The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-13
BIBLE.
The first one in America.
Not much read. being written
in Indian.

/ Bible ever published in America. It il
to be found at Mark l., 40 and signifies
"kneeling down to Him." II is in the
language of the Naiick Indians, an extine,
| New England tribe. and only one person
living can read their Bible. He is DIR. J
H. Trumbull of Hartford, The Indian
title is "Wusku Wuttestamentutn Null
Lordumna Jesus Christ Nuppcquohwus
suaeDeumun. but it is better known as
Eliot's Indian Bible, 1t was printed in
Cam bridge in 1861, by the commission.
ers ofthe united colonies in New England,
at the charge and with the consent of the
corporation in England for the propoea-
ton of the gospel among the Indiaps in
New England. The translation was the
work OF John Elliot. missionary and
pastor at Roxbury. Mass, who began
the study of the Natick Indian dialect
when he was forty two wears old
Having in 1649 attained some proficiency,
he began to translate the Bible, with the
aid OF an Indian. into the Natick tongue.
and after labor of eight years he compile
ted translation of both the Old and the
New Testiments. The names of the books
were retained as in the English version.
and such words as were unknown to the
Indians were kept with an Indian termina-
ton, such as ''cherubim- lab" The New
Testament was printed fret and it auir-
ed three years to finish the Old Testament
Eliot had one Indian printer who alone
could compose" the work, and who did
the proofsresding as we'll. There was 368
reams Of paper used in printing the Bible
the cost of it ranging from sixty to seventy
shillings sheet. The sight Of the work
made old Cotton Mathor exclaim: BE
hold, ye Americans, the &. estest honor
that ever you were partakers ell THIS is
the only Bible that ever was printed in all
America, from the very foundation Of the
world. Msrmaduke johnson was sent
out Dy the English corporation to superin
tend the printing OF the Old Testament
Upon the subject of printing the work, the
corporation wrote, May Z, 1859: 1--WE
conceive it will not only be acceptable unto
God, but very profitable to the poor heath
en-, and will much tend to the promotion
of the spiritual part of this worke amongst
them"
Twenty copies of the Bible were printed
with dedication to King Charles Ii
Very few of them are 10 existence. In
1868 Mr.. Joseph Sabin paid $l,l5O for a
copy, which was the highest price that had
ever been paid for book in this country
at that date. 4 duplicate copy in the
possession Of Mr.. Henry c. Murphy OF
Brooklyn cost him So. When he was
minister to the Hague he picked uD the
prize upon book stall in London, where
its value was not known. The copy that
rold for s. $50 in 1868 was a duplicate
from lac Budlciap library at Oxford, and
reached this country in 1852, seek
ing purchaser at $1,000. 1t was
purchased by Mr., Bruce. ard, upon
the dispersion of his library, hr
= y
Chicago. The price paid made a sensation
among bibliophiles. After the purchase
had boon completed IT was discovered that
the leaf Of contents" was wanting. For
tunstely, however, an imperfect copy OF
the Bible happened t. be accessible from
which the needed leaf was obtained. and
Mr.. Rice was made happy by the acqaisi
ton of what he in agined to be a perfect
copy of Eliot Indian Bible. Ia 1870. at
the sale OF Mr.. Rice's COLLECTION the book
was bought by Mr. Benton, who sold it to
Mr. William Meuzies. Mr.. Menzies dis
covered that the Leaf of contents inserted
by Mr.. Rice was that belonging to the
second edition. lie replaced it with a
genuine leaf from al i'm perfect copy of the
first edition, then in his possession Mr..
Meuzies, paid $l,097 "a for this copy,
add at his sale it was purchased by
MIR. Jno j. Cooke Of Providence for
S900-the change in price being due
in a degree, to the change in the value
of gold and Mr. Cooke now possesses the
book. Being what is known as a royal
copy" because OF its dedication TO the
King it is rare.
The late George Brinley of Hartford
had no less than seven copies of the Eliot
Bible-oae for every day in the week.
One of them had belonged to jonathan
Edwards. and another 10 Gov. Stoughtou.
Tie pre- copy eff the lot, which was Oh, e
grooming glory of Allan's great library. il
one containing the dictation. To tn.
high and mighty Prince Charles" al d
much interest exist among the lovers OF
rare books to see What price this will fetch
ct the sale this week. The Allen COZ y
has reputation CT its own. At the hei d
of the title is the partly de:aeed auto
graph of Sir William Ashhurt. " no was
prominent member land became goveInof)
of the Corporation for PrUpagating The
Gospel il New Englan6. Its English
title is within border of printers orua-
| ments OF the acorn pattern, and the Indian
title TO the New Testament has border Of
| lozenge-shaped Ornaments made of print
ers' marks. The copy vas found 10 EGG
| land, and is in the original smooth. dalk
| blue morocco binding, the sides flIett
and panel gilt, with gilt edges
W bile the first edition is more attractive
| to collectors of rare An ericaua, the second
is more valuable to the student Of the
American languages and the general phil
ologist, because it is revised aud corrected.
The title for both tho Testaments is 10
| indan-fo- the Old Testament as follows;
"Mamusse Wunneelupanatamme Up
Blbl0m God, naneesure nukkono Tesla
| ment kah woDk, wUsku Testament Ne
quoshkiuuumuk Hashpe Wuttiueumah
Christ noh asaowesit John Eliot, Nahoh-
toao onfchofoe priatpnavmuk Eap, hr;dce