole, deemed +worthy of being recorded. But, not only should the margin thus be +considered, but the readings and renderings preferred by the American +Committee, which will often be found suggestive and helpful. These, as +we know, are now incorporated in the American Standard Edition of the +Revised Bible; and the result, I fear, will be that the hitherto familiar +Appendix will disappear from the smaller English editions of the Revised +Version of the Old and New Testament. It is perhaps inevitable, but it +will be a real loss. All I can hope is that in some specified English +editions of the Old and New Testament each Appendix will regularly be +maintained, and that this token of the happy union of England and America +in the blessed work of revising their common version of God's holy Word +will thus be preserved to the end. + +But we must now pass onward to considerations very closely affecting the +renderings of the Revised Version of the Greek Testament. + +I have already said that very recently a new and unexpected charge has +been brought against the Revisers of the Authorised Version. And the +charge is no less than this, that the Revisers were ignorant in several +important particulars of the language from which the version was +originally made that they were appointed to revise. + +Now in meeting a charge of this nature, in which we may certainly notice +that want of considerate intelligence which marks much of the criticism +that has been directed against our revision, it seems always best when +dealing with a competent scholar who does not give in detail examples on +which the criticism rests, to try and understand his point of view and +the general reasons for his unfavourable pronouncement. And in this case +I do not think it difficult to perceive that the imputation of ignorance +on the part of the Revisers has arisen from an exaggerated estimate of +the additions to our knowledge of New Testament Greek which have +accumulated during the twenty years that have passed away since the +Revision was completed. If this be a correct, as it is certainly a +charitable, estimate of the circumstances under which ignorance has been +imputed to us in respect of several matters relating to the Greek on +which we were engaged, let us now leave our critics, and deal with these +reasonable questions. First, what was the general knowledge, on the part +of the Revisers, of the character and peculiarities of New Testament +Greek? Secondly, what is the amount of the knowledge relative to New +Testament Greek that has been acquired since the publication of the +revision? and thirdly, to what extent does this recently acquired +knowledge affect the correctness and fidelity of the renderings that have +been adopted by the Revisers? If these three questions are plainly +answered we shall have dealt fully and fairly with the doubts that have +been expressed or implied as to the correctness of the revision. + +First, then, as to the general knowledge which the revisers had of the +character and peculiarities of the Greek of the New Testament. + +This question could not perhaps be more fairly and correctly dealt with +than by Bishop Westcott in the opening words of his chapter on Exactness +in Grammatical Detail, in the valuable work to which I have already +referred. What he states probably expresses very exactly the general +view taken by the great majority, if not by all, of the Revisers in +regard of the Greek of the New Testament. What the Bishop says of the +language is this: "that it is marked by unique characteristics. It is +separated very clearly, both in general vocabulary and in construction, +from the language of the LXX, the Greek Version of the Old Testament, +which was its preparation, and from the Greek of the Fathers which was +its development {106}." + +If we accept this as a correct statement of the general knowledge of the +Revisers as to the language of the Greek Testament, we naturally ask +further, on what did they rely for the correct interpretation of it. The +answer can readily be given, and it is this: Besides their general +knowledge of Greek which, in the case of the large majority, was very +great, their knowledge of New Testament Greek was distinctly influenced +by the grammatical views of Professor Winer, of whose valuable grammar of +the Greek Testament one of our Company, as I have mentioned in my first +Address, had been a well-known and successful translator. Though his +name was not very frequently brought up in our discussions, the influence +his grammar exerted among us, directly and indirectly, was certainly +great; but it went no further than grammatical details. His obvious +gravitation to the idea of New Testament Greek forming a sort of separate +department of its own probably never was shared, to any perceptible +extent, by any one of us. We did not enter very far into these matters. +We knew by every day's working experience that New Testament Greek +differed to some extent from the Greek to which we had been accustomed, +and from the Septuagint Greek to which from time to time we referred. +But further than this we did not go, nor care to go. We had quite enough +on our hands. We had a very difficult task to perform, we had to revise +under prescribed conditions a version which needed revision almost in +every verse, and we had no time to enter into questions that did not then +appear to bear directly on our engrossing and responsible work. + +But now it must be distinctly admitted that recent investigation and, to +a certain extent, recent discoveries have cast so much new light on New +Testament Greek that it becomes a positive duty to take into +consideration what has been disclosed to us by the labours of the last +fifteen years as to New Testament Greek, and then fairly to face the +question whether the particular labours of the Revisers have been +seriously affected by it. Let us bear in mind, however, that it may be +quite possible that a largely increased knowledge of the position which +what used to be called Biblical Greek now occupies may be clearly +recognized, and yet only comparatively few changes necessitated by it in +syntactic details and renderings. But let us not anticipate. What we +have now to do is to ascertain the nature and amount of the disclosures +and new knowledge to