5 OCTOBER 1912, Page 19

The proposed Revision of the Bible has elicited a remark-

able statement from a number of leading Nonconformist scholars, which appears in Wednesday's papers. Briefly surnm rized, their view is that, while Revision may be necessary in ten years, it would be premature and inadvis- able at the moment. They admit that the Revised Version of 1881-85 has by no means won general acceptance, though rendering great service in correcting mistranslation in the Old and making conscientious use of all available research in the New Testament. But the accumulation of fresh material due to the investigations and discoveries of the last thirty years makes it impossible to claim that a final text of the New Testament is sufficiently near to justify, at present, a fresh attempt at revision, and "another ten yeas at least seem to be needed for the sifting and presentation of materials and the formation of a general scholarly opinion upon them." If, however, the plea for delay cannot be conceded to this extent, they urge that in no circumstances should a revision be undertaken of an inadequate or superficial character.