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Literary Notices

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 7, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 14.

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Literary Notices.

THE NEW DISPENSATION (THE NEW TESTAMENT). TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK by Robert D. Weekes. 8vo, 525 pp., cloth, $2.25; full Russia, $3.75; full Morocco, $4.75. New York and London; Funk & Wagnalls Company.
This is a new translation of the New Testament from the original Greek. The object of the translation is to remedy so far as may be possible many of the infelicities and generally acknowledged imperfections of the familiar versions of the New Testament. The object has been to determine the thought of the writers, and to express it in English acceptable both to the ordinary reader and to the close scholar, with as little deviation from the literal translation as practicable, at the same time retaining as far as possible the familiar style of the conventional versions. Use has been made of all the critical helps, but none have been followed implicitly. The old and familiar division into chapters and verses, which is purely arbitrary, has been discarded, but for convenience of reference, the chapters and verses of the old version are indicated in parentheses at the bottom of each page. To our mind, however, it would have been better to facilitate reference to have indicated the verses in the margin, opposite each verse.
Some freedom has been used in regard to idiom and in the rendering of tenses and particles; also in the arrangement of clauses, redundant words have been sometimes omitted, and words obviously implied have been inserted; obsolete and antiquated words and forms of expression, as well as words whose signification has become changed, have been replaced by others; and obvious mistranslations have been corrected. Clauses that appear to be parenthetic have been so indicated. Punctuation has been carefully revised. Alternative renderings and occasional explanations are given in the foot-notes where it has seemed desirable. The author trusts that he has succeeded in ascertaining the true meaning of many obscure passages, in bringing out beauties of thought and nice shades of meaning, and the peculiar form of many emphatic expressions. The Greek text of Westcott and Hort has been followed in general, but not exclusively.
The author is not a clergyman, as might very naturally be supposed, but a deacon in a Congregational Church. He has been a Bible student and a Sunday-school teacher during a life of nearly eighty years. The present work was begun simply for his own study, and is now published from a conviction that his own conscious benefit ought to be shared with the Christian public.
This new translation may be helpful and suggestive to Bible and theological students, and it will help to stimulate anew in some circles, we hope, a dying interest in the Word of God.
THE MONEY QUESTION UNDER THE X-RAYS OF PROPHECY; OR THE BATTLE FOR GOLD DIVINELY FORETOLD. By H. W. Bowman, Advent Christian Publication Society, Boston, Mass. Price, bound in cloth, $1.00.
Among the many contributions on the Money Question Mr. Bowman's is one of the most striking. Its tremendous array of facts serves to set home the marvelous searching predictions of the prophetic Word of God. Its nine chapters are full of live, interesting matter, which ought to cause even the most careless reader to “stop and think.” We hope it may have a wide circulation, for it is worthy.
GOD’S MESSENGERS. SHOWING THE HAND OF GOD IN CHRISTIAN UNION AS REVEALED IN PROPHECY. By E. O. Bennet, Rogers, Ark.; Irving Co., Publishers, New York.
This little work of 162 pages is, we believe, an honest and sincere effort on the part of the author to promote Christian union; but it is, nevertheless, if we read the Word aright, a mistaken effort, based on a misunderstanding of the prophecies, and taking the conception and wish of the writer for what ought to be. In fact, the book is in part the literal interpretations of William Miller hitched onto the fanciful theories of a united popular church, and adds nothing but vague hopes to prophetic bibliography. Sometime we know the writer will repudiate much of what he has written.
JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME. A TALK ON ADVERTISING. By Edgar J. Arnold, of Arnold’s Advertising Agency, San Francisco.
A neat and unique little booklet giving the author’s ideas of what to say in advertising, how to say it, where to say it, etc. With a great deal of what he has said many will not agree, but all who advertise may obtain useful hints in the perusal of the little booklet.
Birds, a beautiful magazine, illustrated by color photography, still maintains its own well. The February issue, for instance, contains 9 colored plates, with descriptive text, besides general articles of interest to lovers of birds. Among the colored plates are those of The Least Bittern, The Baldpate, The Red-bellied Woodpecker, The Black Swan, and others equally of interest. The magazine is published by the Nature Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., and the price $1.50 a year.
McClure’s Magazine for March continues Hamblen’s interesting articles on “Railway Experience,” “Letters from the Andrée Party,” and “Where is Andrée?” “Reminiscences of Men and Events of the Civil War,” by Charles A. Dana, the present article being on the “Battle of Chattanooga—In the War Department with Stanton.” Illustrated. Price, 10 cents, $1.00 a year. For sale by all news-dealers.
Sweet Pea Review, for 1898, prepared by Sunset Seed and Plant Company, sold by William Doxey, Sign of the Lark, San Francisco. The little pamphlet gives all sorts of information and description, and a summary of all varieties introduced up to the present year, of this wondrously beautiful and fragrant flower.
BIBLE ELECTION. By M. C. Wilcox. A brief presentation of God’s plan and purpose concerning man, showing that the doctrine of election, or predestination, according to the Bible, is full of comfort and instruction. It throws new light on old controversies. Bible Students’ Library, No. 67; 24 pp.; price 3 cents. Address Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal.