of the faithlessness of the traditionary testimony by which it is supported, since he states that the two prin- cipal classes of text, the Alexandrian and the M'cstern, have been interpolated in every part ; that the author- ized Greek version exhibits 150,000 various readings, and has remained 1400 years in its present state of cor- ruption ; that there appears, therefore, to be no reser- vation by which the doctrinal integrity of the sacred Scriptures can be saved ; for if, in the apostdic and primitive ages, corruption was prevalent, whatever be the text gathered out of the immense number of vari- ous readings, it may be as well an}' other as that orig- inally delivered bj' the inspired writers.' Griesbach indeed declares, in his Symhola Crilica; that the man- uscripts of tlie Alexandrian and Western recensions, on which his .system is founded, were grosslj' corrupt- ed in the age succeeding that of the apostles ; that those which he held in the highest esteem were cor- rupted in every page by marginal scholia and inter- pretations of the fathers, and contained innumerable and very serious errors (' innumeros gravissimosque errores'). He further states in the same treatise that no reliance can be placed on the printed editions of the works of Origen, on the fidelity of his different tran- scribers, on the accuracy of his quotations, or, finally, on the copies of the Scriptures from which he quoted ; so that, as observed liy Dr. Nolan, we have only to take his own account of the state in which he finds the best part of his materials to discover the extreme insecuri- t}' of the fabric which he has raised on such a founda- tion. 'His innovations,' continues the same learned divine, 'are formidable in number and nature ; his cor- rections proscribe three Important passages (already named) aflfecting the doctrinal integrity of the inspired text ; for a proof once established of its partial corrup- tion in important matters must involve its character for general fidelity ; and the deservedly high chi.rr.c- ter and singular merit of this learned edition mus„ heighten apprehension and alarm at the attempts thus made to undermine the authority of the received text, for the scrupulous accuracj' of its execution must al- ways command respect'" (English Cyclop J). See Her- zog, Real-Encyklopddie. v, 389 ; English Cyclopedia, s. v. ; Hoefer, Nouv. Biogr. Generale, xxii, 25 ; Kiithe, Griesbach's Lehensbeschreibung (Jena, 1812); Seller, Hermeneutics, p. 340 sq. ; Home, Introduction to the Scriptures, vol. ii.
Griffen, Benjamix, a Methodist Episcopal minis- ter, was born in Mamaroneck, New York, June 6, 1702. When about nineteen years of age he joined the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Soon after his conversion he was received into tlie New York Conference, and re- mained a member of that body (except for a short in- terval) for fifty years. In 1853 he was elected secre- tary of his Conference, and continued in that office un- til his death, which occurred at Ej'e, N. Y., Jan. 20, 18G1. Among the members of his Conference he was the youngest man of his age ; his cheeks had the fresh- ness of youth ; his step was firm and elastic ; his voice retained its clearness and compass to the last; "his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." His activity, his vigor, his sprightly humor, and his flow of spirits seemed as perfect at the last Conference he at- tended as they had ever been. He grew more and more genial as life advanced, and his Christian graces shone out more clearly. He was remarkable for his punctuality as well as for his patient labor. Few men have performed more unrequited toil for the Church than he. He was treasurer for many years of the Board of Conference Trustees, and also of the Ministers' Mutual Assistance Society. He rendered his services with the strictest fidelit}', and without any compensa- tion. He had been appointed for the third time to Kingston, but never reached his field of lalior. God had prepared for him a mansion in heaven, and he en- tered it suddenly. His Master kindly l)rouglit the season of earthly labor and eternal repose close i-o each
GRIFFIN
1011
GRIND
other.— Methodist,'No. 52; Minutes ofConferences,18(J2, p. 71. (G. B. D.)
GrifSn, Edmund D orr, A .M. , a Protestant Episco- pal minister, was born at Wyoming, Pa., Sept. 18, 1804. Early in life he gave proofs of classical proficiency in the composition of some Latin poems and poetic ver- sions, which were considered to possess rare excellence. In 1823 he passed A.B. in Columbia College with dis- tinguished honor; and having studied tlieologj' two years in the New York Theological Seminary, he was admitted to deacon's orders in 1826. After supplying for a time a church at Utica, he returned to New York, and was appointed agent to the Gen.Theolog. Semina- ry ; he became rector of St. James's, New York, and the Associate Church of Bloomingdale, officiating also tem- porarily in Christ's Church, New York, as assistant to Dr. Lyell. In 1828, his health failing, he sailed for Europe, and visited England, France, and Italy. On his return he commenced lecturing at Columbia Col- lege, April 13, 1830, on the History of Literature, con- tinuing the series which his friend, Prof. McVickar, had been obliged to suspend on account of ill health. Griffin's lectures had great success ; and measures were in progress for tlie formation of a new chair of history in the college expresslj' for him, when, during the vacation, he was seized with inflammation of the bowels, and died Aug. 31, 1830. His MSS. were pub- lished after his deatii by his friend McVickar under the title Remains of Rev. E. D. Griffin (N. Y.,2 vols. 8vo). Thej' contain several pieces of poetry, some of wliich are in Latin ; an account of travels through Italy and Switzerland in 1829 ; notes on France, Eng- land, and Scotland in 1828, 1829, and 1830 ; extracts from his lectures, and some essays written while a stu- dent. See McVickar, Notice (in the Preface of the Remains of R. E. G.) ; Cyclop, of American Literature, ii, 391 ; Christian Review, iv, 35G ; Sprague, Annals, v, 671.