HE Revised Version is considered by many to be the most correct English Bible the world has known. This will be easily understood by all if it is remembered how learning has progressed and what discoveries of valuable manuscripts have been made since King James' version was published in the early part of the seventeenth century, and that the result of all advance is embodied in our Revised Version.

      It is no reflection upon the scholarly men who produced the Authorized Version of 1611 to say that they were not so well able to give the sense of the ancient Scriptures as were the great company of modern scholars who produced the Revised Version. During the last two hundred and fifty years large numbers of men have devoted much time and attention to the study and comparison of the ancient manuscripts of the Bible. And to-day we are richer both in the number of eminent scholars and in the general knowledge of Hebrew and Greek than our fathers were. In 1611 the Sinaitic manuscript discovered by [108] Tischendorf, as we have described in an earlier chapter, lay buried among the dust and rubbish of a monastery. The Alexandrian manuscript, now in the British Museum, was not in the country; and the Vatican manuscript, which lay in the library of Rome, was not available.

      These three ancient manuscripts are among the most valuable in the world; but they were not accessible to the men who worked to produce the Bible which has held sway in England for so long. But all these, and many precious documents besides, were at the disposal of the men who have given us the Revised Version. It is thus seen that greatly improved knowledge of ancient languages, as well as the possession of more correct texts of the original Scriptures, have aided the men of these days in their great and important work.

      Some have wondered why it was that any Revised Version was undertaken. The old book, they say, has served well for many generations; why could it not be left to go on its way?

      We can quite understand this way of putting it; but if we think of the many and great changes which have gone on in our English language during the past two hundred and fifty years, we shall see that it was desirable to change many forms of expression in our version of the Scripture; forms which do not [109] in some cases, convey correct meaning to the readers. And, besides, we know that in many places we did not get so near to the meanings of the inspired Word as it is now possible to get. Research in the languages used by the men who were inspired of God has yielded much information which was not within the reach of our fathers. All of these things and some others, not only rendered it desirable to have a fresh version, but enabled us to produce one better than that we had, good and excellent though it was.

      It may be interesting to show in a few sentences how the revision was brought about, and how the revisers went to work. It was in the year 1870 that the decision was taken to get together a large and representative body of scholars who should be charged with the grave and solemn duty of revising the Bible. A company of able men, numbering some sixty-five, was appointed for carrying on the work in England. It is worthy of note that this company included scholars of all denominations. There were forty-one who belonged to the Church of England, and twenty-four belonging to other bodies, including, the Church of Ireland, the Church of Scotland, the Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Methodists.

      In addition to this assembly, a committee of scholars was formed in America who should [110] co-operate with the revisers in England. This committee also included men of various denominations, and numbered thirty-four. Putting both committees together, we get the large number of ninety-nine who took part in this holy and useful work. The great company was divided into two committees: one charged with the work of the Old Testament, and the other with the work of the New. General principles for the guidance of all were agreed upon. On June 22, 1870, the New Testament Company held its first meeting; and on June 30, the Old Testament Company first assembled.

      We cannot follow these good men through all their labors; but that they were diligent and faithful is seen in the fact that the New Testament Company alone held four hundred and seven meetings in the years over which their work extended, and the total number of attendances is reported as six thousand four hundred and twenty-six. The Old Testament Company did not reach the consummation of its toils until June 20, 1884, thus having been at work for fourteen years. The New Testament Company finished its work, on November 11, 1880, and assembled together in a service of thanksgiving and prayer to God for His goodness.

      When it was known that the Revised New [111] Testament was completed, the people eagerly looked for its publication. For the next few months printers and binders were hard at work upon the sacred volume, some thousands being employed. When the work was published in the following May (1881), it is said that one million copies were issued to the public during the first twenty-four hours; and in order to avoid the rush for the book, and to meet the demand for it as well as possible, the publication began at midnight. Not only was this New Testament circulated in all parts of the world, but nearly all the newspapers called attention to it by the criticisms which they made upon it.

      America was as eager for the Word of God as England. Arrangements were made for its publication in New York on Friday, the same day on which it was issued in England. Chicago was as anxious to have the Bible as was New York; but as the fastest train then known could not travel the distance between the two cities in less than twenty-six hours, it seemed as if Chicago would have to be content to have the Revised Bible a day or two after New York had received it.

      No train could reach Chicago on Saturday until after the stores and printing places had all closed. What was to be done? Were the inhabitants of this city to wait for the Scriptures until the following week? Not so, said the proprietor of one of the daily papers; [112] Chicago shall have the New Testament at least within one day after New York gets it! Ninety telegraphic operators were set to work, and sent the whole of the precious Book, Matthew to Revelation, over the wires. Men were ready to set up the type in great haste, and the Revised New Testament was sold, complete, on the streets of Chicago on the next day after its publication in England and in New York.

      It may well be doubted if anything so remarkable ever happened in connection with the sacred Scriptures either before or since. What would William Tyndale or John Wycliffe have thought about this great achievement had they been able to witness it?

      The latter retains the name "JEHOVAH" in the text, instead of translating it as "LORD" or "GOD." It is more strictly uniform in the translation and use of other words. It has modernized some expressions passed over by the English revision, and in many cases returns to the Authorized version's readings. It may perhaps therefore be said that the American Revision is the best and latest result of Christian scholarship in giving a translation from the original languages into present-day English. [113]

[HWGI 108-113]