No. 1. Message for To-Day Series Our English Bible

Pacific Press Publishing Association,. Mountain View, California

THE TITLE-PAGE OF THE "GREAT BIBLE IN THE ORIGINAL 9x14 INCHES

The following paragraphs describe an engraving believed to be by Hans Holbein, which occupied the title-page of the so-called "Great Bible," a revision of Coverdale's Bible, which came out In 1539

®

OUND this Title, in a Border, is the fol- Priest with his square Cap on in a Pulpit, preach- We close the interesting record of the Kings lowing Representation finely cut in ing to a pretty large Auditory of Persons of all this week. After leaving the northern kingdom Wood, and designed, it's said, by Hans Ranks and Qualities, Orders, Sexes and Ages, of Samaria with its utter breaking up in the •Holben. On the Top of it is a Repre- Men, Women, Children, Nobles, Priests, Soldiers, seventeenth chapter, the record hastens to the sentation of the Almighty in the Clouds Tradesmen and Countrymen, who are represented Babylonian captivity of Judah. This record of of Heaven, with both his Hands stretched out, some standing and others sitting on Forms, and eight chapters covers the reign of seven kings, from his Mouth. On that and two Labels going expressing themselves very thankful. Out of the Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz, going towards his right Hand are the following Preacher's Mouth goes a Label with these Words, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin (Jeconiah, Coniah), and Words, Verbum quod egredietur de me non re- Obsecro letter prime= (minium alert obseeratlonets Zedekiah (Mattaniah). Five of these chapters vertetur ad me vacuum, Ned faciet qudcumque oratIones, postulationes, gratlarum sae-Honer" pro are given to the reign of the two good kings, volul, Esa. Iv. His left Hand points to the King, omnibus bominibus, pro realist's &c. 1 Timo. IL Hezekiah and Josiah, devoted men of God not- who is represented kneel- withstanding their mis- ing at some distance bare- takes. Hezekiah's mistake headed, and his Hands exalted man, aroused the lifted up towards Heaven, cupidity of Babylon, and with his Crown on the brought to his own seed Ground before him, and a captivity. It was after his Label going out of his mistake that the wicked M o u t h. On the Label Manasseh was born, but which comes from the even to him came the Almighty is this Text, mercy of God. Josiah was Invent vlrum jute cor a devoted, zealous re- meum, qui /owlet "manes former, but he could not voluntates mean, Ac. XIII. check the downward trend to which answers that pro- of the people, who loved ceeding from the King, the low, sensual religions Lucerne peollbus melt ver- of sun and Baal worship. hum tuum, Peal. CXVII. After the sad death of Underneath the Almighty Josiah the kingdom of is the King again repre- Judah soon fell before the sented sitting in . his mighty oncoming con- Throne, with his Arms be- queror, Nebuchadnezzar. fore him at 'his Feet. On Before repeating the his- his right Hand stand two tory of Judah and Israel Bishops bare-headed, and in Chronicles, let us read their Mitres on the ground, some of the writings and in token, as it should prophecies of the period seem, of their Acknowl- that we have covered; and egment of the King's Su- we begin with the Prov- premacy. The King gives The Byble in Englyshe, erbs of Solomon. Very to him a Book shut, with that is to say the content rich indeed in moral in- these Words on the Cover, of all the holy scripture struction, covering all bothe of the olde and news VERBUM DEI, and these testament, truly translated phases of life, are these Words on a Label going after the veryte of the wise, sententious, concise out of his Mouth, Hee pre- Hebrue and Greke textes by sayings ot Solomon; and cipe & dace, Tit. HIT. The the dylygent studye of dy- uerse excellent learned men, if they were heeded we Bishop receives it bending expert in' the f °ratty de would have a crimeless, his right Knee. On the viceless world. King's left hand stand sev- Prynted by Richard _ _— eral of the Lords Tem- Grafton and Edward Whit- cbitrch, poral, to one of which he The German Version was delivers a Book clasp'd Cum priuilegio ad int- primendum eoluon. adopted by the Kirk of with VERBUM DEI on the Scotland; and the Bishops' 1589. Cover of it, and the fol- Bible, sometimes called lowing Words on one Parker's Bible, was de- Label, A me comitttutuno signed to supplant it. In est & deeretum ut In uni- a way it was the bishop verso Imperlo & regno meo against the presbyter. But tremeseant & paveant it failed in this. This is deum viventem, Daniel VI. why King James demanded and on another Label this that the Bishops' Bible Text, quod luatum est should be taken as the Indica, Itaparvum andletts basis of the 1911 revision. ut magnum, Deut. prim°. The Nobleman receives the There is a note In the Book bending his left Bishops' Bible on Ps. 45: 9, K n e e. Underneath t h e on the gold of Ophir, Bishops stands Archbishop which will be of interest Crannies', with his Mitre to Americans and espe- on his Head, and habited cially to Californians: in his (c) Rochet or Stole "Ophir is thought to be over it. Before him is one the Ilande in the West kneeling with a shaven coast of late 'found by Crown, and habited in a Christopher Colombo: fro Surplice, to whom the whence at this day is Archbishop delivers a Book brought most fine golds." clasp'd, with the Words VERBUM DEI on the Cover The first year of the of it, and saying to him British and Foreign Bible these Words as they are Society, 1804, it issued in a Label coming out of about 5,000 Bibles. When his Mouth, Pascite quod in vobls est gregem On the right side of the Pulpit are the Words it was 100 years old it issued nearly 6,000,000 chriati, 1 Pet. V. Behind the Archbishop seems VIVAT REX, and in Labels coming from the volumes. Last year it exceeded 6,000,000 volumes. to stand one of his Chaplains, and at his Feet Peoples and Childrens Mouth. VIVAT REX, God Its issues in the hundredth year alone were an are placed his (d) Coat of Arms within a Gar- SAVE THE KING, to express the great and uni- average of nearly 60,000 volumes a year for its land, the same with those before his Life by versal Joy and Satisfaction which all the King's entire existence. Archbishop Parker, only here distinguished by Subjects, high and low, great and little, had, and the Crescent as the Arms of a younger Family. their Thankfulness to the King, for his granting The first Bible printed from movable types — Under the Lords Temporal stands Lord Cromwel them this Privilege of having and reading the said also to be the first book — was the Guten- the King's Vicegerent, as appears by his Arms holy Scriptures in their Mother-tongue. On the berg Bible, 1450 to 1455, less than 200 copies, plac'd at his Feet as the Archbishop's are, tho' left side are represented Prisoners looking out sold at $75.00 a copy. They are worth now from both they and the Archbishop's are omitted by of the Prison Grates, and partaking of this great $15,000 to $20,000 each. the Engraver I employ'd to take the Copy here and common Joy. inserted. His Lordship is represented standing The British and Foreign Bible Society was or- with his Cap on and a Roll of Paper in his right ganized March 4, 1804; the American Bible Soci- Hand, and in his left a Book clasp'd, with VER- EI OUR BIBLE BAND C) ety, in 1816; the National Bible Society of Scot- BUM DEI on the Cover of it, which he delivers land, in 1861. The three societies have issued Schedule for Week Ending May 20, 1911 to a Nobleman, who receives it of him bare- 341,000,000 volumes. headed, with these Words on a Label going out Sunday May 14 2 Kings 18-20 Monday 15 " 21-23 of his Mouth, Divert. a nab & fee bonum, In- Tuesday id 16 " 24, 25 All of the various Bible omelette's and com- Psalms XXXIII. At panies great and small publish annually about quire pacem & sequere eam, Proverbsdi 1 the Bottom on the right Hand is represented a Wednesday 17 2-4 15,000,000 volumes, and yet we are told that there Thursday " 18 5-7 44 19 4d not a few families In America who have not Friday 8-10 are • Spelled "Holbein" nowadays. Sabbath " 20 " 11-13 a Bible.

S I GNSoF THFII " Even as we have been approved of God to he entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who proveth our hearts."

For Terms, See Page 15 Weekly, $1.75 per year Vol. 38, Number 18 Mountain View, California, May 9, 1911 Single Copies, Five Cents

Let us now, in the light of these general statements, trace The Annals of the English Bible the history of the Bible in England. We shall have to go back By Prof. M. E. Olsen, M.A., Ph.jJ. a long way. IIE annals of the English Bible may almost be said Earlier Fragments to be those of the English race. The-Gospel seed found The translation of small portions of Scripture, such as the good ground in Britain, and at a very early period Lord's Prayer, undoubtedly dates from still earlier times; but in the history of the country was bearing an abundant we know that the Venerable Bede rendered the Gospel of John harvest. Anglo-Saxon literature written on British. soil was with into Anglo-Saxon in the year of his death, 735 A.D. His work unimportant exceptions of a religious character, and no small has not been handed down to us. We have, however, an Anglo- part of it consists of renderings Saxon Psalter dating from the in paraphrase or translations of tatter part of the ninth century, parts of Holy Writ. interlineated with Latin. King No doubt this gradual grow- Alfred translated certain of the ing up side by side as it were Psalms, and (admirable example of the people and the Book, ac- of the loyalty to Scripture of counts in large part for the this most English King) pre- singular beauty of the English fixed his book of laws with a Bible viewed as a piece of litera- version of the Decalogue. We ture. As we read it to-day, rich also have two interlinear trans- in racy idioms, fresh with the lations 'of the Gospels, dating dew of our language in its lusty probably from the tenth century. youth, it seems to us not a trans- About the same time Abbot Ael- lation at all, but a great orig- Ratrzy-1/4...,, I fric translated the Pentateuch, inal work — a divine revelation ' Joshua, Judges, Esther, Job, given directly to the English Kings, and some of the Apocry- race. It is, in fact, not a trans- phal books. lation in the ordinary sense; for There are a good many it is not the product of any one HOLY Norman-French metrical para- man or group of men, but rather BIBLE phrases, as well as translations of portions of Sacred • Writ ; but it represents the .combined labors, .0 ontevnmt the Old Tatament, extending through centuries, of AND r tit. NEW; not till the fourteenth century many noble men, who loved the do we have a literal translation tong the firmer Traqteheaf ct into English of even the Psalter. Word of God with single-hearted •fit nomporril and frufed. lyhts devotion, and were willing to :1,41i(Orte.dlainawk:rvt,- One such was made by William yield up their lives in order that bin.‘,11 e,4Z- of Shoreham, in Kent, about 1320; and another some twenty it might be given to the people. vrK~ years later, by Richard Rolle, of There have been many trib- ercer,,TrUrt.°4 - Hampole, near Doncaster, in utes to the beauty of the Eng- Ptid2Ziil;etti . NNO DOM 161.I., Yorkshire. How well the latter lish Bible, perhaps none more succeeded in his pious effort may striking than that by the Roman be judged by his version of the Catholic priest and hymn-writer 23d Psalm, a portion of which is Frederick Faber, who said of its here given : English : "It lives on the ear Our Lord governeth me, and noth- like a music that can never be ing shal defailen to me; In the stede of pasture he sett me ther. forgotten, like the sound of He norissed me up water of fyl- church bells, which the convert lynge; he turned my soule Pram the fende. REDUCED FACSIMILE TITLE-PAGE OF 1611 BIBLE hardly knows how he can forego. He lad me up the bistizes of riz- Its felicities often seem to be fulness, for his name. almost things rather than mere words. The memory of the For if that ich gon amiddes of the shadowe of Beth; Y shal nourt douten fuels, for thou art wyth me. dead passes into it. The potent traditions of childhood are Thy discipline and thyn amendyng; comforted me. stereotyped in its verses. The power of all the griefs and trials And thy merci shal folwen me; all dates of mi lif. And that ich wonne in the house of our Lord; in lengthe of dales. of man is hidden beneath its words. It is the representative of The careful reader will recognize in • this humble effort some his best moments ; and all that there has been about him of soft, trace at least of those qualities of sweetness and melody which and gentle, and pure, and penitent, and good, speaks to him make our Authorized Version of the Psalms such delightful reading. forever out if his English Bible." Faber went so far as to say that England's stubborn Prot- Wyclif's Translation ,estantism was chiefly owing to the strong hold that this peerless We pass on now to a far greater undertaking; namely, the version of the Bible has upon the common people of that land. translation of -the whole Bible by John Wyclif, which came out He may not have been far from the truth. Certainly there is about the year 1384, and accomplished much in preparing the no other nation where the principles of Bible religion have taken way in England for the Reformation of the sixteenth century. firmer root, or where greater activity has been manifest during Wyclif was assisted in his great work by Nicholas of Hereford, the past century in the printing and circulating of the Word of who seems to have been responsible for most of the Old Testa- God and in carrying the Gospel to heathen lands. ment. Other of Wyclif 's pupils and associates probably lent a THE SIGNS or THE TIMES