which I have alluded. + +This may be briefly stated as emanating from a very large amount of +recent literature on post-classical Greek, and from a careful and +scientific investigation of the transition from the earlier +post-classical to the later, and thence to the modern Greek of the +present time. Such an investigation, illustrated as it has been by the +voluminous collection of the Inscriptions, and the already large and +growing collection of the Papyri, has thrown indirectly considerable +light on New Testament Greek, and has also called out three works, each +of a very important character, and posterior to the completion of the +Revision, which deal directly with the Greek of the New Testament. These +three works I will now specify. + +The first, which is still in progress, and has not, I think, yet received +a translator, is the singularly accurate, and in parts corrective, +edition of Winer's "Grammar" by Prof. Schmiedel. The portion on the +article is generally recognized as of great value and importance. + +The second work is the now well-translated "Bible Studies" of Dr. +Deissmann of Heidelberg {109}. This remarkable work, of which the full +title is "Contributions, chiefly from Papyri and Inscriptions, to the +History of the Language, the Literature, and the Religion of Hellenistic +Judaism, and Primitive Christianity," contains not only a clear estimate +of the nature of New Testament Greek, but also a large and instructive +vocabulary of about 160 words and expressions in the New Testament, most +of which receive in varying degrees illustration from the Papyri, and +other approximately contemporary sources. It must be noted, however, +that the writer himself specifies that his investigations "have been, in +part, arranged on a plan which is polemical {110a}." This avowal must, +to some extent, affect our full acceptance of all the results arrived at +in this striking and laborious work. + +The third work is a "Grammar of New Testament Greek" by the well-known +and distinguished scholar, Dr. Blass, and is deserving of the fullest +attention from every earnest student of the Greek Testament. It has been +excellently translated by Mr. St. John Thackeray, of the Education +Department {110b}. It is really hardly possible to speak too highly of +this helpful and valuable work. Its value consists in this--that it has +been written, on the one hand, by an accomplished classical scholar, and, +on the other hand, by one who is thoroughly acquainted with the +investigations of the last fifteen years. As his Introduction clearly +shows, he fully accepts the estimate that is now generally entertained of +the Greek of the New Testament, viz. that it is no isolated production, +as regards language, that had no historic relation to the Greek of the +past or of the future. It was not, to any great extent, derived from the +Greek _translations_ of the Old Testament--often, as Dr. Blass says, +slavishly literal--nor from the literary language of the time, but was +the spoken Greek of the age to which it belonged, modified by the +position and education of the speaker, and also to some extent, though by +no means to any large extent, by the Semitic element which, from time to +time, discloses itself in the language of the inspired writers. This +last-written epithet, which I wittingly introduce, must not be lost sight +of by the Christian student. + +Dr. Blass quite admits that the language of the Greek Testament may be +rightly treated in connexion with the discoveries in Egypt furnished by +the Papyri; but he has also properly maintained elsewhere {111} that the +books of the New Testament form a special group _to be primarily +explained by itself_. Greatly as we are indebted to Dr. Deissmann for +his illustrations, especially in regard of vocabulary, we must read with +serious caution, and watch all attempts to make Inscriptions or Papyri do +the work of an interpretation of the inner meaning of God's Holy Word +which belongs to another realm, and to the self-explanations which are +vouchsafed to us in the reverent study of the Book--not of Humanity (as +Deissmann speaks of the New Testament) {112} but of--Life. + +I have now probably dealt sufficiently with the second of the three +questions which I have put forward for our consideration. I have stated +the general substance of the knowledge which has been permitted to come +to us since the revision was completed. I now pass onward to the third +and most difficult question equitably to answer, "To what extent does +this newly-acquired knowledge affect the correctness and fidelity of the +revision of the Authorised Version of the New Testament?" It is easy +enough to speak of "ignorance" on the part of the Revisers, especially +after what I have specified in the answer to the question on which we +have just been meditating; but the real and practical question is this, +"If the Revisers had all this knowledge when they were engaged on their +work, would it have materially affected their revision?" + +To this more limited form of the question I feel no difficulty in +replying, that I am fully and firmly persuaded that it would _not_ have +materially affected the revision; and my grounds for returning this +answer depend on these two considerations: first, that the full knowledge +which some of us had of Winer's Grammar, and the general knowledge that +was possessed of it by the majority, certainly enabled us to realize that +the Greek on which we were engaged, while retaining very many elements of +what was classical, had in it also not only many signs of post-classical +Greek, but even of usages which we now know belong to later developments. +These later developments, all of which are, to some extent, to be +recognized in the Greek Testament, such as the disappearance of the +optative, the use of [Greek text] with the subjunctive in the place of +the infinitive, the displacement of [Greek text], the interchange of +[Greek text] and [Greek text], of [Greek text] and [Greek text], the use +of compound forms without any corresponding increase of meaning, the +extended usage of the aorist, the wider sphere of the accusative, and +many similar indications of later Greek--all these were so far known to +us as to exercise a cautionary influence on our revision, and to prevent +us