Changes to second printing |
Editorial Changes in the Text of The
Urantia Book for the second printing in
1967 The original plates were partially destroyed and
replaced for the second printing to make the changes
that follow. Subsequently, all the original plates were
destroyed. Only 10,000 copies of the original inviolate
text of The Urantia Book were published and
sold by Urantia Foundation. FOREWORD: [1]. Page 3: In #5 of listing of perfection types, the word “other” was removed from all printings after 1955. The 1967 version corrects the ungrammatical use of the word “other” which was probably inserted by a typist who inadvertently followed the previous pattern of usage in the list. PART II: [2]. On page 413, par. 6: The 1955 printing varies from all later printings in that it has the word “secondary,” where all others read “tertiary.” While both a secondary and a tertiary Circuit Supervisor are assigned to the supervision of a single local universe’s circuits, only the tertiary Circuit Supervisor is located on the local universe headquarters sphere; the secondary Circuit Supervisor is located on the superuniverse headquarters. (See page 265). Therefore, “tertiary Universe Circuit Supervisor” does appear to be the correct description of Andovontia. [3]. On page 460, par. 1: The 1955 edition states “sixty thousand times as dense as your sun” while the second and subsequent printings have been changed to “forty thousand.” Textual consistency does require “forty,” since page 459 (Section 4, par. 1) states that our sun is about 1.5 times the density of water, or about .054 pounds per cubic inch, and 40,000 times this is about 2,160 pounds per cubic inch (which is also equivalent to 60,000 times the density of water). [4]. On page 474, par. 5: The 1955 edition placed a capital “Y” here, it was replaced by “gamma” in all later printings. It is likely that the Greek letter gamma (g) was mistakenly transposed into an English “Y” at some point in the proofing and preparation of the text for printing. [5]. On page 477, par. 1: Two changes from the 1955 edition were made in all subsequent printings. In the original, “less” was changed to “more,” and “from two to three” was changed to “almost two:” “Each atom is a trifle over 1/100,000,000th of an inch in diameter, while an electron weighs a little (less) (changed to “more”) than 1/2,000th of the smallest atom, hydrogen. The positive proton, characteristic of the atomic nucleus, while it may be no larger than a negative electron, weighs (from two to three) (changed to “almost two”) thousand times more.” The revised wording is more consistent with the statement in the paragraph following the subject paragraph (page 477), where the author states that a proton is “eighteen hundred times as heavy as an electron.” This is also in accord with current scientific opinion which places the ratio at 1: 1,836. [6]. On page 478, par 1: In all printings after the first, “well-nigh” was placed before “instantaneous.” It is unclear how this addition would correct an earlier error. [7]. On page 486, par 5: The 1955 printing reads “four thousand years,” in all subsequent printings, “four” was changed to “forty.” Forty thousand years does appear to be correct (see page 1316, section 7, par. 2). [8]. On page 608, par 4: In the second (1967) and following printings, “681,227” was changed to “681,217,” presumably because of the reference on page 581: “Since the inception of the system of Satania, thirteen Planetary Adams have been lost in rebellion and default and 681,204 in the subordinate positions of trust.” It does appear that one of the numbers is in error, but whether 681,227 should be reduced to 681,217, or 681,204 should be increased to 681,214 is not apparent from the text. PART III: [9]. P.806 - par. 2: In the 1967 printing, in the following sentence the word “sometime” was changed to “sometimes”: “In the ideal state, education continues throughout life, and philosophy sometime becomes the chief pursuit of its citizens. The citizens of such a commonwealth pursue wisdom as an enhancement of insight into the significance of human relations, the meanings of reality, the nobility of values, the goals of living, and the glories of cosmic destiny.” From a typographical standpoint, this is a minor change. However, the meaning of the text is dramatically altered from a confident statement of the evolution of the ideal state in the original text, to the acknowledgement of a mere possibility in later printings. [10]. On page 827, par. 3: In the second (1967) and succeeding printings, “between” was changed to “among.” The