hand, but the master himself is be- righteousness by his magnificent trans- lieved to have been practically alone lation of the Bible. He was buried in, translating the New Testament, in peace; but some years afterward, which contains by far the best work. when darkness had again closed over A revision of The Wyclif Bible, made the land, his remains were taken from by John Purvey, Wyclif's pupil and their resting-place, and burned, and successor, came out in 1388, and con- the ashes thrown into the Swift, and tinued from that time to be the by it carried into the Severn, and MILES OOVERDALE standard version among English-speaking people. thence into the ocean, thus, i.. Fuller's words,• typifying the Wyclif's translation is in many ways a remarkable piece of extent to which the great doctrines he so clearly enunciated were work. Middle English prose was just then in a state of forma- to be scattered throughout the world. tion, and this noble rendering of the Sacred Scriptures did more than any other writing of the time to fix the language. Tyndale's Version Many of his renderings were so felicitous that they were adopted The next great Bible translator was William Tyndale, a by all succeeding translators ; and in other native of Gloucestershire, who had pursued cases where early translators rejected them, his studies at Oxford, where he took the de- the committees responsible for our Author- gree of Master of Arts, and also at Cam- ized Version returned to these first phrases, bridge. In course of time he was ordained because of their inherent beauty and power. priest, and he did some preaching; but he Thus Wyclif first gave us the magnificent could not settle down to it, for he had re- rendering, "The Spirit searcheth all things, solved to give the people a Bible in their yea, the deep things of God," the latter part own tongue. In his own words he "had of which Tyndale very unadvisedly changed perceaved by experyence, how that it was to "yea, the bottom of God's secrets." impossible to establysh the laye people in "Harden not your hearts," "savourest not any t rut h, excepte ye scripture were the things of God," "communion of the playnly layde before their eyes in their Holy Ghost," and "enter into the joy of mother tonge, that they might se the pro- thy Lord," are other instances of Wyclif 's tease, ordre and meaninge of the texte." A map of Palestine at the beginning of the Old many felicitous renderings. TestaMent of Coverdale' s Bible, the first printed In the simplicity of his heart he thought The strong tendency to concreteness in English such an undertaking would enlist the in- which Wyclif shared with other early terest of others, and tried to obtain the translators, is happily exemplified in the opening verses of the support of the bishop of London, but he was soon undeceived. tenth chapter of Luke's Gospel: "I . . . understode at the laste not only that there was no And after these thingis, the lord ihesus ordeyned rowme in my lorde of london's palace to trans also other seuenty and tweyne, and sent hem bi late the new testament, but also that there was tweyne 'and tweyne bifor his face: in to euery no place to do it in all englonde." citee and place whidir he was to come, and he seide to hem, ther is myche ripe corne: and fewe werke He accordingly crossed over to the conti- men, therfor preie ze the lord of the ripe corne: nent, and in Germany made the acquaintance that he sende werke men into his ripe corn. of Luther and other Reformers. His first New There is quaintness here, but also a certain Testament came out in 1525, and was probably naive beauty. These and similar verses needed THOMAS CRAMMER printed at Worms, • at which place a second MATTHEW PARKER •some softening down in the final version. Nev- edition also of 3,000 copies appeared about the 40 ertheless concreteness remains one of the key-notes of our English same time. A revised edition, containing a number of important Bible. Terseness and simplicity are other characteristic qualities changes, appeared in 1534. Tyndale also published translations in which Wyclif was usually all that could be desired. His style of Jonah and of the Pentateuch, and is believed to have trans- is terse sometimes to the extent of bald- lated the historical books from Joshua ness. He also held closely to the Latin to Second. Chronicles inclusive during original, having all the schoolman's rev- his imprisonment at Vilvorde Castle in erence for the Vulgate, the rich harmony Flanders, where he was strangled and and rhythms of which he to some ex- burned at the stake in 1536. tent catches. It was a triumphant death, for the Of Wyclif as a man it is hard to workman had finished his work. He had speak too highly. Occupying a position made good the noble words spoken to a of honor and influence at a great seat priest some years before: "If God spare of learning, which was at that time my life, ere many years I will cause drawing eager students from the conti- a boy that driveth the plow, shall know nent as well as from all parts of Great more of the Scriptures than thou doest." Britain; enjoying the friendship, too, Tyndale's New Testament, and like- of the most powerful nobles, and for wise his translation of the Old Testa- A Bible chained, that it ?night not be removed a time of royalty itself, he had a child's from the church where it was placed ment Scriptures, so far as it extended, simplicity of character, and worked with deserve the highest praise as the pro- rare singleness of aim and untiring devotion to give the Gospel ductions of consecrated scholarship. He had an easy mastery of Jesus Christ to the people of Great Britain. From the time of the Greek language, and was also at home in the Hebrew. His when he had satisfied his own spiritual thirst at the fountains translation was the first one made directly from the great orig- of living water, he was anxious that others should have the inals, Wyclif 's being made from the Vulgate. Tyndale's feeling same' privilege, and he wrought mightily to that end. Accused for English idioms WAS also good, and many of his renderings of heresy, and cited repeatedly before various tribunals, his have come down to us unchanged. In fact in passages of simple great popularity with the people and narrative our present version is about his powerful connections shielded him nine tenths his, tho it may also be from the violence of Rome. He died shown to be a close approximation to of paralysis while ministering to his the Wyclif version, the chief reason in flock at Lutterworth just after he both cases being that all are largely had crowned a life of the most strenu- literal renderings of the Scriptures. ous activity in behalf of truth and JAMRS I (Continued on page 11)

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Later Revisions and Versions Further Revision It was quite generally received, tho it met with decided op- By the Editor position and incisive criticism from such scholars as Hugh Brough- ton, and a new revision was forced in 1629, and the so-called King James final revision of the King James Version was, issued from the . T is a pity that our common version of 1611 has been press in 1638. called the King James Version,— sometimes even in A further revision was called for, which .went as far as the pulpit and press it has been designated as the "Saint passage of a resolution and the appointment of a committee by James Version,"— or the "Authorized Version." James parliament, but the demand gradually died out. Changes of a VI of Scotland, known also as James I of England, was far from minor or technical character continued to be made down to the a saint. He reigned, or was titular monarch, in Scotland and middle of the eighteenth century by both the Oxford and Cam- England from 1567 to 1625. In his earlier years there was a bridge publishing houses. In 1701 Usher's Chronology was in- regent, and in later years his flattering favorites controlled him. troduced; 383 changes were made in the Cambridge Bible in He was noted for witty and pert sayings, and for some faculties 1762, and 76 were made by Blayney in the •Oxford Bible. In of worth, bound together by no bond of consistency, "a medley 1873 the Cambridge Paragraph Bible gave a list covering 16 of isolated capacities." His "overweening self-conceit" and closely printed pages of variations from the text of the King "strdtting pomposity," "often rash and reckless in regard to James Version as it appeared in 1611. matters seemingly small, and always shifting and irresolute in Since the seventeenth century there has been great accumu- regard to affairs of lation of such the highest mo- knowledge and ma- ment," and his dis- terial as to demand gusting favoritism, a new revision. In gave him the name fact the same rea- of "the wisest fool sons exist for a new in Christendom," revision now, under and needless to say, a consensus of ripe, no English his- devout scholarship, torian places him that existed in 1611. on a pedestal. There have been He was ambi- during the last cen- tious to be literary, tury ancient manu- and essayed theol- scripts found, and ogy, poetry, and very ancient ones miscellany. These have been made ac- productions, "b u t cessible to Biblical for the fact that students. Among their author was a these . are Codex monarch," says the Sinaiticus of the Britannica, "would fourth century, scarcely deserve a found by Tischen- reference." He dorf in 1844; Codex hated Dissenters — Alexandrinus of the Presbyterians a n d fourth or fifth cen- Puritans—and held tury, known as to the Episcopacy. "A;" Vatican, One of his senten- The Jerusalem Chamber, Westminster Abbey, London, where met the English Revisers, holding known as "B," of tious sayings was, 800 sittings in this room, completing the New Testament in 1881, the Old Testament in 1884 the fourth century; "No bishop, no Ephrem's, known as king." His lack .of Christianity and attitude toward religious "C," of century five, a palimpsest. None of these were accessible liberty are indicated by the following from him in 1604: "I to the revisers of 1611. Of manuscripts ancient and more mod- will have none of that liberty as to ceremonies, I will have one ern, containing a part or the whole of the New Testament, we doctrine, one discipline, one religion in substance and in cere- have more than 100 uncials (written in large letters on vellum) mony." Of the Presbyterians he declared, "I will make them and 3,500 cursives (written in running hand) accessible to conform, or I will harry them out of the land.". Out of this scholars. Sometimes a modern cursive is important, as it is a attitude came his consent to a translation of the Bible. The copy of some very ancient copy. No work of classical authorship Scotch had authorized the Geneva Bible — the only one ever can present any such number of valuable ancient manuscripts to authorized by law or decree or order of king or parliament or establish its authority as can the New Testament. All these convocation or privy council, so far as history informs us. The ancient manuscripts are accessible to the scholars of this age. Bishops' and Great Bible were not in universal liking. The King Then, too, words and terms in current use in the time of therefore gave his consent, and as a self-appointed theologian the making of the King James Version have become either obso- took doubtless some interest in it. lete or are changed in meaning. "Prevent," as used in 1 Thess. But God overruled despite all the inconsistencies, weaknesses, 4: 15, formerly meant "precede," or "go before," now means to and unworthiness of men, and a company of learned men were "hinder." A change is demanded. By the term "meat" Amer; appointed. But these were placed under restrictions; among icans usually understand flesh food; but in 1611 it stood for food others the following: (1) The Bishops' Bible should "be followed, of any kind, and in the "meat-offering" all flesh was excluded. and as little altered as the truth of the original will permit;" Americans, too, by the term "corn" generally understand maize, (2) The old ecclesiastical terms should be retained; (3) There but it is used in the King James Version for wheat and other should be only such marginal notes as were necessary to explain cereals, never for maize, or Indian corn. How many there are Hebrew or Greek words. There were thirteen other specifications. who do not know that "seethe," "sod," "sodden," mean boil The result was, despite the hand of human, a noble work, and boiled! See Ex. 16 : 23 ; Gen. 25: 29; Ex. 12 : 9; Lam. 4:10. the beauty, strength, and dignity of which are universally recog- How many know that when it says "the flax was bolled," it nized by all who know it. It was not a new translation ; it was a means "the flax was in bloom"? Ex. 9 : 31. There are many growth out of all that went before it ; a revision, not a translation. - (Continued on page 18) CI Influence of the Bible on the ll The Bible is a window in this prison- The best evidence of the Bible's being world, through which we may look into English Language the Word of God Is to be found between its eternity.— Timothy Dwight. covers. It proves Itself.— Charles Hodge. CI By L. A. Reed

HE death of Queen Elizabeth is one of Reformation. But the one revolution was far deeper In the department of language it, has done so the turning-points of English history. The and wider in its effects than the other. No version much. that Homer and Clesar hardly need be men- could transfer to another tongue the peculiar charm tioned. They are for the few, the Bible for the age of the Renaissance and of the new of language which gave their value to the authors million. . . . monarchy ended with her life. For a few of Greece and Rome. . . . But the language of Are we proud of our varied and exact English years before she died the whole realm had been the Hebrew, the idiom of the Hellenistic Greek, speech? The Bible largely made it. And no stu- silently changing. England as a nation had become lent themselves with a curious felicity to the pur- dent seeking forceful speech can neglect the legal poses of translation. united. It stood at the front of all European exactness, the ornate imagery, the peerless rhetoric As a mere literary monument, the English ver- and sublime words of the Bible. powers. France courted its friendship. Spain sion of the Bible remains the noblest example of Many are the testimonies of men to this truth. shrank from its mighty blows. the English tongue, while its perpetual use made When we are surprised at the compact, simple, The Papacy had practically withdran4 from the it from the instant of its appearance the standard vigorous style of any writer, we are sure to find of our language. heretical island. Ireland at last had yielded to the that he owes it largely to the Bible. Many have The power of the book over the mass of Eng- gladly confessed it. . . . rule of the Queen. And with the death of Eliza- lishmen showed itself in a thousand superficial ways, Let me beseech these students, who from their beth, Scotland joined England under the rule of opportunities and tastes ought to become the leaders a common King. The court of the King was no of this age in lofty thought and its elect. expression, longer endangered by feudalism, the people were that they study for history, philosophy, poetry, and a pure style of their expression, that volume that no more inclined to anarchy. The Book of God has silently lifted English speech to a height un- Trade and wealth increased. Internal improve- known to any other language on the face of the ment of home and Church and State were daily Thy thoughts are here, my God, earth. . . . Expressed in words divine, augmented. Powerful political leaders arose from The utterance of heavenly lips Greece did one memorable thing. It gave the world a among the common people. Endless questionings, In every sacred line. language fit for God to speak to man in. The sixteenth century did one thing. It gave us historical research, philosophical speculation, agi- in the English Bible that English style that purifies tated the public mind, weakened its hold upon the Across the ages they feeling, that enlarges mind, gives strongest wings Have reached us from afar; to thought, and lives in memory like the remem- traditions of the past, and aroused it to a con- Than the bright gold more golden they, templation of the new truths of the present. bered music of the happy childhood days.—"The Purer than purest star. Bible in the World's Education," by Bishop Henry The nation, too, had become self-reliant. The White Warren, pages 210-21e. conflict with the two great spiritual and temporal More durable they stand Than the eternal hills; powers of Christendom, the Papacy and the house Thank God that countless thousands of English- Far sweeter and more musical speaking people have not yet forsaken the Grand of Austria, had roused in the heart of. every Eng- Than music of earth's rills; lishman a sense of supreme manhood. Old Book. To it more than to anything else the Fairer in their fair hues Anglo-Saxon owes his prestige in the world. If A New Age Than the fresh flowers of earth; he forgets and neglects that Word, decadence will More fragrant than the fragrant climes set in; and tho like Capernaum he has been exalted It was plain, therefore, that a new age of Eng- Where odors have their birth; lish history must open when the lofty patriotism, to heaven by the power of the Word's example and the dauntless energy, the overpowering sense of Each word of thine a gem teaching, he shall be brought down to ruin in his effort, were turned once from the struggles with From the celestial mines, forsaking of the high ideals and practises of the A sunbeam from that holy heaven Book. Spain and Philip, inward upon the improvement of Where holy sunlight shines. the nation itself. One can easily trace in the progress of the ages In the providence of God the nation was led into Thine, Thine this book, tho given the uplift of that Book that — a profound movement that was to do more for the In man's poor human speech, Telling of things unseen, unheard, Gives a light to every age; advancement of England that all else besides. The Beyond all human reach. It gives, but borrows none. nation had broken with the dead past, to find a new That influence you and I may have to enrich our life and power from the Word of God. No strength it craves or needs individual lives, our thought, our speech. 01 this particular and critical moment in the From this world's wisdom vain; No filling up from human wells Shall we turn from it? Can we afford to lose so history of England we read from a standard Or sublunary rain. much/ authority: 'Or 4K — No light from sons of time, The popularity of the Bible had been growing Nor brilliance from its gold; The One Book fast from the day when Bishop Bonner set up the It sparkles with its own glad light, first six copies in St. Paul's. Even then, we are As in the ages old. There is but one Book that is full of God, or told, "many well-disposed people used much to resort to the hearing thereof, especially when they could that can fill us with all His fulness. Read it. A thousand hammers keen, Ponder it. Not Plato, nor Bacon, nor Addison, get any that had an audible voice to read to With fiery force and strain, . them." . . . Brought down on it in rage and hate, but He that spake as never man spake, speaks there. But the "goodly exercise" of readers . . . was Have struck this gem in vain. Go up with Him to the mount, and hear His ser- scon superseded by the continued recitation of both mon. Sit with Him at the table, and listen to His Old Testament and New in the public services of Against this sea-swept rock _words. Walk with Him in the fields, and read His the church; while the small Geneva Bibles carried Ten thousand storms their will the Scripture into every home and wove it into the Of foam and rage have wildly spent; paragraphs syllabled in flowers and tares and fig- life of every English family. . . . It lifts its calm face still. trees. Take David's harp, and sweep its strings The book was equally important in its bearing to the music, " The Lord is my Shepherd." Sit at on the intellectual development of the people. All It standeth and will stand, Isaiah's feet, and bow and adore, while he unveils the prose literature of England, save the forgotten Without or change or age, tracts of Wyclif, has grown up since the translation The Word of majesty and light, the glorious greatness of Him who "weighed the of the Scriptures by Tyndale and Coverdale. So far The church's heritage. mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance." . as the nation at large was concerned, no history, no — Horatius Boner. God's utterance through the pens of all the in- romance, hardly any poetry save the little-known verse of Chaucer, existed in the English tongue, spired writers is like the breath of spring to winter's when the Bible was ordered to be set up in churches. blasted herbage. The soil freshens and blooms Sunday after Sunday, day after day, the crowds and in none more conspicuously than in the influence under it, and he who bears the best and noblest that gathered round the Bible in the nave of St. fruit of a devoted Christian life is he who is most Paul's, or the family group that hung on its words it exerted on ordinary speech. It formed, we must in the devotional exercises at home, were leavened repeat, the whole literature which was practically ' devoutly conversant with the divine Word.—E. H. with a new literature. accessible to ordinary Englishmen; and when we Gillett. Legend and annal, war-song and, psalm, State-roll recall the number of common phrases which we owe and biography, the mighty voice of prophets, the to great authors, . . . which unconsciously inter- weave themselves in our ordinary talk, we shall It is well ever to remember that the King parables of evangelists, stories of mission journeys, James Version was less of a translation than a -of perils by the sea and among the heathen, philo- better understand the strange mosaic of Biblical revision. It was more truly a revision than that sophic arguments, apocalyptic visions, all were flung words and phrases which colored English talk two of 1881-1884. broadcast over minds unoccupied for the most part hundred years ago. The mass of picturesque allu- — by any rival learning. The disclosure of the stores sion and illustration which we borrow from a thou- of Greek literature had wrought the revolution of sand books our fathers were forced to borrow from If all the Bibles printed, it is estimated, had been made in one volume it would be 400 times the Renaissance; the disclosure of the older mass one.— Green's "History of the English People," of Hebrew literature wrought the revolution of the book 7, chapter 1. as large as Mount Everest. As one reads the vigorous account of the Bible's 0 The English Bible —a book which, if influence upon the language and thought of the The Word of God is solid; it will stand a everything else In our language should thousand readings; and the man who has perish, would alone sufilce to show the people of that day, he can not but wish that the gone over it the most frequently and the whole extent of its beauty and power.— Bible were now having this same power. most carefully Is the surest of ending new Lord Macaulay. Regarding the influence of the Word upon the wonders there.— James Hamilton. English tongue another writer says: ❑ THE SIGN'S OF THE TIMES