overpressing the meaning of words and forms that had lost their +original definiteness. + +My second reason for the answer I have given to the question is based on +the accumulating experience we were acquiring in our ten years of labour, +and our instinctive avoidance of renderings which in appearance might be +precise, but did in reality exaggerate the plain meaning intended by the +Greek that we were rendering. Sometimes, but only rarely, we fell into +this excusable form of over-rendering. Perhaps the concluding words of +Mark xiv. 65 will supply an example. At any rate, the view taken by +Blass {114} would seem to suggest a less literal form of translation. + +When I leave the limited form of answer, and face the broad and general +question of the extent to which our recently-acquired knowledge affects +the correctness and fidelity of the revision, I can only give an answer +founded on an examination of numerous passages in which I have compared +the comments of Dr. Blass in his Grammar, and of Dr. Deissmann in his +"Bible Studies with the renderings of the Revisers." And the answer is +this, that the number of cases in which any change could reasonably be +required has been so small, so very small, that the charge of any real +ignorance, on the part of the Revisers, of the Greek on which they were +engaged, must be dismissed as utterly and entirely exaggerated. We have +now acquired an increased knowledge of the character of the Greek of the +New Testament, and of the place it holds in the historical transition of +the language from the earlier post-classical to the later developments of +the language, but this knowledge, interesting and instructive as it may +be, leaves the principles of correctly translating it practically intact. +In this latter process we must deal with the language of the Greek +Testament as we would deal with the language of any other Greek book, and +make the book, as far as we have the means of doing so, its own +interpreter. + +Having thus shown in broad and general terms, as far as I have been able +to do so, that we may still, notwithstanding the twenty years that have +passed away, regard the Revised Version of the Greek Testament as a +faithfully executed revision, and its renderings such as may be accepted +with full Christian confidence, I now turn to the easier, but not less +necessary, duty of bringing before you some considerations why this +Version and, with it, the Revised Version of the Old Testament, should be +regularly used in the public services of our Mother Church. + + + + +ADDRESS V. +PUBLIC USE OF THE VERSION. + + +We have now traced the external, and to some extent the internal history +of Revision from the time, some fifty years ago, when it began to occupy +the thoughts of scholars and divines, down to the present day. + +We have seen the steady advance in Church opinion as to its necessity; +its earliest manifestations, and the silent progress from what was +tentative and provisional to authoritative recognition, and to carefully +formulated procedures under the high and venerable sanction of the two +Houses of the Convocation of Canterbury. We have further seen how the +movement extended to America, and how some of the best scholars and +divines of that Christian country co-operated with those of our own +country in the arduous and responsible work of revising their common +heritage, the Version of God's most Holy Word, as set forth by authority +290 years ago. We have noted too, that in this work not less than one +hundred scholars and divines were engaged--for fourteen years in the case +of the Old Testament, and for ten years in the case of the New +Testament--and that this long period of labour and study was marked by +regularly appointed and faithfully kept times of meeting, and by the +interchange with the Revisers on the other side of the Atlantic of +successive portions of the work, until the whole was completed. + +And this Revision, as we have seen, has included a full consideration of +the text of the original languages as well as of the renderings. In the +Old Testament, adherence to the Massorite Text has left only a very +limited number of passages in which consideration of the ancient Version +was deemed to be necessary; but, in the New Testament, as we well know, +questions of textual criticism occupied a large portion of the time and +attention of the Revisers, both here and in America. In regard of the +renderings, we have seen the care and thoroughness with which the +Revision was carried out, the marginal notes in both Testaments showing +convincingly, especially on the more difficult passages, how every +rendering that could be regarded as in any degree probable received its +full share of consideration. Finally, it must not be forgotten that, in +the case of the New Testament, the serious question whether the research +in New Testament Greek since the Revision was completed has, to any +appreciable extent, affected the suggestive light and truth of really +innumerable corrections and changes--this too has been faced, and the +charge fairly met, that just conclusions drawn from the true nature of +the Greek, gravely affecting interpretation, have been ignored by the +Revisers. + +So much of the latter part of the last Address has been taken up with +this necessary duty of showing that the changes in renderings cannot be +invalidated by _a priori_ considerations founded on the alleged +insufficient knowledge, on the part of the Revisers, of the nature of the +Greek they were translating, that I have not cited examples of the +light-giving and often serious nature of the changes made in the +Authorised Version. This I regretted at the time; but a little +consideration showed me that it was much better for the cause in which I +am engaged that I should refer you for illustrations of the nature and +value of the renderings in the Revised Version of the New Testament to a +singularly fruitful and helpful volume, published only four years ago, +and so subsequently to the researches in New Testament Greek of which I +have spoken. This volume was written by a member of our Company--now, +alas, no longer with us--whose knowledge of the Greek language, whether +of earlier or of later date, no one could possibly doubt. I allude to +the "Lessons of the Revised Version