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S^^^IS^Si^MSS^I'Ml^i^MIIMMH^fil^
— /S^t>»-
THE
HOLY BIBLE:
CONTAINING THE
OLD TESTAMENT
AND THE N E W.
Tranflated into the
INDIAN LANGUAGE-
AND
Ordered to be Printed by ths Commiffionerf of the Vnited Colama
-n I^EW'ENGLANB,
At thr Charge, and with tbcConfcotof the
CORPORATION IN ENGLAND
For the Trop/tgatton of the Cjofpd amcngH tlx Indians
in New-En Jjnd.
€ A M B R I DG M:
Printed by Samuel green and ^JHarmaekkf Mi>foi%
MDCLXIir.
Fac-simile of the English title page of the Eliot Bible of 1663. Reduced size.
<Bar% (§iMtB
of ^mmca
BY-
REV. JOHN WRIGHT, D.D.
Rector of St. Paul's Churcli, St. PjiiI. Miiui.
OCT 1 1892
THOMAS WHITTAKER, 2 and 3 BIBLE HOUSE
1892
Copyright, 1892, by
THOMAS WHITTAKER
Z7-77/
t-^t Conxion (precfi
171, 173 Macdougal Street, New York
PREFACE.
The title " Early Bibles of America " must
be understood in a restricted sense. I have
written of Bibles that were printed during
the existence of the British- American colonies,
and of others that appeared after the colonies
became the United States. I have not carried
the subject into Canada, or other parts of North
America. As the versions or editions were, in
most cases, associated with certain translators
or publishers, the accounts are not only biblio-
graphic, but to some extent biographic.
J. W.
St. Paul, Minn., Feb. 1, 1892.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
The Eliot Bible 1
The Sauk Bible 28
The AiTKEN Bible 55
The Fibst Douay Yeesios 69
The Thomas Bible 74
The Collins Bible 86
The Fibst Tkanslation fkom the Septuagint . 91
The Fibst Tbanslation feom the Peshito
Sybiac Vebsion . 97
CuBious Veesions 103
Eably Editions of the Gbeek Testament . 112
Vaeious Editions 119
APPENDIX A.
Dedication in the Eliot New Testament
OF 1661 143
APPENDIX B.
Dedication in the Eliot Bible op 1663 . 149
APPENDIX C.
Dedication to Hon. Kobeet Boyle in Eliot
Bible of 1685 156
VI CONTENTS.
APPENDIX D.
FAOB
List of Owners of Eliot New Testaments
AND Bibles as fab as known . . . 158
APPENDIX E.
Some of the Prices paid for Eliot New
Testaments and Bibles .... 162
APPENDIX F.
List of Owners of the Saue Bibles as far
AS KNOWN 163
APPENDIX G.
List of Owners of the Aitken Bible as
fab as known 165
INDEX 167
EARLY BIBLES.
THE ELIOT BIBLE.
The history of the first Bible printed in
America is the history of the devotion and per-
sistence chiefly of one man. John Eliot was
drawn to New England by the desire to relieve
the minds of the Indian races from their spirit-
ual darkness. He came when his mental fac-
ulties were keen and active, and lived to see
the happy consummation of his hopes and plans,
even to an honored old age. Eliot arrived in
New England in the autumn of the year 1631.
After a short time devoted to teaching, he be-
came the pastor of the Roxbury Church. From
the first his interest in the Indians had mani-
fested itself, and he early took steps toward
1
2 EARLY BIBLES.
giving them the Word of God. He was well
fitted for the work, both by heart and intellect.
His scholastic advantages had been ample, for
he had received his education at Jesus College,
Cambridge, from which institution he was grad-
uated in 1623. He was well acquainted with
the original languages of the Bible, and set
about his work with confidence and enthusiasm.
His first efforts at learning the language of the
Indian tribes of Massachusetts were made
through the assistance of an Indian who had
been taken a prisoner in the Pequot Wars, who
was employed in the neighborhood as a house
servant. " He was," says Eliot, " the first that
I made use of to teach me words, and to be my
interpreter." Eliot made such progress in his
knowledge of the language that in 1646 he was
able to preach to the Indians in their native
tongue. But, before he could place into the
hands of these converts books of instruction,
financial help was requisite.
In 1643 the colonies of Massachusetts, Plym-
outh, Connecticut, and New Haven entered
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 3
into articles of confederation to aid the Indians,
and each colony was represented by two com-
missioners. This move received the approval
of the mother-country, for in July, 1649, the
Corporation for the Promoting and Propagating
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in New England
was formed by act of Parliament ; and commis-
sioners of the united colonies were appointed
to receive and distribute the necessary funds
for the education of the Indians. In 1653
Eliot wrote : " I have had a great longing de-
sire, if it were the will of God, that our Indian
language might be sanctified by the translation
of the Holy Scriptures into it." The Lord's
Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and a few
passages of the Bible, were first attempted. A
primer, or catechism, appeared about 1654.
The Book of Genesis and the Gospel of St. Mat-
thew were in print in 1655, and a few Psalms
in metre were added in 1658. The printing
of these early productions was executed by
Samuel Green at Cambridge. The first press
used in this place was set up in 1639, and was
4 EARLY BIBLES.
the property of the president of Harvard Col-
lege, the Rev. Henry Dunster. It was worked
by Stephen Daye until 1649, when the manage-
ment of it was turned over to Samuel Green.
A new press and new type were received in
1659, and in 1660 Green was joined by Marma-
duke Johnson, who had been sent from Eng-
land to aid him in his work. With these
increased facilities Mr. Eliot became more and
more anxious that the Indian tribes might have
the Bible in their own tongue. He said: "I
look at it as a sacred and holy work, to be re-
garded with much fear, care, and reverence."
Under the stimulus of such exalted motives as
these the translation went on day by day, until
under date of Dec. 28, 1658, Mr. Eliot with
evident joy writes : " Bless the Lord, that the
whole book of God is translated into their own
language ; it wanteth but revising, transcribing,
and printing. Oh that the Lord would so
move that by some means or other it might be
printed ! " His appeal was not in vain, for the
funds were provided by the Corporation in
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 5
Eno-land. The New Testament in the Indian
language appeared in 1661. The edition was
about fifteen hundred copies. There are two
title-pages, the first in English and the second
in Indian. The English title-page reads —
THE NEW
TESTAMENT
of our
LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
Translated into the
INDIAN LANGUAGE,
and
Ordered to be printed by the Commissioners of the United Colonies
IN NEW ENGLAND, ^
AT THE CHAEGE, AND "WITH THE CONSEKT OF THE
CORPORATION IN ENGLAND
For the propagation of the Gospel amongst the Indians
IN NEW ENGLAND.
CAMBRIDG :
PRINTED BY SAMUEL GREEN AND MAEMADXJKE JOHNSON.
MDCLXL
6 EARLY BIBLES.
The Indian title-page reads as follows ; —
WUSKU
WUTTESTAMENTUM
NUL-LOEDUMUN
JESUS CHRIST
NUPPOQUOHWUSSUAENEUMUN.
CAMBRIDGE :
PRINTED BY SAMUEL GKEEN AND MAKMADUKE JOHNSON.
MDCLXI.
The translation of the Indian reads —
NEW
HIS-TESTAMENT
OUR-LOKD
JESUS CHRIST
OUR-DELIVERER.
The book in size is a small quarto of 130
printed leaves without pagination. By exact
measurement the leaves are 7f inches by 5f
inches, while the printed pages are 6§ inches by
4| inches. The text is in double columns with
marginal references. The Indian language
from St. Matthew to Revelation covers 126
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 7
pages. Between the two title-pages there is a
dedication in English to Charles the Second.^
This is found only in a limited number of
copies intended for presentation. There is a
diamond-shaped figure of thirty-two printers'
flowers on the Indian title-page, and this famil-
iar ornamentation is common to nearly all the
Eliot Testaments. Forty copies of the New
Testament with the English title-page and
kingly dedication were sent to Hon. Robert
Boyle, the governor of the Corporation in
England. The first twenty were sent in 1661,
and the remaining twenty in 1662. The first
copy was presented to Charles the Second.
The second was given to Lord High Chancellor
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon ; the third, to
Rev. Edward Reynolds, D.D., the Bishop of
Norwich ; the fourth, to the Rev. Joseph Caryl ;
the fifth, to the Rev. Richard Baxter ; and the
sixth and seventh, to the Vice Chancellors of
the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
The thirteen copies that remained, and the
second lot of twenty, were left to the disposal
1 Appendix A.
8 EARLY BIBLES.
of Mr. William Ashurst and Mr. Richard
Hutchinson, officers of the English Corporation.
Copies of the New Testament of 1661, solely
in Indian and without the English title-page,
were bound up, but the exact number is not
known. The Eliot New Testament of 1661 is
now an exceedingly rare book, as only nine-
teen copies have been located. Two copies are
in the British Museum, and two in the Lenox
Library, New York. Trinity College (Dublin),
Glasgow University, Edinburgh University,
Bodleian Library (Oxford), the British and
Foreign Bible Society (London), Town Library,
Leicester, Eng., Harvard University, and the
Boston Athenaeum, each possesses a copy. The
remaining seven are in private libraries.
The hopeful work accomplished among the
Indians encouraged Mr. Eliot in placing the
whole Bible in their hands. The printing of
the Old Testament began in September, 1660,
and by the same month in the following year
the five books of Moses were completed. The
commissioners in September, 1662, wrote to Mr.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 9
Boyle fiom Boston, saying, " The Bible is now
about half done ; and constant progress therein
is made ; the other half is like to be finished in
a year."
In 1663 the completed Bible appeared. It
contains four title-pages. The first is in Eng-
lish and reads thus : —
THE
HOLY BIBLE:
CONTAINING THE
OLD TESTAMENT
AND THE NEW.
Translated into the
INDIAN LANGUAGE,
and
Ordered to be printed by the Commissioners of the United Colonies
in NEW-ENGLAND,
At the Charge, and with the Consent of the
CORPORATION IN ENGLAND
For the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Indians
in New-England.
CAMBBIBGE :
Printed by Samuel Green and MarmaduJce Johnson.
MDCLXIII.
10 EARLY BIBLES.
The second title, which is in Indian, is as fol-
lows : —
MAMUSSE
WUNNEETUPANATAMWE
UP-BIBLUM GOD
NANEESWE
NUKKONE TESTAMENT
KAH WONK
WUSKU TESTAMENT.
Ne quoshkinnumuk nashpe Wuttinneumoh CHRIST
noh asoowesit
JOHN ELIOT.
CAMBRIDGE:
Printeuoop nashpe Samuel Green kah Marmaduke Johnson.
1663.
Literally translated, these words read — ■
THE WHOLE
HOLY HIS BIBLE GOD
both
OLD TESTAMENT
and also
NEW TESTAMENT.
THIS TUKNED BY THE SERVANT OF CHBI8T
WHO IS CALLED
JOHN ELIOT.
«fe€ " ~— , S«»t
M A M V S S E U'
WUNNEETUPANATAMWE ;|S}
«}€
«>€
«>^
•as
•^
*»«
^»^
sInukkone testaments
UP-BIBLUM GOD |s
NANEESWE i ?^:
«»«
«^
KAH WONK 112
WUSKU TESTAMENT, fe
. — , — - — - &o»
Ne c^uofhkinnumuic nafhpe 'Wuttinncumob ^H RI$7 i U
DOb afooweiit j:fC»
• ^«»
JOHN ELIOT- l|s
— ^ : — IIS.
I^ PrwteuQop nafhpe S*iOT«f/ Cr«« kah Ai-rw«M* F*^"/*** ! |S!
X ^ tf 3« jS^
Fac-simile of the Indian title page of the Eliot Bible of 16G3. Reduced size.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 11
The third and fourth title-pages are contained
in the New Testament; and, as they are the
same as in the edition of 1661, the description
need not be repeated. At the end of the Old
Testament are the words " Wohkukquohsinwog
Quoshodtumwaenuog ; " that is, " The Prophets
are ended." The New Testament is followed
by a metrical version of the Psalms. There is
no title-page to the Psalms, but this head-
ing : " Wame Ketoohomae Uketoohomaongash
David ; " meaning, " All the Singing Songs of
David." At the close, on one leaf, are rules
for Christian living, consisting of two ques-
tions, — " How can I walk all day long with
God ? " and " What should a Christian do to
keep perfectly holy the Sabbath Day ? " ; — with
the answers.
The book is a quarto in size and printed
upon excellent paper. The pages measure 6|
inches by 4f inches. Genesis and the other
books to the end of the Old Testament cover
414 leaves ; and St. Matthew to the end of the
New Testament, 126 leaves. The Psalms in
12 EARLY BIBLES.
metre fill 50 leaves, and the total number of
printed pages in the Bible is 600. There is a
dedication 1 to Charles the Second covering two
pages. This differs in wording from the first
that appeared in the edition of 1661, as it is a
dedication of the whole Bible to His Majesty.
As in the case of the New Testament, presenta-
tion copies of the Bible of 1663 were sent to the
English Corporation, to be disposed of as that
body should elect. The number thus sent was
twenty, in an unbound condition. In England
they were substantially bound in dark-blue
morocco. What disposition was made of these
twenty volumes, and who became their recipi-
ents, is not known, except that one copy was
presented Charles the Second.
A portion of the edition of 1663 was bound
up for the use of the Indians, and contained no
English title-pages and dedication, for it was
wholly in the Indian tongue. The copies pre-
viously spoken of as having the English title-
pages and dedication are marked by certain
variations. Mr. Wilberforce Eames, in his
1 Appendix B.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 13
"Bibliographic Notes on Eliot's Indian Bible
and his other Translations and Works in the
Indian Language of Massachusetts," printed at
"Washington by the Government in 1890, makes
a classification of seven varieties. He says : ^
" These differ in the number of certain prelimi-
nary leaves : namely, the dedication of the
whole Bible, the Indian general title, the leaf
of contents, the English New Testament title,
and the dedication of the New Testament, one
or more of which are generally omitted; also
in the Indian New Testament title, which
sometimes does not contain the diamond-shaped
figure." Those persons who desire to study
these differences critically are referred to Mr.
Eames's valuable work.
Dr. E. B. O'Callaghan, in his " List of Bibles
printed in America," points out sixty errors in
the printing of the Eliot Bible of 1663, and
most of these were caused by the omission of
certain words and sentences from the trans-
lation. A ludicrous mistake was made in the
rendering of the twenty-third verse of the
1 Bibliographic Notes, p. 16.
14 EARLY BIBLES.
second chapter of the 2 Kings, — " Go up, thou
bald head," — to which Dr. Trumbull has called
attention. He says : ^ "In the Indian, the last
word literally is ' ball-head ' (' pompasuhkonkan-
ontup ' ). Either the interpreter mistook the
word as pronounced by Eliot, or he thought it
well to aggravate the insult by likening Elisha's
smooth head to a foot-ball ; for 'pompasuhkonk'
denotes a ball to play with."
Considering the difficulties that had to be
encountered in printing the first Bible in Amer-
ica, it is a matter of surprise that the errors
were not more numerous. Presses, type, ink,
and paper had to be imported, coming long
distances, and by slow means of conveyance.
Workmen were few, and the sources of instruc-
tion limited. The Algonkin was a harsh lan-
guage, and it had no equivalents for certain
English words. Salt was unknown to the
Indians, and hence the word had to be inserted
without translation. The same was true of
" Amen " and some other terms. The words
of the language were so extremely long that
1 Memorial History of Boston, p. 473.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 15
Cotton Mather thought they must have been
stretching themselves out from the time of the
confusion of tongues at Babel. Rev. Dr. Ellis
playfully says : ^ "To us it seems as if an Indian
root-word started little and compact, like one of
their own pappooses, and then grew at either
extremity, thickened in the middle, extended in
shape and proportion in each limb, member, and
feature, and was completed with a feathered
head-knot." Some impression of the appearance
of the language may be had by the following
version of the Lord's Prayer : —
Nooshun kesukqut, quttianatamunach koowesuonk. Pe-
yaumooutch kukketassootamoonk, kuttenantamoonk ne n
nach ohkeit neane kesukqut. Nummeetsuongash asekesu-
kokish assamainnean yeuyeu kesukok. Kah ahquoantam-
aiinnean nuinmatcheseongash, neane matchenehukqweagig
nutahquontamounnonog. Ahque sagkompagunaiinnean en
qutchhuaouganit, webe pohquohwussinnean wutch matchi-
tut. Newutche kutahtaunn ketassootamoonk, kah menuh-
kesuonk, kah sohsumoonk micheme. Amen.
The completion of the Bible of 1663 brought
great joy to the heart of Mr. Eliot, not only
because it was a great event in the art of print-
1 Memorial History of Boston, vol. i. p. 270.
16 EARLY BIBLES.
ing, but chiefly for the reason that it facilitated
his work among the Indians. Cotton Mather
could hardly contain himself in his enthusiasm
of thanksgiving. In his "Magnalia" he thus
writes: "Behold, ye Americans, the greatest
honor that ever you were partakers of. The
Bible was printed here at our Cambridge, and
is the only Bible that ever was printed in all
America, from the very foundation of the
world. The whole translation he writ with
but one pen ; which pen, if it had not been lost,
would have certainly deserved a richer case
than was bestowed upon that pen with which
Holland writ his translation of Plutarch."
Francis, in his " Life of John Eliot," doubts the
statement about the translation being written
with but one pen, and says Mather's "story
seems more precise than credible." ^
In 1680 a second edition of the New Testa-
ment appeared. The upper part of the title-
page is in Indian, while the lower contains the
words, " Cambridge, Printed for the Right Hon-
1 Francis. Life of Eliot, p. 227.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 17
ourable Corporation in London for the propaga-
tion of the Gospel among the Indians in New
England. 1680." No mention is made of the
printer or printers.
Mr. Eliot was desirous of seeing a new im-
pression of the whole Bible, as many copies of
the edition of 1663 had been lost or destroyed
during the score of years since it was printed.
The Indian war of 1675-76 had contributed also
to this result. Mr. Eliot began the new version
in 1677, and desired the work to be accelerated,
for he said, " My age makes me importunate."
That great spiritual good had been accomplished
is evident, for in the earliest years of his work
Eliot wrote of the Indians : " It hath pleased
God to stir up the hearts of many of them this
winter to learn to read and write, wherein they
do much profit with a very little help, especially
some of them, for they are very ingenious." In
1680 Mr. Eliot wrote : " I shall depart joyfully,
may I but have the Bible among them, for it is
the word of life." This desire for a fresh sup-
ply of Bibles was not alone Eliot's wish, for he
18 EARLY BIBLES.
says under date of November 4, 1680 : " Our
praying Indians both in the islands and on the
main, are considered together, numerous ; thou-
sands of souls, of whom some true believers, some
learners, and some still infants, and all of them,
beg, cry, entreat for Bibles, having already en-
joyed that blessing, but now are in great want."
The press-work on the Old Testament began in
1682, but the progress was slow, for Mr. Eliot
writes : " We have but few hands, one English-
man, a boy, and one Indian."
The Indian referred to was a man known as
James Printer, who had worked on the first
edition. He seems to have been well fitted for
his task, for Eliot in 1682 writes of him:
" We have but one man, the Indian printer, that
is able to compose the sheets and correct the
press with understanding." Mr. Eliot also re-
cords his indebtedness to Rev. John Cotton of
Plymouth, " who helped me much in the second
edition of the Bible."
In the autumn of 1685 the second and last
version of the Indian Bible appeared. Extant
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 19
copies show that this is in leading particulars
a reproduction of the first edition. This is im-
plied on the title-page, where the Indian sen-
tence occurs, " Nahoht8eu ontchetQe Printeuoo-
muk ; " which, translated, means " Second-time
amended impression." The name only of Samuel
Green appears as printer. Like the previous
Bible, the contents consist of the Old and New
Testaments, the Psalms in metre, and the
rules for Christian living. It is similar to it
also in being printed in double columns with
headings and side references. The whole
book is printed on 608 leaves without pagi-
nation; that is, a few more leaves than the
Bible of 1663, which is accounted for by the
addition of summaries at the head of the chap-
ters. It contains no English title-pages, as
they are solely in Indian. A few of the copies
had a ^ dedication in English to Hon. Robert
Boyle, the head of the Corporation in Eng-
land. Mr. Boyle had been a most substan-
tial helper in advancing the welfare of the
Indians in New England. He had not only in-
1 Appendix C.
20 EARLY BIBLES.
fluenced the English Corporation to sustain the
work financially, but had given out of his per-
sonal means £300 toward it, and also provided
for an additional gift of £100 in his will. Mr.
