Lecture on Biblical Revision.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3643, 30 August 1880, Page 2

Lecture on Biblical Revision.

The Rey, 8. J. Neill delivered a lectore ou " Biblical Revision " at the Presbyterian Church. The lee to re r taring briefly introduced his subject by reference to the spirit of enquiry of the present age and the necessity for a revision of (be Scriptures, said that the subjeot was viewed in three different aspects —first, by the ignorant with apprebensiou that any change,of its present form may spoil

it; secondly, by the better informed with hope that some of the blemishes will be removed; and by a third class the revision is viewed with indifference. There were two causes which made the revision necessary—first, the constant changes in the English language, and second, the vast increase in the sources of information necessary to a pure text. He showed that many mistakes crept into the manuscripts from frequent copyings, and referred to the inconveniences that King James' translators had to put up with, saying that under the circumstances it was surprising so few imperfections existed. He instances several Germanisms in the present bible, owing to the German bible having been largely followed by the translators, and gave a brief account of Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Cranmer's, and other bibles published before the present authorised version. In February 1869, Dean Alford published a revised New Testament, expressing a wish in the preface that his work would soon be rendered unnecessary by a Boyal Commission. A year later the convocation of Bishops recommended the revision, and the first meeting of the revision committee was held on the June following. The coming version of the scriptures would be remarkable as the first international and interdenomination veriion of the Bible. The lecturer related the mode of procedure of the translators and gave several instances of the changes that would be effected, and concluded with an eloquent peroration.