of the New Testament," by Dr. +Westcott, a volume that has not yet received the full attention which its +remarkable merits abundantly claim, for it. + +Of this volume I shall speak more fully later on in this Address, my +object now being to set forth the desirableness, I might even say the +duty, of using the Revised Version in the Public Services of the Church. + +After the summary I have just given of the external history of this great +movement, does not the question come home to us, Why has all this been +done? For what have the hundred labourers in the great work freely given +their time and their energies during the four and twenty years (speaking +collectively) that were spent on the work? For what did the venerable +Convocation of our Province give the weight of its sanction and authority +when it drew up the fundamental rules in accordance with which all has +been done? Can there be any other answer than this? All has been done +to bring the truth of God's most Holy Word more faithfully and more +freshly home to the hearts and consciences of our English-speaking +people. And if this be so, how are ministers of this Holy Word to answer +the further question, When we are met together in the House of God to +hear His word and His message of salvation to mankind, how hear we it? +In the traditional form in which it has been heard for wellnigh three +hundred years, or in a form on which, to ensure faithfulness and +accuracy, such labour has been bestowed as that which we are now +considering? It seems impossible to hesitate as to our answer. And yet +numbers do hesitate; and partly from indifference, partly from a vague +fear of disquieting a congregation, partly, and probably chiefly, from a +sense of difficulty as to the rightful mode of introducing the change, +the old Version is still read, albeit with an uneasy feeling on the part +of the public reader; the uneasy feeling being this, that errors in +regard of Holy Scripture ought not to remain uncorrected nor obscurities +left to cloud the meaning of God's Word when there is a current Version +from which errors are removed, and in which obscurities are dissipated. +Why should not such a Version be read in the ears of our people? + +This is the question which I am confident many a one of you, my dear +friends, when you have been reading in your church--say the +Epistles--have often felt very distinctly come home to you. Why should +such a Version not be read in the ears of our people? Has it been +forbidden? No, thank God; full liberty, on the contrary, has been left +to us by the living voice of the synod of this Province that it may be +read, subject to one reasonable limitation. Was it not the unanimous +judgement of the Upper House of the Convocation of our Province, +confirmed by the voice of the Lower House {122}--"That the use of the +Revised Version of the Bible at the lectern in the public services of the +Church, where this is desired by clergy and people, is not open to any +well-founded objection, and will tend to promote a more intelligent +knowledge of Holy Scripture"? And further, was not this adopted by the +Lay House of our Province, even when a few doubting voices were heard +{123}, and an interpretation given to the word "use," in the form of a +rider, which, I can confidently say, never entered into the minds or +thoughts of the members of the Upper House? Indeed, though I do not wish +to criticise the decision of the House of Laymen, their appended words of +interpretation fall to the ground. If "use" is to mean "occasional +employment of Lessons from the Revised Version, where, in the interest of +more accurate translation, it is desirable," can any Lessons be found +where the interest of more accurate translation is not patently +concerned? If this be so, what meaning can we assign to "occasional +employment"? + +We see then plainly, if we are to be guided by the judgement of the +venerable body to whom the authoritative inception of Revision is alone +to be assigned, that the way to its use in the Public Services of the +Church is open to us all--_where such use is desired by clergy and +people_. Now let us take these words seriously into our consideration. +They clearly mean, however good the Version may be, that there is to be +no sudden and precipitate use of the Revised Version in the appointed +Lessons for the day on the part of the minister of any of our parishes. +If introduced, its introduction must not be simply when it is desired by +the clergyman, but when it is also desired by his people. So great a +change as the displacement of the old and familiar Authorised +Version--for it amounts to this--in the public reading of Holy Scripture +in the Services of the Church, in favour of an altered form of the old +Version (though confessedly so altered that the general hearer would +hardly ever recognize the displacement)--so great a change ought not to +be made without the knowledge, and further, the desire of the +congregation. + +But how is the desire for the change to be ascertained? So far as I can +see, there can be only one real and rightful way of bringing about the +desire and the manifestation of it, and that is by first of all showing +simply and plainly how, especially in the New Testament, the alterations +give life, colouring and reality to the narratives of Evangelists, force +and lucidity to the reasonings of Apostles, and, what is of still more +vital importance, deeper insight into our relations to our saving Lord, +clearer knowledge of His blessed life and work here on earth, and +quickened perceptions of our present and our future, and, to a very real +extent, of the holy mysteries of the life of the world to come. When +changes of text and of renderings are shown, and they can be shown, to +bear with them these fuller revelations of God's Holy Word, there will be +no lack of desire, and of the manifestation of it, in any congregation, +for the public use of a Version through which such disclosures as I have +specified can be brought home to the truth-seeking believer. + +My fixed opinion therefore is this, that though, after a long and careful +consideration of the subject, I do sincerely desire that the Revised +Version should be introduced into the churches of this diocese, I do also +sincerely desire that it should not