Eliot was profoundly grateful for the solid
interest Mr. Boyle had taken in his plans, and in
his letters addressed him as " Right honourable
nursing father." Copies of the Bible of 1685
with the Boyle dedication are now extremely
scarce, as only twelve are known to exist, and
nine of these are in public libraries.
The errors in printing the Bible of 1663 were
corrected in the second edition. While the lat-
ter is not without errors, they are chiefly, as Dr.
O'Callaghan has shown, mistakes in the spelling
of words. Dr. Trumbull has called attention to
the omission of the sentence, " but deceivethhis
own heart," in St. James 1 : 26. In the second
edition the error is corrected in a foot-note.
The improved condition of the Bible of 1685
over the first edition makes the second edition
a more desirable book to those who wish to
know something of the Indian language.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 21
A recent writer very justly says : " While the
first edition of Eliot's Bible is the more attrac-
tive to collectors of rare Americana, and de-
serves the pre-eminence that is accorded to it,
as a monument of early typography, and as the
first version of the Bible printed in the New
World, it should not be forgotten that to the
student of the American languages, and to the
general philologist, the second is the more valu-
able ; and that all critical references to Eliot's
version are or should be made to this revised
and corrected edition."
To collectors of rare books the Eliot Bibles
are coveted treasures. As the years roll away
the price of these rarities steadily rises. ^ At the
sale of the Brinley library in New York, March,
1879, an Eliot New Testament of 1661 brought
$700. At the same sale a Bible of 1663 was
knocked down at $1,000. At an auction in
1884 a Bible of 1685 brought $950. In Lon-
don, at a sale held July 2, 1882, Mr. Quaritch,
the eminent bibliophile, bought for the late Mr.
1 Appendix E.
22 EARLY BIBLES.
Kalbfleisch of New York an Eliot Bible of
1663, containing the English title-pages, and
dedication to Charles the Second, for £580 ; that
is, about $2,900. Eighteen years ago Mr. Na-
thaniel Paine of Worcester, Mass., made a list
of the Eliot Bibles. By his count the total
reached fifty-four. Since then several copies,
especially those owned privately, have changed
hands, and others have come to light. The
writer has found twelve copies that have not
been previously noticed or included in any list.
There are more Eliot Bibles in the great libra-
ries of Europe than was at first supposed. The
total number of Indian New Testaments and
Bibles now known to exist is more than one
hundred.^
There are many interesting associations con-
nected with copies of the Eliot Bibles, as they
have been in the possession of kings, princes,
statesmen, prelates, and great schools of learn-
ing. There is in the Bodleian Library, Oxford,
an Eliot Bible of 1661, which was given by
1 Appendix D.
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 23
Ralph Freke in 1668. The year before he had
received it from Harvard College. It contains
the following inscription : —
" By order of the overseers of Harvard CoUeg in Cam-
bridg in New Eng><J, To the Right worshipp' Ralph Freke,
Esq., a noble benefactor" to the aforesayd Colleg. 1667."
Mr. Freke was one of the subscribers who
gave Harvard College its first font of type.
It may be that this Bible was printed from the
type thus presented.
The University of Virginia has a copy of the
first edition of the Eliot Bible that was once
the property of Dr. C. D. Ebeling, the German
historian. At his death his library was pur-
chased by Mr. Israel Thorndike of Boston, who
presented it to Harvard University in 1818.
As the University had another copy of Eliot,
the corporation, at a meeting held June 22,
1819, directed the treasurer to dispose of the
Ebeling Bible. By some train of circumstances
it came into the possession of the University of
Virginia, where it has been since 1828, as the
book catalogue of the institution shows. It
24 EARLY BIBLES.
contains Dr. Ebeling's autograph, and this in-
scription on the fly-leaf: "Biblia Sacra in lin-
guam Indorum Americanse gentis Twv Natick
translata a Johanne Eliot Missionario Angli-
cano. Impressa Cantabrigiae Novae Angliae
oppido. Liber summae raritatis. V. Clement.
Bibl. cur. T. iv. Freytag Anacleta."
Increase Mather, while president of Harvard
College, presented the universities at Utrecht
and Leyden, Holland, with Eliot Bibles of
1685, which are still preserved in the libra-
ries of those institutions. The Eliot of 1663,
in the library of the British Museum, was
once the property of Hon. Edward Everett,
United States minister to Great Britain. He
presented it to Hon. Thomas Grenville, who
bequeathed his library to the Museum. Hon.
Rufus King, minister to England in 1796, was
the owner of an Eliot Bible of 1685, which is
now in the hands of his descendants in this
country. Hon. Thomas Aspinwall, United
States consul in England in 1815, possessed
an Eliot New Testament of 1661. Brown Uni-
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 25
versity, Providence, R.I., has a copy of the
same year, which belonged to Koger Williams,
and has notes in the margin in his own hand-
writing. The Bible in the library of Yale Col-
lege has the signature of John Winthrop, doubt-
less the Winthrop who was governor of Con-
necticut in 1698. Mr. Morgan of New York
owns a first edition of Eliot that has the signa-
ture of White Kennett, who was the Bishop of
Peterborough in 1718. One of the finest and
most desirable of the Eliot Bibles of 1663 is
known to collectors as " the Allan copy," from
its having belonged to John Allan, the antiqua-
rian. It is one of the " Royal " copies, contain-
ing the dedication to Charles the Second. It
contains the autograph of William Ashurst,
who was an active member of the Corporation
for Propagating the Gospel in New England,
and who became eventually its Governor. This
gives this Bible peculiar interest. It was sold
at the Brinley sale for $900, and is now the
property of Mrs. Laura Eliot Cutter of Brook-
lyn, N.Y., who is a lineal descendant of John
26 EARLY BIBLES.
Eliot by the sixth generation. The Eliot that
originally belonged to the Marquis of Hast-
ings is in the library of the late John Carter
Brown, Providence, R.I. As might be ex-
pected, there are several Bibles that contain the
signatures of their former Indian owners, and
these books in most cases give evidence in
blackened and well-thumbed pages of the con-
stant use they had in their day.
John Eliot died at the advanced age of eighty-
six, after a life replete with usefulness. His
unselfishness, his devotion to duty, his broad
sympathies, his strength and gentleness of char-
acter, all made him a central figure in the history
of colonial times in America. De Ponseau called
him " The Augustine of New England." But
the title " The Apostle to the Indians " has for
generations been associated with his name wher-
ever mentioned. In literature it appeared early,
for Dr. Leuden, who was professor of Hebrew
at Utrecht, Holland, dedicated in 1661 his Eng-
lish and Hebrew Psalter to Eliot, " the venera-
ble Apostle to the Indians in America." The
THE ELIOT BIBLE. 27
first use of the appellation is attributed to Rev.
Thomas Thorowgood, who first used it in 1660.
It was well applied ; for Eliot had the apostolic
spirit, as indicated in a life-long consecration.
Evidently the thought that guided him at all
times was that which he once wrote on the blank
leaf of his Indian grammar in these words :
" Prayers and pains, through Christ Jesus, will
do anything."
THE SAUR BIBLE.
During the early days of the American col-
onies many Germans settled in Pennsylvania.
They were as a class frugal and peaceable.
They preferred, for the most part, the agri-
cultural districts, where, by their industry, they
acquired homes, and earned a generous living.
Among these settlers was Christopher Saur,^ a
man who rose to a position of commanding
influence among his countrymen. He was born
at Laasphe in Witgenstein, Germany, in 1693.
He received his education at the University of
Halle, where he studied medicine. He came to
this country in 1724, and settled at German-
1 Mr. Saur changed the spelling of his name when writing
in English to Sower, and his descendants follow the same
spelling. For the sake of uniformity, the German way of
spelling the word, as found on the titlepage of the Saur
Bible, has been retained in this article.
28
BIBLIA
it
((^e*
mtnu
» Bum ^m^mit
t le&e^ EapittB fiitfrn ©ummatieii/
mtmmmm
&(itMtkt) ^m9ovf> %Mt) 1743-
Fac-simile of the title-page of the Saur Bible of 1743. Kedueed size.
THE SAUR BIBLE. 29
town, but in tlie same year went to Lancaster
County and engaged in farming. In 1731 lie
returned to Germantown, and followed the
practice of medicine. As he was a man of
decided convictions in matters of morality and
religion, he became interested in bettering the
temporal and spiritual condition of the Ger-
mans about him. He found them destitute to a
great extent of reading matter in their own
tongue. He at once began to import Bibles
and various religious books for their use. As
many of them were poor, he induced several
Bible societies in Germany to donate copies of
the Scriptures, and especially the publishing
houses at Halle and Biidingen. As time went
on, and the intellectual wants of the German
people became more evident, he urged the pub-
lication of books and papers in America. He
knew nothing of printing; but an emergency
arose which drew him into the business, which
he followed the remainder of his life with devo-
tion and enthusiasm. Thomas says, " The Bap-
tists, or Tunkers, in Germany raised by sub-
30 EARLY BIBLES.
scription a sum of money, in order to purchase
religious books and disperse them among their
poor friends in Pennsylvania, and to establish a
press there to print for the same purpose.
Accordingly a press and types, with a quantity
of books, were sent out and intrusted to the
management of a German Baptist by the name
of Jacob Gaus. He was to have the use of,
and the emolument arising from, the press, on
condition that he should distribute a certain
number of copies of each of the religious books .
he should print among the poor Germans.
This person did not possess the ability necessary
for the undertaking, and no other person who
was thought to have sufficient ability for the
purpose was found to take his place. The busi-
ness was suspended, and the press and type
viewed as useless lumber." ^ It was at this
point that Mr. Saur came into possession of the
property. He set up his press, imported work-
men from Germany, and launched his publish-
ing enterprise.
In 1738 he began the printing of an almanac,
1 Thomas's History of Printing in America, vol. i. p. 271.
THE SAUR BIBLE. 31
which was the first one in German printed in
this country. It was very small at first, con-
sisting of only twelve pages. It was enlarged
in 1743 to sixteen pages, but by 1750 it had
increased to forty-eight pages. Its publication
was continued for forty years.
So great was the faith of the Germans in the
integrity of Mr. Saur that in seriousness they
consulted his almanac for weather predictions.
A farmer, about to make a journey, referred to
his almanac and found the day marked " fair."
He went in an open wagon, but ere long a
shower drenched him through and through. In
great anger he called upon Mr. Saur for an
explanation. The sturdy German quietly re-
plied, "My friend, I made the almanac, but
the Almighty made the weather." Mr. Saur
printed the first number of a religious news-
paper on August 20, 1789, and also began the
publication of a religious quarterly, in German,
in 1746. These publications had a large circu-
lation among the German population. The
newspaper was the first religious newspaper
32 EARLY BIBLES.
issued in this country. It is said to have
reached a circulation of ten thousand copies,
which was large for that time.
Through this almanac and newspaper Mr.
Saur urged the publication of a German Bible,
and pleaded for help. In 1739 he issued his
Proposal. It is in several respects unique, and
worth quoting nearly in full. He writes, —
" Therefore, as we think we have some abilities to meet
this great desideratum, we are also willing to contribute all
that is in our power thereto. But as the publishing of such
a work requires a much greater outlay than our means are
adequate to, we deem it necessary that all the subscribers,
or, to speak plainly, all those who desire a copy of the Bible
shall notify us, and pay half a crown which is necessary:
First, that we may know a little how many we may venture
to print. Second, to assist us in our payments, as the paper
for one Bible alone costs 7s. 6d. Thirdly, that if we should
be necessitated to involve ourselves by loans in getting it up,
we may have something to depend on to relieve us again
from our embarrassments; and lastly, as the covmtry is so
new yet that we have no example of the kind to pattern
after.
" The form shall be long quarto; that is, the height and
breadth like this page, and with the same type, which we
think sufficiently readable to old and young. In thickness,
it shall be about the breadth of a hand, for we are willing to
take good paper to it.
"Notes or comments we will add none, as we hope that
all those who read the Holy Scriptures with a sincere heart,
THE SAUR BIBLE. 33
will, through the teachings of the fear of God, which is the
beginning of all wisdom, become sufficiently acquainted
with the sinfulness and depravity of his heart, to seek for
an interest in the Saviour, through whose redeeming power
he will be taught to love Him and keep His words; then the
Father will love him and come unto him, and they will
make their abode with him. And if the Godhead thus
dwells in him, then the Holy Ghost will be the best com-
mentator of His own words ; as Moses, the Prophets, and
Christ, the Apostles, and Evangelists have spoken and re-
corded them; and that, then, will be the correctest and
most reliable commentary."
"Concerning the price, we cannot say precisely: First,
because we do not know yet how many we shall print, for
the smaller the number, the higher the price will be, and
the larger the number, the lower the price will be. Second,
because several friends of the Truth have, out of love to
God, and for the good of their needy neighbors, already con-
tributed toward it, and others have offered to do so. Partly,
that its price may be so low that the parsimonious and
avaricious may have no excuse, and those of lesser means,
no burden. Therefore, in proportion to the number of such
benefactors, and as our own means will enable us to do, the
price will be. But this much we may say, that all unbound,
none shall cost over fourteen shillings, which we hope will
not be thought dear, especially when we consider that the
paper alone is at least four times as high here as it is in
Germany."
To print a Bible at that day was an immense
undertaking, for type was not as yet manufac-
tured in the new country. Workmen were few,
and financial aid slow in coming. But Mr.
34 EARLY BIBLES.
Saur persisted in his appeals, and believed in
the ultimate success of his plans. He appealed
to Germany for assistance, as well as to friends
in America. His plea was not in vain. Mr.
Heinrich Ehrenfried Luther, a type-founder of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, presented him with a
font of type, asking no other compensation than
to receive a copy of the Bible when completed.
Mr. Luther was not only a prominent type-
founder, but a man of literary attainments who
received university honors. As a lawyer of
ability, he filled the position of Court Coun-
sellor of Wiirtemberg. At that time, Frank-
fort-on-the-Main was one of the four free cities
of Germany. He was born in the above city in
the year 1700, and died in 1770.
As soon as the type was received, work upon
the Bible began. The book was three years in
going through the press, and the last sheet was
finished in August, 1743. Considering the
early day at which the Saur Bible was printed,
it is an admirable example of workmanship.
It was the first Bible printed in America in
a European language.
THE SAUR BIBLE. 35
The Title-Page: —
SBiblia, I ©as ifl: | bie | §eUlge ©d^rift | Slltes unb 9?eue3 |
Sefiaments, | nad) bet ©eutfc^en Ueberfe^ung | 2)r. SKattin
Sutlers, I Wilt jcbes SopitelS ^ur^en ©ummarien, au(^ |
bc^gefugten oielen unb rit^tigen *ParafleIen; | ncbft einem 2[n«
bang | Ses britten unb Dierten 33uc^8 gjra unb bes | britteu
Sud^S ber liJiaccabaer. |
©ermantottjn:
I @ebrucftbe9(S^ri{}ot)^@aur,1743.
Translation: The Bible, That is the Holy
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,
after the German translation of Dr. Martin
Luther, with short summaries to every chapter,
also many and correct parallel references, be-
sides an Appendix of the Third and Fourth
Books of Ezra, and the Third Book of Macca-
bees. Germantown: Printed by Christopher
Saur. 1743.
Collation : Title, one leaf ; verso, blank. Pre-
face, one page. Order of Books of Old Testament,
one page. Text, pp. 1-805. Apocrypha, pp.
806-949. Appendix, pp. 950-995. New Testa-
ment title, one leaf. Preface, one leaf. Order
of Books, one page. Text, pp. 3-277. Register
of Epistles and Gospels for Sundays of Christian
36 EARLY BIBLES.
Year, two pages. Register of Epistles and Gos-
pels for certain Saints' Days, one leaf. Short
history of translations of the Bible, four pages.
Preface : —
" While all books require a preface by means
of which the use and peculiarity of the book is
briefly described, the Bible is in itself suffi-
ciently known, and itself brings all that can only
be written about ; above all It and every Scripture
given of God is useful, for doctrine, for reproof,
for improvement, for instruction in righteousness,
that a man of God may be perfect, equipped for
all good works, etc. (2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17). The
moving causes for printing this present Bible,
have been chiefly, as may be perceived : Firstly,
that so many poor Germans come to the country
who do not all bring Bibles. Secondly, that so
many are born and bred in the land, who also
do not all know how to obtain Bibles, and it is
noticed that the well-to-do usually care for
themselves and theirs.
Luther's translation has been selected, be-
THE SAUR BIBLE. 37
cause most in keeping with the usual German
idiom, and though excellent translations, word
for word, have all been discriminated in admi-
rable passages, yet his simply expresses but a
single idea. It is sure that he who reads those
Scriptures with honest heart, which are clear
and plain and require no explanation, will,
through Christ's power, attain to practice, and
will remain true to the selfsame One, who is to
be placed over so many of God's mysteries as
are needful to his eternal salvation ; and he who
will be a doer of the Word and not merely a
hearer or reader, deceive neither himself nor
another. To whomsoever aught appears incom-
prehensible in reading, and he lacks true wis-
dom, let him ask it of God, who gives it richly
to him who asks in faith (James i. 5). And
if somewhat be not granted unto him for a sea-
son, he will recognize it as clear as the sun at
another time, when he reaches the same stand-
point where the Scripture is.
The Halle Bible, in fact its 34th edition, has
been taken ; Firstly, because it is very rich in
38 EARLY BIBLES.
parallels. Secondly, because it is believed that
it contains the fewest printing mistakes, because
the type-setting remains standing. The accusa-
tion that one has mixed his own with it, and
not followed Luther's translation, is regarded
as unworthy of contradiction. It is before our
eyes, and whoever compares our printing with
the aforesaid edition, will find that not only has
it been adhered to, but that more than a hun-
dred printer's errors have been removed. The
latter are remembered, not to censure that work,
but that, should any one find that mistakes have
again crept in without our knowledge, it may
be forgiven us as unto other men.
Moreover, no explanations have been made,
a procedure in which we are as much at liberty
as others ; Firstly, because by means of Scrip-
ture parallelisms, one phrase frequently illumi-
nates another in the Spiritual sense. Secondly,
because it is certain that to him who reads the
Scriptures with an upright heart, the Holy
Spirit in the heart reveals His true meaning
by the reading itself ; and according as every
THE SAUR BIBLE. 39
believer himself undergoes such an experience
in himself, individually, so one believes assuredly
that the time nears when the whole earth shall
be full of the knowledge of the Lord (Isa. ii. 9),
and there shall be no need that brother teach
brother and admonish him to know the Lord
(Jer. xxxi. 34). But they shall all be taught of
God, both small and great, when He shall pour
out His Spirit on all flesh, that sons and daugh-
ters prophesy, young men see visions, and the
old men dream dreams, and His Spirit shall
flow upon His servants and handmaids (Joel
ii. 28-32). So will He himself make clear His
meaning, and show His might, yea, verily, be
the Word itself. Flee hither, who can; come
soon, Lord Jesus."
The Saur Bible is a quarto, bound in bevelled
boards, covered with strong leather, with the
covers held together with clasps. It is printed
in double columns, with parallel references, and
there are short summaries at the head of each
chapter. There is an ornamented headpiece at
the beginning of Genesis, and another before
40 EARLY BIBLES.
the Gospel of St. Matthew. The general title-
page is printed in black and red. The edition
consisted of twelve hundred copies, and the
price was eighteen shillings ; that is, about two
dollars and a half.
Mr. Saur did not forget his obligation to Mr.
H. E. Luther, for he had twelve copies of his
Bible substantially bound, and sent them on
the 5th of December, 1743, to Germany, by the
ship "Queen of Hungary." The vessel, when
near St. Malmo, was attacked by French and
Spanish pirates, and all the cargo was captured.
At the expiration of two years, through some
unknown events, the Bibles reached their des-
tination, and came into the possession of Mr.
Luther. There are persons who regard this
account as highly romantic, and quite improba-
ble, but there can be no doubt of its truthful-
ness. Mr. Luther gave one copy to the Royal
Library at Frankfort-on-the-Main, where it is
now preserved. From the presentation inscrip-
tion in Latin we learn that the Bible was given
to the library in the year 1745 ; that is, two
THE SAUR BIBLE. 41
years after its publication. Here we have in-
direct testimony that it was two years in reach-
ing Germany. But the truth of the account is
placed beyond all question by the direct confir-
mation of it by Mr. Luther in his own hand-
writing. He presented one of the twelve copies
of the Saur Bible to the Duchess Elizabeth
Sophie Marie von Braunschweig, who had a col-
lection of several thousand rare editions of the
Holy Scriptures. At her death she bequeathed
the collection to the Ducal Library at Wolfen-
biittel, Germany. The librarian of this institu-
tion, Dr. O. von Heinemann, in a letter bearing
date February 8th, 1892, speaks of the presenta-
tion volume as "well preserved and well bound."
