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August 9, 1911] THE
insisted on indicating the presence of strange
beings whom he heard and whose shadows he
saw. "No don't you see him?" "Besides, he
rattles the chairs, and is moving other things
about." He instructed his private secretary
thlat of all his presents, which he received during
the Jubilee of 1888, those of greatest value shall
be given to the Holy See, and those less costly
to his successor.*
In tones of sadness he spoke of all the sacred
objects he had gathered and now must leave
behind.
Whatever may hlave been said in private, not
a word came to the ear of the outside world
about faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
Not a syllable as a message to the millions of
his devotees who hung upon his words as their
infallible teacher in divine things. "When the
Franciscan benediction was bestowed, he said:
'I feel now relieved, and easy in mind."
The time of his departure was at hand. No
confession of sin. No plea for mercy, no exultation
in a glorious hope, but apparitions,
shadows, rattling of chairs!
A very remarkable ending for one whose official
relation in the Court of Heaven was said
to be so high.
Covington, Tenn.
SPECIAL TRAINING FOR MISSIONARIES.
We believe it may be stated as an axiom,
"that education should fit everyone for some
active service in the world." It is also true that
every man and woman that chooses some particular
vocation in life needs especial prepara
tion and training for the profession or business
which they selected. So in order to meet this
demand we have special technical schools, in
which to prepare our future engineers, lawyers,
physicians, and business men for their work.
Success depends largely upon this preliminary
training. Even if permitted, no one would now
think of entering upon any profession or industrial
calling without special training fbr
his chosen field of labor. The fact that the may
have graduated with distinction from college does
not obviate the necessity for special training for
his chosen field of labor. And is it not especiallly
true that a special preliminary training is needed
for the man or woman who would engage in
the greatest, noblest work; the carrying the
glad news of salvation to a perishing world?
Of course the training of the college and Theological
Seminary is necessary as a foundation
for the regularly ordained missionary, and a
certain amount of intellectual training and
Bible study for Bible readers and all assistants
in this work. But is there not also an auxiliary
training necessary, which might be more
economically acquired, by at least one year at
special study under competent teachers before
going to the foreign field, such as one year
study of the leading language of the country to
which they intend to go as missionaries, under a
thoroughly competent Christian native, or returned
missionary qualified to teach the
language. Should also have some preliminary
training respecting the religions, and habits of
thoughts of the people to whom they go. We
say preliminary training, as a residence among
and mingling with the people, will be necessary
il l- -1 i* ? ...
io ? mure muruugn unuerstanaing ot their
idiosyncrasies, and how to best approach them,
etc. While it is true that a noble consecrated
Christian character is the grandest, the most
essential factor in preparing for this work; yet
students (prospective missionaries), by being
brought in daily contact for one year with earnest,
devoted teachers, saturated with the missionary
spirit, and with other students looking forward
to the same work, by the intermingling of
their earnest devotion and common interest,
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SO
would receive an increased inspiration and
more entire consecration to the work of the
Master. We would not have this a school of
Theology of any particular sect; nor would we
detract one iota from the standard of. qualification
required of the missionary. But would
have it a school in which those who intended
going as missionaries, coming with proper credentials,
would be received from all Evangelical
denominations, for a special training for their
work. Leaving out of view the questions of
economy, and the facilities for preparation that
a thoroughly equipped institution of this kind
would offer; we would only call attention to the
fact that it would tend to develop that courtesy,
and thoughtful regard which should everywhere
characterize the intercourse of Christians. It.
would increase that unity of Spirit and of life
that would make itself felt in the world, and
would be in obedience to the Savior's command
"that ye love one another as I have loved you."
It would tend to weaken the lines of sectarian
division, which divisions have sometimes created
a prejudice in the minds of the heathen, against
the religion of Jesus. (We do not refer to
organic union, but to a common united obedience
to Christ's last commission). If the glad news
of salvation is to be carried to the entire world
during this generation, what an army of Christian
workers consecrated to this service will be
rOflllirpH ino/1 m!nw*A?r. '
. V?1v..*vv?. vyi wuiuvu iiiuinici n, yiljSIClttlJS,
teachers, business men, Bible readers, nurses,
etc., all needing special training for their several
departments of work. We may be a dreamer,
but we have had a vision of a school, the outlines
of which we have only hinted at. An institution
where for instance one department
would be devoted to preparing men and women
for work in China, studying their language,
their religions, their habits of thought, etc.,
under competent teachers. Then similar developments
in regard to Japan, Korea, India,
the Mohamedan countries of Western Asia and
Northern Africa, South America, and West
Indes. Affording facilities for preliminary
study of some of the leading languages in use
in the heathen lands, the religions of the heathen
world, with lectures on missionary work in its
manifold features and by competent instructors
Where beincr in contact with instructor* firc.l
with the compassion of Jesus as manifested when
"He beheld the city and wept over it," the
very atmosphere with which the student would
be surrounded would quicken his passion to
spend his life in bringing the world to a knowledge
of Christ. An endowed institution of this
kind where tuition could be given free to all who
would enter upon mission work, would certainly
receive the blessing of God and would be a
mighty instrumentality in his hand of sending
more laborers into the fields that are so white
for the harvest.