be introduced without a due +preparation of the congregation for the change, and some manifestation of +their desire for the change. There will probably be a few churches in +our diocese in which the Revised Version is used already, and in regard +of them nothing more will be necessary than, from time to time, in +occasional addresses, to allude to any important changes that may have +appeared in the Lessons and recent readings of Holy Scripture, and thus +to keep alive the thoughtful study of that which will be more and more +felt to be, in the truest sense of the words, the Book of Life. But, in +the great majority of our churches--though in many cases there may have +been passing desires to read and to hear God's Word in its most truthful +form--no forward steps will have been taken. It is in reference then to +this great majority of cases that I have broken my long silence, and, +before my ministry closes, have resolved to bring before you the whole +history of the greatest spiritual movement that has taken place since the +Reformation; and also to indicate the untold blessings the Revision will +bear to those who avail themselves of it in all reverent earnestness and +devotion. + +Thus far I hope I have made it plain that any forward steps that may be +taken can only hopefully be taken when, both in the case of pastor and +people, due preparation shall have been made for what, in the sequel, +will be found to be an enduring spiritual change in the relation of the +soul of the devout hearer or reader to the Book of Life. He will learn +not only faithfully to read the inspired Word, but inwardly to love it. + +But what shall we regard as due preparation in the case of pastor and +people? This question, I can well believe, has already risen in the +hearts of many who are now hearing these words, and to the best answer to +it that I am able to give you I will gladly devote the remainder of this +present Address. Let us first consider how any one of you really and +truly desirous to prepare his congregation for the hearing of God's Word +in the form known as the Revised Version--how such a one should prepare +himself for the responsible duty. Prayer for himself and his +congregation in this great spiritual matter should ever be his first +preparation. After this his next care should be to provide himself with +such books as will be indispensable for faithful preparation. First and +foremost, let him provide himself with a copy of what is called the +Parallel Bible, the Authorised Version being on the left-hand side of the +page, and the Revised Version on the right. Next let it be his duty to +read closely and carefully the Preface to the Old Testament and the +Preface to the New Testament. Had this been done years ago, how much of +unfair criticism should we all have been spared? The next step will be +to obtain some competent guide-book to explain the meaning of the +different changes of rendering, the alterations due to readings having +been separately noted. The guide-book, whether in the case of the Old or +of the New Testament, should, in my judgement, be a volume written by a +Reviser, as he would have a knowledge, far beyond what could be obtained +by an outsider, of the reasons for many of the departures from the +Authorised Version. + +In regard of the Old Testament I have said in my last Address that I do +not myself know of any guide-book, written by a Reviser, save the +interesting volume by Dr. Talbot Chambers, to which I have been indebted +for much that, being a member of another Company, I could not have +brought forward without his assistance. In regard of the New Testament, +however, it is otherwise. There is a useful volume by my old friend and +former colleague the late Prebendary Humphry; but the volume which I most +earnestly desire to name is the volume already mentioned, and entitled +"Some Lessons of the Revised Version of the New Testament," by the late +Bishop of Durham. This book is simply indispensable for any one desirous +of preparing himself for the duty of introducing the Revised Version of +the New Testament into the Public Services of his parish. It is one of +those rare and remarkable books that not only give the needed +explanation, but also cast a light on the whole spiritual results of the +change, and constantly awaken in the reader some portion of the +enthusiasm with which the Bishop records changes that many an earnest and +devout reader might think belonged only to the details of grammatical +accuracy. I thus cannot forbear quoting a few lines in which the Bishop, +after alluding to the change in Matt. xxviii. 19, _into_ (not _in_) _the +name of the Father and of the Holy Ghost_, and the change in Rom. vi. 23, +_eternal life in_ (not _through_) _Christ Jesus our Lord_, thus speaks +from his inmost soul: "Am I wrong in saying that he who has mastered the +meaning of those two prepositions now truly rendered--'_into_ the name,' +'_in_ Christ'--has found the central truth of Christianity? Certainly I +would gladly have given the ten years of my life spent on the Revision to +bring only these two phrases of the New Testament to the heart of +Englishmen." Is it too much to say that a volume written by a guide such +as this is simply indispensable for any one who prepares himself for +introducing to his people--the government of whose souls has been +committed to him--the Revised Version of the New Testament of our Lord +and Master Jesus Christ. + +With the help that I have specified any one of you, my dear friends, +might adequately prepare himself for the duty and responsibility of +taking the next step, the preparation of his congregation for hearing the +Word of God in the form that most nearly approaches in our own language +what prophets, evangelists, and apostles have written for our learning +under the inspiration of God. This preparation may be carried on in many +forms, by pastoral visitations, through our Bible classes, through the +efforts of our mission preachers in the holy seasons, but obviously most +hopefully and persuasively by the living voice of the faithful pastor in +his public ministrations in the pulpit of his church. Parishes differ so +much in spiritual culture that probably no method of preparation could be +specified that would be equally applicable to all. Still in