The One Living, Ever Present- One gem from that ocean is worth all We account the Scriptures of God to be • the pebbles from earthly streams.— Robert Day Book the most sublime philosophy.— Sir Isaac MeCheyne. Newton. • By George W. Rise

up into the light and life and love of God. Times HE Bible — a most significant phrase; for mony of His apostle: "The Word of God is living, without number this Word, instinct with spirit and it means THE Book. No ordinary book and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, life, has found its way into the heart of the proud, is The Book — it is distinct, unique, soli- . . and quick to discern the thoughts and flippant, cynical, scoffing devotee of "fashion," and tary. Aye, it is "the Word of God, which intents of the heart." A.R.V. That the Bible is transfigured her into a gentle, confiding, self-sacri- liveth and abideth forever." This is its distinctive instinct with the life of God is evident not only ficing, ministering daughter of the heavenly King. glory, that it is "not as the word of men, but as because Jesus and His prophets so declared, but The reader may recall the following historic it is in truth, the Word of God." Not Moses, not also because millions of sinful men bowed under illustration: Upon the urgent request of a friend, David, not Paul — but GOD is its Author! the galling weight of guilt have been "born again, a splendor-loving lady in Geneva, Claudine Levet, The Bible has been hated and reviled as no other not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by about 1532, consented to hear the despised Froment book has ever been, and yet it remains intact. It the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for- preach. She put on amulets, rubbed virgin wax on has been burned and pronounced dead, yet it lives ever." Innumerable men and women in all times her face, placed verbena leaves on her temples, as — incomparably the, greatest force on earth. Mighty have borne witness to the quickening, transforming a safeguard against the sorcerer, and with an air of kings and scheming priests have shrunk from no contempt sat immediately in front of the plain- toil and no guilt in order to exterminate it; scholarly looking preacher, crossing herself. But while he men have spared no eloquence of tongue or pen in spoke, her whole expression and attitude changed. order to refute it; science and infidelity have abol- The Spirit-Filled Life When he closed, she asked, "How do you know ished it times without number; yet to-day it is By Llewellyn A. Morrison that what you said is true'," "Here it is written," spreading with unprecedented rapidity in multiplied ehovah, Thou God of Creation, around us was his simple answer. "Give me the book." millions of copies and in almost a half thousand The beautiful wealth of Thy love we languages. What is the secret of the inviolability behold; Quietly she went home, and for three days read the of this Book? Why invulnerable to the poisoned `ho aliens afar when the Holy One found Sacred Volume in seclusion. She came forth front us, her room a shafts of men and devils? — Ah, it is of God; and, transformed woman. "She is lost to He brought us each into the heavenly us," her aristocratic friends lamented. ''She no like God, it is imperishable, immortal, eternal! fold; He told us of Christ, who for sin had been longer cares for festivities, rich apparel, and social A Fortress Impregnable smitten,— gaieties, but spends her time visiting the sick, min- Revealing the gifts that were ours istering to the needy, and reading the Bible." It The Bible is a building that has for its founda- through His name; was through the message of the Old Book that tion the Rock of Ages. Hence its impregnable He sent a free pardon, death-sealed and the divine Spirit wrought this miracle of trans- strength. Thus sang the Spirit-quickened poet: blood-written; formation. "Forever, 0 Jehovah, Thy Word is SETTLED in He entered our names in the Book of the Lamb. heaven." It was the Word Incarnate who declared, Every observer knows that the nearer one gets "The Scripture can not be broken." As easily Refrain to God, the nearer one gets to the Bible; the more might the enemies of God shake down the illimitable Exalt we the Father, His fealty foretelling; one loves God, the more one loves the Bible; the We glorify Jesus, Redeemer and Lord; deeper one's knowledge of God, the deepen one's • structure of His universe as remove one stone Sing praise to the holy Shekinah, indwell- from the structure of His Word. What multitudes ing, knowledge of the Bible. There never has been and of armed enemies have battered against the ada- And pray for the Spirit-filled life of the there never can be an exception to this rule. Why? mantine ramparts of God's Word! But they have Word. Because the Holy Spirit, who alone can lead a soul battered in vain. The Bible is not in danger, and How broad are Thy blessings, Thou God Of to God, always leads that soul over the everlasting • never can be. Let its enemies rage, and dash them- Salvation! highway of the living Word of the living God. Thou madest Thy people to love and be selves in pieces against it. Its timeless majesty, - 44 free, its silent rocky strength, bids them defiance. It To joy and rejoice with supreme exultation, were as easy to abolish God as to abolish His Book, And be in their purity like unto Thee. The Bible "for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy Alas for their choosing! By baneful elec- IT furnishes us, when rightly interpreted, a lab- name." Ps. 138:2. tion, Forsaking Thy fountains for waters of oratory note-book of the experiences of the greatest For Every Age strife; . experts in religion the world has known. The nearer Refusing Thy counsel, restraint, and pro- • we come to the hearts of the men whose inmost ex- Yes, the Bible is a timeless book; it is of no age tection, periences are here writ down, the greater will be Ind of no place. Forever and everywhere it is in They sought 'mid the carnal for wisdom and life. the benefit accruing to us. We see them fighting season — up to date. It is God's revellttion of unflinchingly the battle of faith against enemies Himself to man — to EVERY man. He has adapted Thou God of Redemption, how full are Thy as real and powerful as any that ever confront us, it to the needs not only of every nation and kindred favors! A ransom Thou gayest that saveth from and with weapons no better and no worse than those and tongue, but of every individual soul. Hence it doom, available to us. We realize our oneness with them is present to every age and potent in every clime. Strong hope to inspire all our human en- in the struggle that was, that is, and that ever shall To me its message is just as fresh, beautiful, vital, deavors, be. We are emboldened by their triumphs and for- and powerful as it was to Jeremiah or to Timothy. And pain to put purpose and patience in bloom; tified by their example, so that we renew our own It must, in the very nature of things, be coeval with Thy promises loom with a luster supernal, contest with an access of courage and strength.— its Author, and He "inhabits eternity." Most Omnipotent powers Thy pleasures dis- Biblical World. naturally, then, does Spirit-filled Peter declare, " The play; grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: Time boons are but types of the glories — 41( 41c — eternal. but the Word of the Lord endureth forever." Like When Thou shalt have ransomed Thy "The Gideons," a religious organization com- the sun, the Bible shines for rich and poor, white people for ay. posed of traveling men, propose to celebrate the and black, literate and illiterate. It knows no year by distributing 100,000 Bibles among the caste, no occult order, no hieroglyphics or dark 1.1 hotels of America. They recently placed 5,000 symbols. It is so simple and obvious that a child Bibles In the hotels of Chicago. Honor to Gid- eon's Band. can grasp it, enjoy it, live it; so deep that the power of the life of God in their own souls, brought wisest sage can never fathom it. It is universally to them through His blessed Word. Their own potent, perennially dynamic. transfigured lives were to them the overwhelming proof that in the Scriptures we have "the words of It is calculated that if the type used to pro- Living Words duce the Bibles thus far printed were placed in ETERNAL LIFE." a single line, it would extend more than 20,000,- God is life, "the fountain of life;" and when That the Bible is the living Word of God needs 000 miles. He speaks, He speaks not only the words of life, no rhetorical or formal proof. It evidences its — — but words that live — words that are themselves divine life and potency by what it does, by its It is a good time, in this three hundredth the essential life of God. Jesus, who was the fruits. Think of its power to lift men out of the living, personal revelation of year of Bible celebration, for us Protestants to *God, testified, "The darkness and bondage of sin into the light and ask ourselves how far away we are from that words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and liberty of God — of its power to gladden, ennoble, Book we are celebrating. Mere profession they are life." Of the same import is the testi- counts for less than nothing unless the Word and rehabilitate human lives! A stream can not lives in us. rise higher than its source; and a Book that re- claims prodigal wanderers and brings them back The Bible alone of all the books in the world, instead of uttering the opinions of to their divine Father's house, must have come The Bible In a book of faith, and a book the successive ages that produced it, has from the same supernal source. In countless in- of doctrine, and a book of morals, and a been the antagonist of these opinions.— stances this Book has demonstrated its power to hook of religion, of I'S Peel II I revelatl om Stuart Robinson. lay hold on *men and women in the lowest depth from God.— Daniel Webster. of iniquity and degradation, and lift them up, up, SIGNS OF THE TIMES

