THE KINGDOM COME

The sight of Doctor James Moffat of Glasgow dangling from he gallows would have rejoiced the heart of Professor Francis Child. Doctor Moffat has published a translation in modern English of the entire Old Testament. Acting on the principle that the King James version is a vast, unweeded garden, the Doctor has rolled up scholarly sleeves and has planted a garden where no archaisms grow. For exactly what reasons he believes that "a barge of cypress wood wit cabin accommodations" is more appropriate than ark, or that the term, park, is more comprehensible to modern readers than the Garden of Eden, remains somewhat of a mystery.

Evidently it is the portion of the Bible to be junked as literature in order that its religious values may be placed within the comprehension of every kindergartner Literary men the world over agree with Professor Lowes' remark that the King James version is the greatest monument in English prose, yet religious zealots are constantly building cheap imitations of the original in order to appeal to the crowd. It is to be marvelled at that no attempt has yet been made to translate Shakespeare into contemporary slang, such a translated would have as logical reason for existence as does Doctor Moffat's translation of the Bible.

Obviously he whole procedure is absurd. The atchaic phrascology of the Bible has never checked its reading to those who are interested, nor has if obscured to any extent the meaning. Nothing is more fitting than that a book, as widely read as the Bible should be a literary masterpiece. There can be no justification for doing worse that which has already been done with the touch of supreme artistry.