Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-29
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
OLD GERMAN BOOKS.

a Dig AMY DAOAO anu u OOOA Va oOs AAOA1os
Mr.. John o. Elser, Clay township, has
left with us for inspection rare old Ger
man Bible, printed by Johann Andrea
Endters, in Nurnburg. The year in which
the book was printed is not known, as the
date on the illuminated title fn9e has been
torn off or eaten away by mice. 1t was
probably printed about the year 1856. rs
the preface appears to have been written
in that year.
The volume is huge one, being about
sixteen inches in length, eleven inches in
width and six inches in thickness. The
lids are Of maple covered with hog skin,
elaborately lined and stamped with Orna-
ments. The lids have heavy brass corner
pieces and have had heavy hasps. bnt
these have been torn away. The Bible
proper contains 1871 pages, illustrated
With hundreds of small wood cuts repre-
senting the principal scenes and events in
sacred history, and annexed to each cut is
four lines of verse in explanation of the
cut. There are also quite a number OF
full page illustrations, representing im-
portant scriptural events and personages,
including Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham,
Moses and Aaron, Joshua, David, Solo
mon, the cvangelists. the apostles, &c.
Prefixed to the Bible are almost one
hundred pages of important and interest
ing matter, including a preface by Prof.
John Michael Dilker, preacher of St. Se-
bald's; an introduction by DR.. Martin
Luther; an alphabetical index of the
principal articles of Christian life and faith
| with scriptural references; a chronology
| cal index of the most memorable matters
| and events contained in the Old and New
Testaments an index of tho history and
| explanation of Christian names an index
giving chapter and verse of those passages
of the writings of the prophets, quoted
by Christ and His apostles a list of the
books of the Old and New Testaments.
Then follow full-page portraits Of eleven
dukes and princes of Saxony, who were re-
garded as evangelical heroes, the plates in
some instances containing the portraits Of
the entire family, including infants in
arms. Each portrait is accompanied by a
brief biographical sketch of the duke repre-.
scnted. Then follow portraits Of Luther
and his family, and biographical sketch
of Luther and his wifo Catherine Won
BOren.
To the New Testament is prefixed All
index of all the books contained therein
a preface, an allegOrical picture represent
ing the call of the evangelists, biographical
sketches of the evangelsts &C., sc.
At the end of the New Testament is
found an index to the epistles and gospel
lessons for all the holidays, teasts and fes-
tivals for the whole year the Apostles
Creed with scriptural references the
Nicene Creed the Athanasian Creed the
song of St. Ambrose the AugsburgC confess
sion, to which is attached the names of the
states and princes who signed it.
The volume is a valuable and interest
ing one, and it is to be regretted that,
before it fell into tho hands of Mr.. Elscr.
it had been much abused and good deal
defaced. 1t is, however, yet worth place
i'll any library.
Another Old Book
John Martin Miller, of West Lampeter,
has laid upon our table an old German
volume printed in Cassel in 1852, by John
Bcrtram Cramers. The book is entitled,
"ZiOn's Doctrine or, Sermons on the
Gospel, for the Sundays and Festival days
Of the whole year by DR.. Conrad Mehl,
inspector of the churches of the princi-
pality Herszfield seventh edition." AL
though the book is 129 years old, it is
almost as perfect Us when it came from the
hands Of the printer. It is a quarto
strongly bound in hOg-skin, and contains
sermon for every Sunday and every
fcstival-each sermon being pre(aced with
appropriate remarks, and followed by a
prayer. Following the sermons is me-
mortal sketch of DR.. Mehl, written by
Henry Lederhosc, and this is followed by
e!egies in Latin and German, together
with tho songs and dirges sung at DR..
Mchl's funeral. The volume closes with
a copious index, alphabetically arranged.