"0 Jesus, heal me," he cried. A year later, he The Power of the Word to Save visited that same missionary, but no longer a leper. By C. L. Taylor God's Word had responded to his faith, and his flesh had become as the flesh of a child. And better than all this, the purifying, uplifting Word of God HE Word of God . . . is powerful." face is turned to His, and the hopeless and help- had found a large place in his life. He had be- From Genesis to Revelation, the story of less one breathes forth his despair, hear the blessed come an intelligent, consistent Christian. the Bible is the story of power. One say, "Rise, take up thy, bed, and walk." A few years ago I was called to the bedside of a Beginning with the record of a mighty Does the Word accomplish its mission/ Ah, that very sick woman. She was a widow, and the mother creation, when God "spoke, and it was," and was the Word of "authority." The very "virtue" closing with the announcement, "Behold, I make of the Godhead impregnated its every jot and of five beautiful little girls. She was afflicted with all things new,'' the Bible places before the mind tittle. "Immediately the man was made whole." an incurable disease, and, among other troubles, with of man, in panoramic view, a picture of manifested Once more, dear reader, let your heart carry you a very large abdominal abscess, upon which an power. to the Saviour's side, as He is pressed hither and operation was impossible. Her physician, one of The power of which the Scriptures speak, yea, thither by a thronging multitude. Watch that the best in the State, informed her of her help- better, the power which the Scriptures are, is the woman of sorrow and trouble and pain as she strives lessness; and then it was that she went to God's power of God. God's power, first exercised in in weakness to reach His side, saying to herself, as Word for hope and help. Believing that she must creating the world for man, and then in creating she works her way forward, "If I may but touch live for the sake of her children, she called for man for the world, has for six thousand years been His garment, I shall be whole." And note that prayer. The promise of James 5 was offered in her put forth to save both world and man from the when at last she is able to reach forth the hand behalf; and just as in the time of the Saviour, she curse of sin. and do what her heart had bidden, "immediately was immediately healed. With heart full of praise, God's blessed Book, the "alpha and omega" of her issue of blood stanched." she arose from her sick-bed, and again took up the truth, is divinity clothed with humanity, duties of life. and like the Lord Jesus, its Author, is And how many, many times has God's brought to tabernacle among us, in order Word brought souls out of the bondage that it may forgive all iniquities and heal and darkness of sin into the freedom and all diseases. light of the kingdom of heaven! The Bible, the Word of God, is Heaven's Blessed Bible, the gift of the ages to great message of glad tidings, "the power the sons of men! Unchangeable and un- of God unto salvation to every one that changed it comes to the human heart, believeth." bringing in its bosom stores of heavenly But all power is invisible. The living comfort, heavenly healing, heavenly hope. power of God, like that mysterious some- It brings power to save from sin and from thing called electricity, which flows over sinning; power to transform the soul, fash- or through the wire circuit, never really ioning it after the image of the divine. seen, but always, readily known, is un- Reader, do you believe it/ If not, delay discernible, even as God is undiscernible; no longer. This moment it waits a wel- and yet its marvelous workings may be come. Accept it, receive it, and you, too, realized by those who will to have it. will find it "the power of God unto sal- The human words of the human Book vation," a mighty fact of which you will are the metaphorical wires of the great never be ashamed. spirit world,— the kingdom of God. And the moment faith makes the connection ...--. and forms the circuit, that moment the Of the various early English versions vitalizing principle of divine life flows that of Tyndale stands pre-eminent, and through those words and enters into hu- Tyndale was greatly influenced by manity, and man becomes the possessor Luther's translation. of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4. In 1877 100 Bibles were printed at How simply and beautifully sweet and Oxford and finely bound in London touching, therefore, is the record` of faith within 12 hours from the time the work as given in Hebrews 11! Men believed was begun in Oxford. God's Word and received God's, power. No work has had such influence upon That power made and kept them upright, the common law of all nations as has the Pentateuch. clean, and wholesome in their lives, en- abling them to meet, without a word or The Bible in whole or in part has even thought of murmuring, the most ter- been printed in nearly 500 languages rible sufferings, and to know the greatest and dialects. triumphs, even in death. The great hall and staircase of the British and Foreign Bible So- The first Bible printed in America Faith brought them into actual touch ciety House, London. Note the inscription, "Heaven and earth was Eliot's Indian Bible, in the years with the divine Presence and Power. Faith shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." The Bible 1661-63. gave them the new vision that penetrated House in San Francisco, opposite the City Hall, was wrecked by John Quincy Adams made it a prac- the veil and permitted them to see the in- earthquake and burned by fire; but the corner-stone with the above inscription remained intact. God in His providence was giving the tise to read the Bible through once a visible. Heb. 11:27. people of the afflicted city assurance of something better. He gives year. The Word of God found in faith an it to-day. open channel, and its power flowed into their lives, working miraculous changes in character, That was one of the supreme moments in the life The Bible affording protection against disease, and delivering of the Christ. Then and there the wonderful heal- Blessed Bible! how I love it! from enemies seen and unseen. ing virtue of the Almighty Word had flowed forth How it doth my bosom cheer! in response to the call and the touch of faith. What hatli earth like this to covet? The Incarnate Word 0 Word of God Incarnate! How matchless Thy 0, what stores of wealth are here! But of all the glorious manifestations of the beauty, how wondrous Thy power! Thou art the Man was lost and doomed to sorrow; Not one ray of light or bliss Nord of God, the life of our Lord Jesus was the same yesterday, to-day, and forever! Could he from earth's treasures borrow, most concrete. He was the Word "made flesh." Scientists may scoff, infidels deny, atheists blas- Till his way was cheered by this! He was the living fulness of that Word in human pheme, at mention of miracle power as vested in the life. Through Him divinity flashed forth its sym- sacred Word. They do so only because their unbe- Yes, I'll to my bosom press thee, PRECIOUS WORD, I'll hide thee here; pathy, its kindness, its heavenly helpfulness. In lief shuts them away from its invisible Presence. Sure my very heart will bless thee, Him God really and truly revealed what His Word But here and there, the great world over, are those For thou ever sayest "good cheer." is to be to mankind in all the world, in all ages,' who can bear witness to its saving strength. Speak, my heart, and tell thy ponderings, under all circumstances. Tell how far thy rovings led, Jesus Christ was the Word of God translated into Ever the Same When THIS BOOK brought back thy wan- derings, human experience. Surpassingly wonderful was Perhaps you have read of the poor India leper Speaking life as from the dead. His simple and earnest life of power. He "went that heard about the Jesus whose word healed the about doing good, and healing all that were op- sick and raised the dead. "Is this Jesus still Yes, sweet Bible, I will hide thee pressed of the devil; for God was with Him." DEEP, yes, DEEPER in this heart; alive?" he asked. " Yes," was the missionary's Thou thrciugh an my life wilt guide me, Follow this divine-human Being, this Man whose reply, "He is now in heaven above, and whoever And in death we will not part. faith grasped fully the promises of God. See Him asks Him for help receives it." The leper be- Part in death? —No! never! never! at the pool. Behold Him as He bends over the suf- lieved the simple truth; and leaving the mission, he Through death's vale I'll lean on thee; fering invalid, and in his ear whispers, "Wilt thou Then, in worlds above, forever, wended his way to his hovel, and there poured out Sweeter still thy truths shall be! be made whole'," And then when that emaciated his agony to that Jesus of whom he had learned. —Phcebe Palmer. ‘4.4, 7k, No. 18 k7 'THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Then take your Bible and present yourself before Blessings of Bible Study your heavenly Father, saying, "Enlighten me; teach me what is truth." The Lord will regard By Mrs. E. G. White your prayer, and the Holy Spirit will impress the truth upon your soul. In searching, the Scriptures HOSE who boast of wisdom beyond the ing of one passage upon another, and the reward for yourself, you will become established in the teaching of the Word of God, need to of his toil will be exceedingly precious. drink deeper of the fountain of knowledge, faith. It is of the greatest importance that you that they may learn their real ignorance. The Divine Helper continually search the Scriptures, storing the mind Men boast of their wisdom when it is foolishness in All over the field of revelation are scattered glad with the Word of God; for you may be separated the sight of God. Let no man deceive himself. springs of heavenly truth, of peace and joy. These from the companionship of Christians, and placed "If any man among you seemeth to be wise in' glad springs of truth are within the reach of every where you will not have the privilege of meeting this world, let him become a fool, that he may be seeker. The words of inspiration, pondered in the with the children of God. You need the treasures wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness heart, will be as living streams flowing from the of God's Word hidden in your heart, that when with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise river of the water of life. Our Saviour prayed opposition comes upon you, you may bring every- in their own craftiness." The greatest ignorance that the mind of His followers might be opened thing to the Scriptures. that now curses the human race is in regard to the bind- The Bible Alone ing claims of the law of God; Truth is eternal, and con- and this ignorance is the re- flict with error will only make sult of neglecting the study manifest its strength. We of the Word of God. It is should never refuse to ex- Satan's plan so to engage the hy Word amine the Scriptures with mind that men shall neglect those who we have a reason the great Guide-book, and to believe desire to know what thus be led into the path of lamp unto is truth as much as we do. transgression and destruction. Suppose a brother holds a The Bible is not exalted to my feet, view that differs from yours, its place among the books of and he comes to you, propo- the world, altho its study is of sing that you sit down with infinite importance to the souls and a 1it-it him and investigate that point of men. In searching its in the Scriptures; should you pages the imagination beholds rise up filled with prejudice, the Son of God, coming to our unto my and condemn his ideas, while world, and engaging in the refusing to give him a candid mysterious conflict that dis- hearings The only right way comfited the powers of dark- would be to sit down as Chris- ness. 0, how wonderful, how tians and investigate the po- almost incredible it is, that sition presented, in the light the infinite God would con- of God's Word, which will re- sent to the humiliation of His veal truth and unmask error. own Son, that we might be To ridicule his ideas would not elevated to a place with Him weaken his position, tho it upon His throne! Let every were false, nor strengthen student of the Scriptures con- your position, tho it were template this great fact, and true. If the pillars of our he will not come from a study faith will not stand the test of the Bible without being of investigation, it is time that purified, elevated, and en- we know it; for it is foolish nobled. The truth will be to become set in our ideas, and opened to the mind and ap- think that no one should in- plied to the heart by the terfere with our opinions. Spirit of God. Let everything be brought to Through connection with the Bible; for it is the only God the Christian will have rule of faith and doctrine. clearer and broader views, un- We must study the truth biased by his own precon- for ourselves; no living man ceived opinions. His discern- should be relied upon to think ment will be more penetrating, for us, no matter who he may his judgment be better bal- be or in what position he may anced and far-seeing. His be placed. We are not to look understanding, exercised i n upon any man as a perfect contemplation of exalted criterion for us. We are to truths, will be expanded; and counsel together, and be sub- in obtaining heavenly knowl- ject one to another; but at edge, he will better under- the same time we are to exer- stand his own weakness, and cise the ability God has given grow in faith and humility. us to learn what is truth. When there is little attention given to the Word to understand the Scriptures. Whenever we study Each one of us must look to God for divine en- of God, divine counsels are in vain, grace and the Bible with a prayerful heart, the Holy Spirit lightenment, that we may individually develop a heavenly wisdom are not sought that past sins may is near to open to us the meaning of the words we character that will stand the test in the day of God. be avoided and every stain of corruption may be read. The man whose mind is enlightened by the We are living in the last days, when error of a most cleansed from the character. David prayed: "Make opening of God's Word to his understanding, will deceptive character is accepted and believed, while me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall" feel not only that he must more diligently seek to truth is discarded. Many are drifting into dark- I talk of Thy wondrous works." "Open Thou understand the' Word' of God, but that he must ness and infidelity, picking flaws with the Bible, mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out have a better understanding of the sciences. He bringing in superstitious inventions, unseriptural of Thy law." will feel that he is called to a high calling in Christ theories, and speculations of vain philosophy; but There is a great work to be done by earnest Jesus. The more closely connected man is with the it is the duty of every one to seek a thoro knowledge Bible students; for gems of truth are to be gath- Source of all knowledge and wisdom, the more of the Scriptures. The importance and benefit of ered up, and separated from the companionship of he will be convinced that he must advance in in- Bible study can not be overestimated. In searching error. Tho the Bible is a revelation from Heaven, tellectual and spiritual attainment. The opening the Scriptures our minds are caused to dwell upon yet many do not comprehend its divine teaching. of God's Word is always followed by a remark- the infinite sacrifice of Christ, on His mediation in We are to discover new aspects of truth in both able opening and strengthening of man's faculties; our behalf. As we see His love, as we meditate upon Old and New Testaments, to behold the exceeding for the entrance of God's words giveth light. By His humiliation and sufferings, the same spirit of breadth and compass of truths which we imagine contemplation of great truths the mind is elevated, self-denial and sacrifice for the good of others will we understand, but of which we have only a super- the affections purified and refined; for the Spirit be kindled in our hearts. As we behold Jesus by ficial knowledge. He who earnestly searches the of God through the truth of God quickens the life,- the eye of faith, we shall be "changed into the Scriptures, will see that harmony exists between less spiritual faculties, and attracts the soul heaven- same image from glory to glory, even as by the the variovs parts of the Bible, will discover the bear- ward. Spirit of the Lord." (282) 10 "4"re --s„ SIGNS OF THE TIME S

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would The Bible and Religious Liberty And if any man hear My words, and be- that men should do to you, do ye even lieve not, I Judge him not: for I came not so to them: for this is the law and the Its Principles in National Life to Judge the world, but to Nave the world. prophets. Matt. 7:12. John 12:47. By W. A. Colcord 17 OME seeds when planted spring forth I will make them conform, or I will harry them was placed above the civil power, and the Word of quickly and bear fruit; others may lie dor- out of the land, or else worse, . . . only hang God above the authority of the visible church. Its them; that's all.— Id. mant for years before germinating and founders said: "We hold these truths to be self- yielding returns. So of Christ's teach- Sixty years later, under Charles II, Bunyan was evident: that all men are created equal; that they ings; some took effect at once, while others were not imprisoned for exercising his freedom in matters are endowed by their Creator with certain unalien- to ripen for generations to dome. of religion. While in prison he was told that he able rights; that among these are life, liberty, and When, to silence the Pharisees, who were seeking must "leave off those meetings you were wont to the pursuit of happiness." They enacted that to entangle Him in His talk, and to find a pretext have," and "submit yourself to the laws of the "Congress shall make no law respecting an estab- for putting Him to death, Christ said, "Render to land, or during the next session it will go worse lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exer- Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the with you."—"Life and Times of John Bunyan." cise thereof; " and that 'no religious test shall ever things that are God's," He planted a seed that was be required as a qualification to any office or public not to spring forth and come to its full fruitage The Correct Principle Little Understood trust" under the Government. The bell of "Lib- for nearly two thousand years. Not until these Such was the general attitude of prelates and erty" rang out, on which were cast the words: latter times was this truth to be so generally re- rulers in the Old World during the Dark Ages. "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all ceived as to find expression in a nation. All along Freedom of thought and opinion was not tolerated, the inhabitants thereof." the way, individuals, of course, had received it and nor the rights of conscience respected. Civil author- The story of all this has been told so well and so acted upon it; but no nation. But Providence had ity was substituted for Scriptural argument; and beautifully by Bancroft, that we quote him here. ordained that before the close of the career of this where conviction could not be produced, obedience He says: sin-stricken world, mankind should see exhibited on was demanded. And so little did many even of the a national scale, and before the whole world, a In the earliest States known to history, govern- most devout followers of Christ understand the ment and religion were one and indivisible. Each government founded and conducted upon this di- true meaning and the practical application of the State had its special deity. . . . No one thought vinely enunciated principle. great principle which He had enunciated, that those of vindicating liberty .of xeligion for the con- science of the individual till a voice in Judea, break- As Christ came to bless men by turning them away who had fled from the hand of oppression in the from their sins; as His first discourse opened with ing day for the greatest epoch in the life of hu- manity by establishing for all mankind a pure, benedictions, telling men how to be happy and spiritual, and universal religion, enjoined to render blessed; and as all His teachings were designed to to Ca3sar only that which is CEesar's. The rule was bless and uplift mankind, so this instruction was Luther upheld during the infancy of the Gospel for all given to bless the world. men. No sooner was the religion of freedom adopted By Goer& B. Tack by the chief of the Roman Empire, than it was shorn The Need of a New Nation Not his the dreamer's lot, idly to dwell of its character of universality and enthralled by In pleasant fields, far from the strifes of an unholy connection with the unholy State; and so In consequence of this instruction's not being men it continued till the new nation —the least defiled heeded for long ages, the world was brought into a Who vex their souls with trifling why with the barren scoffings of the eighteenth century, state of tyranny and bondage. Five years before and when, the most sincere believer in Christianity of any peo- the discovery of America, Pope Innocent VIII .And in the marts of Fame their conscience ple of that age, the chief heir of the Reformation sell. in its purest form — when it came to establish a issued a bull for the subjection or extirpation of Nay, he had drunk from life's pure, spark- government for the United States, refused to treat the Waldensian Christians from the Piedmont val- ling well, faith as a matter to be regulated by a corporate leys. It brought no charge against them as law- And felt the rapture of the life divine, body, or having a headship in a monarch or a State. less, idle, or dishonest. Their fault was that "they And with his eyes anointed held the shine Vindicating the right of individuality even in Of God's great glory, which he fain must religion, and in religion above all, the new nation did not worship as Innocent worshiped." If they tell. dared to set the example of accepting in its relations refused to abjure their faith, said the Roman pon- to God the principle first divinely ordained in Judea. tiff, let them "be crushed like venomous snakes." Long years he labored in the realm of It left, the management of temporal things to the See Wylie's "History of Protestantism," volume right, temporal power; but the American Constitution, in The deathless right, and fought for con- harmony with the people of the several States, with- 2, page 435. • science free held from the Federal Government the power to To Cardinal Thomas de Vio, his legate, Pope Leo From priestly bondage, while blind Error's invade the home of reason, the citadel of conscience, X, in 1518, gave the following instruction concern- night the sanctuary of the soul; and not from indifference, ing Luther and his followers: He flamed with heav'nly light, that all but that the infinite spirit of eternal truth might might see move in its freedom and purity and power.— Ban- If he should persist in his stubbornness, and you The way to God, and like him fearless stand, croft's "History of the United States," volume 6, fail to get possession of his person, we give A freeman in God's faithful Christian band. pages 443, 444. you power to proscribe him in all places in Germany; to put away, curse, and excommunicate all who are The influence which this nation has exerted attached to him, and to enjoin all Christians to throughout the world in favor of religious freedom shun their society.— D 'Aubigne's "History of the Old World at once proceeded to exercise it in the has been very great. Would that it might ever re- Reformation," book 4. New. To quote the words of President Taft: " They main true' to the great principle upon which it was Three years later, 1521, Henry VIII of England came to establish freedom for their own religion, founded. But, like a worm at the root of some wrote to the elector Palatine, of Germany, concern- and not the freedom of anybody else's religion. beautiful plant, there are elements at work here to ing Luther, thus: The truth is that in those days such a thing as free- undermine this principle, and to undo all that the Surely, it is no other than the devil, who, by the dom of religion was not understood." "Freedom of fathers and founders of it have done. And few agency of Luther, has kindled this wide-spread con- conscience," says Bancroft, "was in that age an realize how rapidly this work of destruction is go- flagration. If Luther will not retract, let himself idea yet standing on the threshold of the world, ing on. At the present rate of progress, a few' and his writings be committed to the flames.— waiting to be ushered in; and none but exalted years more will see its complete undoing. Id., book 9. minds — Roger Williams and Penn, Vane, Fox, and —4t -- And in his book "Defense of the Seven Sacra- Bunyan — went forth to welcome it." There was ments, against Luther," this King of England fur- need of a new nation, founded upon a new prin- Who Enjoy Religion ther said: ciple, and establishing "a new order of things." All the servants of Jesus Christ, whatever be Slowly men emerged from the religious despotism Bishop C. H. Fowler in one of his sermons uses this illustration: " A preacher approaching his new their age, sex, or rank, should rise up against this of the middle ages into the light of the civil and common enemy of Christendom.— Id. appointment, asked a boy, 'Do people at Millbrook religious liberty of modern times. Little by little enjoy religion?' Them that has it does,' was the In 1604, King James of England said: they began to recognize the rights of men, and to reply." I will have none of that liberty as to ceremonies; see that "proscription and persecution are no part I will have one doctrine, one discipline, one religion in substance and in ceremony.— Bancroft's "His- of the legitimate business of civil government," tory of the United States,' volume 1, page 196 that "the stake, the rack, the gibbet, the dungeon, The American Bible Society is not asking for (ed. 1888). thumbscrews, sword, pillory, and stocks have no donations this year, because it does not wish to Instead of granting the Puritans permission oc- rightful place in the machinery for the propagation detract from the tercentenary celebration of the casionally to assemble, and at their meetings to have English Bible; but it deserves them Just the of the Gospel." same. the liberty of free discussion, he said: The New Nation Appears Finally freedom came into full bloom. Despite Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of Is It lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or the noxious plants brought over from the Old World, this world: if My kingdom were of this not? . . . And Jesus answering said unto world, then would My servants fight, that them, Render to Calmar the things that are in the New World the seed of civil and religions I should not be delivered to the Jews: but Caesar's, and to God the things that are liberty had taken deep root. From the virgin soil now is My kingdom not from hence. John God's. Mark 12:14-17. a nation arose in which there was "a church without 18:36. a pope, and a State without a king." Conscience THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