In regard to the story of the Bibles falling into
the hands of pirates, he says, —
"All this is stated in a note, written in Latin and
signed by Luther with his own hand, attached to the inside
of the front cover of our copy; as well as in a German
translation of the same, entirely in Luther's handwriting,
inserted in the book."
But the most interesting evidence of all is that
written in the copy which Mr. Luther retained
42 EARLY BIBLES.
for his own library. This book is now in the
possession of Dr. J. Haeberlin, of Frankfort-on-
the-Main, who is Mr. Luther's great-great-
grandson, and the inheritor of his possessions.
In a letter dated March 6, 1892, Dr. Haeberlin
has given some very important information con-
cerning Luther's copy of the Saur Bible, He
states that it contains the following dedication : —
THIS HOLY BOOK,
By the Aid of God
recently published in the German language in
The Western World,
with types from the Luther Printing House, which has
flourished in Frankfort since the invention of printing,
under the widely known name of
EGENOLF,
and still continues to prosper,
WAS the very first
preceded by none in the English, Dutch, or any other lan-
guage, and was sent with eleven other copies on account of
its being a novel and rare production, by the publisher,
Christopher Saur,
to Europe :
But,
"the queen of HUNGARY"
— so the ship was called, — under the command of the
Englishman Faulkner, after having successfully completed
the greater portion of the journey, not far from the head-
land of the Isle Maclovius, known under the name of
ST. MALMO,
THE SAUR BIBLE. 43
fell into the hands of
French and Spanish Pirates,
who offered the ship with its cargo of wares and these
12 copies,
the Apostles of the Western World, as it were,
at public sale,
until they all finally, through a wonderful dispensation of
Providence, after a lapse of two years, were released from
the bands of robbers, and delivered uninjured to the Luther
Printing House, to whom they owed their existence. De-
part, then, my Book, and become in consideration of thy
marvellous fortunes, under the name of
" Apostle,"
together with thy similarly delivered companion volumes, a
permanent ornament of the most noted libraries, in fulfil-
ment of the well considered wish and will of the donor,
whose written, not printed name follows.
LUTHEK, DR.
Frankfort-on-the-Main, January 1, 1747.
It is evident that Mr. Luther was not aware
of the fact that the Eliot Bible had been printed
in America nearly a hundred years before, or he
would not have said that the Saur Bible, " was
the very first, preceded by none in the English,
Dutch, or any other language."
Mr. Luther presented a third copy of the
original twelve Bibles to Count Keyserlingk.
This volume is now in the Royal Library at
44 EARLY BIBLES.
Stuttgart. Dr. T. Schott, the librarian, in a
letter of February 8tli, 1892, writes : —
" The copy is evidently in its original binding of English
leather. The sections of the back are ornamented with
small gold toolings, and the front and back covers have
prettily shaped designs in the leather. There is a middle
field, or centre-piece. On the inside of the front cover is a
printed dedication from E. H. Luther to Count Hermann
Karl Keyserlingk, Counsellor of the Empress Elizabeth of
Russia. According to the Latin inscription, the Count
lived for several years in Luthers hous'e. The same is
dated Frankfort, Dec, 1745.
" Over the dedication is a coat-of-arms, most likely that of
Luther. It consists of a shield parted diagonally from
upper right-hand corner to lower left, on which is a gallop-
ing winged horse. In the upper left-hand corner is a small
division representing three mountain tops, on the middle
one of which is a cross. The crest is also decorated with
these three mountain tops and cross.
" The last owner before the copy came into the posses-
sion of the Royal Library of Stuttgart was the well-known
collector of Bibles, Pastor J. Lorck of Copenhagen. The
copy is in every respect splendidly preserved."
A fourtb presentation copy is now preserved
in the Prince Stolberg Library at Wernigerode.
A fifth copy was given by Mr. Luther to Dr.
Ruppersburg of Marburg. Members of his
family came to this country in 1843 and
brought the Bible with them, but just where
it is in the United States is not known.
THE SAUR BIBLE. 45
A sixth copy was given to the Landes Biblio-
thek at Cassel, and the seventh to the Ducal
Library at Gotha, where they are preserved.
An eighth copy was presented by Mr. Luther
to Count Heinrich de Bunan, and this is now
in the possession of the Royal Library at
Dresden, Germany.
It contains a presentation inscription in these
words : —
THIS HOLY BOOK
NEVER BEFORE PRINTED IN THE WESTERN WORLD
in either English, Dutch, or any other language, but now
under Divine protection, for the first time in German, and
by tjrpes from his own foundry, is presented with the hope
that it will give pleasure as a rarity, and on account of its
coming from a remote land, to the Library of
THE ILLUSTRIOUS HEINRICH DE BUNAN,
COUNT OP
THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
PRIVY COUNCILLOR
OF HIS CHRISTIAN MAJESTY,
and of
THE IMPERIAL COURT,
and
AMBASSADOR OF THE SAME TO THE
ORDERS OF THE CIRCLE OF THE RHINE
AND LOWER SAXONY,
By
HEINRICH EHRENFRIED LUTHER, J.N.D. & C.W.A.
Frankfort-on-the-Main; July, 1747.
46 EARLY BIBLES.
Dr. Haeberlin states that in Luther's copy,
which he retained for himself, there is a
memorandum in his own hand-writing of the
disposition he made of the remaining eleven
copies. The list is as follows : " St. Petersburg,
Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Hanover, Dres-
den, Gotha, Weimar, Braunschweig, Cassel,
and Stuttgart." It will be observed that no
mention is made in this list of the copy
presented to the Royal Library at Frankfort-
on-the-Main, or of the copy given to Dr.
Ruppersburg. Whether these were additional
copies received from Mr. Saur, or whether they
belonged to the original twelve, and had
changed hands, is not at present known. Of
the Bibles that were sent to individuals or
public libraries at St. Petersburg, Stockholm,
Copenhagen, Berlin, Hanover, and Weimar,
no information has been received, though it
has been solicited. It will be seen that we
have located nine of the presentation copies,
and it is to be hoped that in time the remain-
ing three may be traced.
THE SAUR BIBLE. 47
The encouragement and support that Mr.
Luther gave Saur, in publishing the Bible
in this country, not only called out the grati-
tude of the German residents, but of all who
were interested in the advancement of morals
and religion. Dr. Haeberlin says, " In later
years, when Franklin visited Europe, he per-
sonally thanked Luther." He also writes, " Mr.
Luther was given a large land grant, which he,
however, never claimed, as he scorned to receive
any material compensation. I do not know
what became of the deed of the property."
Notwithstanding the energy and enterprise of
Mr. Saur in giving his countrymen the Bible in
their own language, he did not receive the sup-
port and gratitude he deserved. He was
accused of selfish and mercenary motives.
Those who differed from him in his religious
opinions denounced his Bible even before it
appeared. Booksellers tried to undersell him
by offering imported Bibles at low rates.
Another class raised opposition by declar-
ing that his Bible was not a genuine ren-
48 EARLY BIBLES.
dering of the Lutheran translation. Relative
to this last charge he wrote, "All that our
adversaries can possibly say against us is con-
cerning our appendix of the 3rd and 4th Books
of Esdras, and the 3rd Book of the Maccabees,
which is not Luther's. The Halle edition of
1708 contained it, but our 34th edition did not,
or we should have followed it. Hence, there-
fore, we added it from the Berlinberger edition,
which we think every child that has the least
spark of godliness in him must love and revere.
But whoever does not like it can inform us,
and we will omit it in the binding. So, also,
our addenda of the various translations."
Mr. Saur made every effort to promote the
reading of the Scriptures by bringing his Bible
within the reach of all who desired it. Just
before it was completed he wrote, —
" The price of our now nearly finished Bible
in plain binding with a clasp will be eighteen
shillings, but to the poor and needy we have
no price."
Mr. Saur was a many-sided man, and had
THE SAUR BIBLE. 49
much ingenuity and versatility. He erected a
mill for manufacturing his own paper and ink.
He also did his own binding, and contrived to
cast the type he needed. The remarkable
statement has been made of him that he was
familiar with sixteen trades. The business,
now so extensive, of making cast-iron stoves is
said to have originated with him. The profes-
sion of medicine he never abandoned.
Mr. Saur died in 1758, at the age of sixty-
five, and was buried in the rear of his dwelling
at Gerniantown.
He was succeeded in business by his only
son of the same name. He, like his father, was
a man of pronounced executive ability. He
enlarged the business and continued the publi-
cation of the newspaper and almanac. In addi-
tion he printed and bound over two hundred
books. Several mills were engaged in manu-
facturing his paper, and he had workmen to
engrave his woodcuts. He built a type foun-
dry, which was the first of its kind in this coun-
try. This gave him all the type he needed, and
50 EARLY BIBLES.
enabled him to supply otlier printers. This
foundry expanded as the years went on, and is
now represented by the firm of L. Johnson &
Co. of Philadelphia, who are at the head of
the largest type establishment in the United
States.
In 1763 Christopher Saur printed the second
edition of the German Bible. It is a quarto,
and resembles the first edition in its general
appearance, but differs from it in some respects.
Both the title-pages are printed in black, and
the type throughout the book is set closer. A
portion of the last chapter of the Fourth Book
of Ezra, and the whole of the Third Book of
Maccabees, are printed in smaller type than the
other parts of the book. The letters of the gen-
eral title also differ in size from those of the
first edition. The preface is a new one, and is
entirely unlike that of the Bible of 1743. The
opening sentence reads : —
" Herewith appear, in tliis American part of the world,
the Holy Scriptures — called the Bible — publicly printed
for the second time in the High German language, to the
honor of the German nation, — inasmuch as no other
THE SAUR BIBLE. 51
nation can claim to have printed the Bible, in this part of
the world, in its own language."
This second issue of the Bible consisted of
an edition of two thousand copies.
Thirteen years later Mr. Saur was prepared
to send out the third edition of the German
Bible, — that of 1776, — which was also the last.
The printing of the three thousand copies —
the extent of the edition — had been completed,
and the leaves had been stitched together and
awaited the finishing touches of the binder in
applying the covers ; but the war between the
colonies and Great Britain interrupted the
work.
At the invasion of Germantown Mr. Saur
fled from the place, and the British troops
destroyed nearly all the copies of the Bible, bj
converting the leaves into litter for their horses,
and by using the paper for their cartridges.
Catharine Saur, the daughter of the pub-
lisher, secured ten copies, and after they were
bound presented them to her children.
The preface is the same as that of the edition
52 EARLY BIBLES.
of 1763. It is signed, but not dated. The second
edition is dated " Germantown, December 8th,
1763." The title-pages are the same, and a
similar reduction of the type in the middle of
the book. Substantially, the editions of 1763
and 1776 are one and the same.
Saur died in 1784, leaving five sons and three
daughters. His business, though sadly dis-
turbed by the war, descended to his son, Chris-
topher Saur the third. Generations of printers
sprang from this stock, and the publishing
house in Philadelphia still bearing the name of
Saur can point back to an honorable record
extending over one hundred and fifty years.
There were but three issues of the Saur Bibles,
but a number of editions of the New Testa-
ment in German. These publications bear the
dates of 1745, 1755, 1760, 1761, 1763, 1764,
1769, and 1775. The editions of 1761 and 1764
are extremely rare. O'Callaghan does not men-
tion them, and evidently was not aware of their
existence. The first edition of the Saur Bible
— that of 1743 — is a scarce book, and commands
THE SAUR BIBLE. 63
a high price. A copy offered at the Brinley sale
a few years ago brought |350. The editions of
1763 and 1776 are not considered as valuable.
Nearly all the copies of the Saur Bible are
owned in the United States and Germany.^ No
library making a specialty of Americana can be
considered complete without possessing this
Bible, the first printed in this country in a Eu-
ropean language.
The New Testament in German was pub-
lished in several places in the United States
after the Saur Bible of 1776, but no issue of
the entire Bible in German was undertaken for
thirty years. Then, in 1805, Gottlob Yung-
mann published at Reading, Pa., a German
Bible in quarto. In typography and general
appearance it resembles the Saur Bible, and
may be considered a continuation of it, and evi-
dently the publisher so intended it to be. In
the preface he says, —
" In this part of the world, which is called the American
United States, there appear once more, after a lapse of
thirty years, the Holy Scriptures (which are also called the
1 Appendix F.
54 EARLY BIBLES.
Bible), publicly printed in the High German language, to
the honor of the descendants of the old German nation.
Whether a Bible in the language mentioned will again
make its appearance in these United States, is open to
much and great doubt, more especially as the German lan-
guage is declining in them with such extraordinary rapid-
ity, and is suffering English, as the established and gener-
ally used, and, indeed, preferable language, to make aston-
ishing progress. Whether this is to be ascribed more to
the industrious reading of the Holy Scriptures by the
English descendants in this part of the world, or to some-
thing else, whatever it may be, I will not here inquire, but
recommend it to every individual German descendant him-
self, for investigation and alteration."
After speaking of the value of the Word of
God to "apostate human creatures," he refers
to Christopher Saur, and ends by quoting
nearly the whole of the preface of the Saur
Bible of 1776. This publication by Yungmann
never reached a second edition.
THE AITKEN BIBLE.
Me. Isaiah Thomas, in his "History of
Printing in America," when referring to the
booksellers of Boston, says, ^ " Kneeland and
Green printed, principally for Daniel Hench-
man, an edition of the Bible in small 4to. This
was the first Bible printed in America, in the
English language. It was carried through the
press as privately as possible, and has the Lon-
don imprint of the copy from which it was re-
printed,— viz., ' London : Printed by Mark Bas-
kett. Printer to the King's Most Excellent Ma-
jesty,' — in order to prevent a prosecution from
those in England and Scotland, who published
the Bible by a patent from the crown, or cum
privilegio, as did the English universities of Ox-
ford and Cambridge. When I was an ap-
1 Thomas's History of Printing, vol. i., pp. 107, 108.
56 EARLY BIBLES.
prentice, I often heard those who had assisted at
the case and press in printing this Bible make
mention of the fact. The late Governor Han-
cock was related to Henchman, and knew the
particulars of the transaction. He possessed a
copy of this impression. As it has a London
imprint, at this day it can be distinguished from
an English edition of the same date only by
those who are acquainted with the niceties of
typography. This Bible issued from the press
about the time that the partnership of Kneeland
and Green expired. The edition was not large ;
I have been informed that it did not exceed
seven or eight hundred copies."
The correctness of this statement has been
assailed by Mr. Bancroft, who, in his " History
of the United States," ^ says that Thomas " re-
peats only what he heard. Himself a collector,
he does not profess ever to have seen a copy of
the alleged American edition of the English
Bible. Search has repeatedly been made for a
copy and always without success. Six or eight
1 Bancroft's History of the United States, vol. v., p. 266.
iHOLY BIBLE,!
f ' ^ '
! Containing the Old ana Nevt • ^ I
I TEST AM E N T Si i
I * Newly tranflatcd out of the
I Original Tongues;
i
And with the fornricr
TRANSLATIONS
-\
^ Diligfiltly compared and rcvifed.
iP H I L A D E L P n I A: -
I Printeii AND Soto BT R. AITKEKV^T PorK's i
t HbAD, 'i"HRF.E DooRt. AHOVi: lllECoiVKC *
jj V liou<-.K, IN Makkii- ST#£BT. a
■Jt X M.JJCC.f. X X Sll. *
i»«(«r
Fac-simile of the title page of the Aitken Bible, 17S2. Exact size.
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 57
hundred Bibles in quarto could hardly have
been printed, bound, and sold in Boston, then a
small town, undiscovered. Nor would they all
have disappeared. The most complete cata-
logues of English Bibles enumerate no one with
the imprint which was said to have been copied.
Till a copy of the pretended American edition
is produced no credit can be given to the sec-
ond-hand story."
As no copy of this supposed Bible has ever
been identified, Mr. O'Callaghan omits it from
his " List of Bibles printed in America." Any
testimony in the handwriting of Mr. Aitken
that his Bible published in 1782 was the first
Bible printed in America in the English lan-
guage would be of great value, for he could not
make this claim, if in his day some other edition
had already claimed it. Fortunately, we have
this testimony in Mr. Aitken's own words, writ-
ten with his own hand. In the British Museum
there is to be seen a copy of the Aitken Bible
in two volumes. The following note is on the
back of the title-page of the first volume, in the
58 EARLY BIBLES.
■writing of Mr. Aitken : " This first copy of the
first edition of the Bible ever printed in Amer-
ica in the English language, is presented to
Ebenezar Hazard, Esq., by the Editor." In-
serted at the beginning of the second volume is
a letter as follows : —
Philadelphia, July 6, 1844.
Deae Sir, — I send you herewith the copy of the Bible
published in this city in 1782 by Robert Aitken, which you
may be assured I part with, with great regret, as well be-
cause it was presented by the publisher to my father, as
because it is, according to the certificate on the fly-leaf in
Mr. Aitken' s own handwriting, "the first copy of the first
edition ever printed in America in the English language,"
the first sheets having been carefully laid aside for my father
— who was very intimate with the publisher — until the
whole work was completed.
Yours truly,
Sam Hazabd.
Chas. Marshall, Esq.
This Bible was formerly in the collection of
Mr. Lea Wilson, and was bought by the British
Museum in 1849. The books are in the original
binding of olive-green leather. The two volumes
are divided at the end of Ecclesiastes, a division
peculiar to this set, as in other copies the sec-
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 59
ond volume begins with the Gospel of St.
Matthew. In some cases the volumes were
bound in one.
Robert Aitken was a native of Dalkeith,
Scotland, and emigrated to America in 1769,
and settled at Philadelphia as a bookseller. In
1771 he added bookbinding to his business, hav-
ing learned that art in Edinburgh. Later, in
1774, he became a publisher. The war of the
colonies with Great Britain interrupted com-
merce, and books were difficult to procure, and
especially Bibles. The urgency in this direc-
tion was so great that a memorial was presented
to Congress suggesting and urging the printing
of Bibles in America. The committee to whom
the memorial was referred reported in the
autumn of 1777 that the difficulty of procuring
type and paper was so great that they recom-
mended Congress to advance the money for pub-
lishing an edition of the Bible, or, if this was not
expedient, to order the importation of a number
sufficient to meet the demand. Congress re-
solved upon the latter course, and directed the
60 EARLY BIBLES.
committee to import twenty thousand copies of
the Bible. During the agitation of this subject
Mr. Aitken was encouraged to issue an edition
of the New Testament, which appeared from his
press in Philadelphia in 1777. A copy pre-
served in the Lenox Library, New York, enables
us to see how humble this effort was, for the
book is but a small duodecimo. The title-page
is as follows : —
The New
TESTAMENT
OP OUE LOKD AND SAVIOUE JESUS CHKIST;
Newly Translated out of the Original Greek ;
And with the former Translations
DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED.
Appointed to be read in Churches.
PHILADELPHIA :
PRINTED AND SOLD BY
R. AITKEN,
Printer and Bookseller,
Front Street.
1777.
Spectamur agendo.
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 61
These last words form a motto and are placed
in a scroll. The letters of the imprint are sup-
ported by two children, and the crest is a bird
with an olive-branch in its mouth. On the back
of the title-page are the words, " The Order of
the Books of the New Testament with their
Names, and the Numbers of their Chapters."
The printed matter of the text runs from page 3
to page 353, and there are no headings. On the
verso of page 353 are these words : " Books
Printed and Sold at R. Aitken's Printing Office
opposite the London Coffee-House Front-
Street."
Second and third editions of the New Testa-
ment appeared in 1778 and 1779, and fourth and
fifth in 1780 and 1781. Encouraged by the re-
ception which had been given the publication of
the New Testament, Mr. Aitken announced his
purpose of printing an edition of the entire
Bible, and in 1781 presented a petition to Con-
gress, seeking support and sanction. His peti-
tion was referred to a committee consisting
of Messrs. Duane, McKean, and Witherspoon.
62 EARLY BIBLES.
They reported in 1782 that they had watched
with interest the work of Mr. Aitken, and
recommended, in order that a safe opinion might
be obtained of the correctness with which his
Bible had been prepared for publication, that it
should be submitted to the two chaplains of
Congress for their examination. The chaplains
were the Rev. William White, D.D., afterward
the Bishop of Pennsylvania, and the Rev. George
Duffield, D.D. September 10, 1782, they re-
ported to the committee as follows : —
" Agreeably to your desire we have paid at-
tention to Mr. Robert Aitken's impression of
the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testa-
ment. Having selected and examined a variety
of passages throughout the work, we are of the,
opinion that it is executed with great accuracy
as to the sense, and with as few grammatical and
typographical errors as could be expected in an
undertaking of such magnitude. Being our-
selves witnesses of the demand for this invalu-
able book, we rejoice in the present prospect of
a supply, hoping that it will prove as advan-
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 63
tageous as it is honorable to the gentleman who
has exerted himself to furnish it at the evident
risk of his private fortune."
