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Article ON OLD ENGLISH BIBLES. Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Old English Bibles.
ON OLD ENGLISH BIBLES .
X ! £ ON 3 ^ MOST Masons will have noticed the difference between passages from the volume of the Sacred Law interwoven in the lectures and other Masonic working and the same passages as given in our ordinary Bible . The explanation of this difference is , that Masons have retained the renderings of versions in use before our present Bible was in existence .
This circumstance makes the study of the early , and now disused , versions of peculiar interest to the working Mason , as in them he will find many words and phrases that have been handed down orally for upwards of 300 years , and are perfectly familiar to him , although unknown to the popular world—for example : the artist whom Hiram , King of Tyre , sent to King Solomon is well known to all Master Masons as Hiram Abif ; this name does not occur in
our present Bible , but may be seen in the early ones . The latest date at which we have found the title Abi , or Abif , is in two of the three folio Bibles issued in 1549 , namely , that printed by John Daye and "William Seres , and the one printed by Raynalcle and Hyll . The fact that Masons , at their Lodges and Instruction Meetings , employ words and texts taken from a version of Hol y Writ that has been for more
than 300 years completely lost sight of , proves the verbal accuracy with which Masonic lore must have been handed down from generation to generation , and is also evidence of the antiquity of the Order . We now propose to describe in chronological order the various versions of the Bible that have succeeded each other , to give certain tests by which they may be distinguished from one another , even in the absence of the title-pages and colophons , and to say a few words in passing about the men who were engaged in the work of translating , revising , printing , and issuing the different editions .
COVEROALE ' S BIBLE OP 1535 . INTERNAL evidence proves that this , the first English Bible , was not translated directly from the original text , but principally from Luther ' s Bible . Coverdale tells the reader " to help me herein , I have had sundyre translacions , not only in Latyn , but also of the Douche interpreters , whom , because of their singular gyftes and special diligence in the Bible , I have been the more glad to follow for the most part . " Coverdale was the translator , but by whom he was engaged on the work , and b y whom the expense of the translation was borne , is not certain .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Old English Bibles.
ON OLD ENGLISH BIBLES .
X ! £ ON 3 ^ MOST Masons will have noticed the difference between passages from the volume of the Sacred Law interwoven in the lectures and other Masonic working and the same passages as given in our ordinary Bible . The explanation of this difference is , that Masons have retained the renderings of versions in use before our present Bible was in existence .
This circumstance makes the study of the early , and now disused , versions of peculiar interest to the working Mason , as in them he will find many words and phrases that have been handed down orally for upwards of 300 years , and are perfectly familiar to him , although unknown to the popular world—for example : the artist whom Hiram , King of Tyre , sent to King Solomon is well known to all Master Masons as Hiram Abif ; this name does not occur in
our present Bible , but may be seen in the early ones . The latest date at which we have found the title Abi , or Abif , is in two of the three folio Bibles issued in 1549 , namely , that printed by John Daye and "William Seres , and the one printed by Raynalcle and Hyll . The fact that Masons , at their Lodges and Instruction Meetings , employ words and texts taken from a version of Hol y Writ that has been for more
than 300 years completely lost sight of , proves the verbal accuracy with which Masonic lore must have been handed down from generation to generation , and is also evidence of the antiquity of the Order . We now propose to describe in chronological order the various versions of the Bible that have succeeded each other , to give certain tests by which they may be distinguished from one another , even in the absence of the title-pages and colophons , and to say a few words in passing about the men who were engaged in the work of translating , revising , printing , and issuing the different editions .
COVEROALE ' S BIBLE OP 1535 . INTERNAL evidence proves that this , the first English Bible , was not translated directly from the original text , but principally from Luther ' s Bible . Coverdale tells the reader " to help me herein , I have had sundyre translacions , not only in Latyn , but also of the Douche interpreters , whom , because of their singular gyftes and special diligence in the Bible , I have been the more glad to follow for the most part . " Coverdale was the translator , but by whom he was engaged on the work , and b y whom the expense of the translation was borne , is not certain .