made in subsequent editions; but not till twenty years later was a thoro revision to be under- Most wondrous book! bright C11111111e of the A glory gilds the sacred page; taken. Here again the wrath of man was used Lord! Majestic like the sun, of God to bring blessing to His church. It Star of eternity! The only star It gives a light to every age; was a band of refugees from England under the By which the bark of man could navigate It gives, but borrows none. The sea of life, and gain the coast of bliss — Cowper. Marian persecutions, who met in Calvin's famous Securely. city and brought out the justly famous Genevan — Version in 1560. This work far surpassed in close 0- scholarship those that had preceded it. The Annals of the English Bible Taking the Great Bible as a starting-point its its unwieldy size contributed to hinder its general authors laboriously examined every text in the light circulation. (Continued from page 4) both of the original and of the proprieties of the • English tongue. They made many drastic changes, The Reims Version The first complete Bible in modern English came the great majority of which were improvements. In 1582 there appeared what is known as the out in the year 1535, being the work of Miles Cover- Beza's Latin Testament was one of the recent au- Reims New Testament. It is not in the regular dale, a man in some ways less stern and uncom- thorities which they found helpful in getting at succession of translations that we are considering, promising than his two, great predecessors, but of the sense of the original. being prepared by Roman. Catholic refugees at equally pure motives, and gifted with a particularly The Genevan Bible exhibits several features of Douai, in North France, and printed at Reims. fine ear for the cadences of the sacred dialect. Cover- Nevertheless it is of interest to us as making a dale, not having a critical knowledge of Hebrew, special interest. It was the first version to be got out by a group of men working together in definite contribution to the style of the Authorized was obliged to translate the Old Testament at Version. The translation was made from the Vul- second hand. In the New Testament he follows collaboration. It represented a closer approach to the original than had any previous version. More- gate, which was rendered word for word as far as Tyndale pretty closely, but introduces many little possible. Moreover all words having any specific improvements. over, altho its notes reveal a Calvinistic bias, viewed as a translation it is remarkably impartial. theological meaning were given in their original Matthew's Bible The things aimed at, as Whittingham, its chief Latin form or slightly Anglicized. These are fair examples of the more unfortunate renderings: "In In 1537 there came out what is known as the author, explains in the preface to his New Testa- feare converse ye the time of your peregrination." Matthew Bible, so called because the name Thomas ment, were "the faithful rendering of the sentence, 1 Peter 1:17. " Therefore coming into the world Matthew, possibly a nom de plume, appears on the the propriety of the wordes, and perspieuitie of the he saith: Host and oblation thou wouldest not: but title-page. John Rogers, the friend and literary phrase." In finding words in English, which a body thou hast fitted to me: Holocaustes and for executor of Tyndale, was the one really responsible while being intelligible, are also marked by noble sinne did not please thee." Heb. 10:5, 6. for this edition, which follows Coverdale in the restraint and dignity, the makers of this version In many cases, however, the translators' almost main, but contains a fresh translation, believed to were especially successful. We owe to them that slavish adherence to the Vulgate resulted in the be made by Tyndale during his imprisonment, noble rendering in Daniel, "the Ancient of Days," attainment of renderings marked by enviable con- of the historical books from Joshua to Second which Coverdale had rendered "the Old-aged." ciseness as well as a certain distinction of manner, Chronicled. a fact duly observed by later translators, notably The Great Bible the men who gave us the Authorized Version, some Two years later, in 1539, what is known as the of the finest words and phrases of which were taken Great Bible came from the press, edited by Cover- direct from this Reims Testament. dale, under the patronage of Thomas Cromwell, The " Authorized " Version then at the height of his power. It was intended that this edition should be printed in. Paris, in order We now come to a consideration of the crowning that in mechanical make-up it might represent the achievement in the history of our English Bible, highest attainable standard. The work was begun the preparation of the Authorized Version. Of under a special license from the French King, those hitherto noticed, each was an improvement in but it had not proceeded very far before the In- essentials over the one which preceded it, tho marred quisition put a stop to it. Fortunately Coverdale, by some unfortunate renderings peculiar to itself. half expecting this interference, had already sent The makers of the Authorized Version not only took some of his finished sheets to London. The con- a long step in advance of the immediately pre- fiscated ones were duly bought back him the haber- ceding version, but they gathered up in addition dasher who had bought them for so much waste many of the sacred felicities which had somehow paper, and were likewise sent over to England. dropped out by the way, going back in numerous Tyndale's translation had a strong and molding Furthermore Cromwell also bought up the type and instances even as far as Wyclif. They also, as has effect on all later ones, and Martin Luther's Ger- been mentioned, strengthened and enriched the presses, and had them conveyed to England, to- man translation had a strong effect upon Tyndale's gether with the staff of compositors. So in April, English Version. sacred dialect by a judicious infusion of Latinate 1539, the Great Bible made its appearance, under words from the Reims Testament. the official protection of the throne. Moreover, the They gave us also the beautiful phrase, "We are Like many other very important undertakings, way was prepared for it; for an order had been more than conquerors," which in earlier transla- the Authorized Version had its rise in circumstances issued in September, 1538, by which all the clergy tions had been, "We overcome strongly." Cover- that on the face of them appear to be accidental. were required before a certain date to provide dale's phrase "the Comfort of all heathen," be- The conference held at Hampton Court in January, "one boke of the whole Bible, in the largest volume, came in their hands "the Desire of all nations." 1604, was called to consider a petition presented in Englyshe, sett up in summe convenyent place We also owe to them those words of noble dignity by the Puritan section of the church, asking among within the churehe that ye have cure of, whereat in Job: "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by other things that the church service as outlined in your parishioners may most commodiously resort to words without knowledge f" Earlier translators the Prayer-Book might be purified by the elimina- the same and rede yt." Thus within three years of had rendered the passage, "What is he that hydeth tion of what they considered superstitious rites and the death of Tyndale, the Word of God had won his mind with foolish wordesi" Sometimes, how- ceremonies, such as the sign of the cross in bap- its way in England. First forbidden under severe ever, in their striving after dignity they lost color tism, the marriage ring, etc. The need of a new penalties, then licensed, and now commanded, it and picturesqueness. Thus Coverdale's fine ren- version of the Bible was not broached till the sec- was all the way along eagerly read by the common dering, "Man goeth to his long home," was ond day, when, the prospects for a favorable con- people. changed by them to "Man goeth to the house of sideration of their petition being very poor, the One interesting feature of the Great Bible is the his age." Puritans, according to the preface in the Authorized rather elaborate frontispiece, said to have been Altho the Genevan Version proved more popular Version, "had recours at the last of this shift, that designed by Hans Holbein, in which, among other in England than any of its predecessors, no less they could not with.. good conscience subscribe to things, the King is represented as handing the than sixty editions coming out during the reign of the Communion book [that is, the Prayer-Book], Bible to Cranmer for the clergy and the people. Elizabeth, it was not wholly satisfactory. The since it maintained the Bible as it was there trans- lated, which was, as they said, a most corrupted • The Genevan Bible notes were too Calvinistic in tone, and some of the renderings were objectionable for one reason or translation." The 1540 edition of the Great Bible contained im- another. Archbishop Parker accordingly set on The examples of mistranslation cited by the portant improvements, and slight changes were foot plans for a new revision to be made by a com- Puritans' spokesman, Dr. Reynolds, of Oxford, mittee of divines. It was published in 1568, after about four years had been given to its preparation. Throw away the Old Testament! What The Bishops' Bible (so called because of the Give the Bible the place in your families part of It will you throw away? That revisers, who can be identified with some certainty, to which it is justly entitled, and then, which I do not understand? Take down through the unsearchable riches of Christ, then yonder blood-stained cross; for there eight were bishops) introduced some real improve- many a household among you may here- is a love there "which passeth knowledge," ments. Its translation of the New Testament es- after realize that most blessed consum- and a divine hatred of sin which shook pecially shows critical ability and a good grasp of mation, and appear a whole family in the solid earth.— A. E. Kittredge. the problems involved. It is, however, a work of heaven.— H. A. Boardman. uneven merit. It was printed in large folio, and THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES,'

thing, lest it seem to contradict the principle of simplicity which they allow is there. If they did The reason why we find so ninny dark The Old and New Testaments conta places in the Bible le, for the most part, name it, they would probably say that the prose of but one scheme of religion. Neither p because there are so many dark places In the Bible is marked by a noble distinction; that of this scheme can be understood witho our hearts.— Tholuek. it has strong aristocratic tendencies, and fairly the other.— Richard Cecil.