In agreement with this recommendation Con-
gress in 1782 "Resolved, that the United States,
in Congress assembled, highly approve the
pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken
as subservient to the interests of religion as
well as an instance of the progress of arts in
this country ; and being satisfied from the above
report of his care and accuracy in the execution
of the work, they recommend this edition of the
Bible to the inhabitants of the United States,
and hereby authorize him to publish this recom-
mendation in the manner he shall think
proper."
Mr. Aitken's Bible was issued from his press
in Philadelphia in 1782. It was usually bound
in two volumes, though in some cases copies
have been found that are bound in one volume.
It is in size a small duodecimo, printed in brevier
type. The whole page measures 6 inches long
by 3i inches wide. The printed paper is 5|
64 EARLY BIBLES.
inches long and 3i inches wide. The title-page
reads —
THE
HOLY BIBLE,
CONTAINING THE OLD AND NEW
TESTAMENTS:
NEWLY TBANSLATED OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL TONGUES,
AND WITH THE FOKMEB
TRANSLATIONS
DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY E. AITKEN, AT POPE'S
Head, Three doors above the Coffee House, in Market Street.
MDCCLXXXIL
The title-page also contains the State arms of
Pennsylvania, which consist of an escutcheon
with representations of ship, plough, and
sheaves of wheat. The crest is an eagle, and
the supporters, rampant horses. The motto is
" Virtue, Liberty, and Independence." The back
of the title-page is blank. Then follow the
"Resolutions of Congress," occupying one and
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 65
a half pages. The next half-page contains
" Names and Order of all the Books of the O. &
N. Test." The Bible throughout has no paging.
The New Testament title-page is the same as
that of the edition of the previous year, 1781.
It reads as follows : —
THE NEW
TESTAMENT
OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR
JESUS CHRIST;
NEWLY TRANSLATED OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL GREEK;
AND WITH THE FOEMEE
TRANSLATIONS
Diligently compared and revised.
PHILADELPHIA :
FEINTED AND SOLD BY E. AITKEN, BOOKSELLEB
Opposite the Coffee House, Front Street.
MDCCLXXXI.
The title-page also contains a wood-cut of a
hat and flute. On the back of the same page
is this line : —
Names and Oedee of the Books of the N.T.
6Q EARLY BIBLES.
Below, in large letters, are found tlie initials
"R. A."
The publication of this Bible was not a finan-
cial success. It had to compete with imported
Bibles that could be sold cheaper, because the
cost of printing was less. Moreover, the book
was a small one and did not compare with larger
Bibles as a specimen of the printer's art. Mr.
Aitken seems to have been seriously embar-
rassed by his undertaking, and had the sympa-
thy of good people, who regretted the loss to
which he was subjected. At a Synod of Pres-
byterians, held in Philadelphia on the 24th of
May, 1783, it was " Resolved, As Mr. Aitken,
from laudable motives, and with great expense,
hath undertaken and executed an elegant
impression of the Holy Scriptures, which, on
account of the importation of Bibles from Eng-
land, will be very injurious to his temporal cir-
cumstances, the Synod agree that the committee
to purchase Bibles for distribution among the
poor purchase Aitken's Bible and no other, and
earnestly recommend it to all to purchase such
THE AITKEN BIBLE. 67
in preference to any other." The Aitken Bible
is now the rarest of all early Bibles printed in
America. It can be safely said that at the out-
side there are not more than twenty-five copies
in existence, and the number actually located
.falls below this statement. The list of owners
is a very short one.^ It is only about once in a
generation that a copy is offered for sale, and
consequently it commands a high price. A few
years ago, at the Washington sale, held in Phil-
adelphia, the two volumes of this Bible brought
The Aitken Bible should animate the inter-
est of Americans, inasmuch as it was the first
Bible printed in the English language in Amer-
ica, and also because of the association of Con-
gress with it. It is a part of our national his-
tory, for which we should be grateful, because
it sets forth the fact that the founders of this
Republic were men who were not ashamed of
the revealed Truth. The term "Bible Con-
gress," applied to our law-makers in that day,
whether intended in derision or otherwise, was
1 Appendix G.
68 EARLY BIBLES.
an epithet of honor. Whatever in power,
progress, and grandeur we have attained as a
nation, we owe largelj'' to the respect and rever-
ence which our fathers paid to the precious
Word of God.
THE FIRST DOUAY VERSION.
Tbde first quarto edition of the Bible in Eng-
lish printed in America was published in Phil-
adelphia in 1790. It was the Douay version
made from the Latin Vulgate. Proposals for
printing this Bible by subscription were sent
out in 1789 by Matthew Carey, a native of Ire-
land, located at Philadelphia as printer. It was
proposed to issue the book in forty-eight num-
bers, delivered weekly at a cost of " six Spanish
milled dollars " for the entire volume of 984
pages. Only about three of the numbers were
delivered, when certain changes were made.
The plan of issuing the Bible in numbers was
given up, and it was announced that it would be
published in two volumes. The firm was also
changed to Carey, Stewart & Co. As an induce-
69
70 EARLY BIBLES.
ment, it was stated that, if the number of sub-
scribers could be enlarged, the price would be
reduced. At the head of the subscribers stood
the name of Rt. Rev. John Carroll of Balti-
more. The new firm made an appeal not only
to the Roman Catholics of the United States,
but to other bodies of Christians. The latter
appeal is here quoted in full. It is addressed
" To the Protestants in the United States."
" We venture with some degree of confidence to solicit
your patronage as well as that of the Eoman Catholics for
the first edition of the Douay translation of the Vulgate
Bible.
Many of the most learned Protestant divines have pro-
duced weighty objections to particular passages in the Com-
mon Church of England translations of the Scriptures. That
there are various important errors in it, is too well known
to admit of controversy. The frequent demands for a new
translation bear the strongest testimony to the truth of this
observation ; it is therefore worthy the attention of every
candid Protestant to consider whether a comparison of the
present translation with his own would not enable him to
detect most, if not all of them — and thus to remove from
his mind those doubts and difficulties which are fatal to true
religion.
Liberal minded Protestants who glory in the influence of
the benign sun of toleration will probably be happy in an
opportunity of uniting their names with those of the Eoman
THE FIRST DOUAY VERSION. 71
Catholics who have supported this work — and thus evin-
cing that they are superior to that wretched, that contempti-
ble prejudice which confines its benevolence within the nar-
row pale of one religious denomination, as is the case with
bigots of every persuasion. From persons of the latter class
we expect no patronage. To encourage a Popish Bible
would in their eyes be an heinous offence. But we fondly
hope, that there are few of this description here — that
persons of the former character abound — and that our sub-
scription list, by uniting together the names of members of
various and hitherto hostile denominations of Christians,
will afford one proof — among many that might be pro-
duced — of the rapid advances that America has made in
the divine principle of toleration.
We are the public's devoted servants,
Carey, Stewabt & Co.
Philadelphia, Sept. 24, 1790."
Towards the close of the year in which this
appeal was issued the Douay Bible appeared;
that is, December 1, 1790. The two volumes
were bound in one. The type that was used
was made especially for it, and was cast by the
firm of Baine & Co. of Philadelphia. The books
of third and fourth Maccabees, the third and
fourth of Esdras, and the Prayer of Manasses,
are omitted on the ground that "they have
never been received by the Church."
72 EARLY BIBLES.
The Title-Page : —
THE
HOLY BIBLE,
TEANSLATED FROM THE
LATIN VTTLGATE :
Diligently compared with the
HEBBEW, GREEK, AND OTHER EDITIONS,
In divers languages ;
And first published by
THE ENGLISH COLLEGE AT DOWAT,i ANNO 1609.
Newly revised, and corrected according to
THE CLEMENTINE EDITION OF THE SCRIPTURES.
•WITH ANNOTATIONS FOR ELUCIDATING
The principal difficulties of Holy Writ.
Haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus Salvatoris. Isaiae
XII. 3.
PHILADELPHIA :
Printed and sold by Carey, Stewart and Co.
M.DCC.XC.
The annotations are printed at the bottom of
the pages. The list of subscribers is given, and
1 This word is usually spelled "Douay," or "Douai," but
the above spelling occurs on the title-pages of early American
Bibles.
THE FIRST DOUAY VERSION. 73
extends from page 5 to 8. The New Testa-
ment has no title-page. The end of the vol-
ume is supplied with various tables; namely,
" Table of References," " Chronological Table,"
" Order and Distribution of the Psalms," and a
" Table of the Epistles and Gospels."
THE THOMAS BIBLE.
The first folio Bible and also the first royal
quarto Bible in English published in America
came from the press of Isaiah Thomas of
"Worcester, Mass. The history of this publisher
was that of a poor boy, starting in life with few
advantages and a scanty education, but, by
dint of industry, perseverance, and self-educa-
tion, advancing step by step until he became
one of the foremost citizens of the land.
At six years of age young Thomas was
apprenticed to Zechariah Fowle, a printer of
Boston. The occupation was congenial to the
lad, and he followed his calling through many
years with enthusiasm. At eighteen years of
age he left his employer, and worked at print-
ing in Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, and South
Carolina. In 1770 he returned to Boston, and,
74
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 75
in partnership with his former master, started a
newspaper known as The Massachusetts Spy.
Three months later he became the sole proprie-
tor of the paper, which he edited with ability
and success. From a humble beginning with a
few subscribers it grew to the largest circulation
of any paper in Boston, and its influence was
known and felt throughout the land. It had to
take part in the conflict which was then raging
between Great Britain and the colonies. At
first it was independent; but later Thomas
threw all his sympathies, energies, and influ-
ence into the cause of the colonies. Just
before the battle of Lexington the type and
presses of The Spy were removed by night
from Boston and taken to Worcester. There
the publication of the paper was resumed,
and the Provincial Government assisted Mr.
Thomas by giving him the public printing.
Worcester became the scene of his greatest
activities ; for he engaged in printing, publish-
ing, manufacturing, and editing. Paper for his
publications was made in a mill that he oper-
76 EARLY BIBLES.
ated, and he also did his own binding. He
entered largely into the importation of books,
and at one time had nine book-stores in differ-
ent cities.
In 1786 he imported type for the printing of
music, which was the first font of this kind to
come to America. He did an extensive busi-
ness in Boston under the firm name of Thomas
& Andrews. In 1791 Mr. Thomas published
two editions of the Bible at "Worcester, the one
in folio and the other in royal quarto. A pros-
pectus was sent out, detailing the advantages
to subscribers. The Bible was to be printed in
new type, " large, beautiful, and suited for the
accommodation of the eyes of all, especially
those of the aged and infirm." It promised
that the paper " shall be fully equal in good-
ness, if not a superior quality, to the" various
English editions.
The subscription price is named as "only
seven dollars." As an indication of the scar-
city of money at that time, the following from
the prospectus is interesting : —
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 11
" To make payment easy to those who wish to be en-
couragers of this laudable undertaking, and to be in posses-
sion of so valuable property as a royal quarto Bible, and
who are not able to pay for one all in cash, from such the
publisher will receive one-half of the sum, or twenty-one
shillings, in the following articles, viz., wheat, rye, Indian
corn, butter, or pork, if delivered at his store in Worcester,
or at the store of himself and company in Boston, by the
twentieth day of December, 1790, the remaining sum of
twenty-one shillings to be paid in cash, as soon as the books
are ready for delivery. This proposal is made to accommo-
date all, notwithstanding the sum of twenty-one shillings
will by no means be the proportion of cash that each Bible
bound will cost the pxiblisher."
The booksellers of the United States are in-
formed that, if they subscribe " for twelve or
more copies in sheets," they " shall have them
on full as generous terms as " English publish-
ers supply books to the trade. " The reverend
clergy " are also informed that " all who sub-
scribe for twelve copies, or procure twelve
copies to be subscribed for, and will be answer-
able, and make payment for them agreeably to
this proposal, shall be entitled to, and receive a
thirteenth copy, handsomely bound, for their
trouble."
The two editions of the Thomas Bible
78 EARLY BIBLES.
appeared in December, 1791. The title-page
of the folio reads —
THE
HOLY BIBLE,
CONTAINING THE
OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS:
with the
APOCRYPHA.
TBANSLATED
OUT OF THE OBIGINAL, TONGUES,
and
WITH THE FORMER TRANSLATIONS DILIGENTLY
COMPARED AND REVISED,
BY THE SPECIAL COMMAND OF KING JAMES I. OF
ENGLAND.
trith an
INDEX.
APPOINTED TO BE READ IN CHURCHES.
VOL. I.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
PRINTED AT THE PRESS IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,
BY ISAIAH THOMAS.
SOLD BY HIM IN WORCESTER; AND BY HIM AND COMPANY
AT FAUST's STATUE, NO. 45, NEWBURY STREET, BOSTON
M.DCC.XCI.
The first and second pages are covered with
" The printer's Address, To Christians of Every
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 79
Denomination." The third and part of the
fourth pages, " To the Publick," and "Address
of the Translators to King James." Then fol-
low "Names and Order of Books." The text
extends from Genesis to end of Proverbs, from
page 5 to page 460, which closes the first vol-
ume. The second begins with Ecclesiastes.
The New Testament title-page reads —
THE NEW
TESTAMENT
of
OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR
JESUS CHRIST,
TRANSLATED
OUT OF THE ORIGINAL GREEK,
AND
With the former Translations diligently compared and
revised,
BY THE SPECIAL COMMAND OF KING JAMES I. OF
ENGLAND.
Together with an
INDEX
to the
HOLY BIBLE.
APPOINTED TO BE READ IN CHURCHES.
80 EARLY BIBLES.
The second volume ends with " Tables of
Weights, Measures, Coins, &c.," " Tables of
Time, Offices, and Conditions," and " Table of
Kindred." The two volumes cover 1,012 pages
of printed matter. The Thomas Bible is illus-
trated with fifty copper-plate engravings, which
doubtless gave it additional value in the eyes of
many. The frontispiece of the first volume
illustrates the Triumph of the Gospel through-
out the world. The frontispiece to the Apocry-
pha is an emblematical representation of the
Old and New Dispensations. The fifty copper-
plates were executed by four artists and are
signed. There are three woodcuts, — one be-
fore the Book of Genesis, representing Adam and
Eve ; a second before the Apocrypha, of Judith
and Holofernes ; and the third before the New
Testament, of the Crucifixion. This edition
was usually bound in two volumes, though it is
occasionally seen in one.
The general title-page of the royal quarto
Bible is worded the same way as the folio, with
the addition of these words : —
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 81
WITH
MAKGINAL NOTES AND EEFERENCES.
To -which are added an
INDEX
and an
ALPHABETICAL TABLE
OF ALL THE NAMES IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS,
with their significations.
It differs in the body of the work from the
folio in having parallel lines dividing the col-
umns of the text. It lacks the three wood-cuts
found in the other edition, and, as the title-
page indicates, has notes, references, and index.
Some copies were supplied with a Concordance.
According to the publisher's announcement, it
could be supplied to subscribers in three forms.
The first was with forty-eight copper-plates and
Concordance ; the second, without plates or Con-
cordance ; and the third, with the Concordance.
The book was published in two volumes.
The two Thomas Bibles of 1791 were with-
out doubt far in advance of any other publica-
tions of the same kind that had appeared in
America in point of typography, excellence of
82 EARLY BIBLES.
paper, binding, and general execution. Benja-
min Franklin, an expert in printing, paid a high
compliment to Thomas when he said, " He is
the Baskerville of America."
The Thomas Bible appeared fifteen years
after the Declaration of Independence. What
the publisher says in the preface, or Address,
of the prospects and hopes of the young Repub-
lic is worth reading. He writes, —
" The general state of our country must afford satisfac-
tion to every benevolent mind. Evidences of increasing
prosperity present themselves on every side to our view.
Abroad, our national character is rising to dignity and emi-
nence; at home, confidence is established in our government,
the spirit of patriotism appears to be the actuating principle
with the distinguished characters of our age, and the great-
est exertions are making for the public good. The civil and
religious rights of men are generally understood, and by all
enjoyed. The sciences which open to the minds of men a
view of the works and ways of God, and the arts which
tend to the support, the convenience, and the ornament of
society, begin to receive proper encouragement from the ad-
ministration of state and national governments, and by the
application and enterprise of individuals are approaching to
excellence and perfection. The means of a good education
are daily becoming more general ; and the present spirit of
industry and economy, which pervades all classes of men,
furnishes the brightest prospects of future prosperity and
welfare. While a general solicitude prevails to encourage
the arts and to promote national honor, dignity, and happi-
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 83
ness, can any be indifferent to those improvements which,
are necessary to secure to all the free and independent exer-
cise of the Rights of Conscience? The civil authority hath
set an example of moderation and candor to all Christians,
by securing equal privileges to all; and it must be their ar-
dent and united wish, independently of foreign aid, to be
supplied with copies of the Sacred Scriptures — the founda-
tion of their religion — a religion which furnishes motives
to the faithful performance of every patriotic, civil, and
social duty, superior to the temptations of ambition, avarice,
and selfishness; which opens prospects to the human mind
that will be realized when the relation to civil govern-
ment shall be dissolved, and which will raise its real disciples
to their highest glory and happiness when the monuments
of human genius, art, and enterprise shall be lost in the
general dissolution of nature."
An octavo edition of the Bible was published
by Mr. Thomas in 1790, and another in 1802.
The duodecimo, or Thomas "standing," edition
was issued in 1797. On the title-page our coun-
try is spoken of as " The United States of
Columbia." The same book reappeared with
fresh dates in 1798 and 1799.
In 1802 Mr. Thomas retired from active busi-
ness and left his printing and publishing inter-
ests in the hands of his son. The remainder
of his life was devoted mainly to literary pur-
suits and to collecting a library. There was
84 EARLY BIBLES.
published in 1810 his " History of Printing in
America," in two volumes. It is a carefully
prepared work, and preserves many interesting
facts that marked the early history of this land.
In 1812 he and a few others founded the
American Antiquarian Society of Worcester.
He was elected president, and continued to be
re-elected each year until his death. He donated
eight thousand books to the library of the soci-
ety, and gave ten thousand dollars to building
a hall. His entire benefactions in this one
direction reached fifty thousand dollars. As a
recogiiition of his services to his country, and his
advancement of literature, the degree of M.A.
was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College
and that of LL.D. by Allegheny College. The
biographer of the eminent publisher says that
when Washington visited Worcester in 1789
he said to a nephew of Mr. Thomas : " Young
man, your uncle has set you a bright example
of patriotism ; and never forget that, next to our
God, we owe our highest duty to our country." ^
1 B. F. Thomas's Memoir of Isaiah Thomas, p. 78.
THE THOMAS BIBLE. 85
The American Antiquarian Society, which was
the object of so much interest to Dr. Thomas,
has become one of the strongest institutions of
the land. It has a new building with a library
of ninety thousand volumes. It contains the
noted Mather collection, and other Americana.
The Society has a full set of the Thomas
publications elegantly bound, and containing
the library plate of the eminent editor and
publisher. Harvard University has a copy of
the folio Bible, which was presented by the
printer. It contains in front a printed slip
in an ornamented border, reading, " This Book,
being one of the First edition of the Folio
Bible printed in America, is the gift of the prin-
ter, Isaiah Thomas, to Harvard College."
The Thomas Bibles are not rare, and copies
are found in nearly all of our older libraries.
THE COLLINS BIBLE.
The first Bible printed in the State of New
Jersey came from the press of Isaac Collins at
Trenton. He was born in New Castle County,
Del., in 1746. He learned the printing trade,
part of the time with James Adams of Wil-
mington, Del., and completed it at Williams-
burg, Va. When he was of age he went to
Philadelphia and worked with several firms,
and was regarded as an expert and superior
workman. He removed to Burlington, N. J.,
in 1770, when his business ability secured him
the position of public printer. In 1777 he
became editor of a weekly paper known as
The New Jersey Crazette. It was said of him
that " he carefully avoided publishing any-
thing which tended to injure the religious, civil,
86
THE COLLINS BIBLE. 87.
or political interests of his fellow-citizens."
Later he removed his business to Trenton,
where in 1788 he published an edition of the
New Testament. He issued in 1789 proposals
for publishing a quarto Bible " with the Apoc-
rypha and marginal notes." The book was to
be " in one large volume of nine hundred and
eighty-four pages." The price named to sub-
scribers was " four Spanish dollars." As one
of the inducements, it was stated that " Down-
ame's Concordance, which is annexed to Eyre
and Strahan's London quarto edition of 1772,
will be added, without further expense to the
subscribers."