the case of +our country parishes I am persuaded our preparation must come from the +pulpit and in a manner carefully thought out and prearranged. Let me +give some indication of a mode of bringing the subject forward in a +country parish that would call out the desire for the regular use of the +Revised Version in the reading of the Lessons for the day. + +Let us suppose a month set apart for the preparation. On the first +Sunday let an account be given of the circumstances, and especially the +authority under which the Revision came into existence. On the second +Sunday let illustrations be given of the nature of the Revision from +those parts in Bishop Westcott's "Lessons of the Revised Version of the +New Testament" which made the deepest impression during the study of that +suggestive and spiritual volume. On the third Sunday let comments be +made on the most striking of the changes in the two appointed Lessons for +the day from the Old Testament. Here the preacher may find some +difficulty, as want of knowledge of Hebrew or of the right interpretation +of the passage in which the alteration is made might prevent his clearly +stating the reasons for it. In such cases a good modern Commentary on +the Old Testament would probably supply the needed assistance. The most +available Commentary I know of for the purpose is the one published by +Messrs. Cassells, and now sold at the low price--for both Testaments--of +thirty-five shillings. On the fourth Sunday, the preacher's subject +should be the most striking of the changes in the two appointed Lessons +from the New Testament. For this there would be abundant help supplied +by the volume of Bishop Westcott, and, if needed, by the Commentary on +the New Testament to which I have alluded. + +Now I sincerely believe that if this very simple and feasible plan were +carried out in any parish, two results would certainly follow: first, +that the Revised Version would be desired and welcomed; secondly, that an +interest in God's Holy Word would be called out in the parish and its +Bible classes that would make a lasting impression on the whole spiritual +life of the place. We have many faults, but we are a Bible-loving +nation, and we have shown it in many crises of our history; and thus, I +am persuaded, in a change such as I have suggested, the old love would be +called out afresh, and would display itself in a manner we might never +have expected. + +I feel now that I have said all that it may be well for me to have laid +before you. I have used no tone of authority; I have not urged in any +way the introduction of the Revised Version, or that the plan of +introducing it should be adopted by any one among you. I have contented +myself with having shown that it is feasible; and I have definitely +stated my opinion that, if it were to be adopted, it is in a high degree +probable that a fresh interest in the Holy Scriptures would be awakened, +and the love of God's Holy Word again found to be a living reality. + +Perhaps the present time may be of greater moment in regard of the study +of Holy Scripture, and especially of the language of the Greek Testament, +than we may now be able distinctly to foresee. I mentioned in my last +Address the large amount of research, during the last fifteen years, in +reference to the Greek of the New Testament and the position which the +sacred volume, considered simply historically and as a collection of +writings in the Greek language of the first century after Christ, really +does hold in the general history of a language which, in its latest form, +is widely spoken to this very day. I mentioned also what seemed to be +the most reasonable opinion, viz. that the Greek of the New Testament was +the spoken Greek of the time, neither literary Greek nor the Greek of the +lower class, but Greek such as men would use at that time when they had +to place in the definiteness of writing the language which passed from +their lips in their converse with their fellow-men. Now, that advantage +will be taken of this, and that it will be used to show that the +spiritual deductions that we draw from the written words cannot be fully +relied on, because old distinctions have been obscured or obliterated, is +what I fear, in days such as these, will often be used against the +faithful reading, marking, and learning of the Written Word. But we +shall hear them, I hope, with the two true conclusive answers ever +present in the soul, the answer of plain human reasoning, and the deeper +answer which revelation brings seriously home to us. In regard of the +first answer, does not plain common sense justify us in maintaining that +the writers meant what they _wrote_, and that when they used certain +Greek words in the mighty message they were delivering to their +fellow-men and to all who should hereafter receive it, they did mean that +those words were to be understood in the plain and simple meaning that +every plain reader would assign to them. They were not speaking; they +were writing; and they were writing what they knew was to be for all +time. Thus to take an example from the passages above referred to of +which Bishop Westcott makes such impressive use, who can doubt, with any +fair show of reason--however frequent may be the interchange of the +particular prepositions in the first century--that, in those passages, +when St. Matthew wrote [Greek text] he did mean _into_; and that when St. +Paul used [Greek text], he did mean _in_, in the simplest sense of the +word? + +But to the devout Christian we have a far deeper answer than the answer +we have just considered. + +In the first place, does not the manifold wisdom of God reveal itself to +our poor human thoughts in His choice of a widespread spoken language, +just by its very diffusion readily lending itself to the reception of new +words and new thoughts as the medium by which the Gospel message was +communicated to the children of men? Just as the particular period of +Christ's manifestation has ever been reverently regarded as a revelation +of the manifold nature of the eternal wisdom, so may we not see the same +in the choice of a language, at a particular period of its development, +as the bearer of the message of salvation to mankind? Surely this is a +manifestation of the Divine wisdom which must ever be