Review of Which Version? by Philip Mauro

In 1924 The Herald and Presbyter (Cincinnati, Ohio, Vol. XCV, No. 29, July 16, 1924, p. 10) reviewed and recommended Which Version? Authorized or Revised? by Philip Mauro. They wrote:

Which Version? Authorized or Revised? By Philip Mauro. Cloth. $1.25. Hamilton Brothers, Scripture Truth Depot, 120 Tremont Street, Boston 9 Mass.

There is the idea in the minds of some people that scholarship demands the laying aside of the Authorized Version of the Bible and taking up the latest Revised Version. This is an idea, however, without any proper basis. This revised version is in large part in line with what is known as modernism, and is peculiarly acceptable to those who think that any change, anywhere or in any thing, is progress. Those who have really investigated the matter, and are in hearty sympathy with what is evangelical, realize that this Revised Version is a part of the movement to “modernize” Christian thought and faith and do away with the established truth. The revisers had a wonderful opportunity. They might have made a few changes and removed a few archaic expressions and made the Authorized Version the most acceptable and beautiful and wonderful book of all time to come. But they wished, ruthlessly, to meddle. Some of them wanted to change doctrine. Some of them did not know good English literature when they saw it. An instance of all this is in the irreverent and impertinent change of “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” to “All Scripture that is given by inspiration,” as though there are parts of the Bible that are not inspired. This is what modernists believe, and there were enough modernists among these revisers to change the words of Scripture itself so as to throw doubts on the Scripture. In all there are some thirty-eight thousand changes from the Authorized Version. There is a growing judgment that God’s Word was tampered with by presuming revisers who committed many an offense, in the name of scholarship, as many an errorist has done, before and since. There will be a movement away from this revised version. Many of the divinely given words, as even of Christ in the Lord’s Prayer, and in the sixteenth chapter of Mark, have been cast away as unclean. No Bible is complete without them. This volume prepared by Mr. Philip Mauro is one that should be read by all those who have been tempted to tolerate the using of the penknife in dealing with God’s Word. The reading of this book will do anyone good. It may be an important element in turning the hearts of the people to the Word of God.