A BRIGHTER BIBLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1021, 11 July 1930, Page 13

A BRIGHTER BIBLE

PRINTING AND LAY-OUT CRITICISED REPELLENT BLACK COVERS From Our Own Correspondent HAMILTON, Thursday. Some sweeping and comprehensive proposals for modernising the form in which the Bible is published were advanced by the Archdeacon of Taranaki, the Ven. G. H. Gavin, before the Waikato Synod this afternoon. Archdeacon Gavin said that one of the biggest factors militating against the intelligent devotional reading of the Bible was the bad form, type and general lay-out in which it was pub lished. It was magnificent literature badly printed. He wished to cast no aspersions on the Oxford and Cambridge University Presses which regarded the Bible as sacrosanct and would make no changes unless they had a mandate from the readers of the Book in the religious world. “It is time we gave up publishing the Bible in a black cover which repels one at first glance,” said the archdeacon. “We are like a shopkeeper offering splendid goods in a badly dressed window.” He went ou to advocate bright, attractive bindings, larger type and type not divided into two columns. The division of the Bible into chapters and verses, not contained in the original MSS and introduced in the 13th century, had been very clumsily done. Interference with the text irritated people greatly. He also urged the use of quotation marks so that the existence of dialogue could be discerned and the dramatic structure understood. It was also ridiculous that poetry in the Bible was printed as prose. The archdeacon concluded by stressing that he did not advocate altering a single word of the Authorised Version, but merely the form.

Canon H. R. B. Gillespie (Morrinsville) drew attention to the ease with which references could be consulted in the present Bibles. Larger print would also mean a greater expense. If the reforms urged by the archdeacon could be effected he would agree that a service would be performed to millions. ‘

Mr. H. Seddon Hills (Taumarunui) considered synod should cable the bishop asking him to bring the proposals before the Lambeth Conference where they would probably be carried farther than by any New Zealand body.

“To most of us the Bible is the good old Book and none of us laymen has the slightest intention of putting it into a yellow cover after the style of Ethel M. Dell,” said Mr. S. Picken (Raglan). A motion expressing the opinion that the present method of printing and arrangements of the text of the Bible was a serious handicap, and seeking the co-operation of all dioceses in the province was carried with a few dissentients.