••• abounds in those words of noble lineage which, judiciously used, lend weight and dignity to style. were taken from the Great Bible and the Bishops' And they would be right. Biblical style is at once The growth is often in the direction of modifying Bible, the Genevan Version giving them correctly. simple and of noble distinction. Both elements, expressions out of keeping with the sacred dialect. Nevertheless the complaint met with a ready hear- however, have been selected and combined with Such for instance was Coverdale's rendering: ing. James expressed his dissatisfaction with the admirable taste, with one overshadowing idea — to "Hoare me, o yo that are of an hie stomach, but versions then current, and his wish that one uni- render the Sacred Scriptures in a form at once far from righteousness." The Genevan rendering form translation might be made by the most noble and dignified, and intelligible to the common is: "Hear me ye stubborn-hearted, that are fare learned men in the universities, to be reviewed by people. from justice." The Authorized: "Harken unto the bishops and the Privy Council and finally ratified This quasi-ecclesiastical trend in Biblical English me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteous- by the royal authority, and " so this whole church is fairly marked. Johan Storm has spoken of the ness." It is interesting to note how exactly the to be bound unto it and none other." "wonderful force and solemnity" of our Author- authors of the last-named version conveyed the • The time was ripe for such an undertaking. ized Version, in which he thinks it surpasses all thought of Coverdale's spirited rendering without There had been many expressions of the need others, not even excepting that of Luther. "The employing his too strongly colored language. Their of a uniform Bible. A resolution on the subject language," he goes on to say, "is just ancient substitution of " harken" for "heare" is also had even come before the House of Lords, but had enough to give the impression of noble dignity, and significant. "Harken" is one of the important not been acted upon. The idea, moreover, made a yet not too old to be intelligible. . . . There is words in the dialect. strong appeal to James, who was nothing if not for example something extremely effective and ex- Ps. 119:17, 18 reads in the Authorized Version: a•theologian. It was accordingly not long before "Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may the new project was under way. The plan was to live, and keep thy word. Open thou mine eyes, that have fifty-four men acting on six committees, which I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." were to meet two each at Oxford, Cambridge, and A Little More Bible Coverdale translated the opening and closing Westminster, London, respectively. Only forty- clauses: "Do well unto .thy servant . . . so shall A little more Bible in heart and in life, seven men actually took part in the work, and of A little more Bible in battle and strife, I spie out wounderous thinges in thy lawe." The these all but one were clergymen. A little more Bible's the thing that we need Genevan: "Be beneficial unto thy servant . . The reader will be impressed with the thoro- When feet walk the rough road of life till open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy going provisions for revision. The individual trans- they bleed, law." "Spie out" was a little too vivid and con- And souls sink in sadness, and times are lator first read his passage aloud before the mem- distraught crete, but. "behold" suited the emotion exactly. bers of his own committee; their approval given, With blood dearly given and joy dearly "Be beneficial" is undoubtedly inferior to "do it was submitted in turn to the other five com- bought. well," but it was a valuable intermediate form mittees, before whom it was also read aloud; and leading to " deal bountifully." A little more Bible before we can say finally it received the consideration of the London The light of our banners has conquered Many of the finest passages in the Bible owe committee of revision. No doubt these successive the way; much oT their impressiveness to their being closely A little more Bible in business and art, readings aloud in part, at least, account for the modeled upon the original. Tyndale himself trans- fact that in harmony and rhythm, unobtrusive al- A little more Bible in spirit and heart, • In progress and pageants of power and lated word for word to a considerable extent; but literation and assonance, and all the subtile touches advance, he lived too near the beginning of things to under- which make for sheer beauty of language, the A little more Bible ere taking a chance. stand either the full requirements of the sacred Authorized Version is a great advance on all other dialect, or the possibilities of the English tongue. versions. A little more Bible — it must be the thing Wrought deep in our life if the metal's to Thus he translated Rom. 11:33: "0 the depnes The exceptional success attending this translation, ring of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of which appeared in 1611, just three hundred years With the true ring of gold and the pure God." 'The rendering is fairly accurate, but how ago, may be attributed to these reasons: (1) The sounding song Of a voice of true love to the hearts of lame compared with the more literal translation in peculiar richness and vitality of the English lan- the throng. the Authorized Version: "0 the depth of the guage in the late Elizabethan period. (2) The The king on his throne and the slave at committee in charge of the work was large and his gate riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" representative. (3) The work was particularly Need a little more Bible to balance their Again he translated Matt. 13:46, "When he had well organized, and was characterized by a rare fate. found one precious pearle, went and solde all that degree of thoroness and resource. (4) The pre- A little more Bible in daily affairs — he had and bought it." The Authorized Version dominant interest of the period was theological; How sweetly 'twould lighten the burden gave us the beautiful Hebraism, "one pearl of hence, the translation may be said in a special sense and cares! great price." How much more impressive, too, to be an outgrowth of the religious thought and How much would it waken the hours and is the rendering, "I am the voice of one crying the days feeling of the English people at a time when re- With sunlight and fragrance and music in the wilderness," than Tyndale's "a cryar in the ligion, if it came short in many things, was at of Mays wyldernes." "Great Babylon is fallen, is fallen," least vital. Far down the green childhoods of joy and is good, but how much better, "Babylon the great delight — is fallen, is fallen." Tyndale's rendering of Heb. A little 'More Bible to set us just right! The Inner History of Our English Bible — Baltimore "Sun." 1:8 reads: "But unto the Bonne he sayth: God In the foregoing paragraphs we have concerned thy seate shalbe forever and ever. The cepter of ourselves chiefly with the outward history of our thy kyngdome is a right cepter." The Authorized, Bible,— with the leading men and events connected following closely the Greek, which is in the Hebrew pressive in the mere substitution of 'verily' for with its appearance in successive translations. idiom, renders it: " Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever 'indeed' and 'truly,' or of 'unto' for 'to.' If the There is also what we may call an inner .history and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter expression is, 'Verily I say unto you,' one is in of. the book, which may be traced by patient com- of thy kingdom." Needless to say, the two are altogether a different atmosphere than when the parison of texts in these successive versions. It is very far apart in point of beauty and impressive. expression is, 'Indeed I tell you.' The latter may proposed in the following paragraphs to give at ness. How weak, too, is "lost child" when com- be earnest and forcible enough, but it is a human least a little introduction to this fascinating study. pared with "son of perdition," and "I sitt beinge expression, while the former is divine." Let us first try to call to mind the leading char- a quene" compared with "I sit a queen." This utterance of the German philologist brings acteristics of the English of our Bible. Probably out clearly a striking fact in English literary his- There is a certain "linked sweetness long drawn most of us would answer offhand that it is most tory, the existence, namely, of a sacred dialect, out" in such typical Bible expressions as " the noted for its marvelous simplicity. And yet some, at having in some measure its own vocabulary as well valley of the shadow of death," "the light of the least, would feel that even stretching the meaning as its own peculiar laws and usages, and yet by knowledge of the glory of God," 'a pure river of the word "simplicity" to the utmost, it could reason of its identification with English religious of water of life," and "law of the spirit of life." not be made to tell the whole story; that some- sentiment from the start, its slow growth as it We have some of• them in the earlier versions, but thing equally vital and characteristic had been left were from the very soil, retaining a strong hold they are most typical of the Authorized Version. out. Yet they might hesitate to name the other upon the affections of the common people and per- There is an interesting development observable fectly intelligible to them. Of course a perfect instrument of this kind is The Bible is a rock of diamonds, a chain bound to be a product of slow growth. Certain I never saw a useful Christian who was of pearls, the sword of the Spirit; a chart words which are found suitable come to be asso- not a student of the Bible. If a man neg- by which the Christian sails to eternity; lects his Bible, he may pray and ask God the map by which he daily walks; the sun- ciated with sacred things, either exclusively or in to use him in His work; but God can not dial by which he sets his life; the balance a particular signification, retaining their common make much use of him, for there is not in which he weighs his actions.— T. Wat- meaning in the language of ordinary life. Trivial much for the Holy Ghost to work upon. son. words are little by little weeded out, so also those — D. L. Moody. that savor too strongly of secular business.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

in the translations of Later Revisions and Versions American Revision Ps. 126:5, 6. Cov- begun in 1870, and erdale rendered the (Continued from page 5) pre-eminently the American Standard passage: " They that such instances in the King James Version which Revised Version. Bowe in teeres shall need correction. The men ap- reape in joye. He The 1611 version, beautiful, choice, strong, pointed upon the that now goeth his clear, happy as it generally is in its English, is Revised Version in waye wepinge and sometimes obscure and frequently not uniform. For England numbered beareth forth good instance, we come to the term "hell" thirty-one fifty-four; in seed, shall come times in the Old Testament and twenty-two times America, thirty,— agayne with ioye, and in the New. Usually the word is associated with eighty-four in all, brynge his sheaves punishment, but in every instance in the Old Testa- c ...aent and devout with him." ment it comes from the Hebrew word sheol, a word r:liolars from va- The first of the in its ordinary use meaning the place of the d.ad, two verses all sub- the grave, to which both righteous and wicked al.ite rious religious de- Assyrian account of the Del- sequent translators nominations, w h o uge, confirming the Bible story, -go. The word "hell" in the New Testament oc- a clay tablet from the library have copied, but the curs twenty-two times, and comes from three Greek set themselves to of Assur-bani-pal, King of As- give us a correct other one has gone words: hades, the grave, corresponding to sheol in syria, in British Museum rendering of the TVyclif Version, 1382 through a number the Old Testament, ten times; Gehenna, the of changes. It is thus place of future punishment, eleven times; Tar- original tongues in which God has spoken to the rendered in the Great Bible: "He that now goeth tarus, where the devil and his angels are cast; once. world. They also adopted. general principles and on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed: Ordinary students of the King James Version are rules to guide them in their work, better, it seems shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his bound to be misled. to us, to secure correct results than were adopted sheaves with him." In the Genevan it becomes: The verse division of the text is very unsatis- by the 1611 revisers, without the restrictions. All "They went weeping and carried precious seed: factory, oftentimes breaking sentences and chap- the findings of the various divisions were twice but they shall return with joy and bring their ters and so obscuring the meaning to the general revised. Experts were consulted outside the num- sheaves." The Bishops' Version reads: "He that reader. ber appointed. Where the American Committee goeth foorth on his way, and weeping beareth pre- "Holy Spirit" and "Holy Ghost"- come from differed after final revision, their opinions were to tious seede: shal doubtlesse returnyng comme the same Greek terms. Why not "Holy Spirit" be embodied in an appendix at the close of each agayne with a joyful noyse, bringing his sheaves all the time! It would sound strange to our ears Testament. • with him." The Authorized is: "He that goeth Work was begun in the renowned Jerusalem forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall Chamber in Westminster Abbey, June 22, 1870, doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his where not less than 800 sittings were held. In ONK K NI 4 1 t.0 Er/41-0 ICKPSss.k4.: (1-4 Koycot America the first meeting was held in the Bible sheaves with him." CINK ?,•„tf, 14701'44,14,W. acl Pt.1 KC, P4 KAI House, New York, October 4, 1874. The first It will be noticed that every one of these dif- KC-14'4H TortcyeWertVOt ferent renderings makes some contribution of value. tsi editions were to be printed by the University I rA,7114 tIL, A,4€11cturrItgo, The Genevan is somewhat bare and poor on the CE TI' Alx,cerxtrrinley, Presses of Oxford and Cambridge, the Americans foci ic fpceceAwq whole, but it adds that word "precious," which T- risr3ri Pit; agreeing not to print another version for fourteen I t't• h.! Kr14.0 1:(‘ n 4,1 01.-NEY.,0,Eit0s4 • years. In ten long years the New Testament was in this particular connection is better than "good." 4a,CIK,C10)Kibter t.4 Nkri t`4"' At I t:FJ CI 1 OreYEVY finished and given to the world, May 17, 1881, The "joyful noise" of the Bishops' Version is a fill ,W,I 10'0.0,1 KAI I / rocs. m.-riv.4 :It little too boisterous, but it prepares the way for I AI cl rre Xcic1,12" under the greatest enthusiasm. It is estimated that "rejoicing." "Doubtless" is also an important 3,000,000 copies of different editions were sold addition; it is suggested in the original Hebrew in England and America in less than a year. Three by the repetition of "come." years later the Old Testament was completed. We shall bring these little studies in words to a Nearly fourteen years of scholarship was placed close by giving one example showing the influence From the Sinaiticus Manuscript discovered by upon the English Revised Version as against about Tischendorf 1844, of the Reims Version. Tyndale renders Rom. 3:25: one half of that time in the revision of the 1611 "Whom God hath made a Beate of mercy thorow version. to use the word "Ghost" without modification as The American Revision Committee still continued faith in his blood." Coverdale changed "seate applying to the Spirit of God. There are many, their labors during. the fourteen years following, of mercy" to "the obtainer of mercy," the 3 other instances of this lack of uniformity. and thus secured the benefit of the criticisms of Genevan to "a pacification;" the Reims rendered Eminent scholars alone or in small groups have it, "Whom God bath proposed a propitiation;" the scholars of Christendom during that period. given us excellent translations and revisions of the At the end of that time they prepared the American finally the Authorized reads: "Whom God hath Bible in whole or in part since the version of 1611.• set forth to be a propitiation." The beauty and Standard Revised- Version, embodying the result of These are helpful and suggestive to the Bible stu- the ripest and most devout scholarship of the appropriateness of the final form is obvious. dent, but they have lacked the authority and con- Needless to say, the foregoing examples are a very world. This edition was published by Thomas fidence which a large body of men of different Nelson & Sons in 1901. few out of thousands that might be given, but they schools of religious thought inspire. Among these are sufficient to show the skill and patience that we may mention Harwood's translation in modern Some Differences between the English characterized the work of the noble men who risked English in 1768; Blayney's revision of the Bible and American Revisions their lives to give the Bible to the people. They in 1769; Wakefield's New Testament in 1791; Litth3 or no change was made in the superior show also, the writer believes, that the translators Newcome's New Testament on Griesbach's Text, paragraph division of the text. There is greater consciously or unconsciously worked after a certain 1800; Thomson's translation of the Septuagint, pattern, and this has resulted in the formation of 1808; Bellamy 's translation of the Bible, 1821; a sacred dialect. Those who wish to follow up this Campbell's New Testament, 1826; Boothioyd 's Bible, interesting study can do so by means of books to 1824; Noah Webster 's Version •in 1833; Alford 's be found in any good city library. New Testament; Spurrell's Old Testament, 1885; Loeser 's Old Testament (a Jewish translation), 1888; the Twentieth Century New Testament; Roth- erham's Emphatic Translation; Murdock's Syriac New Testament translation; besides the transla- tion of books of the Bible by eminent men like Bishop Lowth, Good, Wintle, and many others. Bela azzdr's existence was once disputed and the The Latest General Revision book o Daniel discredited; research found the above baked clay cylinder on which is inscribed a prayer But there is one version which more fully meets Cylinder of Cyrus, inscribed with an account of of Na onid/us King of Babylon on behalf of his son the capture of Babylon, B.C. 539 (British Museum) this need than any other; namely, the Anglo- Belsha zar. (From British Museum.)

