unusual importance to us because it has vitally influenced the English Bible. The early English versions were translations from the Vulgate and much of the strength and beauty of its Latin passed into the literary style of the translators. The word Vulgate means common or current. Toward the close of the fourth century A. D., the various Latin texts of the Bible had become so much corrupted that revision was imperative. The great scholar known as St. Jerome was selected by Pope Damasus to perform this important task. He revised the New Testament about the year 385, and completed the Old Testament in the year 405. St. Jerome's translation was not at first accepted by the Church; but it gradually made its way into favor and about two hundred years after his death, became the universally received version of the Church. In 1546 it was declared to be the authorized version of the Roman church and has remained so to the present day.

English Versions. The Bible was not translated into the English tongue all at once. It grew slowly following closely the course alike of religious and intellectual life in England. Its story begins with Cadmon of Whitby on the northeastern coast of England, in the year 670. Here the English Bible and English poetry both took their rise. Cædmon in his rude rime sang the song of Genesis and Exodus, and the story of the Gospel. The next translating was done by the Venerable Bede, the father of English learning. At the Monastery of Jarrow he translated different parts of the Bible, the last work he did being a translation of the Gospel of St. John. King Alfred the Great was the third translator. While battling with the Danes and giving laws to his people, he found time to translate many books. He translated the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, the 20th, 21st, and 22nd chapters of Exodus, and several of the Psalms. When he died he was engaged in completing the translation of the Psalms.

Wycliffe's Bible, published in 1383, is the first great monument of English literature. This translation has influenced every succeeding English translation of the Bible to the present day. In 1525 the mantle of Wyc

liffe fell on William Tyndale, later the martyred hero. In that year he published his translation of the New Testament. On account of his efforts to put the Bible into the hands of the common people he was forced to flee from England, but from his place of refuge on the continent, he poured copies of the English New Testament into England in a flood. By order of Cardinal Wolsey, these books were bought up and destroyed; but as fast as they were bought up and burned at St. Paul's cross, the money paid for them as they were seized, was used to run the printing presses of Tyndale which turned out two or three copies for every one that the authorities destroyed. In 1530 Tyndale published his translation of the Pentateuch, and in 1534, a revision of his New Testament of 1525. In 1536 he was put to death for his zeal and persistence in the work of giving the Bible to the English people in their own language.

From 1525 for three quarters of a century there were numerous versions of the Bible published in England. Among the most noted and influential were: Miles Coverdale's Bible, 1535; Matthew's Bible, 1537; the Great Bible, 1540; the Geneva New Testament, 1557; the Geneva Bible, 1560; the Bishops' Bible, 1568; the Rheims New Testament, 1582; and the Douay Bible, 1609; these last two are translations of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1611 what is known as the Authorized Version was completed. It was translated and published under the direction of King James I of England. When King James came to the throne in 1603 he found the Geneva Bible supported by the people at large, and the Bishops' Bible supported by ecclesiastical authority. In order to harmonize the factions he called together fifty-four learned men from both the High Church and the Independent Church to undertake a new translation. The work was completed in 1611. Although this version did not win immediate acceptance, its qualities were such that it grew steadily in favor and within half a century was accepted by all English Protestants. No other English translation can compare with it in enduring vitality. It is noted for soundness of scholarship, breadth of spirit, and beauty of diction.

For two and a half centuries the Authorized Version held the field with little question of its supremacy. But in the nineteenth century the multiplication of ancient manuscripts hitherto unknown or inaccessible, the advance in textual scholarship, and the inevitable changes in the English vocabulary were strong reasons for a revision of the Authorized Version. Accordingly, in February, 1870, action was taken by the Convocation of Canterbury and a distinguished array of divines and scholars began the work of revision. Not long afterwards American scholars were invited to participate in the work and two American companies began their labors in October, 1872. The revision of the New Testament was completed in 1881, and the entire Revised Version of the Bible appeared in May, 1885.

Since the American committee had been consulted about all the work of revision, its members pledged themselves to give their moral support to the authorized editions published in England and not to issue an edition of their own for a term of fourteen years. During these fourteen years the American Committee had maintained its organization and had labored steadily to prepare a new American edition. So the American Standard Edition of the Revised Bible was issued in August, 1901. This edition includes not only the changes agreed upon by all the members of the British and American Committees, the changes proposed by the American Committee to the British revisers, but other textual changes and interpretations resulting from the studies of the American Committee during the fourteen years. Many verbal revisions were made also, in order that the text might be more nearly in accord with English usage in America.

While the Revised Version is far superior to the King James Version in correctness of text, and exactness and clearness in translation, it will be many years before it can so completely win the hearts of the people as to take the place of the old version. It is doubtful whether in beauty of diction, pleasure of rhythm, and felicity of phrase it can rival the Authorized Version. Our ears must have time to become accustomed to its new ca

dences. Still, while the literary beauty of the old version is to be preferred, it is to be hoped that few will explain their preference as did the youthful English clergyman who objected to the new version in the words: "I much prefer the Authorized Version. A version that was good enough for St. Paul is good enough for me."

CHAPTER V

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE INDIVIDUAL BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

The books of the Old Testament as arranged in the English Bible are classified as follows: The Pentateuch, five books; Books of History, twelve; Books of Poetry, five; Books of the Major Prophets, five; Books of the Minor Prophets, twelve; a total of thirty-nine books. This classification is hardly logical or accurate, for the Pentateuch contains a great deal of history; Ecclesiastes is not a book of poetry though classed as such; while Lamentations may be classed as both poetry and prophecy. The arrangement of the books in the English versions differs much from the order in the Hebrew Bible. There the division is three-fold: "The law," "the prophets," and "the writings."

The word Pentateuch means the "five-volumed book," These five books are sometimes called "the five books of Moses." They are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The books of history are, in order: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. The books classed as poetry are: Job, The Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. The books of the Greater Prophets are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Lesser Prophets are: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

So it will be seen that the unity of the Bible is spiritual and not mechanical. Though bound up in a single volume and called the "Bible," that is, the "Book," these thirty-nine books are separate works written by many different authors at different times.