Southside Oracle Archive

Vol. 50, No. 4__________SOUTHSIDE ORACLE__________March 23, 2007

The Bulletin Board

            The Southside Youth Rally last weekend was a fine success with over one hundred youth and adults involved. We thank Rich Odell for his fine presentations as a guest speaker, Daryl Miller who coordinated the program, those on the youth committee who planned it, and all of the others who helped with food preparation, classes, etc.

            Remember the Hearts and Minds Seminar entitled “Raising Our Children With a Christian View of the World” presented by John Alan Turner on Saturday, March 31st. The seminar will deal with parenting, but is not limited to parents and will be of value to anyone who has contact with youth including other family members like grandparents, etc. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:00 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon. Be sure to pick up a schedule.

            ELDER SEARCH. Forms are available in the side foyer for nominations of men to serve as additional elders. It is important that members fill out a form with nominations for this work. Forms should be returned by this Sunday to Daryl Miller or one of the elders who are Wayne Alexander, Bruce Williams, Al Gray, and Monroe Hawley.

            Daryl Miller will preach at both morning services Sunday

ATTENDANCE RECORD

(*) first service, 114: second service, 188

            The sick - Martha Sepulveda suffered a mild stroke over last weekend. She is now at home .... Karen Van Handel was scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.

Calendar of Events

March 31 - Hearts and Minds Seminar, 9:30 - 3:00 p.m.

April 2 - Assemble Wisconsin Challenge for mailing, 7:00 p.m.

April 6 - 8 - York College High School Days

April 10 - Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.

April 17 - Christian Workers' Meeting, 9:00 a.m.

April 20, 21- Southside Men's Retreat

May 11 - Mother/Daughter Banquet, 6:30 p.m.

May 12, 13 - Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp youth rally.

The King James and Other Early Versions

(Seventh in a Series)

            After John Wyclif s translation in 1382, the next important English Bible was that of William Tyndale who completed his New Testament version in 1525. Because of the opposition of English clergy, Tyndale had his Bible printed in Germany and smuggled into England. The English church sought to suppress it by buying up incoming copies. Tyndale used the proceeds to print additional Bibles! He was betrayed, brought back to England, strangled, and burned at the stake with his dying words, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes."

            Other versions followed. Miles Coverdale published the first complete English Bible in 1535. In 1540 he produced the Great Bible, authorized by King Henry VIII to be placed in all the churches. The King of England's eyes had been opened! The Puritans issued their version, the Geneva Bible, in 1564. It was the most popular Bible of the century. The Bishop's Bible of 1568 was an unsuccessful attempt by the clergy to supplant the Geneva Bible. Roman Catholics brought out the Rheims-Douai Version, translated from the Latin Vulgate, in 1582.

            Finally, King James I authorized a translation by 54 scholars, completed in 1611. It was the finest English Bible to date, and the most popular version ever. The beauty of the King James has never been surpassed. Written in Elizabethan English, it kept some ecclesiastical terms, but was condemned for being too modern! It is ironic that some defenders of the King James criticize some recent Bibles on the same grounds.

            The "thees" and "thous" and other archaic words in the King James are not "holy English." That's the way people spoke 400 years ago. We no longer speak that way. It is not disrespectful to use the English speech of our day. After all, the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common speech of the first century.

            The King James has served well and is still preferred by many. However, the speech that sounds quaint to us made it inevitable that other versions would be made that would be more readable.

__Monroe Hawley

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