seen and felt +whenever the outward character of the Greek of the New Testament is dwelt +upon by the truth-seeking spirit of the reverent believer. + +And is there not a second thought, far too much lost sight of in our +investigation of the written word of the New Testament--that just as the +writers had their human powers quickened and strengthened by the Holy +Ghost for the full setting forth of the Gospel message by their spoken +words, so in regard of their written words would the same blessed +guidance be vouchsafed to them? And if so, is it not right for us, not +only to draw from their words all that by the plain laws of language they +can be understood to convey to us, but also to do what has been done in +the Revised Version, and to find the nearest equivalent our language +supplies for the words in the original? + +These thoughts might be carried much further, but enough has been said to +justify the minute care that has been taken in the renderings of the +written word of the New Testament by the Revisers, and further, the +validity of the deductions that may be drawn from their use of one word +rather than another, especially in the case of words that might seem to +be practically synonymous. It may be quite true that, in the current +Greek of the time, many of the distinctions that were valid in an earlier +period of the language were no longer observed; and of this we find many +indications in the Greek Testament. But it must be remembered that we +also find in the Greek Testament a vastly preponderating portion of what +is grammatically correct according to the earlier standard, and often +clear indications that what was so written must have been definitely +meant by the writer. Is it not then our clearest duty, remembering +always that what we are translating is the Gospel message, to do what the +Revisers did, to render each passage in accordance with the recognized +meaning of the words, and in harmony with the plain tenor of the context? + +I now close these words and these Addresses with the solemn prayer to +Almighty God that in this great matter, and in the use of that which the +living voice of our synod permits us to use, we may be guided by God the +Holy Ghost, through Jesus Christ, our ever-blessed and redeeming Lord and +God. + + * * * * * + +[As the use at the lectern of the Revised Version in the Public Service +of the Church may be thought likely to involve expense, I may mention +that the small pica edition of the Bible, at 10_s._ 6_d._ net, and of the +Apocrypha separately, at 7_s._ 6_d._, will be found sufficient in most +churches. The folio edition in buckram of the Bible with Apocrypha will, +I understand, be two guineas, net. Application however should be made to +the University Press of Oxford or of Cambridge, or to the Christian +Knowledge Society.] + + OXFORD: HORACE HART + PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY + + + + +Works by the same Author. + + +ARE WE TO MODIFY FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINE? Small post 8vo, cloth boards, +1_s._ + +CHRISTUS COMPROBATOR; or, The Testimony of Christ to the Old Testament. +Small post 8vo, cloth boards, 2_s._ + +FOUNDATIONS OF SACRED STUDY. Part I. Small post 8vo, cloth boards, +2_s._; Part II, 2_s._ 6_d._ + +MODERN UNBELIEF: its Principles and Characteristics. Small post 8vo, +cloth boards, 1_s._ 6_d._ + +OUR REFORMED CHURCH AND ITS PRESENT TROUBLES. Small post 8vo, cloth +boards, 6_d._ + +SALUTARY DOCTRINE. Small post 8vo, cloth boards, 1_s._ 6_d._ + +SPIRITUAL NEEDS IN COUNTRY PARISHES. Small post 8vo, cloth boards, 1_s._ + +THE BEING OF GOD (Six Addresses on). Small post 8vo, cloth boards, 1_s._ +6_d._ + + SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. + LONDON: NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. + + + + +Footnotes: + + +{6} The following Resolution was passed unanimously by the Upper House +of the Convocation of Canterbury on Feb. 10, 1899, after the presentation +of the Report of the Committee (well worthy of being read) by the Bishop +of Rochester. The Report is numbered 329, and, with other Reports of +Convocation, is sold by the National Society:-- + + "That in the opinion of this House the use of the Revised Version at + the lectern in the public service of the Church, where this is + desired by clergy and people, is not open to any well-founded + objection, and will tend to promote a more intelligent knowledge of + Holy Scripture." + +{10a} Among others may be named the _Edinburgh Review_ for 1855 on +Paragraph Bibles, in which it was said that it was now high time for +another revision (p. 429); the _Christian Remembrancer_ for 1856 on the +Revision of the Authorised Version (an interesting article); the +_Quarterly Review_ for 1863, intimating that as yet we were not ripe for +any authorised text or translation; the _Edinburgh Review_ for 1865; and +the _Contemporary Review_ for 1868, a careful and elaborate article, +contending that the work must be done by a Commission. + +{10b} In February, 1856, when Canon Selwyn gave notice of proposing a +petition on the subject to the Upper House. The proposal in a somewhat +different form a year afterwards was disposed of by a characteristic +amendment of Archdeacon Denison. + +{10c} On July 22, 1856, Mr. Heywood, one of the members, I think, for +North Lancashire, in rather an interesting speech, moved for an Address +to the Crown to issue a Royal Commission on the subject. The motion was +rejected, Sir George Grey expressing his conviction that the feeling of +the country was not in accordance with the motion. + +{12} Preface to the Revision of the Authorised Version of the Gospel +according to St. John by Five Clergymen, p. xii. As I remark afterwards, +this preface proved to be very attractive, and by its moderation greatly +helped the cause. The book has long since gone out of print, but if any +reader of this note should come across it, this preface will be found +well worth reading, as it will show what was in the minds of many beside +the Five Clergymen five and forty years ago. + +{13} See Schaff, _Companion to Greek Testament and English version_, p. +367, note (New York, 1883). + +{21} The _Expositor_ for October, 1892, pp. 241-255. The article was +answered by me in the same periodical two months later. + +{22} The