I XXIV. THE MARGINAL READINGS BIBLE. N order to complete the story, I mention the action of the By the action of the General Conventions of 1898 and of 1901, a committee was authorized to publish an edition of the Authorized Version, with permitted readings in the margin for use in Church. This edition of the Bible (including the Apocrypha) was published during the early summer of 1903. Extracts from the Journal of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, October, 1892. [Report of Special Committee of the House of Deputies on the Memorial from the Diocese of Massachusetts on the Use of the Revised Version.] "Whatever be the merits of the Revised Version, its general superiority to the Authorized Version is still in dispute. Unquestionably the revisionists of 1884 had knowledge of critical Canons which were unrecognized, and the command of a critical apparatus which was inaccessible in 1611, and we concede that they brought to their task a profound learning and a high purpose. "Without doubt the results of their work are of great value to the student and the theologian and the preacher. But it must be remembered that even in regard to its critical features, the new version has not yet emerged from the region of controversy. Eminent scholars strenuously question the textual theories upon which the Greek Text of the Revision was determined, and in many cases, the accuracy of the translation, even, of that text. "Certainly in the minds of the Revisers a preponderating value has been ascribed to the four great Uncials, which has obscured the value of other critical material, and which must be counted a passing fashion in the domain of Biblical scholarship." "But if the critical claims of the Revision are not unchallenged, concerning its literary merits unfortunately there is no controversy. It is generally conceded that the revisionists in their recasting of the language of the King James Version have not only carried their work beyond their instructions, but have hopelessly mutilated and defaced the chief of English classics. Despite their professions and their efforts, they have failed to retain the tone and rhythm of the old version. Not only is the Revision marred by capricious and unnecessary changes of language, in many cases it evinces a striking disregard of English idiom, and perplexes the reader with cumbersome and pedantic phrases. The few instances where the original has been put in a more exact English equivalent are outweighed by innumerable passages which obscure the sense and offend the ear by verbal inaptitudes. Truth is forevermore sacred and priceless, but it does not appear that its gain overbalances its losses in the Revised Version. "As regards the Church of England, and, by implication, the Church in America, the Revision of 1884 stands in the position of an unaccredited report indefinitely laid on the table. The Convocation of Canterbury, which appointed the Revision Committee, has refrained from putting its imprimatur upon their work." "The Revised Version is obviously an essay, an experiment, a contribution to a revision which shall be the result of a larger knowledge of the future, and be undertaken with the more unquestioned sanction of the Church. It is a valuable document, a monument of careful and learned workmanship, but it is a tentative effort, a structure still echoing with the sounds of the hammer, and in no sense does it justify the claim to be placed alongside of the Great Version which has moulded the language, and is enshrined in the affection and reverence of all English-speaking peoples." Journal (No. 123), page 260. Extracts from the Report of the Joint Commission on Marginal Readings in the Bible, presented to the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of 1901. "The object of the Commission has been to give an intelligible meaning to every part of the Bible. This, it is believed, will be clear on a careful examination of the proposed marginal readings. Even in quite minor corrections the element of instruction has been the primary thought. "It is hoped that this work may aid in encouraging regular private study of God's Word, as well as in promoting edification in the public services. The Church will have a Bible which on the one hand retains the version around which the loving regard of the people so largely centres, and which, at the same time contains all such alterations in the rendering of the text as are necessary for its intelligent use.” "The revision and enlargement of these marginal readings with the aid of the fuller opportunities granted in our day, have certain advantages (already referred to) over the adoption of an entirely new version (as that of 1881), not only in preserving the familiar words and phrases hallowed by long association, but also in that it does not commit the Church prematurely to a decision on critical or linguistic questions which must for their satisfactory solution require longer time and wider research. "It has been the object of the Commission to sift out of the very large number of alterations made in the familiar English text by the Revised Version those which are really important to make clear the sense of Holy Scripture. In many cases renderings preferable to those in its text are found in the margin of the Revised Version. Of these, and of the renderings preferred by the American Revision Company, the Commission has made use with a view to the best presentation of the English Bible to the people of our time and country. The American revisers often suggest words and phrases better adapted to our needs than those of the English translators of 1611 or 1881." Report (No. 38), pages 3, 4, 6. Journal (No. 40), pages 506, 508. The question arises why, if we have such an excellent American Edition of the Revised Version, did not the Protestant Episcopal Church authorize its use in the Services of the Church. The answer is very simple. If the Church was to accept a special version of the Bible as her standard, and so come to have a different Bible from the Church of England, it would be a great evil. The Authorized Version of the English Bible is accepted not only by the Church of England, but also by the whole of the English-speaking Christian people of the world, except members of the Roman Church, as their standard of Faith; and although blemishes exist in its text, yet, until a wide-reaching agreement can be obtained, any formal adoption of a particular new version as a Standard Bible of the Church would be harmful in many ways. So then, and therefore, she contented herself with the Marginal Readings Bible, which is no new version, but only a special edition of the Authorized Version. Another reason lay in the background, which was the want of agreement among scholars in the approval of the Revised Version. I XXV. EARLY AMERICAN VERSIONS AND PRINTS. N historical order this chapter should have preceded to avoid a break in the narrative of the History of the English Versions to postpone the present supplemental chapter until the main line of the history was completed. (a) The Eliot Bible. The first Bible printed in America was that which is known as the "Eliot Bible." This is a version in the language of the Natick or Algonquin Indians, translated by the great missionary John Eliot. The work of translation was completed December 28, 1658. The New Testament appeared in small quarto in 1661, with English and Indian title pages. Between the two title pages is a dedication to King Charles II. The dedication proceeds from the Commissioners of the United Colonies in New England. John Eliot is referred to as “a faithful labourer amongst them" (i. e. the Indians). Only nineteen copies are known to be in existence. The entire Bible appeared in 1663, with two title pages for the complete work in addition to the two for the New Testament. Again there is a dedication to King Charles II. Presentation copies of the New Testament and of the Bible were sent to England. Editions of both New Testament and Bible without English title pages or dedicatory letters were bound up specially for the Indians. A curious error appears in 2 Kings ii. 23, where we have the equivalent of "Ball-head" instead of that for "Bald-head." A second edition appeared in 1685 without English title pages. The presentation copies of this edition sent to England contained a dedication to the Honourable Robert Boyle, the Governor of the Corporation for the Prop |