W1CLIF —1380. TYNDALE —1534. CRANMER-1539. GENEVA —1557. RHEIMS —1582. AUTHORISED —1611, he schal sende his aungelis a schal gadere then shall he sende his angels/ and shall he sende his angels, and shall gather to- sende his Angels, and shot gather together send his Angels, and shal gather together send his Angels, and shal gather together his chosun fro the foure wyndia fro the gaddre to gedder his electe from the gether his electe from the fowre wyndes, his elects from the foure wyndes, and from his elect from the foure vvindes, from the his elect from the foure winds, from the hi5ist thing of erthe til to the hi5ist thing fower wyndes/ and from the one ende of from the ende of the erthe, to the vtte.• the one ende of the world to the other. vttermost part of the earth to the utter- vttermost part of the earth, to the otter- of heuene/ the worlde to the other. most parse of heauen. " Learnt a similitude of the fygge tree. most part of heauen. .8 And of the fig- most part of heauen. 2, Now learn a 22 but of the fige tre, leerne 5e the pa- Learn a similitude of the fygge tree. " Learn a symilitude of the fygge tree. When her bough is now tender, and bring- tree learn ye a parable. Vvhen now the parable of the fig tree. When her branch rable/ whanne now his braunchis is tendre/ When his braunches are yet tender/ and When his braunche ii yet tender, and bath eth forth leases. ye knowe that sommer is bough thereof is tender, and the 'canes is yet tender, and putteth forth leaues, ye and leues ben sprungen oute, ;e knowen hath brought forthe levee/ ye knowe that brought forth leaues, ye knowe, that am:ri- neare. come forth, you know that sommer is very know that summer is seers " So ye in that sourer is nyy "so whanne 5e seen sommer is scare. as So in lyke maser mer is nears. " So ye in tyke maner 25 So in tyke maner. when ye see these nigh. 19 so you also when you shot see like manor, when ye shal see these things these thingia be don' wite pc that it is when ye se these thinges come to passe : when ye se these thynges come to passe: thinges come to passe, vnderstaad, that these things come to passe, know ye come to passe, know that it is nigh, even ny; in the dorisi " truly I eeye to ;ou vnderstondi that it ys nye even at the vuderstand, that he is- nye mien at the the kyngdome of God is nye, men at the that it is very nigh, at the doores. " Amen at the Sores. a, Gerdy I say unto you, that this generacioun schal not passe doves. ss Verely I eaye vino your that doves.. Uerely I saye vats you, that dorm. o Verely I say onto you, that this I say to you, that this generation shal that this generation shall not passe, till / tyll all thys generacion shall not passe, tyll these age shal not passe, tyl all these thynges not passe, vntil al these things be done. all these things be done, awey til ells these thingie be don: s' hen. this generacion shall not passe et 81 Heauen and ene and erthe scholen passe but my these thinges be done. at Hoven and thinges be done. Heauen and girth shall be done. 5" Heauen and earth shill passe, Heaven and earth shal passe, but my earth shal passe away but my words wordia achulen not passe/ crib shall passe/ but my wordes shall not passe, but my wordes shall not :passe, but my wordes shal not passe. vvordes shal not passe. shall not passe away. A Specimen of Six Different Versions (Mark 13: 27-31) from Bagster's Hexapla New Testament SIGNS OF THE TIMES