Mr. Collins presented his proposals to the
various bodies of Christians, and solicited their
encouragement and support. The first to take
action were the Friends. The minutes of a
meeting held in Philadelphia in 1789 show that
the proposed Bible was indorsed in these
words : —
" This undertaking being a matter of very interesting
concernment, and such an edition as therein proposed ap-
88 EARLY BIBLES.
pearing likely to be useful and much wanted, on a deliberate
and weighty attention to these considerations, it is the
united sense of the meeting, that it be recommended to the
quarterly and monthly meetings of Friends to encourage
the work, by appointing committees to procure subscriptions
agreeably to the tenor of said proposals, and forwarding to
this meeting lists of the subscriptions obtained as early as
may be, in order that a suitable appointment may be made
for the assistance of the printer in attending to the correct-
ness of the work."
Mr. Collins was a member of the Society of
Friends. "He received," says Thomas, "much
assistance from the Quakers in printing the
Bible, particularly from those in Philadelphia,
New Jersey, and New York."
At a meeting of the Presbyterian General
Assembly, held in Philadelphia, May 25, 1789,
a resolution was passed "that a person or per-
sons be appointed in every congregation, vacant
or supplied, to procure subscriptions " for Col-
lins's Bible. Rev. John Witherspoon, D.D.,
and two others were appointed to help " revise
and correct the proof-sheets." It was also
recommended that " Gstervald's Notes " be
added to the Bible.
THE COLLINS BIBLE. 89
At a meeting of the Baptist Association, held
in the same year and city, the proposals were
indorsed, but with a condition. The members
of the committee appointed to assist in correct-
ing the proof-sheets were " ordered to use their
influence to prevent the Apocrypha or any
notes of any kind being printed and included
in said edition, as having a dangerous tendency
to corrupt the simplicity and truth of the
sacred Scriptures, by being thus intimately
associated with them."
At the Convention of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church in May, 1789, held at Philadelphia,
it was resolved " that the members of this Con-
vention will assist Mr. Collins in the procuring
of subscriptions."
The work having received the requisite sup-
port, the Bible was issued from the Collins
press in Trenton in the year 1791. The edition
consisted of five thousand copies.
The title-page reads —
90 EARLY BIBLES.
THE
HOLY BIBLE,
CONTAINING THE
OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS:
TRANSLATED OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL TONGUES :
and with the former translations
DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED.
TRENTON :
PRINTED AND SOLD BY ISAAC COLLINS.
M.DCC.XCL
In deference to the Baptists some copies
were printed without the Apocrypha and
" Ostervald's Notes." An address to the
readers by Rev. Dr. Witherspoon was substi-
tuted for the dedication to King James. The
Bible was printed with great care, as the proof-
sheets were read over eleven times before the
final impression was made. In 1793 Mr. Col-
lins printed a Bible in octavo. He removed his
business in 1796 to New York City.
THE FIRST TRANSLATION FROM THE
SEPTUAGINT.
In the year 1808, the press of Jane Aitken of
Philadelphia gave to the world a version of the
Bible that indicated a high order of scholarship.
It came from the pen of Charles Thomson, and
was the first translation in America of the
Septuagint into English. It was issued in four
octavo volumes. Watson, in his " Annals of
Philadelphia," says of Thomson : ^ " He told me
that he was first induced to study Greek from
having bought a part of the Septuagint at an
auction in this city. He had bought it for a
mere trifle, and without knowing what it was,
save that the crier said it was outlandish letters.
When he had mastered it enough to understand
it, his anxiety became great to see the whole ;
but he could find no copy. Strange to tell, in
the interval of two years, passing the same store,
1 "Watson's " Annals of Philadelphia," 1850, vol. i., p. 568.
91
92 EARLY BIBLES.
and chancing to look in, lie then saw the re-
mainder actually crying off for a few pence, and
he bought it. I used to tell him that the trans-
lation which he afterwards made should have
had these facts set at the front of the work as a
preface ; for that great work, the first of the
kind in the English language, strangely enough,
was ushered into the world without any preface."
The title-page reads : —
THE
HOLY BIBLE,
CONTAINING
THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT,
commonly called
The Old and New Testament:
translated
feom the greek
BY CHAELES THOMSON,
Late Secretary to the Congress of the United States.
PHILADELPHIA:
FEINTED BY JANE AITKEN,
NO. 71 NORTH THIRD 8TBEET.
1808.
4 vols.
TRANSLATION FROM SEPTUAGINT. 93
This version received the enthusiastic ap-
proval of scholars at the time it was published,
and has continued to be valued for its vigor and
perspicuity. Orme speaks of it in commendable
terms in his " Bibliotheca Bibliac " of 1824, and
Home follows in like terms in his "Manual
of Biblical Bibliography," published in 1839.
As the years have gone by Thomson's transla-
tion has not lost its place in the minds of criti-
cal Biblical students. As one evidence of this,
it need only be stated that it was consulted
by the Revision Committee in their version of
1881.
Charles Thomson was born at Maghera, Ire-
land, on Nov. 29, 1729. He and his father
sailed for America in 1741, but the father died
at sea, and the son landed at New Castle, Dela-
ware. In the war with Great Britain, Thom-
son gave his sympathy and influence to the
side of the colonies. At the organization of the
Continental Congress at Philadelphia, in 1774,
Thomson was elected Secretary by a unaminous
vote. He declined to receive pay for his first
94 EARLY BIBLES.
year of service to Congress, and that body, in
recognition of his patriotism, presented a silver
urn to his wife, who was a sister of Benjamin
Harrison of Virginia, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. Thomson filled
other positions of honor and responsibility, and
was appointed to announce to Washington his
election as President of the United States.
Each year Thomson was re-elected as Secretary,
up to 1789, when he retired for the purpose
of devoting himself to Biblical study. Such
cases are rare, of men giving up honorable pub-
lic positions for the sake of mental pursuits.
His retirement was regretted by Washington and
his associates. Thomson was greatly esteemed
for his nobility of character, and especially for
his veracity. The Delaware Indians, with whom
he was commissioned to treat, called him " The
Man of Truth." He died in 1824, at Lower
Merion, Montgomery County, Penn. His resi-
dence for many years was at Bryn Mawr, in the
same State. His house is still standing, and the
room is shown which was used as his library
TRANSLATION FROM SEPTUAGINT 95
when he wrote his translation of the Bible.
The original manuscript is in the possession of
Allegheny College, and three note-books in
Thomson's handwriting, containing suggestions
and alterations concerning his translations, are
in the library of the Pennsylvania Historical
Society. His own copy of the Bible, with the
manuscript notes in the margins, is the prop-
erty of the Library Company of Philadelphia.
The strong translation that Thomson gave us
was the result of long years of patient investi-
gation, persistent study, and an intense love for
his work.
Mr. Albert J. Edwards says, " Thomson's trans-
lation is notable for its sound erudition and
scholarly care, but also for its singular freedom
from traditional renderings. Wherever it was
possible to translate a theological term with
breadth and freshness it was done, but only
where an honest latitude was allowed by the
original." He also adds, " It seems to me that
a version of such sterling worth ought not to be
left languishing on the shelves of old book-
96 EARLY BIBLES.
stores, to be bought as a bibliographical curi-
osity, as it now has too long been, but should
be taken up by a good publisher and re-edited
with care. Neither Roman nor Genevan,
neither High Church nor Low, of no sect and
of no prejudice, whether of unbelief or of over-
belief, this American patriot of the Continental
Congress, who lived to be ninety-four and
spent a glorious old age in his home near Bryn
Mawr, translating the records of our faith,
ought to stand among us once more in the form
of a newer and more accessible edition of his
great work, the Old and New Covenants." ^
In 1815 Mr. Thomson published at Philadel-
phia a work bearing the title of " A Synopsis
of the Four Evangelists, or a Regular History
of the Conception, Birth, Doctrine, Miracles,
Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus
Christ in the Words of the Evangelists." Wil-
liam McCullogh was the printer.
1 Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Octo-
ber number, 1891, p. 335.
THE FIRST TRANSLATION FROM THE
PESHITO SYRIAC VERSION.
Among the oldest versions of the Old and
New Testaments is the Peshito Syriac, the word
Peshito meaning "simple," probably in refer-
ence to its simplicity of style. There is no
doubt concerning the antiquity of this version,
but there is a wide range of opinion as to its
exact date. Home, in his Introduction, says,
" Bishop Walton, Carpzov, Leusden, Bishop
Lowth, and Dr. Kennicott fix its date to the
first century ; Bauer and some other German
writers, to the second or third century; Jahn
fixes it, at the least, to the second century ; De
Rossi pronounces it to be very ancient, but does
not specify any precise date. The most prob-
able opinion is that of Michaelis, who ascribes
97
98 EARLY BIBLES.
the Syriac version of both Testaments to the
close of the first, or to the earlier part of
the second century, at which time the Syrian
churches flourished most, and the Christians
at Edessa had a temple for divine worship
erected after the model of that at Jerusalem,
and it is not to be supposed that they would be
without a version of the Old Testament, the
reading of which had been introduced by the
Apostles." ^
While the date has not been fixed, it can be said
that the Peshito was an old version even in the
time of Ephraim the Syrian, who died in 373. Of
the authorship of the version nothing is known,
though it is evident that it came from many
hands. From certain resemblances to the Sep-
tuagint, it is thought that Jewish converts had
much to do with this version. Of the place where
it was written nothing can be said definitely,
though it has been conjectured that it may have
been written at Antioch or Edessa. The ver-
sions known as the Philoxenian and Hierosoly-
1 Home's Introduction, vol. i., p. 270.
PESHITO SYRIA C VERSION. 99
mitian are of later date and of little value com-
pared with the Peshito New Testament. The
latter holds a high place among scholars, as it
helps to clear up some passages of the Greek
Testament.
The first edition of the Peshito New Testa-
ment was printed in Vienna in 1555, under the
patronage of the Emperor of Austria, and was
designed for the use of the Jacobite Christians
of the East. In later years other editions were
printed in Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, and
England. In some cases the Testaments were
printed in Syriac and Latin, or in Syriac and
Hebrew. In 1816 the British and Foreign
Bible Society published an edition in the Syriac
alone, which was intended for missionary use in
India.
The first translation in Great Britain, of the
Peshito New Testament into English, was made
in 1846, by J. W. Etheridge, who published
the Four Gospels. The first translation of the
Peshito New Testament in the United States
came from the pen of the Rev. James Murdock,
100 EARLY BIBLES.
D.D., in 1851. The title-page of the book is as
follows : —
THE
NEW TESTAMENT ;
OK,
THE BOOK OF THE HOLY GOSPEL
OF OUR LORD AND OUR GOD,
JESUS THE MESSIAH.
A LITERAL TRANSLATION FROM THE SYRIAC PESHITO
VERSION.
BY JAMES MUKDOCK, D.D.
NEW YORK :
PUBLISHED BY STANFORD AND SWORDS,
NO. 137 BROADWAY.
1851.
Dr. Murdock says in the Preface : " In this
translation the Books of the New Testament are
divided into Paragraphs, according to the sense ;
just as in Campbell's translation of the Four Gos-
pels, and in the Greek Testaments of Bengel,
Griesbach, Knapp, and others. The common
divisions into Chapters and Verses are noted
in the margin, and the Verses are also put in
parentheses in the middle of the lines. For the
PESHITO SYRIAC VERSION. 101
benefit of those who have some knowledge of the
Syriac language, the more important words are
frequently placed in the side margin, with refer-
ences to the corresponding words in the transla-
tion. Deviations of the Syriac text from the
Greek, and also the susceptibilities of the Syriac
words, or phrases, of a different rendering from
that in the text, are likewise indicated in the side
margin. The foot margin is reserved for occa-
sional comments and critical observations."
The book is an octavo, and the text covers 471
pages. The author tells us he " commenced his
translation early in August, 1845, and completed
it on the 16th of June, 1846."
Dr. Murdock was born in Westbrook, Conn.,
Feb. 16, 1776. He was graduated at Yale Col-
lege in 1797. In 1815 he was made Professor
of Ancient Languages in the University of Ver-
mont, and four years later was called to the
chair of Sacred Rhetoric and Ecclesiastical His-
tory in Andover Theological Seminary. In 1829
he made New Haven his home, and engaged in
literary work. He died at Columbus, Miss., in
102 EARLY BIBLES.
1856. He translated a n-umber of works from
the German, and was well known as a linguistic
scholar. His translation of the Peshito New
Testament is considered a faithful rendering
from the Syriac.
CURIOUS VERSIONS.
The crank has invaded every department of
literature, and has even tried his hand at the
Biblical. Men of strong prejudices, narrow- or
broad-gauge views, and possessed with a hobby,
have sought to color Scripture according to
their own opinions, and with little deference to
the original sense of the languages of Holy
Writ. Some scholars who have been strong in
other directions, have exhibited their weakness
when dealing with the words of Inspiration.
As a result, they have brought upon themselves
confusion and ridicule. Franklin was in many
ways a great man, but he published his own
foolishness when he attempted to improve the
meaning of the Bible. Among his " Baga-
telles," which Mr. William Temple Franklin
103
104
EARLY BIBLES.
says " were chiefly written by Dr. Franklin for
the amusement of his intimate society in Lon-
don and Paris, and were actually collected in a
small portfolio endorsed as above," appears the
following letter : —
PROPOSED NEW VERSION OF THE BIBLE.
To the Printer of
Sir, — It is now more than one hundred and seventy
years since the translation of our common English Bible.
The language in that time is much changed, and the style,
being obsolete, and thence less agreeable, is perhaps one
reason why the reading of that excellent book is of late so
much neglected. I have therefore thought it would be well
to procure a new version, in which, preserving the sense,
the turn of phrase and manner of expression should be
modern. I do not pretend to have the necessary abilities
for such a work myself : I throw out the hint for the con-
sideration of the learned ; and only venture to send you a
few verses of the first chapter of Job, which may serve as
the sample of the kind of version I would recommend.
A. B.
Old Text.
Verse 6. Now there was a day
when the sons of God came to pre-
sent themselves before the Lord,
and Satan came also among them.
New Version.
Verse 6. And it being levee
day in Heaven, all God's nobility
came to court to present them-
selves before htm; and Satan also
appeared in the circle as one of
the ministry.
CURIOUS VERSIONS.
105
Old Text.
7. And the Lord said unto
Satan, Whence comest thou?
Then Satan answered the Lord
and said, From going to and fro
in the earth, and from walking up
and down in it.
8. And the Lord said unto
Satan, Hast thou considered my
servant Job, that there is none
like him in the earth, a perfect
and an upright man, one thatfear-
eth God and escheweth evil?
9. Then Satan answered the
Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God
for nought?
10. Hast not thou made an
hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he hath
on every side? Thou hast blessed
the work of his hands, and his
substance is increased in the land.
11. But put forth thine hand
now, and touch all that he hath,
and he will curse thee to thy face.
New Version.
7. And God said unto Satan,
You have been some time absent;
where were you? And Satan an-
swered, I have been at my country
seat, and in different places visit-
ing my friends.
8. And God said, Well, what
think you of Lord Job? You see
he is my best friend, a perfectly
honest man, fuU of respect for
me, and avoiding everything that
might offend me.
9. And Satan answered. Does
your majesty imagine that his
good conduct is the effect of per-
sonal attachment and affection?
10. Have you not protected
him and heaped your benefits
upon him, till he is grown enor-
mously rich?
11. Try him; — only withdraw
your favor, turn him out of his
places, and withhold his pensions,
and you wiU soon find him in the
opposition.
Mr. McMasters, in his recent life of Franklin
as a man of letters, says,^ —
" In uo book, it is safe to say, are the force and beauty of
the English tongue so finely shown as in King James's
Bible. But on Franklin that force and beauty were wholly
lost. The language he pronounced obsolete. The style he
thought not agreeable, and he was for a new rendering, in
1 McMasters, Benjamin Franklin : American Men of Letters
Series, pp. 87, 88.
106 EARLY BIBLES.
which the turn of phrase and manner of expression should
be modern. That there might be no mistake as to his
meaning, he gave a sample of how the work should be done;
took some verses from the first chapter of Job, stripped
them of every particle of grace, beauty, imagery, terseness,
and strength, and wrote a paraphrase, which of all para-
phrases of the Bible is surely the worst.
" The plan is beneath criticism. Were such a piece of
folly ever begun there would remain but one other depth
of folly to which it would be possible to go down. Franklin
proposed to fit out the Kingdom of Heaven with lords,
nobles, a ministry, and levee days. It would, on the same
principle, be proper to make another version suitable for
republics; a version from which every term and expression
peculiar to a monarchy should be carefully kept out, and
only such as are applicable to a republic be put in."
In 1776 Kneeland & Adams of Boston
printed a translation of the Gospel of St. Mat-
thew, made by the Rev. Samuel Mather, in
which the Lord's Prayer has this curious
rendering : —
" Our Father, who art in the Heavens, sanctified be Thy
Xame ; Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, as in Heaven,
so upon the Earth ; Give us to-day that our bread, the super-
substantial ; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive them
who are our debtors; and introduce us not into afflictive
trial, but deliver us from the Wicked One, because thine is
the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory for the ages.
Amen."
CURIOUS VERSIONS. 107
Lilly, Wait, Coleman, & Holden of Boston
printed in 1833 what claimed to be " A New
and Corrected Version of the New Testament."
It was edited by Rev. Rodolphus Dickinson,
"Rector of St. Paul's Parish, District of Pendle-
ton, South Carolina." The American Monthly
Review for March, 1833, says, "Apart from
its literary execution, this professed translation
has no distinctive character; and as the author
— in his preface — places his chief reliance on
the rhetorical embellishments with which he has
adorned the sacred text, we are constrained to
award a verdict of unqualified condemnation."
The reckless and freehanded nature of the
translation may be judged by the quotations
that follow : —
John iil. 3. " Except a man be reproduced, he cannot
realize the reign of God.
4. Nicodemus says to him, How can a man be pro-
duced when he is matured ? Can he again pass into a state
of embryo and be produced ? "
Acts i. 18. " And (Judas) falling prostrate, a violent
internal spasm ensued, and all his viscera were emitted."
xxvi. 24. " Festus declared with a loud voice, Paul, you
are insane ! Multiplied research drives you to distraction."
108 EARLY BIBLES.
In 1852 Henry Olipliant, of Auburn, New
York, printed a portion of the New Testament
for Hezekiah Woodruff, who desired to render
the words of Scripture after the language of
our day. Here are a few examples of his
efforts, with the original spellings : —
St. Matthew iii. 4. " His food was small animals aud
vegitable honey.
6. Happy are they who hunger and thirst for correct-
ness.
20. Unless your correctness should exceed the correct-
ness of the clergy."
xxvi. 24. " The Son-of-man maketh his exit.
49. Immediately he [Judas] came to the Saviour and
said, Your most obedient, Preceptor."
It is a relief to know that this book ended
with the Gospel of St. Matthew.
At various times editions of the New Testa-
ment have appeared which were translated in
the interests of certain sectarian bodies. In
1849 Joshua V. Himes of Boston published a
" Millerite " New Testament. In 1850 a New
Testament was printed by a New York firm, in
which these words were placed upon the title-
CURIOUS VERSIONS. 109
page, " Dictated by the Spirit." The editor
was a Spiritualist.
A version of the New Testament was printed
in Boston by Thomas D. Wait & Co., in 1809,
to advance the views of Socinianism. The
title-page contains this remarkable specimen of
the English language : " No offence can justly be
taken for this new labor ; nothing prejudicing
any other man's judgment by this doing ; nor
yet professing this so absolute a translation, as
that hereafter might follow no other who might
see that which as yet was not understood."
The title-pages of some early American Bibles
contain curious expressions. What were known
as " Hieroglyphical Bibles " were common in
those days. On the title-pages of several editions
are these words, " For the instruction and amuse-
ment of children." John C. Ricker of New
York printed in 1833 an edition of the New
Testament containing this line on the title-page,
" With numerous engravings, and the sterling
currency reduced to dollars and cents."
The editor of a Bible printed in Philadelphia
110 EARLY BIBLES.
in 1825 speaks on the title-page of the work,
liberally supplied with notes, as " A Complete
Library of Divinity."
Serious errors in the printing of American
Bibles are not very numerous, considering the
large editions of the Scriptures that have been
issued. There is a curious mistake in Eliot's
Indian Bible in the account of the ten virgins.