A. Layman.
THE AMERICAN REVISION AGAIN.
BY REV. J. W. MOSELEY, SR.
Mr. Editor: I see an article in a recent issue
of the "Presbyterian of the South" from Prof.
Hogue combatting Dr. Leyburn's criticisms of
the Revisers of the American Standard Bible,
and condemning their leaning towards immersion
as the right form of baptism. I agree with
Dr. Leyburn and believe there was an attempt
in the American version to give the Baptists all
possible assistance. Dr. Hogue says?"Dr. Leyburn
seems to think the American Revision was
made for Americans, to suit American usages
of thought," etc. We suppose by Americans he
means English speaking people and English
usages. I perfectly agree with Dr. L. in this.
The Revisers set out to give the Americans and
DTH (747) 3
English a better translation more in accordance
with the beauty of the English language and
Divine Truth. They have not succeeded in this. 1
have read recently a little book which has a circulation
of about 275,000, the author touches on
this very question of translation and treats it
thus?"The Word of God manifests itself as a
living word in the very unique property it has of
adapting itself to all peoples and of speaking in
all languages, tongues and dialects."
It is a well known linguistic law that few
books can bear translation into another language.
The best books of men ordinarily lose
their beauty and to some extent their real excellence,
and then die. This author continues?
"But to this rule the Bible is a marvelous exception.
It seems to run freely into the mould of
every language, to adapt itself perfectly thereto,
and to speak with equal directness and authority
to all peoples and tribes in their mother tongue,"
etc. Imitating the playful characteristics of
Prof, llogue, we will make some "remarks"
upon the above quotations, (a) The great body
of the Revisers seem utterly to fail to recoguize
this unique property of the Bible "to adapt itself
to all peoples, tongues and languages." They
imitate the "Higher critics" and imagine they
had the power and "The scholarship" to speak
and thus to hush all who differ or brand them as
pigmies. Dr. Augustus Briggs tells us "The
profoundest knowledge of Greek does not necessarily
fit a man to be a good translator of the
Bible or to become a reliable exegete," etc.
(b) The Bible, "runs freely into the mould of
every tongue and dialect," etc. Prof. Hogue remarks?"Dr.
Leyburn thinks the American Revision
was made for Americans, and to suit
American usages of thought.." If it w?s tint it
was badly made, and violates this dictum of
Philip Mauro, worthy of our respect and unreserved
sanction. There were Unitarians among
the revisers and others like Driver and Cheyne,
who had no very exalted conceptions concerning
its beauty or universality or divinity. Therefore
their excellence in Greek or Hebrew was a
very inadequate accomplishment to have them
determine the significance of this Greek, or that
Hebrew phrase.
If Prof. Hogue will turn to the 8th chapter of
Romans he will find the doctrine of predestination
swept out of the Bible, and the vain effort
made to sweep it out of existence. It well comported
with the views of the Unitarian and Dr.
Driver to see this done and shout over the deliverance.
Canon Hague of the English church
at Ontario, speaking of Dr. Driver's two recent
productions gives his opinion?"The hand is the' - .
hand of Driver, but the voice is that of Kuenen
and Wellhausen." Can we suppose a body of men
swayed by such sentiments were splendidly fitted
to make the glorious old Bible run freely
into the mold of American tongue f I think not. .
Dr. L. handles in an exceedingly mild manner
his differences and contentions.
(c) The Bible as a living, Divine Book was
made by the Spirit to speak with directness and
authority to people in their mother tongue. And
we as Americans call the English our mother
tongue and expect the Bible always and in every
part to speak to us with "directness and authority."
But see how Prof. Ilogue interprets
the modus operandi of the Revisers. "The next
best thing is to mirror the Greek as nearly as possible,
leaving the reader to settle the meaning?"
We ask, the meaning of what? The Greek or the-oy
English? The average American might decline to
do this, especially the Greek part of it. Ts this *$9$
making a translation to speak with clarity, "directness
and authority"? It is the business of the ^
Revisers to make the Greek clear and plain so ^ /
that it may come to us with authority. There is 1 u 4
(Continued on page 11).
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