account of the discussion in the Convocation of York (Feb. 23, +1870) will be found in _The Guardian_ of March 2, 1870. In the comments +of this paper on the action or rather inaction of the Northern +Convocation a very unfavourable opinion was expressed, in reference to +the manner in which the Southern Convocation had been treated. But these +things have long since been forgotten. + +{35} It may be interesting to give this list, as it slightly affects +matter that will be alluded to afterwards in reference to the Greek text. +The attendances were as follows: The Chairman, 405; Dr. Scrivener, 399; +Prebendary Humphry, 385; Principal Newth, 373; Prof. Hort, 362; Dean +Bickersteth (Prolocutor), 352; Dean Scott, 337; Prof. Westcott, 304; Dean +Vaughan, 302; Dean Blakesley, 297; Bishop Lightfoot, 290; Archdeacon Lee, +283; Dr. Moulton, 275; Archdeacon Palmer, 255; Dean Stanley, 253; Dr. +Vance Smith, 245; Principal Brown, 209; Principal Angus, 199; Prof. +Milligan, 182; Prof. Kennedy, 165; Dr. Eadie, 135; Bishop Moberly, 121; +Bishop Wordsworth (St. Andrews), 109; Dr. Roberts, 94; Archbishop Trench, +63; Dean Merivale (resigned early), 19; Dean Alford (died soon after +commencement), 16; Bishop Wilberforce, 1. + +{36} This letter will be found in a very valuable _Historical Account of +the Work of the American Committee of Revision_ (New York, 1885), p. 30. +This _Historical Account_ was prepared by a special Committee appointed +for the purpose in May, 1884, and was based on documents and papers +arranged with great care by Dr. Philip Schaff, the President of the +American Committee, and printed privately. These two volumes, the +_Historical Account_ and the _Documentary History_, contain the fullest +details of the whole transactions between the American Committee and the +English Companies and also the University Presses. + +{41} Talbot W. Chambers, _Companion to the Revised Old Testament_ (Funk +and Wagnalls, New York and London, 1885), Preface, p. ix. + +{42a} A full account of the negotiation and copies of the letters which +passed between the American Revisers and our own Revisers will be found +in Part 2, p. 81 sqq. of the _Documentary History_, above referred to in +the note at p. 36. + +{42b} A full account of this agreement and copies of the correspondence +with the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge will be found in Part 3, p. +91 sqq. of the _Documentary History_. + +{44} Since the above was written, information reaches me that an +_American Standard Revision of the Bible_ either just has been, or +shortly will be, published, which though not simply an incorporation of +the recorded American preferences, as long specified in our copies of the +Revision, is a publication resting on authority, and likely to put a stop +to what is unauthorised. As the reader may like to know a little about +this _American Standard Revision of the Bible_, I will, at the risk of a +long note, mention what I have ascertained up to the present time. The +survivors of the Old Testament Company (Dr. Osgood and others) with the +three surviving members of the New Testament Company (Dr. Dwight, Dr. +Riddle, and Dr. Thayer--very powerful helpers) have co-operated in +bringing out a new edition of the Revision as it has been hitherto +current in America. It will contain about _twice as many_ deviations +from the English Revised Version as appear in the original Appendices; +but, in regard of them, the survivors give this important assurance, that +"the survivors have not felt at liberty to make new changes of moment +which were not favourably passed upon (_sic_) by their associates, at one +stage or another of the original preparation of the work." They specify +that the original Appendix was prepared in haste and did not, in a +satisfactory manner, express the real views of the Committee. They claim +to have drawn up a body of improved marginal references, to have wholly +removed archaisms, to have supplied running headings, to have modified +what they consider unwieldy paragraphs, to have lightened what they +regard as clumsy punctuation, and by typographical arrangements, such as +by leaving a line blank, to have indicated the main transitions of +thought in the Epistles and Apocalypse. These and other characteristics +will be found specified in the American _Sunday School Times_ for August +11, 1901, in an article apparently derived from those interested. Till +we see the book we must suspend our judgement. + +{50} See an article by Rev. J. F. Thrupp in Smith's _Dictionary of the +Bible_, vol. ii. art. Old Testament. + +{53} Since the above was written a critical edition of the four Peshitto +Gospels has been published by the Oxford University Press, based on the +labours of the late Philip Edward Pusey, and Rev. G. H. Gwilliam, of +Hertford College. + +{55} The title of the pamphlet, which contains twelve letters from +distinguished German Professors, with translations, is _The Revision of +the Old Testament_ (New York, Scribner's Sons, 1886). + +{59} The title of Dr. Salmon's interesting volume is _Some Thoughts on +the Textual Criticism of the New Testament_ (Murray, London, 1897). + +{60a} Salmon, p. 157. + +{60b} Ibid., p. 12. + +{96} See below, pp. 98, 120. + +{97} See the Preface to Dr. Rutherford's _Translation of the Epistle to +the Romans_, p. xi sq. (Lond. 1900). + +{98a} Hodder & Stoughton (Lond. 1897). + +{98b} Page 18. + +{106} See page 32. + +{109} _Bible Studies_, by Dr. G. Adolf Deissmann, Authorised Translation +(Clark, Edinburgh, 1901). + +{110a} Page 175. + +{110b} London, Macmillan, 1898. + +{111} _Theologische Literaturzeitung_, xix (vol. for 1894), p. 338. + +{112} _Bible Studies_, p. 84 Transl. See, however, the translator's +note, p. 173, where the use of the term is explained. + +{114} _Grammar of New Testament Greek_, section 38. 5, p. 118 (Transl.). + +{122} See _Chronicle of Convocation_ for February 10, 1899, p. 71 sqq. + +{123} At the May Meeting of the present year. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADDRESSES ON THE REVISED VERSION OF +HOLY SCRIPTURE*** + + +******* This file should be named 25412.txt or 25412.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/4/1/25412 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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