文档介绍：Study of the King James Bible
Study of the King James
Bible
BY CLELAND BOYD McAFEE, .
1
Study of the King James Bible
PREFACE
THE lectures included in this volume were prepared at the request of
the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, and were delivered in the
early part of 1912, under its auspices. They were suggested by the
tercentenary of the King James version of the Bible. The plan adopted led
to a restatement of the history which prepared for the version, and of that
which produced it. It was natural next to point out its principal
characteristics as a piece of literature. Two lectures followed, noting its
influence on literature and on history. The course closed with a statement
and argument regarding the place of the Bible in the life of to-day.
The reception accorded the lectures at the time of their public delivery,
and the discussion which ensued upon some of the points raised,
encourage the hope that they may be more widely useful.
It is a pleasure to assign to Dr. Franklin W. Hooper, director of the
Institute, whatever credit the work may merit. Certainly it would not have
been undertaken without his kindly urgency.
CLELAND BOYD McAFEE.
Brooklyn, New York, May, 1912.
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Study of the King James Bible
LECTURE I
PREPARING THE WAY--THE ENGLISH BIBLE BEFORE
KING JAMES
THERE are three great Book-religions-- Judaism, Christianity, and
Mohammedanism. Other religions have their sacred writings, but they do
not hold them in the same regard as do these three. Buddhism and
Confucianism count their books rather records of their faith than rules for
it, history rather than authoritative sources of belief. The three great Book-
religions yield a measure of authority to their sacred books which would
be utterly foreign to the thought of other faiths.
Yet among the three named are two very distinct attitudes. To the
Mohammedan the language as well as the matter of the Koran is sacred.
He will not permit its tran