Dr. Trumbull says, " Among the Indians chas-
tity was a masculine virtue, and Eliot's Natick
interpreter did not understand that the noun
wanted was feminine. Subsequent instruction
doubtless made the matter clear, but in the
Indian Bible the parable in Matthew xxv. 1-12 is
of ' the ten chaste young men ' (piukqussuogpen-
ompaog, — the syllable omp marking the mascu-
line gender), and so in every place in which
' virgin ' occurs in the English version, though
in most cases the context clearly establishes the
true gender. The right word was keegsquau,
which is to be found (though seldom used) in
every Algonkin language."
An edition of the New Testament published
CURIOUS VERSIONS. Ill
at Utica, N.Y., in 1829, rendered James v. 17,
" Elias was a man possible like unto us."
A Bible published at Hartford in 1837 printed
2 Timothy iii. 16 in this way, " All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
destruction in righteousness."
An edition of the Bible printed by the Ameri-
can Bible Society in 1855 has this reading of St.
Mark v. 3, " Who had his dwelling among the
lambs," in place of " tombs."
In one of the early editions of the Bible
printed by Harding of Philadelphia a singular
mistake was made in 1 Kings i. 21, where the
words "the king shall f sleep with his fathers,"
was rendered in print, " the king shall dagger
sleep with his fathers." This is certainly the
most literal following of " copy " on record.
EARLY EDITIONS OF THE GREEK
TESTAMENT.
The first edition of the New Testament in
Greek, published in the United States, came from
the press of Isaiah Thomas, Jr., at Worcester,
Mass., in the year 1800. It is in size a 12mo and
bound in calf. It contains on the second page a
chronological list of the books of the New Tes-
tament, and at the end this note : " The above
Table has been carefully and faithfully collected
from the writings of the famous Rev. Nathaniel
Lardner, D.D." This note is followed by the
name of " Caleb Alexander " as editor. Al-
though the title-page states that the book fol-
lows the reading of Mill, it is apparent that the
editor draws freely from other editions, and
especially the Elzevir text of 1678.
An edition of the New Testament in Greek
and Latin arranged in parallel columns appeared
112
H K AIM M
NOV U
TESTAMENTUM.
JUXTA EXEMPLAR JOANNIS MILLIl AC^
CURATISSIME IMPRESSUM,
EDJTIO PRIMA AUmiCAm,
WIGORNI^il, Massachvsettenji ?
Exciidebat ISAIAS THOMAS, Ju>?,
Fac-simile of the title page of the first Greek Testament printed in America.
Exact size.
EDITIONS OF GREEK TESTAMENT. 113
in Philadelphia in 1806. It was edited by
John Watts, and printed by S. F. Bradford.
Another edition by the same printer was issued
under like date, wholly in Greek.
Two volumes of the Greek Testament in
octavo, covering in all 890 pages, were pub-
lished in 1809, at Cambridge, dedicated to the
President and Fellows of Harvard College.
The text is after Griesbach, though a selection
is given of various readings. There are also
observations by W. Wells and W. Hilliard.
Isaiah Thomas, Jr., issued another edition of
the Greek Testament in 1814, but the place of
printing was Boston, not Worcester.
The title-page differed from that of 1800 in
the central ornament, which consists of two
reclining figures supporting an open Bible, with
a Greek motto from 1 Cor. xv. 22. The text
is the same as in the first edition.
George Long, 71 Pearl Street, New York,
published in 1821 a 12mo New Testament in
Greek which followed the rendering of Leus-
den, covering 699 pages.
114 EARLY BIBLES.
Rev. Abner Kneeland, a Universalist minister,
edited the New Testament in Greek and Eng-
lish in 1822, William Fry of Philadelphia being
the printer. In the same year the Testament
solely in Greek was issued by the same editor.
Kneeland went through varied experiences in
his religious opinions. Beginning as a Baptist
minister, he then became a Universalist, and
ended as a Deist. While editor of the Investi-
gator he was tried by the Supreme Court of
Massachusetts for blasphemy.
In 1822 Oliver D. Cooke & Sons of Hart-
ford, Conn., published a 12mo Greek Testament
which was edited by Dr. P. Wilson of Columbia
College, other issues appearing in 1825, 1827,
and 1829. After this date various editions of
Wilson's Testament were published in Phila-
delphia for a number of years.
In 1837 an important and since widely known
edition of the Greek Testament in two volumes
was issued in the United States, with the im-
print of the following publishers : Boston :
Perkins & Marvin; Philadelphia: Henry Per-
EDITIONS OF GREEK TESTAMENT. 115
kins. 1837. This Testament was edited by
Rev. Dr. Bloomfield, and is a reprint of tlie
second London edition. The scope and scholar-
ship of the work are indicated by the title-page,
where it is stated that the book contains " Eng-
lish notes, critical, philological, and exegetical,
partly selected and arranged from the best com-
mentators, ancient and modern, but chiefly ori-
ginal. The whole being specially adapted to
the use of academical students, candidates for
the sacred office, and Ministers, though also
intended as a manual edition for the use of
theological readers in general." In the preface
Dr. Bloomfield says, " The text has been formed
after long and repeated examinations of the
whole of the New Testament for that purpose
solely, on the basis of the last edition of R.
Stephens, adopted by Mill, whose text differs
very slightly from, but is admitted to be prefer-
able to, the common text, which originated in
the Elzevir edition of 1624. From this there
has been no deviation, except on the most
preponderating evidence, critical conjecture
116 EARLY BIBLES.
being wholly excluded, and sucli alterations
only introduced as rest on the united authority
of MSS., ancient versions and Fathers, and the
early printed editions, but especially upon the
invaluable Editio Princeps ; and which had
been already adopted in one or more of the
critical editions of Bengel, Wetstein, Gries-
bach, Matthoei, and Scholz." The American
edition of Dr. Bloomfield's work also contains
a preface by Professor Stuart of Andover
Theological Seminary, dated Oct. 1, 1836.
The two volumes include 1261 pages of printed
matter.
This book went through many editions, some
claiming as high as fourteen, but was finally
superseded by other and better texts, especially
those of Ellicott and Alford.
In 1838 an American reprint of the Poly-
micrian Greek Testament was issued in Phila-
delphia by Henry Perkins, Joseph P. Engles,
A.M., being the editor. On one of the first
pages of this book the words " The New Testa-
ment" are printed in forty-eight different Ian-
EDITIONS OF GREEK TESTAMENT. 117
guages, and on another page is the significant
line, " Earth speaks with many tongues,
Heaven knows but one." The honored and
saintly Dr. W. A. Muhlenberg has said that
he owed to Engles, the editor of this work,
more of his success in life than to any other
man. The Polymicrian Greek Testament was
first published in England in 1829, with a
lexicon prepared by William Greenfield. This
lexicon was published in America in the year
1839, revised by Engles, and after that date was
usually bound with the American reprint of the
Polymicrian. Its editor, William Greenfield,
began his business life in a bindery, and early
displayed a marvellous aptitude for the acquisi-
tion of languages. His attainments were so
great that he was employed by the British and
Foreign Bible Society in editing the books they
published in many tongues. Mr. Greenfield
also edited Bagster's Comprehensive Bible,
which was printed in England in 1827, and
reprinted in Philadelphia in 1854, his brilliant
career being cut short by death at the age of
thirty-two.
118 EARLY BIBLES.
In 1842 Dr. Edward Robinson edited a Greek
Testament in which he follows the text and
annotations of Professor Hahn. The book is
a 12mo, issued by Leavitt & Trow, New York,
other editions appearing in 1845.
In later years many editions of the Greek
Testament have been issued by leading publish-
ers in the United States, but it does not fall
within the province of this book to speak of
these recent volumes. Suffice it to say, that
fifty-two editions of the whole New Testament
in Greek were printed during the first half of
this century, some in Greek alone, some in
both Greek and English, or Greek and Latin,
besides several editions of parts of the New
Testament. The first copy of the New Testa-
ment in modern Greek, printed in America,
was published by the American Bible Society
in 1833.
VARIOUS EDITIONS.
The first proposal to print the Bible in
English in America was made in 1688 by
William Bradford of Philadelphia. The pub-
lication that announced this intention was
worded as follows : —
" These are to give Notice, that it is proposed for a large
house-Bible to be Printed by way of Subscriptions, [a
method usual in England for the Printing of large Volumns,
because Printing is very chargeable] therefore to all that are
willing to forward so good (and great) a Work, as the
Printing of the holy Bible, are offered these Proposals, viz. :
1. That It shall be printed in a fair Character, on good Paper,
and well bound. 2. That it shall contain the Old and New
Testament, with the Apocraphy, and all to have laseful
Marginal Notes. 3. That it shall be allowed (to them that
subscribe) for Twenty Shillings per Bible : [A Price which
one of the same volumn in England would cost]. 4. That
the pay shall be half Silver Money, and half Country Pro-
duce at Money price. One half down now, and the other
half on the delivery of the Bibles. . . . Also, this may further
give notice that Samuell Richardson and Samuell Carpenter
119
120 EARLY BIBLES.
of Philadelphia, are appointed to take care and be assistant
in the laying out of the Subscription Money, and to see that
it be imploy'd to the use intended, and consequently
that the whole Work be expedited. Which is promised by
"William Bradford.
" Philadelphia, the 14th of
the 1st Month, 1688."
Although this early effort began and ended
with the Proposal, Philadelphia has been for
many years a centre of activity and enterprise
in the publication of many important editions
of the Bible.
After great persistence, Robert Aitken suc-
ceeded in publishing his Bible of 1782, the
first bearing an American imprint. After his
death in 1802, his business was continued by
his daughter, Jane Aitken, who seems to have
inherited the energy of her father. She sus-
tained the printing art through a number of
years, and with acknowledged success. Thomas
says, " She obtained much reputation by the
productions which issued from her press."
One of the most familiar names seen upon
the title-pages of Philadelphia Bibles is that of
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 121
Matthew Carey. He published not only editions
of the Bible after the Latin Vulgate, but many
quarto and duodecimo Bibles according to the
King James translation. In the early days of
his publishing career his work was attended
with numerous risks and responsibilities. In
the Preface to his Bible of 1801, he says : —
" I present this edition of the Bible to the public, with a
degree of solicitude proportioned to the magnitude of the
undertaking. Having embarked therein a large property,
and devoted my utmost care and attention to it, from its
commencement to its completion, I find it impossible to
assume that degree of stoicism necessary to regard with
indifference its reception by my fellow-citizens."
As the years rolled on his business prospered,
and ultimately assumed extensive proportions.
Bible after Bible issued from his presses, and
many of the editions were embellished with
engravings executed in the best style of the
day. .
Another name well known in the same locality
was that of William Young. His first Bible
was published in 1790 and was a 12mo in size.
It was advertised as a school edition, and the
122 EARLY BIBLES.
price was named as " five-eighths of a dollar."
It had this imprint : " Printed by W. Young,
Bookseller and Stationer, the corner of Second
and Chestnut Streets." He published another
edition of the Bible in 1791, and a tljird in 1792.
Copies of the New Testament appeared from his
press in 1791, 1792, 1802, and 1808.
Berriman & Co. were early publishers in
Philadelphia. They issued a folio Bible in
1796. It was supplied with marginal references,
and had a list of subscribers. It contained eigh-
teen engravings. Some time later they pub-
lished another folio, but no date was placed
upon the title-page. The later book was with-
out engravings.
The first hot-pressed edition of the Bible in
America was published in 1798. It contained
a patriotic device on the title-page, in which
the Bible is encircled with fifteen stars, and
supported by the American eagle. The imprint
is as follows : " Printed for John Thompson and
Abraham Small, from the Hot-press of John
Thompson." This Bible follows the text of
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 123
the Cambridge edition of Baskerville. The
book was published by subscription, and went
through forty numbers before it was completed.
It contained the Apocrypha, which is printed
throughout in italics. The price to sub-
scribers, counting each number at fifty cents,
was twenty dollars. The book in size is a
folio.
Kimber, Conrad & Co. 93 Market Street,
later Kimber & Sharpless, were extensive pub-
lishers of Bibles. Their first Bible was printed
in 1807, and was liberally supplied with Canne's
notes. In 1823 a quarto Bible was published,
which they continued to reissue for twenty-one
years, when the plates were sold to Jasper
Harding. Their first edition of the Bible in
German appeared in 1827, and its publication
was continued through nearly a quarter of a
century.
Solomon Wiatt, 368 North Second Street,
published in 1809 a 12mo New Testament,
which was paid for by the gift of $1,000 left
in the will of Mr. John Hancock of Burlington,
12 J: EARLY BIBLES.
New Jersey. The book was designed for free
distribution among the poor.
The first Hebrew Bible published in the
United States came from the press of Thomas
Dobson of Philadelphia in 1814.
Eugene Cummiskey, in the same city, was a
diligent publisher of editions of the Bible trans-
lated from the Latin Vulgate. His first publica-
tion was a Bible in folio in 1825. - It was well
printed and illustrated, and commanded a high
price. In the same year he published a Bible
in quarto. He was in business for over thirty
years, and many editions of Bibles and Testa-
ments issued from his busy presses.
Hall & Sellers published in 1815 an edition
of the New Testament. This is a very rare
book, and only three or four copies are known
to be extant. This firm were also the printers
in 1786 of the " Proposed Book of Common
Prayer." Bishop Perry says, " Few persons
have seen this remarkable liturgical production ;
and without any discussions of the principles
involved in its publication, the bibliographical
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 125
fact may be stated, that a rarer book connected
with American church history can hardly be
named." ^
The Collateral Bible, in which the parallel
passages were printed in full, appeared in 1826,
Harding being the printer. The Bible was
edited by Rev. Dr. Ely, a Presbyterian minister,
and Rev. G. T. Bedell, afterwards the Bishop
of Ohio. The book did not get beyond one
edition.
A Bible bearing the following imprint:
" Philadelphia : Published and sold by Isaac M.
Moss, No. 12 South Fourth Street," is of in-
terest to collectors, as it contains twenty full-
page illustrations by Dr. Alexander Anderson,
the first wood engraver of the United States.
No date is on either of the title-pages. It has
been conjectured that the year of publication
was about 1844. Strangely enough, the pub-
lisher was a Jew. O'CaUaghan does not men-
tion this Bible.
1 Joumsd of General Convention by Et. Rev. William
Stevens Perry, D.D., vol. iii., p. 125.
126 EARLY BIBLES.
New York has also contributed through its
publishers many and valuable editions of the
Holy Scriptures. The first copy of the New
Testament came from the press of Hugh Gaine,
in 1790. Proposals for printing the Bible were
circulated the same year. It was designated as
" Brown's Self-instructing Folio Family Bible."
It was to be printed " on fine paper, American
manufacture, and on an excellent, large new
type, cast on purpose for this work." It was
to be issued in forty numbers, and a number
was to be delivered every two weeks at twenty-
five cents each. The first number was to be
offered for examination, and it was agreed " if
it should not meet with the approbation of the
reader, the money shall be immediately re-
turned." It was also agreed that those who se-
cured subscriptions to the Bible " shall receive
one copy gratis for every twelve they may ob-
tain." The numbers appeared from time to
time through two years, until the Bible was
completed in 1792. The publishers were Hodge
& Campbell. As the title-page indicates, the
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 127
book is supplied with explanatory notes and re-
flections "by the late Reverend John Brown,
Minister of the Gospel at Haddington." There
is a frontispiece at the head of the volume,
and another before the New Testament. There
are also eighteen copper-plate engravings of
scenes from Scripture. Heading the printed list
of subscribers is the name of George Washing-
ton.
The same year Hodge & Campbell printed
a quarto edition of the Bible which received
the indorsement of the State Legislature by a
vote passed March 18, 1790.
Ezra Sargent, 86 Broadway, published in 1811
a quarto edition of the Bible, " with a Commen-
tary and critical Notes, designed as a help to
the better understanding of the Sacred Writ-
ings, by Adam Clarke, LL.D." Bibles with
Clarke's notes multiplied in later years, but
this was the first edition that appeared in the
United States.
The first Bible printed in this country from
stereotjrpe plates cast in the United States,
128 EARLY BIBLES.
came from the press of D. & G. Bruce, No. 27
Williams Street, in 1815.
Isaac Collins was succeeded in his business
in New York by Collins & Co. They printed
a Bible in quarto in 1814, and their first
stereotyped edition in 1816. During many
years various impressions of the Bible and
New Testament have been printed, and the
Collins family are still in the publishing busi-
ness after the lapse of more than a hundred
years.
The New York Bible and Common Prayer
Book Society was organized in 1809, and
was the first institution in this country, with
the exception of the Bible Society of Phila-
delphia, for the free distribution of the Scrip-
tures. Many missionary fields and destitute
parishes have received the benefit of its pub-
lications.
The American Bible Society was founded
in 1816, and has branches in nearly all the
States. It has gathered a valuable Biblical
library of over 3,500 volumes in more than
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 129
one hundred and fifty different languages and
dialects. Since the beginning of the century-
it has published more than forty millions of
copies of the New Testament, the Bible and
portions of it.
The American and Foreign Bible Society
was organized in 1837, by members of the
Baptist denomination. In 1838 it issued an
octavo edition of the Bible. It was a reprint
of an Oxford Bible of 1833. The New Testa-
ment in duodecimo was also printed in 1838.
This society for a number of years issued edi-
tions of the Scriptures, and assisted the Rev.
Dr. Jndson of India in publishing a Bible in
the Burmese language.
In 1865 the American Bible Union, also a
Baptist organization, published a revised edition
of the New Testament. While there are several
hundred emendations, they refer mostly to small
words, such as the use of "says" for "saith."
The principal and most decided changes in
the translation consist in the substitution of
" immerse " for baptize," and " immersing " for
130 EARLY BIBLES.
" washing." The following quotations will show
the nature of the revision : —
St. Mark vii. 3. "For the Pharisees, and all the Jews,
unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding
the tradition of the elders ;
4. And coming from the market, unless they immerse
themselves they do not eat; and there are many other things
which they received to hold, immersions of cups, and pots,
and brazen vessels, and couches."
St. John, i. 25. " And they asked him, and said to him,
Why then dost thou immerse, if thou art not the Christ,
nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?
26. John answered them, saying, I immerse in water.
28. These things took place in Bethany beyond the
Jordan, where John was immersing.
32. And John testified, saying, I have beheld the Spirit
descending as a dove out of heaven, and it abode upon
him.
33. And I knew him not ; but he who sent me to im-
merse in water, he said to me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt
see the Spirit descending, and abiding on him, this is he who
immerses in the Holy Spirit."
St. John iii. 22. " After these things came Jesus and his
disciples into the land of Judea; and there he remained
with them and immersed.
23. And John also was immersing in ^non near Salim
because there was much water there ; and they came and
were immersed."
This version of the New Testament is not as
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 131
a rule read in public services, but is used as
a book of reference. There is a difference of
opinion among Baptists regarding it, and one
edition is printed with the word " immerse,"
and another with the word "baptize."
The first Bible printed in the United States
from electrotyped plates came from the publish-
ing-house of Harper & Brothers in 1846. It
contained 1,600 illustrations, and was called the
Illuminated Bible.
Boston also contributed early issues of the
Bible. B. Green published the Gospel of St.
John in Indian and English in 1707 and 1709.
Portions of the Old and New Testaments were
printed by S. Kneeland in 1718. "The New
Hieroglyphical Bible for the amusement and
instruction of children" came from the press
of "W. Norman, Book and Chart Seller," in
1794.
An edition of the New Testament appeared
in the same year by Alexander Young and
Thomas Minns. Thomas & Andrews issued a
12mo Bible in 1801, and repeated it a number
of times in after years.
132 EARLY BIBLES.
The first copy of the New Testament in
French, published in the United States, came
from the house of J. T. Buckingham of Boston
in 1810.
In 1834, in the same city, Rufus Davenport
printed a Bible which has these words on the
title-page : —
"The Eight- Aim School Bible; comprising the Holy
Bible of the Old and New Testaments, and an Annexment
containing the Free-Debt-Eule Petitions, addressed, the
first to the Twenty-four States, the Second, to the Con-
gress, the Third to the President of the United States of
America, and affixed Memorials; the Fourth Petition to
three High Officers of the Government of England. Also
the Declaration of Free-debtism."
In 1834 Manson & Grant published a Para-
graph Bible which was edited by Rev. Dr. Coit,
then Rector of Christ Church, Cambridge, Mass.
The title-page indicates the nature of the work,
for it states that the passages of Scripture
are "arranged in Paragraphs and Parallelisms
with philological and explanatory Annotations."
The verbal difficulties are explained, and chro-
nology noted in the margins. The New Testa-
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 183
ment went througli several editions, and the
whole work was reprinted in England in 1838.
