representative, about 80 per cent. (reckoning roughly) of those books that give chapter and verse, print the names of the books of the Bible in full througliout; another 10 per cent. use at least six different systems of abbreviations and furnish a table showing which one they follow ; the remaining 10 per cent. use abbreviations, but fail to indicate the system-in some cases evidently following one of their own.

In comparing the different systems that have come under my notice, for which tables are furnished, it is seen that all are in agreement concerning the following 24 books of the 0. T.:

They differ from one another concerning fifteen books of the O. T. as follows :

New Mandarin Refer

母母 ence Bible.

拉帖伯歌結耳摩俄彌鴻該亞瑪 [A B. S. 1908.]

上下 Conference Commentary

on the New Testament. 以帖約雅西耳麼阿米翁基亚拉 (Chinese T. Soc. 1904.) ET Luce's “Record and Let- + hf ters of the Apostolic 喇以百歌結耳麼阿米翁基撒拉 Age.”

上下

offer- 撒撒

以帖的雅西班麼阿彌鴻該亞拉 上下

The Proposed Standard

撒撒 System.

以斯約歌結耳麼阿米鴻該亞馬

上下

In the N. T. they differ from one another concerning fifteen books as follows :

大約徒蓄綫加西

“snow 徒
“StueEunuiuoo I 哥前 林前哥前
*SueryuuoO II 哥後林後哥後林後哥後林

New Mandarin Refer

撒撒 ence Bible.

太約從 迦西 們來雅 [A. B. S. 1908.]

前後 前後

Conference Commentary

on the New Testament. 馬翰使 [C. T. S. 1904.]

前後 Luce's “Records and Letters of the Apos- 太翰使 tolic Age.”

Baller's

Offerings."

馬翰使

林林

前後 The Proposed Standard

子哥 System.

太翰使

前後

which all would be agreed were and all kinds of Christian literaa uniform system of translitera- ture are pouring in an ever tion used (viz., Joel, Amos, Oba- increasing stream from the diah, Micah, Nahum, Haggai, presses, and when revival fires Galatians and Philemon).

are burning more and more This last fact calls attention brightly in all sections of the to the lamentable want of agree- empire, creating a new love for, ment concerning the names of and giving a new impetus to, the books of the Bible them- the study of God's Word, even selves. For instance, the New these details of uniform names Mandarin Reference Bible differs for the books of the Bible and from the ordinary Bible (B. and a standard system of abbreviaF. B. S., Ed. 394) in its manner tion are worthy of serious attenof writing Job, Song of Solomon, tion and should not be difficult Amos, Obadiah, Matthew, Mark, of attainment. Romans, Galatians, Thessalo- I am glad that an effort in niaus, and Philemon ; while the this direction is being made, and “Conference Commentary on the earnestly hope that it may be New Testament” (see its list of crowned with success, but would abbreviations) again differs from like to ask if the approval of both of these in its way of writ- the various Bible, Tract, and ing Exodus, Chronicles, Ezra, Christian Literature Societies has Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, been sought and obtained ? If Hosea, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, not, it seems a pity that the Nahum, Haggai, Malachi, and proposed new system, notwithPhilemon; and where these three standing the support of which do happen to agree concern- it is already assured, has not ing Zephaniah, Mr. Luce's list been held in abeyance a little

a gives a different way of writing longer until these societies, at it. Surely this ought not so to least, had also fallen into line be.

and the translation committees If a uniform way of writing had made what changes they the names of the books of the saw fit in the names of the books Bible and a standard system of of the 0. T., for, as Mr. Luce abbreviation were agreed upon, himself says most truly : “ The there would be no fear of mis- perfection of the list is not so imunderstanding, and therefore no portant as the agreement on some further need of writing or print- ONE list by those constantly using ing the names in full as is done abbreviations," which principle

' at present in 80 per cent. of also holds good regarding the the books that give references. names for the books of the Bible. It would doubtless surprise us if It certainly would be a mistake it were known how much valu- to add another system of abable time, labor, and space would ,

breviation without reasonable thus be economized in the ag- guarantees of its really becoming gregate.

Even the pages now the standard. That uniformity devoted the abbreviation in these matters may soon be tables might in time be omitted attained, is the earnest hope of without loss from all publications except the Bible.

Sincerely yours, In these days of federation and

F. C. H. DREYER. union, when revised versions, reference Bibles, a concordance, PING-VANG FU.

to

rose

BIBLE TRANSLATION.

raised, but it does express un

equivocally the thought of the To the Editor of

original, Christ raised out from THE CHINESE RECORDER.”

(among) the dead.

In Mark vi, 14, exactly the DEAR SIR : The Union Version

same expression in the original of the New Testament, Kuan is rendered in the Revised VerHua translation, is to be com- sion, “Is risen from the dead,'' mended in one thing. It gives but in the 16th verse the revised a full and accurate translation text omits the “from the dead” to the words from the dead” and has only “He is risen." in various passages referring to Had the Revised Version fol. the resurrection of Christ. This lowed its more accurate rendering is a thing of no small impor- in I Cor. xv, 12, how would it tance, and yet it is a thing in sound to read in Mk. vi, 16, “He which many versions are sadly has been raised ?” Grain and defective. Take for instance Cor. cattle are raised on farms, and. XV, 12, Now if Christ be preached in rustic speech, even folks are that He rose (or has

been

raised there. No; the revisers raised) from the dead; for “ did well to use the more elegant from the dead," the Delegates' and technical phrase "is risen" Version has simply re- in Mark. It was only a matter turned to life. The new Easy of quoting Herod, and the Wên-li Version improves on this exact phase of thought in his with E * L. But this mind was not important. Yet seems a rather vague way of the use by him of the passive saying, "raised from the dead." voice was a tacit recognition of Yet it faithfully reproduces the the hand of God in the matter. passive form of the verb in the But Paul the Apostle had ceroriginal. E te would tain definite views in regard to have been an explicit rendering the resurrection of Christ, as of the ÉK VEKpov, from the dead, of did the other Apostles, which the original, yet the does not find expression in such words as make smooth reading. The Pe- " The God of our fathers raised king Mandarin Version reads up Jesus, whom ye slew;" thus, and Dr. Griffith John's “Him that raised up Jesus from Version has these same words, TE the dead ; Now the God of AECYE, while the Foochow peace that brought again from Colloquial tersely renders it to E the dead our Lord Jesus."

' W YE (the T here stands for Hence the revisers when they a colloquial word). In all these translated by the full form of the cases the word E refers to a passive voice in I Cor. xv, 12, state, or to the persons who are did rightly in thus preserving the in that state ; or may it loosely harmony between this passage be taken either of the persons or and all the Apostolic writings. of their condition ?

As to the use of st et for more loosely combine the two prophet, it is not really accurate, without attempting to explicit- but if there is a more appropriate ly indicate either one? But term current in the Chinese the new Union Mandarin Ver- language, will some one please sion has 從死人裏復活了, tell us what it is? In the Greek This does not reproduce the pas- classics a prophet is the intersive form of the verb has been preter of the gods, one who ex

Or may it