, 1879-05-25
RELIGIOUS.
The Mazarin Bible---The First
Book Ever Printed.
A Preachers "reminiscences OF
tho Ministerial In
gersoll.
Another Essay on the III
spiration Of the Script
ures.
The Protestant Sabbath from a
Roman-Catholic Stand
point.
General N Notes--Persona
day S1ailes--Services To-
Day.
THE MAZARIN BIBLE.

THE MAZARIN BIBLE.
FIRST DooK-HoW IT WAS PRINT
ED-THE COPIES STILL ExTANT-7HE 1LLuA-
INATORs' WORK.
Se,o York Timer.
A writer Ia the Times OF Sunday. last, In de-
scriping some OF the treasures OF the Leno1
T,ibrarv. mentions the Mazarin Bible he saw
there, This carries Us back to the very thresh-
old OF the printing cru, and to the invention OF
the art itself. The history OF the invention OF
printing, after the lapse Of over 400 years, reads
like romance.
The art of printing is the invention: Of John
Gutenpurc, Of Mcntz, Germany. His claim to
the honor OF the Invention is now generally con-
ceded, though it has been holly contested BY
the partisans Of Roster, Of HARLEM, and many
volumes have been written in support OF the
claims OF each. That printed books came from
the press of Roster about the beginning OF the
fifteenth century Is well known, but these were
printed from blocks OF wood on which letters
had been cut in relief, hence called "block
books.n Among the first Of these was the ''Bibiia
Pauperum,' >, or "Poor Mans Bible" printed IN
140o. A littla later, in the same style, came
tsnecrium Humane Salyationis -, copy OIL
each OF which is in the Lenox Library, as stated
bv the writer aforementioned. But that Roster
ever used metallic types, or even wooden types
that we're movable, is now very generally o1s-
credited.
John Geusneisch, OF Gutenberg, or john
Gutenberg, as he is commonly called, was ma
tiye of the City Of Mentz. in Germany, where
he was born, in the year 1897. Although he Is
represented as having come OF wealthy pa1r1-
ciau family, it does not appear that he was hlm-
self man OF wealth; for be seems to nave
,abored all his life under the pressure oil peco-
nixry difficulties and to hare had frequent suits
at Law. He resided for while at strasourg'
h,,t ret,1rod about l44f or LAS to Mentz be
| was still struggling with the mighty idea Which
his brain had conceived, but he was without the
nprnniary resources necessary to develop 1t" AT
ieno,h. in 145O, he found in one John fust,
| wpalthy goldsmith of Mentz, man who vas
| willing to furnish the capital necessary 1or n
enterprise Tor share in its profits. contraGt
Fns Fnst lent lent GateDburg 800 eul1ders, IL; IN
pold, at per cent interest. This was Tor ne ne
| purchase Of materials. Fust was also TO MAKE
= further payment of 800 gullders annuallv io1
working capital The pronts o. te th t, It
was further stipulated that in case OF the alsso.
1ition OF the partnership, the 500 guilders were
to be repaid to Fust, with the interest "hea
| had accrued, the materials purchaser penlg ne'o
| rs security for such repayment
| (;urenburrs first movable types we're maoe
| of wood. the wood OF the pear-tree. Eacn Type
had hoe bored through 1t, By means OF which,
rnen composing, they could be strung On
wire. They were a1tefwatu @ thas 1rnra made NJ d.
fast TOT daI. Pf'0'TS r. rst printing done
| Enfenh.1rp Is supposed to have been ina
of alphabet cards, extracts lrom sns hat.a t4at.,
nr1o
Some Of these, no doubt, were ptl1.e4 had os ve
Ms meen Undertaken, but the fact that Fust in l45
advanced to Gutenbure an additional a SUN eSa az
sou euilders wouid seem 70 nint ,shere succes
nractice and experience, aud doubled capital
) more important undertaking was now reeolVe H
upon. This was no less tnan ue pf'nt ~ u tbre ~
Scriptures in the Latin Vulgate A1ter 14nG t,
years Of labor, this was completed inl4o2 IN In
Bible consisted Of GIL leaves, bound IN t~o t. go
umes folio. It Is 10 double n% 3ha ~ ~
two lines EACH win we aach ~ and th
nne si;h ad ot lines to the column
Part Of the edition was printed On ; paper an an
part on parchment or vellum all bflia9ti fhn [i
illuminated. Those On paper "e1e tne A'S
printed 49,. 4,a,o r,st bronoht an
:, afianst Gutenburg Tor the repayment u ~
. l,6OO guilders he had lent him, with comppun
interest from the date OF the loan ~ t1,e q
could not Pay hlu, aho nd r%ss stoe IN hand. tt
, livery Of the materials ana stock u uaIna ~
assets Of the business which haa oeen pleued ~
for the debt. Gutenberg haa notalns u .o
:" but to comply, anu 1e saw ns i.tn'+ renn;to %
which he had lanoIed SO aonE fnst at the mame1
nov pasS nromtsed 1us 4 to bring him rich
Fust nov came into possession l oi snE itnss oass
: types, and stock Oh hand, and 1onno nat mnse 81
the sole owner and proprietor o. tne ad a1so Il Il