This Bible is of interest from the fact that it
was the first Bible printed in America that con-
tained "The Address of the Translators to the
Reader" as it appeared in the King James ver-
sion of 1611.
Dr. Coit says in his Preface, " Another ac-
companiment of King James's Bible was the
Translators' Preface, or their Address to the
Reader. How this has fallen into such desue-
tude and neglect as to be scarce even in Eng-
land, while the Dedication, which wants in
critical value as much as it abounds in pane-
gyric, has been printed hundreds of times by
king-disliking republicans, it is not easy to
conjecture. For, as a document gratifying to
the curious, it might be supposed worthy no
infrequent repetition, and as a document for
the ecclesiastical historian and the critic, it is
of a species the foremost in value. What exi-
gencies occasioned the translation in use ? How
and by whom was it attempted and superin-
134 EARLY BIBLES.
tended? What leading objects were kept in
view in the completion of the work ? By what
spirit were its authors prompted ? Under what
rules did they act, and what objections were
raised against their labors ? These, and ques-
tions akin to them, are full of moment to all
who wish to ascertain what gave our present
Bible its origin, and the standard for testing
its merits." Further, Dr. Coit says, "The
editor must enjoy a few grains of satisfaction,
even if with many his labors are thankless, in
being the first to offer his countrymen a Bible
which, in some respects, is nearer the book
issued by our translators, than any ever pub-
lished on this side of the Atlantic. Indeed,
though he has seen many American Bibles, it
has never yet been his fortune to meet with one
(except the late imperfect reprint of the Com-
prehensive Bible) containing the Translators'
Address, with all their various readings."
In 1837 Otis Clapp, No. 121 Washington
Street, published a 12mo Bible which con-
tained solely those books of Scripture that
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 135
Swedenborg regarded as containing what he
called "an internal sense."
The first copy of the New Testament printed
in Delaware was issued by Peter Brynberg in
1802.
The first New Testament in Connecticut
bore the imprint of A. Morse, New Haven,
1790.
The first Bible in the same State was printed
at Hartford in 1809, by Hudson & Goodwin.
In 1833 Durrie & Peck of New Haven pub-
lished a Bible "with amendments of the lan-
guage " by Noah Webster, LL.D. In the
Preface three reasons are given for undertak-
ing the revision. In substance, these are first,
the substitution of certain words in place of
" such as are wholly obsolete, or deemed below
the dignity and solemnity of the subject ; " sec-
ond, " the correction of errors in grammar ; " and
third, " the insertion of euphemisms, words and
phrases which are not very offensive to delicacy."
The amended Bible reached a second edition in
1841, but has not been repeated since. There
136 EARLY BIBLES.
were editions of tlie New Testament in 1839
and 1841. The revision did not meet with the
favor that Dr. Webster had anticipated, and
was as signal a failure as his Dictionary was
a success. Mr. Scudder says of the revision
that it was "sufficient to annoy those who
had an ear for the old version, and really offer-
ing only such positive helps in interpretation
as were generally in the possession of fairly
educated men. That he should have done the
work at all, and have done it so faintly, is what
surprises the reader." ^ Further Mr. Scudder
says of Dr. Webster, " he was ignorant of what
he was undertaking, and his independent revis-
ion of the Bible failed to win attention, not be-
cause it was audacious, but because it was not
bold enough ; it offered no real contribution to
Biblical criticism."
The American Publishing Company of Hart-
ford issued in 1876 a translation of the Bible
made by Miss Julia E. Smith of Glastonbury,
1 Horace E. Scudder's Biography of Noah "Webster, pp. 176,
177.
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 137
Conn. She learned the Hebrew, but had previ-
ously a knowledge of the Greek and Latin. She
was seven years making the translation, having
attempted it at first for her own satisfaction and
instruction, and without any thought of publi-
cation. She says, " I continued my labors and
wrote out the Bible five times, twice from the
Greek, twice from the Hebrew, and once from
the Latin — the Vulgate." While this transla-
tion has had but little if any effect upon sacred
literature, the persistency, patience, and study
which resulted in the acquisition of the ancient
languages of Scripture must be commended.
The rendering of the Lord's Prayer in this
version is as follows : —
St. Matthew vi. 9. "Therefore so do ye pray : Our Fa-
ther which in the heavens, Let thy name be declared holy.
10. Let thy kingdom come. Let thy will be as in heaven
also upon the earth.
11. Give us this day our bread sufficient for sustenance.
12. And let go to us our-debts, as we let go to our debtors.
13. And thou shouldst not lead us into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the
power, and the glory, forever. Amen."
138 EARLY BIBLES.
In the colonial times, and the early days of
the American States, there were notable edi-
tions of the Bible and New Testament printed
in small towns, and especially in the State of
Pennsylvania. Ephrata in Lancaster County
was settled in 1733 by German Baptists. They
devoted themselves to printing with industry
and enterprise, and published books and news-
papers in their own tongue. The noted Martyr
Books and editions of the New Testament were
printed on excellent paper made in the town.
An edition of the New Testament in German
appeared at this place in 1787, and was probably
the first edition. It is printed in bold, clear-
faced type, and is a most admirable example of
early book-making. It is greatly prized by col-
lectors and brings a high price. The title-page
does not contain the name of any printer, but
there is a note at the end of the Book of Reve-
lation which explains that the work was done
by the Dunker Community. The note reads :
"N. B. Formerly printed several times, at
Zurich, Basle, and Frankfort and Leipsic ; now
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 139
however, at Ephrata, at the expense of the Breth-
ren, in the year 1787." At the end of the book
are " Four beautiful spiritual hymns." A 16mo
edition of the Psalms was printed in 1793.
O'Callaghan makes no reference to the pub-
lications at Ephrata, which is a remarkable
omission.
Michael Billmeyer was an industrious printer
of New Testaments at Germantown through a
number of years. His German Testaments bear
the following dates: 1787, 1795, 1803, 1807,
1808, 1810, 1815, 1819, and 1822. He also
published a 12mo edition of the Psalms in
1815 and again in 1828. In 1824 Moser &
Peters of Carlisle issued a German New Testa-
ment illustrated with twelve rude wood-cuts.
In 1819 Johann Bar published at Lancaster
a German Bible in folio. The Old Testament
has a frontispiece representing Moses with the
Tables of the Law, and the New Testament
another frontispiece, being an engraving of the
Adoration of the Shepherds. This was probably
the first /oZ^o edition of the Bible in German
printed in the United States.
140 EARLY BIBLES.
Small towns in other parts of the Union have
multiplied editions of the Scriptures.
Merriam & Company published in 1815 at
Brookfield, Mass., an edition of the Bible of
12,000 copies. H. & E. Phinney of Coopers-
town, N.Y., published their first edition of the
Bible in 1822. Their work was well and care-
fully done, and for over twenty-five years edi-
tion followed edition, and their imprint became
familiar to Bible readers.
As we have been dealing with early versions
and editions, this is not the place to speak of
the magnificent editions of the Bible issued by
the great publishing houses of our day, with
their splendid facilities for printing and illus-
trating. While many of the early Bibles were
rude and unadorned, we must respect them, for
they represent conscientious work and the best
art of their time.
In the consideration of our subject no attempt
has been made to be inclusive, as the theme is
so large that only leading editions of the Bible
could be noticed. O'Callaghan numbers the
VARIOUS EDITIONS. 141
titles of Bibles or portions thereof, published in
America from 1661 to 1880, at fifteen hundred.
Such facts are evidences of the enduring hold
that the Book of books has upon the heart of
man.
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX A.
DEDICATION IN THE ELIOT NEW TESTAMENT
OF 1661.
To the High and Mighty Prince^ Charles the
Second^ hy the Gtrace of God, King of Eng-
land, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender
of the Faith, ^c.
The Commissioners of the United Colonies
in New England, wish increase of all happi-
ness, &c.
Most Dread Soveraign, — If our weak appre-
hensions have not misled us, this Work will be
no unacceptable Present to Your Majesty, as
having a greater Interest therein, than we be-
lieve is generally understood : which (upon this
Occasion) we conceive it our duty to declare.
The People of these four Colonies (Confed-
erated for Mutual Defence, in the time of the
late Distractions of our dear Native Country)
143
144 EARLY BIBLES.
Your Majesties natural born Subjects, by the
Favour and Grant of Your Royal Father and
Grandfather of Famous Memory, put themselves
upon this great and hazardous Undertaking, of
Planting themselves at their own Charge in
these remote ends of the Earth, that without
offence or provocation to our dear Brethren and
Countrymen, we might enjoy that liberty to
Worship God, which our own Consciences in-
formed us, was not onely our Right, but Duty:
As also that we might (if it so pleased God) be
instrumental to spread the light of the Gospel,
the knowledg of the Son of God our Saviour,
to the poor barbarous Heathen, which by His
late Majesty, in some of our Patents, is declared
to be His principal aim.
These honest and Pious Intentions, have,
through the grace and goodness of God and our
Kings, been seconded with proportionable suc-
cess : for, omitting the Immunities indulged us
by Your Highness Royal Predecessors, we have
been greatly encouraged by Your Majesties
gracious expressions of Favour and Approba-
APPENDICES. 145
tion signified, unto the Address made by the
principal of our Colonies, to which the rest do
most cordially Subscribe, though wanting the
like seasonable opportunity, they have been
(till now) deprived of the means to Congratu-
late your Majesties happy Restitution, after
Your long suffering, which we implore may yet
be graciously accepted, that we may be equal
partakers of Your Royal Favour and Modera-
tion; which hath been so Illustrious that (to
admiration) the animosities and different Per-
swasions of men have been so soon Composed,
and so much cause of hope, that (unless the
signs of the nation prevent) a blessed calm will
succeed the late horrid Confusions of Church
and State. And shall not we (Dread Soveraigri)
your Subjects of these Colonies, of the same
Faith and Belief in all Points of Doctrine with
our Countrymen, and the other Reformed
Churches, (though perhaps not all alike per-
swaded in some matters of Order, which in out-
ward respects hath been unhappy for us) prom-
ise and assure ourselves of all just favour and
146 EARLY BIBLES.
indulgence from a Prince so happily and gra-
ciously endowed?
The other part of our Errand hither, hath
been attended with Endevours and Blessing ;
many of the wilde Indians being taught, and
understanding the Doctrine of the Christian
Religion, and with much affection attending
such Preachers as are sent to teach them, many
of their Children are instructed to Write and
Reade, and some of them have proceeded fur-
ther, to attain the knowledge of the Latine and
Greek Tongues, and are brought up with our
English youth in University-learning: There
are divers of them that can and do reade some
parts of the Scripture, and some Catechisms,
which formerly have been Translated into their
own Language, which hath occasioned the
undertaking of a greater Work, viz : The
Printing of the whole Bible, which (being
Translated by a painful Labourer amongst them,
who was desirous to see the Work accomplished
in his dayes) hath already proceeded to the fin-
ishing of the New Testament, which we here
APPENDICES. 147
humbly present to Your Majesty, as the first
fruits and accomplishment of the Pious Design
of your Royal Ancestors. The Old Testament
is now under the Press, wanting and craving
your Royal Favour and Assistance for the per-
fecting thereof.
We may not conceal, that though this Work
hath been begun and prosecuted by such Instru-
ments as God hath raised up here, yet the chief
Charge and Cost, which hath supported and
carried it thus far, hath been from the Charity
and Piety of divers of our well-affected Coun-
trymen in England ; who being sensible of our
inability in that respect, and studious to pro-
mote so good a Work, contributed large Sums
of Money, which were to be improved according
to the Direction and Order of the then prevail-
ing Powers, which hath been faithfully and reli-
giously attended both there and here, according
to the pious intentions of the Benefactors. And
we do most humbly beseech your Majesty, that
a matter of so much Devotion and Piety, tend-
ing so much to the Honour of God, may suffer
148 EARLY BIBLES.
no disappointment tlirougli any Legal defect
(without the fault of the Donors, or the poor
Indians, who onely receive the benefit) but that
your Majesty be graciously pleased to Establish
and Confirm the same, being contrived and done
(as we conceive) in the first year of your Majes-
ties Reign, as this Book was begun and now fin-
ished in the first year of your Establishment ;
which doth not onely presage the happy success
of your Highness Government, but will be a
perpetual monument, that by your Majesties
Favour the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, was first made known to the Indi-
ans : An Honour whereof (we are assured)
your Majesty will not a little esteem.
Sir, 27ie shines of Your Royal Favour upon
these Vhdertakings, will make these tender Plants
to flourish, notwithstanding any malevolent
Aspect from those that bear evil will to this Sion,
and render Your Majesty more Illustrious and
Glorious to after Generations.
TJie God of Heaven long preserve and bless
Your Majesty with many happy Dayes, to his
Glory, the good and comfort of his Church and
People. Amen.
APPENDICES. 149
APPENDIX B.
DEDICATION IN THE ELIOT BIBLE OF 1663.
To the High and Mighty Prince, Charles the
Second, hy the Grrace of Grod, King of Eng-
land, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender
of the Faith, ^c.
The Commissioners of the United Colonies in
New-England, wish all happiness, &c.
Most Deead Soveraign, — As our former
Presentation of the New Testament was Gra-
ciously Accepted by Your Majesty ; so with all
Humble Thankfulness for that Royal Favour,
and with the like hope, We are bold now to
Present the WHOLE BIBLE, Translated into
the Language of the Natives of this Country,
by A Painful Labourer in that Work, and now
Printed and Finished, by means of the Pious
Beneficence of Your Majesties Subjects in Eng-
land: which also by Your Special Favour have
been Continued and Confirmed to the intended
Use and Advancement of so Great and Good a
Work, as is the Propagation of the Gospel to
150 EARLY BIBLES.
these poor Barbarians in this (Erewhile) Un-
known World.
Translations of Holy Scripture, The Word
of the King of Kings., have ever been deemed
not unworthy of the most Princely Dedica-
tions : Examples whereof are extant in divers
Languages. But Your Majesty is the First
that hath Received one in this Language, or
from this American World., or from any Parts
so Remote from Europe as these are, for ought
that ever we heard of.
Publications of these Sacred Writings to
the Sons of Men (who here, and here onely,
have the Mysteries of their Eternal Salvation
revealed to them by the God of Heaven) is a
Work that the Greatest Princes have Honoured
themselves by. But to Publish and Communi-
cate the same to a Lost People, as remote from
Knowledge and Civility, much more from
Christianity, as they were from all Knowing,
Civil and Christian Nations ; a People without
Law, without Letters, without Riches, or
Means to procure any such thing; a people that
APPENDICES. 151
sate as deep in Darkness, and in the Shadow of
Death, as (we think) any since the Creation :
This puts a Lustre upon it that is Superlative ;
and to have given Royal Patronage and Coun-
tenance to such a Publication, or to the
Means thereof, will stand among the Marks of
Lasting Honour in the eyes of all that are
Considerate, even unto After-Generations.
And though there be in this Western
World many Colonies of other Europaean
Nations, yet we humbly conceive, no Prince
hath had a Return of such a Work as this ;
which may be some Token of the Success of
Your Majesties Plantation of New-England,
Undertaken and Setled under the Encourage-
ment and Security of Grants from Your Royal
Father and Grandfather, of Famous Memory,
and Cherished with late Gracious Aspects from
Your Majesty. Though indeed, the present
Poverty of these Plantations could not have
Accomplished this Work, had not the foremen-
tioned Bounty of England lent Relief ; Nor
could that have Continued to stand us in stead,
152 EARLY BIBLES.
without the Influence of Your Royal Favour
and Authority, whereby the Corporation there,
for Propagating the Crospel among these Na-
tives^ hath been Established and Encouraged
(whose Labour of Love, Care and Faithfulness
in that Trust, must ever be remembred with
Honour.) Yea, when private persons, for their
private Ends, have of late sought Advantages
to deprive the said Corporation of Half the
Possessions that had been, by Liberal Contribu-
tions, obtained for so Religious Ends; We
understand, That by an Honourable and Right-
eous Decision in Your Majesties Court of
Chancery^ their Hopes have been defeated, and
the Thing Settled where it was and is. For
which great Favour and Illustrious Fruit of
Your Majesties Government, we cannot but re-
turn our most Humble Thanks in this Publick
Manner : And, as the Result, of the joynt En-
deavours of Your Majesties Subjects there and
here, acting under Your Royal Influence, We
Present You with this Work, which upon
sundry accounts is to be called Yours.
APPENDICES. 153
The Southern Colonies of the Spanish
Nation have sent home from this American
Continent, much Gold and Silver, as the Fruit
and End of their Discoveries and Transplanta-
tions : That (we confess is a scarce Commodity
in this Colder Climate. But (sutable to the
Ends of our Undertaking) we Present this, and
other Concomitant Fruits of our poor Endeav-
ours to Plant and Propagate the Gospel here ;
which, upon a true account, is as much better
than Gold, as the Souls of men are more worth
than the whole World. This is a Nobler Fruit
(and indeed, in the Counsels of All-Disposing
Providence, was an higher intended End) of
Columbus his adventure. And though by his
Brother's being hindred from a seasonable
Application, your Famous Predecessour and
Ancestor, King Henry the Seventh, missed of
being sole owner of that first Discovery, and of
the Riches thereof ; yet, if the Honour of first
Discovering the True and Saving Knowledge of
the Gospel unto the poor Americam^ and of
Erecting the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST
154 EARLY BIBLES.
among them, be Reserved for, and do Redound
unto your Majesty, and the English Nation,
After-ages Will not reckon this Inferiour to
the other. Religion is the End and Glory of
Mankinde ; and as it was the Professed End of
this Plantation ; so we desire ever to keep it in
our Eye as our main design (both as to our
selves, and the Natives about us) and that our
Products may be answerable thereunto. Give
us therefore leave {Dread Soveraign) yet again
humbly to Beg the Continuance of your Royal
Favour, and of the Influences thereof, upon
this poor Plantation, The United Colonies of
NEW ENGLAND, for the Securing and
Establishment of our Civil Priviledges, and
Religious Liberties hitherto Enjoyed ; and,
upon this Good Work of Propagating Religion
to these Natives, that the Supports and Encour-
agements thereof from England may be still
countenanced and Confirmed. May this Nurs-
ling still suck the Breast of Kings, and be
fostered by your Majesty, as it hath been by
your Royal Predecessors, unto the Preservation
APPENDICES. 155
of its main Concernments ; It shall thrive and
prosper to the Glory of God, and the Honour
of your Majesty : Neither will it be any loss or
grief unto our Lord the King, to have the
Blessings of the Poor to come upon Him, and
that from these Ends of the Earth.
The Crod hy whom Kings Reign, and Princes
Decree Justice, Bless Your Majesty, and
Establish your Throne in Righteousness, in
Mercy and in Truth, to the Glory of His
Name, the Good of his People, and to your
own Comfort and Rejoycing, not in this
onely, but in another World,
156 EARLY BIBLES.
APPENDIX C.
To the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq:
Governour^ And to the Company, for the
Propagation of The Gospel to the Indians
in New England, and Parts adjacent in
America.
Honourable S^s, — There are more than
thirty years passed since the Charitable and
Pious Collections were made throughout the
Kingdom of EngZawc?, for the Propagation of
the Gospel to the Indians, Natives of His
MAJESTIES Territories in America ; and near
the same time : since by His late MAJESTIES
favour of ever blessed Memory, the Affair was
erected into an Honourable Corporation by
Charter under the Broad Seal of England ; in all
which time our selves and those that were before
us, that have been Your Stewards, and managed
Your Trust here, are witnesses of Your earnest
and sincere endeavours, that that good Work
might prosper and flourish, not only by the
good management of the Estate committed to
APPENDICES. 157
You, but by Your own Charitable and Honour-
able Additions thereto ; whereof this second
Edition of the HOLY BIBLE in their own
Language, much corrected and amended, we
hope will be an everlasting witness ; for where-
soever this Gospel shall be Preached, this also
that you have done, shall be spoken of for a
Memorial of you ; and as it hath, so it shall be
our studious desire and endeavour, that the
success amongst the Indians here, in reducing
them into a civil and holy life, may in some
measure answer the great and necessary Ex-
pences thereabouts : And our humble Prayer to
Almighty God, that You may have the glorious
Reward of your Service, both in this and in a
better World.
We are Your Honours most Humble and
Faithful Servants,
William Stoughtok.
Joseph Dudley.
Peter Bulkley.
Thomas Hinckley.
Boston, Octob. 23, 1685.
158
EARLY BIBLES.
APPENDIX D.
List of oivners of Eliot New Testaments and Bibles, as
far as known.
New Testaments of 1661.
