tions. By thus uniting with themselves the most prominent persons in this department of learning, who were found in other communions than their own, they, at the very outset and with great wisdom, gave to their work a national character. The revision became a revision for the English people, by this means, instead of being a mere private undertaking, like others which have been entered upon by individuals or companies of persons at different times. In the same spirit with which they had called in the services of these other English scholars, in August of the same year they opened negotiations for the organization of a coöperating committee in this country. The organization was not completed, however, until after a considerable interval, so that the first meeting of the American committee was not held until the close of the year 1871, and the first meeting for active work in the revision, until October, 1872. The action of the body of revisers in England, which asked for and resulted in the formation of a similar body in the United States, was taken with the design of making the new revision one that should be accepted and used by the entire English-speaking race. The enterprise became, thus, one of the highest importance and of the most farreaching influence. It was undertaken at a very favorable time. It is, certainly, to be hoped that the results will be worthy of a favorable reception everywhere.

The relation of the work to the Convocation of Canterbury,its commencement being due to their action, and the original committee of revision being appointed by them,-gives it a certain authority in England, such as could not have been otherwise gained. No action of a body outside of the Established Church, or of a company of scholars uniting together voluntarily for the purpose, could have commended the work so widely. The desirableness of such authority and commendation must be evident to all. The representatives of other denominations, however, were received into full membership of the committee. They were not consulted merely in their individual capacity, or asked to meet together by themselves, but they were made revisers in the same sense with the representatives of the Anglican Church. The result, therefore, was that the Convocation created a body which was composed of persons outside of its own limits, as well as of those within them, and gave its authoritative sanction to a work which should be done equally by them all. We may add, that, very fortunately, it created a body quite independent of itself, so that the revision which should be made would not be subject to

its acceptance, but would go forth to the world from those from whom it ought to go forth, and would be their work in every sense. It would have, thus, whatever advantage might be given by the authoritative sanction involved in the original creative act, and the authoritative influence which no ecclesiastical organization could impart to it, but which must be derived from the acknowledged scholarly merits of those engaged in the work, and from these alone. The British committee includes the scholars of most eminence in the several branches of the Church, many of whom have become widely known in this country,—such men as Trench, and Ellicott, and Lightfoot, and Westcott, and Tregelles, and many others. This body holds a session for four days in every month-the company for the revision of the Old Testament meeting in one place, and that for the revision of the New in another. They have progressed in their work, as we understand, as far as the book of Acts. The revision already made of the Gospels, however, is only a first revision. The whole is to be again reviewed, and the completed work is to be the result of this second careful examination. It is supposed that as much as seven years will elapse before the end is reached and the translation of the Bible, as revised, is submitted to the churches in Great Britain and America.

The American committee was originally called together by an invitation from Dr. Schaff, and has since been enlarged by the election of a number of members. It includes a very large portion of the Biblical scholars whose reputation stands highest in the country, and representatives from all the leading Christian denominations. The scholarship of this country being in larger proportion outside of the Episcopal Church than it is in England, -and very naturally so, inasmuch as we have no established church here, the non-Episcopal members compose the great majority of the committee. Eminent persons connected with the Episcopal Church, however, are in the companies having in charge the work in each of its departments, and the authorities of that church seem to be as favorably disposed toward the undertaking as they are in England. The reception of the work in this country, as it shall be completed, will naturally be dependent on the public estimate of the ability of these scholars. It is earnestly to be desired that the two bodies in the two great English-speaking nations may so ably perform their task and may so harmoniously coöperate in it, that the revision may take the place, in the future, which the version of 1611 has so long held. The American com

mittee, in two sections, of which one, as in England, is devoted to the revision of the Old Testament and the other to that of the New Testament,-hold their sessions during two days of every month in the city of New York. Their work has now been going forward for nearly a year, the principles of revision and the rules of their action being similar to those of the English body.

In the volume, whose title we give in connection with this notice, Dr. Schaff, who had so important a part in the organization of the work in this country, presents, in an Introduction of about fifty pages, an account of the whole matter from its first inception in England The rules under which the committees are acting are given, and also a general statement of the improvements and changes which would seem to be required in the authorized version. All who are interested in this work of revision, which, being undertaken under such favorable circumstances, seems to give promise of success, will find in the volume such information as they will naturally desire. The three treatises, which the volume includes, are by three of the ablest scholars of England. The one by Archbishop Trench was published several years ago. It contains rather suggestions respecting what might well be done in such a work, than intimations as to what was likely to be done at an early day. Indeed the author seems not only not to have expected a revision to be undertaken at that time, but not even to have thought it altogether desirable that it should be. But within the years which have passed since the original publication of his essay, so great changes have taken place and there has been so much progress in public sentiment, that a suitable time for beginning the work has, to the view of the great majority of reflecting persons, already arrived, and this author is a prominent member of the committee. The essays of Bishop Ellicott and Professor Lightfoot, which were first printed about three years ago, will put the reader in possession of the views of both the more conservative and the more advanced of the advocates of revision among the English scholars. It is gratifying to know, as those who examine this volume will perceive, that the conservative scholars are willing to make changes and the progressive ones are unwilling to go too far. By the agreement of all, the work is not to be that of newly translating the Bible, but only that of revising the old and well-known version. A new book-in any proper sense of that term-is not to be put into the hands of the churches. The old book, which, in its beauty and excellence, has been so precious a treasure to English-speaking