uniformity of rendering and more smoothness and walked mechanically to a center-table, and opening 383-404.- Jerome's revisions and translations. About 400.- The Ethiopic Version. eauty in the places where it differs from the the single Book which lay on the marble top, her About 400.- The Armenian Version. English. In many places it has come nearer to the eye fell upon these words: " I will never leave After 400.- The Targums in written form. 400-500.-The Georgian Version. King James Version. One of the chief differences thee nor forsake thee." About 590.- The Sahidic Version. is the use of the term "Jehovah," the covenant, An emotion of tenderness born of her old-time About 670.- Cwdmon's Paraphrases of the Bible. memorial name of God, instead of the indeterminate About 700.- The Bohairic Version. love of God and trust in His promises suddenly 674-735.- Venerable Bede- the Gospel of "Lord" or "God," printed tho they are in capi- stole into her heart. Still bending over the precious John. tals. When God specially reveals Himself by that • Before 709.- Aldhelm of Malmesbury - first An- Book, the gathering tears beginning to dim her glo-Saxon translation of the name, why should Jewish superstition be permitted eyes, she read on: "Jesus Christ, the same yester- Psalms. Before 709.- Egbert - a translation of the Gos- to shut it, with all the fulness of its meaning, from day, and to-day, and forever." The comfort which pels. the child of God? See Ex. 34:6, 7. How some pas- these passages of Scripture brought to her it was 848-901.- King Alfred- embodied Penta- sages glow and shine when read with "Jehovah" teuchal laws in his national Code. impossible to describe. The black clouds of un- About 950.-A ldred- interlinear Anglo-Saxon instead of "Lord"! "Jehovah" (it may be -,ro- belief and doubt sullenly, but quickly, rolled away. paraphrase of the Gospels (Lin- nounced " Yaveh," or Yaweh," or "Jahweh; " that Tlio . disfarne Gospels). T•lorious sunlight of divine love and protection 970-1000.- Abbot 2Elfrie produced "the Durham matters little) and its wonderful meaning is God's shone in upon her soul, and the bow of promise 'Gospels," also an Anglo-Saxon ver- note in blank to the believer, which he may fill sion of the Pentateuch, Joshua, seemed to span the arch through which she looked Judges, etc. out with any of God's promises according to his toward the beneficent days that were near at hand. About 1215.- The Ormulum - metrical version of need. Pharaoh did not ask, "Who is the Lord, parts of the Gospels and the ActS. She was no longer alone; and this assurance ,came . About 1320.- Psalter in English prose, credited that I should obey His voice?" nor did he say, to her heart like a balm and a blessing. Her per- to William of Shoreham. About 1340.- Rolle of Hampole translated 'the "I know not the Lord." Ex. 5: 2. But he did turbed and distracted mind was at rest now; the Psalter into English. ask: "Who is Jehovah, that I should harken unto bygone joy, peace, and trust sat again upon the 1380.- Wyclif's transla,tion of the New Tes- tament completed. His voice? . . . I know not Jehovah." But he throne of her heart, and held more potent, loving 1382.- Wyclif's Bible with help of Nicholas knew lords many. The American Standard Re- sway than ever. "Jesus Christ, the same yester- of Hereford completed. 1388.-Purvey's harmonization of Wyclif vised Version substitutes "who" and "that" for day, and to-day, and forever!" she kept saying to and Hereford's work. "which" when relating to persons. Our God is 1454.-Prviennttiendg from movable types in- herself, over and over. d. a personal God. It is not "Our Father which art Quieted and perfectly self-poised now, she gave 1455.- ricioitmedp.lete Bible - the Vulgate in heaven," but "Our Father who art in heaven." her orders with .the assurance of an experienced (1503.- First Hebrew grammar published.) "Foreign" and "foreigner" are substituted for traveler. She ate a hearty supper, went to her (1506.- First Hebrew lexicon published.) 1516.-First Greek New Testament - Eras- "strange" and "stranger," in harmony with com- room, and in time to her bed, with as great a sense mus'- appeared. 1522.-Luther's New Testament in German. mon usage. "Its" is substituted for "his" and of security as if she had been in her own house. 1523.- Tyndale goes to London to trans- "her" when referring to impersonal objects. As She slept peacefully, and awoke at her usual time late the Bible. 1524.- Tyndale withdraws from London to in the English Revision, the Psalms are giden in in the morning, thoroly refreshed. Hamburg and Wittenberg. 1525.- Tyndale's New Testament printed poetical form, and quotations from the Old Testa- Unexpected facilities for transacting her trying at Cologne and Worms. ment in the New set in narrower measure, with business opened up on all sides. She was uniformly 1526-9.- Tyndale's New Testaments burned at St. Paul's in London. reference in the margin. The Old Testament names treated with respect. Her questions were promptly 1528.-Latin Bible of Pagninus. used in the New Testament retain the Old Testa- 1529.- Zurich Bible completed. answered. She was marvelously aided in her quest, 1530.- Tyndale printed his translation of ment form. "Elijah" in the 'Old Testament is not and her mission proved successful. the Pentateuch. 1534-5.-Sebastian Muenster's Latin Version "Elias" in the New, but "Elijah;" "Elisha" is Had it not been for that copy of the Bible found of the Old Testament. not "Eliseus," nor is "Hosea" "Osee," nor Tyndale's revision of his Penta- so opportunely in her pathway, she was sure she teuch and New Testament. "Joshua" "Jesus," as in the King James Ver- would have taken the next return train home with- 1535.- 011vetan's French Bible. Coverdale's Bible reaches England. sion. This change is helpful to many readers. out being able to make an effort even toward the 1536.-Tyndale strangled and burned at There are many other changes equally happy and accomplishment of her mission. The Bible in the Vilvorde Castle, October 6. 1537.- Coverdale's Bible licensed by royal helpful, and the American Standard Revised Ver- hotel was in the right place.- American Messenger. authority. sion retains the simple, sweet, dignified, strong John Rogers's "Matthew" Bible dis- --(4c - tributed by authority of Henry Anglo-Saxon of the King James Version. It is VIII. 1539.-"The Great Bible," edited by Cover- the 1611 version reborn, the best translation of Chinese Famine Fund dale, authorized by Cromwell. the Bible we have. Taverner's Bible. The appeal for the needy often touches the 1540.- The Great Bible issued with Cran- mer's Preface. hearts of those least able to give. Our largest 1543.- Royal restrictions on public and donation save one which we record this week private reading of the Bible. comes from a church in the far West Indies not 1545-6.- Council of Trent, establishing Ro- The Hotel Bible man Catholic canon of the Bible. rich in this world's goods. But they have suf- 1546.-Wholesale destruction of Bibles. A SMALL party of friends gathered about a cozy fered in the past. Touching letters often accom- 1551.- Castalio's Latin Bible. pany these gifts. As we are nearing the time Stephanus' Greek New Testament. tea-table were discussing the propriety of the Bible 1553-8.- Persecution and martyrdom of Cran- when crops will relieve the famine we make no mer, Ridley, Latimer, John Rogers, Society's placing copies of the Holy Scriptures in further appeal. After two weeks from this issue and hundreds of others. railroad-cars, steamers, hotels, and other places of we shall list no more on the Famine Fund, unless 1557.-Geneva New Testament, by Whit- tingham. public resort. it is especially requested. 1560.-Genevan Version of the Bible. 1568.-The Bishops' Bible. One or two of this party raised the objection to Previously reported $466.85 1579.- The Latin Old Testament by Tre- the practise that in such public places the Bible Young People's Society, Ferndale, mellius. Wash. 4.75 1582.- The Reims New Testament. often received rude and careless treatment at the J. Forsch 2.60 1609-10.- The Douai Old Testament. hands of irreverent and irreligious persons. Clifford Jennings 3.00 1611.- The "Authorized Version." Mrs. Elsie Stafford .25 1614.- Slightly altered edition of "Author- After all the rest had expressed an opinion, a Mrs. M. Benton .25 ized•Version." Mrs. Freda Bissegar 5.00 1629.-A revision of the "Authorized Ver- woman, the sweet graces of whose Christian charac- Lon Somers and friends 8.00 sion." Joseph A. Snyder 7.50 1701.-BishopnoLlolgoyyfi's Bible with Usher's ter gave her a wide-reaching influence in the village, L. Tissaw 1.00 related this touching incident of personal experi- Miss Selina. Patterson 5.00 1762.- Cambridge Bible by Blayney. W. A. Sweany 20.00 1844.- Tischendorf discovers ancient Greek ence: H. P. Wilcox 2.00 Manuscript at Mt. Sinai. It seems that two or three years after her con- A Friend 2.00 1857.- Tregelles's critical Greek text of Mrs. Stephen Norton 2.00 Revelation. version and union with the church, troubles- came "G. W." 1.50 1870.- First definite 'step toward revision. Axel Nelson 7.50 1881.- Revised Version-New Testament. upon her and her family. Instead of bearing her Miss E. J. Johnson 5.00 1885.- Revised Version of Bible Complete. trials with patience and submission, she lost faith Mrs. C. R. Austin 25.00 1895.- Revised Apocrypha. D. H. Kress 1.00 MIL-American Standard Revised Version. in the goodness of. God, in His ever-watchful care, $570.20 doubted the genuineness of her conversion, ceased Total to pray, to read her Bibje, or even to think of Young Ladies seeking divine guidance. Important Dates Regarding the Bible FOUR young ladies and two middle aged women While in this pitiable state, circumstances made wanted at once at the Vegetarian Cafeteria, Los it imperative for her to visit the city of New York [Condensed from "The Ancestry of Our English Bible," by Ira Maurice Price, Sunday School Angeles, Cal. Good wages. Good home. Eight on a very painful matter of business. She was of Times Company, Philadelphia] hours work. Opportunity Car missionary work. a retiring disposition, unused to traveling, and had B. C. 284-132.-Probable date of the translation of Address E. G. Fulton, 259 S. Hill Street, Los never been in a large city. the Septuagint. Angeles, California. When on her journey, in the cars, a slight act A. D. 128.- Aquila's Greek translation of the of courtesy led her to make the acquaintance of a Old Testament. About 150.-The Syriac Old Testament. A Brief but Comprehensive Treatise covering the gentleman and his wife, who took her under their 180-192.- Theodotion's Greek translation of protection, and after their arrival in the city, went the Old Testament. History and Doctrine of the Sabbath and Sunday 193-211.- Symmachus' Greek translation of out of their way to leave her at the entrance of a the Old Testament. Controversy from Crea- In 206.- The Old Latin Version of the Bible tion to the Present. Truth respectable hotel. extant. The LORD'S DAY Origen: Hexanla of the Old Testa- supported by Scripture, She ascended the stairs oppressed with an almost 186-254.- The Test of the Ages ment. Historical Fact, and Ar- overwhelming sense of loneliness mingled with the 260-340.-Eusebius of Caesarea: Revision of consciousness of an utter inability to perform the Origen's Greek text. gument. A Multum in Parvo on the Sabbath chies- Before 311.- Lucian's revision of the Septuagint. errand she bad in hand. On being ushered into Before 311.- Hesychius' revision of the SeptnaL tion. Illustrated; 128 pp.; PACIFIC PRESS • gint.. View, Cal. the capacious and elegantly-furnished parlors, she 310-383.- The Gothic Version of Mfilas. price 10 cents post-paid. ,Mountain SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Glendale Sanitarium Training School for Approximate Chronology Missionary Nurses "Type and Antitype"— a booklet giving the WE desire at least twenty-five young people for Scriptural and historical facts, physical and cli- our nurses' class beginning June 1, 1911. Appli- matic conditions, and astronomical calculations, that cants will be admitted to class any time during enable us to establish in our own modern calendar May and June, but it will be well for each one to time the exact date of the Passover, Crucifixion, and PUBLISHED WEEKLY • enter as early as possible. Resurrection of Jesus. Price 25 cents. Address (Entered Sept. 15, 1904, as second-class matter at the H. H. Perry, 67 19th St., San Diego, California, Mountain View, Cal., post-office, under Act of Congress of We are now able to offer a very strong course, March j3, 1879. ) one in which an exceptionally large amount of or your tract society secretary. valuable practical experience can be obtained. Our Editor Milton C. Wilcox Associate Editor L. A. Reed proximity to Los Angeles enables us to give our nurses thoro training along all lines, each nurse spending some time in visiting nurses' work in Manuscripts should be addressed to the edi- tor. Address all business and make all money- this city. We desire to put at least twelve nurses orders, etc., payable to the Signs of the Times, into the city during the next few months to help Mountain View, California. do the work in Los Angeles that we are being called to do in all of our large cities. We can do this and N. B. We send no papers from this office to indiiidualo without pay in advance. When persons receive copies with- more ,if our young people will respond to this call. out ordering them, they are sent by other parties, and we can give no information in regard to them. Persons thus The training that we can offer is one which many receiving copies of the Stows are not indebted to the office, if not all of our young people, should have to pre- and will not be called upon to pay for them. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends pare them for active missionary service whether as to read. nurses, canvassers, or Bible workers. We are just about to open up a surgical ward SUBSCRIPTION RATES in our sanitarium which will greatly increase our Three months $0.50 Six months .90 surgical and obstetrical work. One year (50 numbers) 1.75 Those desiring to enter, apply as early as possible With "Questions and Answers" 2.00 to Belle' Wood-Comstock, Superintendent Training 1. One new yearly subscription and one renewal, or two School, Glendale, California. new yearly subscriptions, sent at one time, $3.00. 2. Two new yearly subscriptions and one renewal, or three new yearly subscriptions, sent at one time, $4.00. 3. Three new yearly subscriptions and one renewal, or For Sale four new yearly subscriptions, sent at one time, $5.00. Sample copies sent on application. Our home in Mountain View, California. Cot- Weekly and Monthly SIGNS one year, combined, $2.25. tage of four rooms, bathroom, pantry, screened The May Number porch. Good cellar 22x22. City water and sewer Of this interesting magazine will contain sev- DATE OF EXPIRATION connections. Two lots 100 x 150 feet; fenced. eral timely articles of special interest to our The SIGNS wrapper bears date of last issue due on your Water piped to garden; six outside hydrants. readers. subscription. Unless renewed in advance, paper stops with Chicken yard 30 x 100 feet, and barn for 50 fowls. The Transmission of Disease expiration date. Variety of 32 choice two-year-old fruit trees. If herewith is an order-blank, you will know you havo Through Milk overlooked sending renewal. You will not wish to miss Blackberries, raspberries, logan berries, straw- Dr. Kress contributes his second article on a single issue. Back numbers often can not be furnished. berries, and grapes in bearing to supply family. this important subject. You will be glad C. H. Jones, Circulation Manager. Also garden. Three blocks from Seventh-day to read it. Adventist church and church school. The property Healing by Hypnotic Suggestion is good. The price is right. Called to another Another article of special interest by Prof. field, reason for selling. Address J. H. Behrens, Gee. W. Rine. The professor considers these Box 1304, Fresno, California. methods as used in the Emmanuel Movement, and contrasts them with the methods of Christ. This - is an important subject and IN THREE DAYS well worth your consideration. Royal Canners Socialism a Sign of the Times You can make a good living on a small piece of ground In this article the author shows the present SAN FRANCISCO with one of our Royal Fruit and Vegetable Canners. Good agitation of popular government, the gov- money in canning for the market. ernment by the people, as exampled in the Easy to learn. We teach you how. movements of Socialism, Republicanism, and Our methods retain all the delicate, Democracy in all parts of the world as not natural flavors. A splendid Health only foretold, but also prefigured in the Overland Limited Food Business all your own. Write to-day for our illustrated circulars. prophecy of Daniel 2. Every thinking Full equipments from $8.50 to person will be interested in reading this. TAKES YOU $25.00. Also cans, labels, etc. An Epitome of History in Prophecy HOME SUPPLY & MFG. CO. By M. C. Wilcox. The history of the world Chattanooga, Tenn. from the time of Babylon, over 500 years Building, Department D. News before Christ, on through to the end of time, is traced, and the historical changes pictured To Chicago in prophetic emblems. Highly instructive. The Portents of Trouble and What They Mean Is of more than usual interest and impor- The Vegetarian tance. By the editor. Hundreds of think- ACROSS GREAT SALT LAKE ing men and women in the world to-day see AND greater troubles portending than actually exist, as yet. A harvest is about to be Cook Book reaped; there are breakers ahead; there is HIGH SIERRA BY DAYLIGHT a crisis approaching in America, even in the United States, appalling, and yet certain. If the agent doesn't call on you, send ten II cents for a copy. By E. G. FULTON Luxurious High-class Equipment SIGNS OF THE TIMES MOUNTAIN VIEW CALIFORNIA Electric Lighted Throughout HE author has had years of experi- ence in vegetarian cookery and in the management of vegetarian cafes and cafeterias. With its aid the Uncle Ben's Cobblestones. Familiar talks with Pullman Drawing-room chef, cook, or housewife is able to prepare boys and girls about the common articles of every- Stateroom appetizing, healthful meals without the use of day use, such as air, water, sunshine, fire, smoke, Vestibuled Sleeping-cars any flesh food. glass, coal, salt, paper, matches, etc. Careful and Attentive Dining This book contains 419 pages, including Uncle Ben has a very pleasing way of telling Service a handy and well-arranged index of all the about the origin and use of these various things. recipes given. Parlor Observation-car with There is a ray of sunshine streaming throughout Library and Cafe the whole book, and yet it does not touch the Ladies' Reading-room Tastily bound in cloth, price, fickle so prevalent in books for children. post - paid, $ 1.00 Gentlemen's Smoking-room The purpose of the book, aside from the use- Daily News Bulletins ful information given, seems to be soul-culture, for we observe on every page a moral fragrance Latest Papers and Magazines Pacific Press Publishing Assn. that will impress young minds in the right way. Uncle Ben tells about more than one hundred dif- Mountain View, Calfornia ferent things in all, and intersperses with happy Portland, Ore. Calgary, Alberta. Kansas City, Mo. thoughts that bring good cheer to young and old. Southern Pacific 221 pages, price, $1.00. Address this office.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Labor leaders say :that their arrest is legalized kid- A Year of the Bible Society naping and is for the purpose of injuring the cause "For :the first time the British and Foreign of union labor. It would be well for an inflam- Bible Society has issued over 6,000,000 copies of mable public to possess their souls in patience, and the Scriptures in one year. Of these 843,784 were await the evidence of a due process of law before Bibles, 1,198,226 were Testaments, and 4,578,014 jumping at conclusions either way. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL.; MAY 9, 1911 were _portions. Nearly 6,500,000 more were cir- culated by the Scottish, Hibernian, American, Ger- Our authority is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. When the Common . ("King. James" The Little Portraits, on Page Four,— SoMe man, Dutch, and Scandinavian societies; and if we or "Authorized") Version or the American Standard Re- add to these those sold- by ordinary publishers, it vised - Version is wied, the version 'will 'not generally be of them are familiar; others less known. Wyclif designated in reference. Any Bible quotation in this paper, was- the one who first gave the whole Bible to the raises the total circulation of Bibles or portions therefore, differing from the Common Version, unless other- wise indicated, will be almost invariably from the American people. William Tyndale's version strongly in- to • 15,000,000 in one year. The popular report Standard edition of the- Revised Bible, copyright 1910, by of the British and Foreign Bible Society may well Thomas Nelson & Sons. finenced all that followed. Miles Coverdale trans- say that no book can compete with it in the number For further particulars, subscription rates, etc., see page 15. lated the first English Bible to be printed, dated October 4, 1535. Thomas Cranmer was no doubt circulated. .0ver 3,500,000 copies were sold by the a patrOn of Miles Coverdale. Matthew Parker, Arch- different societies in China, mainly Gospels or Psal- Contained in This Issue bishop of Canterbury, with twelve bishops, was ters." General PAGE responsible kir the Bishops' Bible. Sir Henry The first Japanese Dreadnought, Aki, has The Annals of the English Bible Savile and Lancelot Andrewes, Dean of West- been launched. Its displacement is 19,750 tons; By M. E. Olsen - - 3, 4, 11, 12, 13 minster, were among the translators of the "Au- speed, 20.2 knots; armor, belt 9 inches, main gun Later Revisions and Versions thorized Version.” King James was royal patron By the Editor - - - 5, 13, 14 positions 10 to 8 inches; armament, 4 forty-five of the enterprise. For these and other illustrations Influence of the Bible on the English caliber. 12-inch guns, 12 forty-five caliber 10-inch, we are indebted to that magnificent journal, The Language. By L. A. Reed - 6 12 forty-five caliber 6-inch; 5 submerged torpedo Illustrated London News. The One Living, Ever Present-Day Book tubes. The distribution of her guns is considered 7 By George W. Rine defective. The turbine engines and propellers are The Power of the Word to Save of American design and manufacture. The Aki By C. L. Taylor - - 8 This Issue is 492 feet long, 84 feet broad, and has a draft of Blessings of Bible Study By Mrs. E. G. White - THIS paper is not a typical number, better and 2834 feet. The mate to the Aki, the Satsuma, is The Bible and Religious Liberty fuller in some respects, not so good in others. In practically complete. By W. A. Colcord 10 its articles on the Bible it is indeed a valuable num- Description of Title-Page of Great Bible ber, worthy of the largest circulation, and worth It seems to a perfectly non-prejudiced on- By M. E. Olsen - - 2 preserving; but these articles have crowded out looker as tho the labor organizations would gain Our Bible Bard - - - 2 valuable and interesting departments. immensely in prestige if they would declare — and Important Dates Regarding the Bible 14 Our Question Corner waits till next week, with act accordingly — that they are willing to submit The Hotel Bible - - - 14 twoscore questions of interest on hand yet un- all charges to a fair trial and sufficient evidence, Poetry answered, and coming in at the rate of front three let the guilt fall where it will. Whoever wants the The Book of God - - to five a day. guilty to go free, we do not believe that the strong- The Spirit-Filled Life We have sacrificed our Missions department, with By Llewellyn A. Morrison est union-hater wants an innocent man to suffer. articles of interest from China and Burma waiting. The Bible 8 Our Outlook department, with its special articles, Luther. By George E. Tack - 10 • • will be missed by many of our readers. But all A new book has been written describing an A Little More Bible 12 these departments will appear next week filled to imaginary coming of Christ to Paris. Ile was re- the full with information and spiritual uplift. ceived. He preached the same old doctrine. It The Bible number is typical in this respect,— that took hold upon government and people for a time, It is a blessed thing to know•that men may all the numbers that follow it will be Biblical but it was not commercially a success, and the au- purchase copies of the Word of Life for the merest numbers. They will not be on the Bible or about the thorities politely asked Him to leave, and He de- pittance; and if one has not the means, he may ob- Bible, but the Bible will speak through the coming parted. tain it free. And faith may' grasp the Word of numbers its great vital, saving, upbuilding truth. God read from a ten cent Bible and find it as Above all things else the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is a The inspiration of the Bible does not per- effectual as tho read in a $50,000 Bible. Bible paper. Our motto is ever before us: "Even tain to the English or translating language, but to the originals, the words given of God, that holy — 4t — as we have been approved of God to be en- men of old spoke, moved by the Holy Spirit. Those God has borne emphatic witness to the trusted with the Gospel, so we speak; not as words are inspired. Says David, "The Spirit of souls who have not known Him, in the English pleasing men, but God, who proveth our God spoke by me, and His Word was in my tongue." world, for three hundred and more ye•ars, in the hearts." testimony of Himself in _His Book. But His law The SIGNS OF THE TIMES will teach the old veri- of witness is twofold; the complement of the Book ties, ancient and eternal as the ages; Christ taught The Reciprocity Bill on which President is His people, in which that Word. is written in new ' them and lived them. It will teach the new things, Taft set his heart, passed the Democratic House hearts, new lives, holy motives, and righteous deeds. God's truth for this time, revealed in His Word, April 21 by la vote of 264 to 89; 10 Democrats Are you witnessing with the Books for our admonition "upon whom the ends of the voting against _it, a17: Republicans. The ma- ages are come." Study them with us. jority of the Republican minority were on 'the Our Home department will talk to all classes, and negative side.' The Word of Gpd, like its divine Author, '• for a time especially our :young men' and young does not lose in power as ages lapse. That Word women. Every department- Will be' filled. There which spoke health to the palsied, sight to the The Southern Pacttic, by refusing to sell its will be something for every one whd looks upon life blind, hearing to-the deaf, power to the impotent, holdings in Oregon within a certain time to bona as worth while. ' cleansing to the leper, life to the dead, is potent 1de settlers, has forfeited, it is stated, ,2,400,000 The paper is $1.75 a year. With premiuni. boOk to do the same to-day if faith' will but grasp it acres, worth $75,000,000. An appeal will probably "Questions and Answers," of nearly 300 pages, or let it do its work. He who said to the leper, be taken to the Federal Supreme Court. and more than 250 questions answered, neatly bound "Be thou clean," and cleansing followed, will speak in cloth, $2.00. The subscription price of this to the sinner, "Be thou clean," and immediately six-month series is 90 cents. See page 15. Sub- Present naval plans in this Government call he will be cleansed, if he will come as did the leper. scribe now. Price of this number, 5 cents. for the building of two battle-ships, 28,000 tons dis- placement each, 16-inch armor!plate, and ten 14-ineh guns for main battery. Oil is proposed instead of April 22 Joliu. J. McNamara, secretary- The highest price -- $50,000 — ever paid coal. „reasurer of the International Association of Bridge, for any book was paid by H. E. Huntington, at the Structural, and- Oinaniental Iron Workers, was ar- great Hoe sale in New York, April 24. - It was for The new senator, James Aloysius O'Gor- rested at Indianapolis while attending a secret meet- the first book and Bible ever printed, from 'movable man; from New York, elected after 74 days of ing of the executive committee of his union, on the types the. Gutenberg Bible. Bernard Quatrieh deadlock, is a Roman Catholic, but is said to be a charge of planning the destruction of the Los Angeles paid $20,000 fourteen years ago. He sold it to man of ability, strength, and moral purpose. Times, and other outrages; with furnishing money Hoe for $22,500. For the third book ever put in for the same; and with 'sending men to carry out his English tyPe by English printers, a work compiled Twenty-three miners were entombed by an plans. His brother James B. McNamara of Cin- by Juliana Berners, printed by Caxton 1486, Mr. cinnati, and Ortie E. McManigal, of .Cliidago, have explosion in a coal-mine near Elk Garden, West Vir- Huntington paid $12,000. any also been arrested, the former charged with the ex- ginia, April 24. It is not thought possible that plosion of the Times building October 1, 1910, re- could survive. _ *— sulting in the loss of twenty-one lives, and the latter The "Appeal to Reason': of April 15 notes with similar crimes. The case against them has eight different Socialist mayors elected in as many With the arrival of reinforcements the been engineered by detective W. J. Burns, who de- different cities in the United States, and great gains Turkish government is gradually becoming master clares that he has a perfect case against the men. in other places. of the Arabian rebellion.