original is correct because “between” can appropriately be used when more than two objects are related, especially if the relationship is to each object individually rather than in an indeterminate way to the group. The relationship is the division of time between world capitals; it is immaterial that there are more than two capitals involved. [11]. On page 883, par. 7: The 1955 printing placed “west” at this location rather than “east.” Because the term did not appear to be a title for the western hemisphere, “east” has been used in all subsequent printings. [12]. On page 1317, par. 2: The phrase “in the manger” was deleted in the second and all subsequent printings, leaving the sentence: “These men of God visited the newborn child.” This change was probably made because Mary and Joseph moved into a room at the inn on the day after Jesus’ birth, and the priests did not arrive in Bethlehem until Jesus was three weeks old. So the “editor” may have presumed that it would not have been possible for the priests to see Jesus “in the manger.” However, cradles may have not been easy to come by. Merritt Horn points out that, assuming the manger was portable, it is possible that Joseph and Mary might have taken the manger with them up to the room in the inn in order to continue to have a cradle for Jesus. PART IV. [13]. On page 1363, par. 5: In the second and following printings, the line “Far to the east they could discern the Jordan valley and, far beyond, the rocky hills of Moab.” was changed to: “Far to the east they could discern the Jordan valley and far beyond lay the rocky hills of Moab.” After the Book was in print, a letter from a Biblical scholar named Benjamin Adams pointed out that: “...the rocky hills of Moab were not east of Nazareth but east of the dead Sea.” (One Urantian has reported this letter claimed that it is impossible to see the rocky hills of Moab from the location in question. If one troubles to read this letter, this is clearly not what Adams challenged.) The change avoids the implication that the rocky hills of Moab are east of Nazareth. However, Merritt Horn points out that, in his judgment, the text itself does not state the hills of Moab are east of Nazareth. He writes: “Jesus and his father are standing on top of the Nazareth hill and are moving their gaze from the northwest around an arc to the north, east, south and then west. To the east is the Jordan valley. As they look past the valley, following its line and the arc of their survey, they discern the rocky hills of Moab. That this analysis is correct is supported by the sentence that follows: ‘Also to the south and east...’ which clearly implies the last referenced location (Moab) was in the same direction. Otherwise, the sentence would be punctuated with a comma in this manner: ‘Also, to the south and east...’.” [14]. On page 1849, par. 5: The 1955 text stated that Lazarus remained at Bethany “until the day of the crucifixion of Jesus.” This was changed to “until the week...” in the second printing. The latter reading is consistent with the later narrative (at pages 1897 par. 1, 1909 last par., and 1927 last par.) which would place the time of Lazarus’s flight between Tuesday at midnight (when his death was decreed by the Sanhedrin) and Wednesday evening (when “certain ones” at the camp “knew that Lazarus had taken hasty flight from Bethany”) - two days before the crucifixion of Jesus. [15]. On page 1943, par. 2: In the second printing, “apostles” was substituted for the original “twelve” at this point. Because Judas had left earlier, there were only eleven apostles present for the establishment of the remembrance supper, so “apostles” seems more appropriate. Changes not footnoted or endnoted. To repeat, it is reasonable to concede that none of these editorial changes constitute malicious tampering or a measurable alteration of the Urantia Revelation. However, many Urantians believe the spirit and intent of the Declaration of Trust forbids an alteration of any kind to the original text. In addition, to many readers it remains a mystery that Urantia Foundation never alerted the reader to these changes through footnotes or endnotes. This is standard academic practice when making changes to the creative work of another author. Readers point out that in the case of an Epochal Revelation authored by celestial beings, common sense dictates that it should be mandatory. This issue has been dismissed by some supporters of Urantia Foundation as making a “fetish” out of the text of the Urantia Papers. See: A History of the Urantia Papers for a full discussion of this issue. |