Christians, and which has, in its very phraseology, worked its way into their inmost life, is to be preserved, with only those changes which may be regarded as necessary. That changes are necessary cannot be questioned. That they can well be made, and how they can be made, will be readily seen by those who will give careful attention to the suggestions of these essays. The one by Professor Lightfoot is the more minute and thorough of the two. Its author is, perhaps, the most cultivated and prominent scholar in England, so far as the Greek of the New Testament is concerned. He has examined the question of revision briefly, but in detail, in these pages, and the failings of the authorized version which he points out and the corrections and improvements which he proposes are presented in a most successful and satisfactory way. No one can follow him, as he sets forth his views, without being impressed with the importance of the work and with the wisdom which characterizes his suggestions. We suppose the American revisers, as a body, will sympathize with Professor Lightfoot and the more progressive part of the English scholars. The force of conservatism in this country, in this matter, is almost wholly dependent on the attachment of individual minds to old and familiar phraseology. In England, on the other hand, there is a kind of organized conservatism, and it is vastly more difficult to resist it or gain the victory over it. There is no strong tendency here, however, we are quite sure, to go beyond the bounds of a true conservatism. Our scholars may go as far as Professor Lightfoot does, or, possibly, farther in some cases; but they will not favor any sweeping changes, or anything which will cut off the people from the Bible as they have read it from childhood.

The rules, under which the revisers are acting, are quite as favorable as they ought to be for the conservative party. On the final determination of the revision, as Dr. Schaff gives the rule in this volume, a vote of two-thirds is required, in order to the introduction of any change. Moreover, it is laid down as a fundamental principle for the action of the committee, that as few alterations shall be made in the text of the authorized version as may be possible consistently with faithfulness, and that, when such alterations are deemed essential, the expression of these shall be limited, as far as possible, to the language of the authorized and earlier English versions. When we consider that two hundred and fifty years have passed since King James's version was published, we must, surely, admit that the present revisers are not

proceeding too rashly. They concede everything to conservative sentiment to the attachment to an old book and to old phraseology-which could, with reason, be asked of them. The danger, indeed, in our judgment, is rather upon the other side. We may fear that, with such rules, they may sometimes not go far enough, and that they may fail, as a body, to make alterations and improvements, which, as individuals, many, or even most, of them might not hesitate to make. We believe, however, that the men who are undertaking this great work, on both sides of the ocean, are undertaking it in the best spirit and with an earnest desire to do it well. The Christian public, also, in this country and in England, seem to be in a state of mind very favorable for its success. There is a remarkable readiness, as compared with what there has been in former years, not only to meet the question of revision but to acknowledge fully the imperfections which undoubtedly exist in our authorized version, admirable as it is. The new revision will, of course, be subjected to severe criticism. It will have to recommend itself by its merits, and, whatever these may be, it will, doubtless, force its way into universal use only by degrees and after the progress of years. If it is worthy of general reception, however, we hope that it may have it in the course of a generation. As all the churches, through their representative scholars, have united in the work, we trust that they will give it their welcome after it is finished, and that the union of all believers in life and love will be aided by a new and better revision of the English version, which shall be read by them all alike.

The perusal of this volume, which Dr. Schaff has brought before the American public,-as it makes known the principles on which the revision is proceeding, and the character of the alterations which are likely to be made,-cannot but tend to a harmonious feeling on the part of all, and, if it shall be widely read by Christian students in our country, it cannot but prepare the way for the end which, as we have already intimated, is so much to be desired.

RIGGS'S EMENDATIONS OF THE AUTHORIZED VERSION.*-In this volume, Dr. Riggs, the distinguished missionary of the American Board at Constantinople, has thrown together, in a brief form, many suggestions respecting improvements in the authorized Eng

* Suggested Emendations of the Authorized English Version of the Old Testament. By ELIAS RIGGS, D.D., LL.D., Missionary of the A. B. C. F. M., at Constantinople. Andover: Warren F. Draper. 1873. 12mo, pp. 130.