British Museum (2),
British and Foreign Bible Society,
Bodleian Library,
Town Library,
Edinburgh Library,
University Library,
Trinity College,
Harvard University,
Lenox Library (2),
Boston Athenaeum,
Library of the late John Carter Brown
Library of the late George Livermore,
Mr. Clarence S. Bement,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Mr. Frederick F. Thompson,
Mitchell's Book Store,
London, Eng.
London, Eng.
Oxford, Eng.
Leicester, Eng.
Edinburgh, Scot.
Glasgow, Scot.
Dublin, Ire.
Cambridge, Mass.
New York, N". T.
Boston, Mass.
(2), Providence, R. I.
Cambridge, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Chicago, 111.
New York, N, Y.
New York, N. Y.
Bible of 1663.
British Museum,
Bodleian Library,
University Library,
Library of Duke of Devonshire,
Library of Earl of Spencer,
Glasgow University,
Trinity College,
Royal Library,
Royal Library,
Royal Library,
London, Eng.
Oxford, Eng.
Cambridge, Eng.
Chatsworth, Eng.
Althorp, Eng.
Glasgow, Scot.
Dublin, Ire.
Stuttgart, Ger.
Berlin, Ger.
Copenhagen, Den.
APPENDICES.
159
Zealand Academy of Science,
University of Virginia,
Brown University,
Harvard University,
Bowdoin College,
Library of Congress (2),
Lenox Library (2),
Andover Theological Seminary,
Astor Library,
American Antiquarian Society,
Boston Athenajum,
Boston Public Library,
Massachusetts Historical Society,
Philadelphia Library Company,
Congregational Church,
William Everett, Ph. D.,
Library of the late George Livermore,
J. Hammond Trumbull, LL.D.,
Library of the late Joseph W. Drexel,
Mr. Theodore Irwin,
Mr. John Lyon Gardner,
Mrs. Laura Eliot Cutter,
Library of the late Charles H. Kalbfleisch
Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan,
Library of the late John Carter Brown,
Mr. E. P. Vining,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Mr. Frederick F. Thompson,
Mr. Sumner Hollingsworth,
Mr. Charles R. Hildeburn,
Middleburg, Holl.
Charlottesville, Va.
Providence, R. I.
Cambridge, Mass.
Brunswick, Me.
Washington, D.C.
New York, IST. Y.
Andover, Mass.
New York, N. Y.
Worcester, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Newport, R. I.
Quincy, Mass.
Cambridge, Mass.
Hartford, Conn.
New York, N. Y.
Oswego, N. Y.
Gardner's Island, N. Y.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
New York, N. Y.
New York, N. Y.
Providence, R. I.
St. Louis, Mo.
Chicago, 111.
New York, N. Y.
Boston, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
New Testament of 1680.
Mr. W. B. Shillaber,
Boston, Mass.
160
EARLY BIBLES.
Bible of 1685.
* British Museum,
British and Foreign Bible Society,
Bodleian Library,
* Trinity College,
Library of Advocates,
Edinburgh University,
Glasgow University,
Royal Library,
* Leyden University,
Prince Stolberg Library,
* Utrecht University,
Royal Library,
* University Library,
Library of the Earl of Spencer,
Harvard University,
University of South Carolina,
Yale College,
Trinity College,
Morse Institute,
Eowdoin College,
Dartmouth College (2),
Pilgrim Society,
Philadelphia Library Co. (2),
* Andover Theological Seminary,
* Lenox Library (2),
Long Island Historical Society,
* Massachusetts Historical Society,
New York Historical Society,
Historical Society Pennsylvania,
New York State Library,
American Antiquarian Society (2),
American Philosophical Society (2),
London, Eng.
London, Eng.
Oxford, Eng.
Cambridge, Eng.
Edinburgh, Scot.
Edinburgh, Scot.
Glasgow, Scot.
Stuttgart, Ger.
Leyden, HoM.
Wernigerode, Ger.
Utrecht, Holl.
Copenhagen, Den.
Copenhagen, Den.
Althorp, Eng.
Cambridge, Mass.
Columbia, S. C.
New Haven, Conn.
Hartford, Conn.
Natick, Mass.
Brunswick, Me.
Hanover, N. H.
Plymouth, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Andover, Mass.
New York, N. Y.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
Boston, Mass.
New York, N. Y.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Albany, N. Y.
Worcester, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
* Contains the original dedication to Hon. Robert Boyle.
APPENDICES.
161
Boston Athenaeum (2), Boston, Mass.
* Boston Public Library, Boston, Mass.
Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
Congregational Library, Boston, Mass.
Connecticut Historical Society (2), Hartford, Conn.
Rev. John F. Hurst, D.D., LL.D., Washington, D. C.
* Dr. Charles R. King, Andalusia, Penn.
Mr. Levi Z. Leiter, Chicago, 111.
Library of the late George Livermore, Cambridge, Mass.
Dr. Ellsworth Eliot, New York, N. T.
* Library of the late Col. Geo. W. Pratt, New York, N. Y.
J. Hammond Trumbull, LL.D., Hartford, Conn.
Mr. Lucius L. Hubbard (2), Cambridge, Mass.
Library of the late George Brinley, Hartford, Conn.
Mr. Wilberforce Eames, Brooklyn, N. Y.
* Library of the late John Carter Brown (2), Providence, R. I.
Rev. Henry M. Dexter, Boston, Mass.
Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt, New York, N. Y.
Mr. C. F. Gunther, Chicago, 111.
KECAPITtJLATION.
Copies owned in Europe,
Copies owned in the United States,
Total,
33
89
122
162 EARLY BIBLES.
APPENDIX E.
Some of the prices paid for Eliot New Testaments and
Bibles.
New Testament of 1661.
Thompson copy $340.00
Bement copy 610.00
Lenox Library copy . 700.00
Bible of 1663.
Gunther copy $250.00
Drexel copy 550.00
Cutter copy 900.00
Morgan copy 1,000.00
Astor Library copy 1,125.00
Hildeburn copy 1,600.00
Kalbfleisch copy 2,900.00
Bible of 1685.
Eames copy . $140.00
Eliot copy 230.00
Trumbull copy 325.00
Leitercopy 500.00
Vanderbilt copy 550.00
Penn. Historical Society copy 590.00
Brown copy 950.00
APPENDICES.
163
APPENDIX F.
List of owners of the Saur Bibles as far as known.
* Ducal Library,
* Royal Library,
* Royal Library,
* Royal Library,
* Prince Stolberg Library,
t Dr. J. Haeberlin,
* Landes Bibliotbek,
* Ducal Library,
Royal Library,
Harvard University,
Lafayette College,
Tale College,
Library of Congress,
Newberry Library,
Gerinania Society,
Historical Society (3),
Lenox Library,
Mr, Theodore Irwin,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Rev. John F. Hurst, D.D., LL.D
Mr. Howard Edwards,
Mr. Abraham Cassel,
Samuel W. Pennypacker, LL.D.,
Bible of 1U3.
Wolfenbiittel, Ger.
Frankfort-on-the Main, Ger.
Dresden, Ger.
Stuttgart, Ger.
Wernigerode, Ger.
Frankfort-on-the Main, Ger.
Cassel, Ger.
Gotha, Ger.
Copenhagen, Den.
Cambridge, Mass.
Easton, Penn.
New Haven Conn.
Washington, D. C.
Chicago, 111.
Chicago, 111.
Philadelphia, Penn.
New York, N. Y.
Oswego, N. Y.
Chicago, 111.
Washington, D. C.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Harleysville, Penn.
Philadelphia, Penn.
*Dr. Ruppersburg, In United States, but place unknown.
Bible of 1763.
Lenox Library,
New York, N. Y.
* Presentation copy from Mr. H. E. Luther.
tMr. H. E. Luther's own copy.
164
EARLY BIBLES.
State Library,
Historical Society (2),
Mr. Howard Edwards,
Rev. Jolin F. Hurst, D.D., LL.D,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Samuel W. Pennypacker, LL.D.,
Mr. Abraham Cassel,
Eev. John Wright, D.D.,
Harrisburg, Perm.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Washington, D. C.
Chicago, 111.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Harleysville, Penn.
St. Paul, Minn.
Bible of 1776.
Union College,
Harvard University,
Historical Society (3),
Historical Society,
Long Island Historical Society,
Minnesota Historical Society,
Lenox Library,
Philadelphia Library Company,
American Bible Society,
Friends' Free Library,
Eev. John F. Hurst, D.D., LL.D. (3),
Samuel W. Pennypacker, LL.D.,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Mr. Howard Edwards,
Mr. Theodore Irwin,
Mr. Abraham Cassel,
Rev. John Wright, D.D.,
The Sower families, 40 copies of the various editions,
Philadelphia, Penn
Schenectady, N". Y.
Cambridge, Mass.
Philadelphia, Penn.
New York, N. Y.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
St. Paul, Minn.
New York, N. Y.
Philadelphia, Penn.
New York, N. Y.
Germantown, Penn.
Washington, D. C.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Chicago, 111.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Oswego, N. Y.
Harleysville, Penn.
St. Paul, Minn.
KECAPITULATION.
Copies owned in Europe,
Copies owned in the United States,
Total,
9
97
APPENDICES.
165
APPENDIX G.
List of owners of the Aitken Bible as far as known.
British Museum,
London, Eng.
Massachusetts Historical Society,
Boston, Mass.
New York State Library,
Albany, N. Y.
Library of Congress,
Washington, D. C.
American Antiquarian Society,
Worcester, Mass.
American Bible Society,
New York, N. Y.
Lenox Library (2),
New York, N. Y.
Maryland Episcopal Library,
Baltimore, Md.
Connecticut Historical Society,
Hartford, Conn,
Philadelphia Library Company (2),
Philadelphia, Penn.
Pennsylvania Historical Society,
Philadelphia, Penn.
Mr, Abraham Cassel,
Harleysville, Penn,
Mr. Howard Edwards,
Philadelphia, Penn.
Mr. William Y. McAllister,
Philadelphia, Penn,
Samuel W. Pennypacker, LL.D.,
Philadelphia, Penn,
Mr. C. F. Gunther,
Chicago, 111.
Pvev. John F. Hurst, D.D., LL.D.,
Washington, D. C,
RECAPITULATION,
Copy owned in England,
1
Copies owned in the United States,
18
Total,
19
INDEX.
AlTKEN Bible, Thomas's statement about, 55,56; correctness of this
statement questioned by Bancroft, 57; first copy of, in British
Museum, 57; Sam Hazard's letter about, 58; sanction and sup-
port of Congress sought for, 61 ; report of Congressional Chap-
lains upon, 62 ; resolution of Congress upon, 63 ; description of,
63,64,65; title-page of, 64; financially unsuccessful, 66; resolu-
tion of Presbyterian Synod upon, 66; rarity of, 67; of interest to
Americans, 67 ; owners of, Appendix G, 163.
AiTKEN, Jane, 120.
AiTKEN New Testament, copy of, in Lenox Library, 60; title-page
of, 60 ; description of, 61 ; editions of, 61 ; title-page of, in Bible
of 1782, 65.
AiTKEN, KOBEET, 59, 61, 120.
Algonkin Language, 14, 15 ; had no equivalent for certain words,
14 ; Cotton Mather's opinion of, 15 ; Dr. Ellis on, 15.
American Antiquarian Society, Isaiah Thomas's connection
with, 84, 85.
American Bible Society, number of its publications, 128.
American Bible Union, its revised New Testament, 129-131.
American and Foreign Bible Society, 129.
American Monthly Review on Dickinson's New and Corrected
Version of the New Testament, quoted, 107.
Apocrypha, why omitted in some copies of Collins's Bible, 90.
Bancroft's History of the United States, quoted, 56, 57.
Bar, Johann, publisher of first German folio Bible, 139.
Bible, Aitken, 55, and owners of. Appendix G; — Berriman & Co.'s,
122; Brown's Self -Instructing, 126 ; Bruce's, 128; Carey's, 121;
Clapp's, 134; Colt's Paragraph, 132-134; Collins's, 86, 128; Col-
lateral, 125 ; Cummiskey's, 124; Eliot of 1663, 4-16, 21, 22, 25, 110,
Appendices B and £ ; Eliot of 1685, 19-22, Appendices D and E ;
167
168 INDEX.
first electrotyped, 131; first in Conn., 135; first from American
stereotyped plates, 127; Franklin's proposed, 104; first German
folio, 139; Hebrew, 124; Hieroglyphical, 131; Hodge & Camp-
bell's, 127; Hot-press, 122; Illuminated, 131; Kimber, Conrad &
Co.'s, 123; Latin, 121, 124; Moss's, 125; New York, 126, 127; Phil-
adelphia, 120-125; Right-Aim School, 132; Sargent's, 127; Saur
of 1743, 28 and Appendix F; Saur of 1763, 50 and Appendix F;
Saur of 1776, 51 and AppendixF; Smith's, Julia E., 136; Thomas,
76; Webster's (Noah), 135 ; Young's, 121; Yungmann's German 53.
" BiBLE-CONGKESS," 67.
BiLLMEYER, MICHAEL, 139.
Blomfield's Greek Testament, 115, 116.
Boyle, Hon. Robert, 7, 19, 20; dedication to, in copies of Eliot
Bible of 1685, Appendix C.
Bradford, William, Proposal to print the Biblo, 119, 120.
Carey, Matthew, 121.
CoiT's Paragraph Bible, 132; Quotation from preface of, 1.33.
Collins, Isaac, 86, 128; proposes to publish a Bible, 87.
Collins Bible. — Proposal, indorsed by Society of Friends, 87, 88;
conditionally by Baptist Association, 89; resolution of Presbyte-
rian General Assembly, 88 ; resolution of Convention of Protest-
ant Episcopal Church, 89; title-page of, 90; copies without
Apocrypha, 90.
Congress, petitioned by Robert Aitken for support, 61; appoints
Committee to report thereon, 61; report of Committee, 62; re-
port of Chaplains of, 62; resolution of, upon Aitken's Bible, 63;
called " Bible-Congress," 67.
Corporation for Promoting and Propagating the Gospel, etc. ; its
formation, 3; assists in printing Indian Bible, 4.
Cotton, Rev. John, assisted Eliot in preparing the second edition
of the Indian Bible, 18.
Dedication of Eliot's New Testament, 7 and Appendix A.
Dedication of Eliot's Bible of 1663, Appendix B.
Dedication to Hon. Robert Boyle, in copies of Eliot Bible of 1685,
19, 20, and Appendix C.
Dickinson, Rodolphus, " New and Corrected Version of the New
Testament," quoted, 107.
DouAY Version.— Publishers' appeal, quoted, 70, 71; title-page of
72; description of, 72, 73.
Eames, Wilberforce, " Bibliographic Notes on Eliot's Indian
Bible," etc., quoted, 13.
INDEX. 169
Ebeling, Dr. C. D., his copy of Eliot Bible, 43.
Electrotyped Plates, when first used in printing American
Bibles, 131.
Eliot Bible. — Translation of whole Bible, 4, 15; this edition de-
scribed, 9-16; English title-page, 9; Indian title-page, 10; edi-
tion of 1685, description of, 19; value of this edition, 21; com-
parative importance of first and second editions, 21 ; interesting
associations connected with certain copies of, 22; errors in edi-
tion of 1663, 13, 14, 20, 110; errors in edition of 1685, 20; owners
of, 22-26 and Appendix D ; prices of, 21, 22, 25 and Appendix E.
Eliot, John. — Purpose of, in coming to New England, 1; education,
2; studies Indian language, 2; desires to translate the Bible, 3,
4; translation accomplished, 4; publishes the New Testament,
5; publishes whole Bible, 9; character of, 26; "Apostle to the
Indians," 26; Life of, by Francis, quoted, 16.
Eliot New Testament. — Published, 5; described, 6, 7; title-page
of, in English, 5 ; in Indian, 6; second edition described, 16, 17;
owners of, 8 and Appendix D.
Ellis, Dr., on Indian words, quoted, 15.
Engles, Joseph P., 116, 117.
Ephrata, Penn., Bibles printed at, 138; not mentioned by O'Calla-
ghan, 139-
Errors, Printers', 111.
Francis, Life of Eliot, quoted, 16.
Franklin, Benjamin, proposal for a New Version of the Bible, 104,
105 ; McJIasters, on this proposal, quoted, 105.
German, Bible in, Saur's, 28; Tungmann's, 53; first folio in, 139;
New Testament in, 138, 139.
Greek, New Testament in, first American edition of, 112; other
editions, 112-118; Blomfield's, 115; Polymicrian, 116, 117.
Green, Samuel, 3, 19.
Greenfield, William, 117.
Hazard, Sam, letter of, referring to Aitken Bible, 58.
HiEROGLYPHICAL BiBLE, 109.
HiMES, Joshua V., 106.
Indian Language. — Cotton Mather, on, 15; Eev. Dr. Ellis, on,
quoted, 15; Lord's Prayer in, 15.
Indians, desire of, for Bibles, 18.
Kneeland, Kev. Abner, 114.
Lord's Prayer, translated into Indian language, 3 ; Indian Version
of, 15; Julia E. Smith's version of, 137; Kev. Samuel Mather's
rendering of, 106.
170 INDEX.
Luther, Heinrich E., aasists Saur, 34, 47.
Mather, Cotton, "Magnalia," quoted, 16; opinion of Indian words,
15.
Mather, Kev. Samuel, his rendering of the Lord's Prayer, 106.
McMasters, quotation from Life of Benjamin Franklin, in American
Men of Letters Series, 105.
Merriam & Co.'s editionof the Bible, 140.
" Millerite " New Testament, 108.
Murdoch, James, translation of Peshito Syriac New Testament,
99 ; his career, 101.
New Testament, American Bible Union's, quoted, 139 ; " Dictated
by the Spirit," 109; Eliot of 1661, owners of. Appendix D; prices
of this edition. Appendix E; Eliot of 1680, owners of, Appendix
D; Eliot of 1661, title-pages, 5, 6; French, 132; Gaine's, 126;
German, 138, 139; Greek, 112-118 ; modern Greek, 118; Hall &
Seller's, 124; in Conn., 135; in Delaware, 135; "Millerite," 108;
Peshito Syriac, 97; Saur, 52; Socinian, 109.
New York Bible and Common Prayer-Book Society, 128.
O'Callaghan, Dr. E. B., his " List of Bibles," etc., referred to, 13,
20, 52, 57, 139, 140.
Omission in Eliot Bible, 20.
Penn. Magazine of History and Biography, quoted, 95, 96.
Peshito Syriac New Testament.— Date of, 97; first editionof, 99;
first American translation, 99; first English translation, 99; Pre-
face of first American translation, quoted, 100; title-page of, 100.
Phinney, H. & E., edition of the Bible, 140.
Salt, no equivalent for, in Indian language, 14.
Saur Bible. — Proposal of, quoted, 32, 33; publication of, 34 ; title-
page of, in German, 35; title-page translated, 35; collation of,
35; Preface of, 36-39; description of, 39; history of copies sent
to H. E. Luther, 40-46; Dedication in Luther's copy, 42; letter
of Dr. T. Schott about presentation copy, 44; Inscription in
Count Heinrich De Bunan's copy, 45; Luther's list of presenta-
tion copies, 46; second edition of, described, 50; third edition
of, 51 ; owners of. Appendix F.
Sauk New Testament; dates of issue, 52; certain editions of, omit-
ted by O'Callaghan, 52.
Septuagint. — First American translation of, 91 ; title-page of this
translation, 92; value of it, 93, 95.
Smith, Julia E., her translation quoted, 137.
Stereotype Plates, American, first Bible from, 127.
INDEX. 171
Thomas Bible. — Prospectus, 77; folio edition, title-page, and de-
scription of, 78 ; New Testament title-page, 79; royal quarto
edition, title-page and description of, 80, 81; other editions, 83;
Preface quoted, 82.
Thomas, B. F., " Memoir of Isaiah Thomas," quoted, 84.
Thomas, Isaiah. — Career of , 74-76, 83,84; called " the Baskerville,
of America," 82; his History of Printing in America, quoted
29, 30, 55, 56.
Thomson, Chakles. — Anecdote about, 91; career of, 93; his trans-
lation of the Septuagint, 91-93, 95, 96; "Synopsis of the four
Evangelists," 96.
Tkumbull, Dr., his article in " Memorial History of Boston," quoted,
14 ; discovered omission in Eliot Bible, 20.
Washington, George, remark of, about Thomas, quoted, 84.
Watson's, " Annals of Philadelphia," quoted, 91, 92.
Webster, Noah, proposes an amended Bible, 135; Biography of, by
Horace E. Scudder, quoted, 136.
Woodruff, Hezekiah, Version of Gospel according to St. Matthew,
quoted, 108.
Young, William, 121.
YuNGMANN's GERMAN BiBLE, preface Of, 53,54.
HK227-78.
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