Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-17
FIRST AMERICAN BIBLE.
Printed by John Eliot OF kox'
bury in a Tongue Now Ex-

bury in Tongue NOW Ex-
tinct.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ouch" is the longest word printed in
the first Bible ever published in Ameri-
ca. 1t is TO be found at Mark l., 40, and
signifies ''kneeling down to Him." 1t
is in the language OF the Natick Indians
An extinct New England tribe, and only
one person living can read their Bible.
He ia Mr.. ]. II. Trumbull Of Hartford.
The Indian title is "Wusku Wuttesta.
mentum Nul.Lordnmna Jesus Christ
Nuppouuohwus suaeneumun, but II Is
better known as EliOt's Indian Biole
II was printed in Cambridge in 1861, by
the commissioners Of the united colo.
nies in New England, at the charge ana
with the consent OF the corporation In
England for the propagation OF the gos'
pei among the Indians In New Eng.
land" The translation was the work OF
John Eliot, missionary and a pastor
AZ RoSbury, Mass who began the study
of the Natick Indian dialect when he
was forty.two years old. Having in
1919 attained some proficiency. he be.
gan 10 translate the Bible, with the aid
of an Indian. into the Natick tongue,
and alter labor of eight years he com,
pleted the translation OF both the Old
and the New Testaments. The names
OF the books were retained IA In the
English version, and such words as were
unknown to the Indians were kept with
an Indian termination, such as cher
ubim.lab." The New Testament was
printed first, and it required three years
TO finish the Old Testament. Eliot had
one Indian printer who alone could
Compose" the work, and Who did the
proof reading as well. There were S6S
reams OF paper used in printing the BIZ
BILE, the cost OF it ranging from sixty to
seventy shillings q sheet. The sight OF
the work made old Cotton Mather ex-
claim: Behold, We Americans, the
greatest honor that ever you were par
takers Of! This is the only Bible that
ever was printed in all America from
the very foundation OF the world.
Marmadrke Johnson was sent out by
the English corporation to superntend
the printing of the Old Testament.
Upon the subject OF printing the work,
the corporation wrote, May Z, l6o9:
ave conceive il will not onely be &C
ceptable unto God, but very profitable
10 the poor heather, and will much
tend to the promotion OF the sperituall
part Of this worke amongst them"
Twenty copies OF the Bible were print
ed with dedication to King Charles III.
Very few of them are in existence. In
1868 Mr.. Joseph Sabin paid 81, 100 for a
copy, which was the highest price tina,
had ever been paid fora book in this
country at that date. A duplicate copy
in the possession MIR Henry q. Murphy
of Brooklyn, cost him IS. When he
was minister to the Hague he picked up
the prize upon book stall in London,
where its value was not known. The
copy that sold for 81 $50 in 1868 was
duplicate from the Budlcian library at
Oxford, and reached this country in
1862, seeking purchaser at 81 900. 1t
was purchased by Mr.. Bruce, and, upon
the dispersion OF his library, Mr.. Sabin
bought it for Mr.. John A. Rice OF Chi
cago. The price paid made sensation
among bibl;Opfiles. After the purchase
had been completed it was discovered
that the leaf OF contents was wanting.
Fortunately, however, an imperfect copy
Of the Bible happened TO be accessible
from which the needed leaf was obtain.
ed, and Mr.. Rice was made happy by
the acquisition of what he imagined to
be a perfect copy OF EliOt's Indian Blb!e.
In 1870, at the sale OF Mr.. Rce's cOlec-
ton the book VAS bought by Mr.. BoG-
ton, who sold it TO Mr.. William Men
zies. Mr.. Mrnzjes discovered that the
leaf of contents inserted by Mr.. Rice
was that belonging TO the second edi.
ton. He replaced it with genuine lesi
from all imperfect copy OF the first edi-
ton, then in his possession. Mr.. Men
zies paid 81 ,091 "a for this copy, and at
his sale it vas purchased by Mr.. Jno. j.
Cooke OF Providence, for S0OO--the
change in price being due, in degree,
to the change in the value OF gold-and
Mr.. Cooke now possesses the book. Be
ing what is known as a royal copy,
because OF its dedication to the king, 1t
is rare.
The late George Brinley Of Hartford
had no less than seven copies OF the
Eliot Bible-one for every day in the
week. One OF them had belonged TO
Jonathan Edwards, and another to Gov
Stoughton. The prize copy OF the lot,
when was once the browning glory OF
John Allan's great library, is one con.
tanning the dedication, "T0 the high and
mighty Prince Charles and much in.
terest exists among the lovers OF rare
hooks To see what price this will fetch
AZ the sale this week. The Allan copy
has a reputation OF its own. At the
head of the title is tue partly deiaced
autograph OF Sir William Ashhurst, who
was a promin mt member, and became
governor, OF the Corporation for Propa-
eating the Gospel in New England. lts
English title is within border OF prin-
ters' ornaments OF the acorn pattern,
and the Indian title to the New lesta
ment has border OF lozenge shapee
ornaments made of printers marks
The copy was found in England, and is
in the original smooth, dark blue mo.
rocco binding, the sides tileted and
pane, gilt, with gilt edges.
While the first edition is more attrac-
tive 10 collectors of rare Americana, the
second ia more valuable to the student
of the American languages and the gen
eral phiIologist, because it is revised
and corrected. The title for both the
Testaments is in lndian-fOr the Old
Testament as follows:
"Mamusse Wunneelupanatamme Up
Siblum God, uaneesure nukkono Testa-
ment kah wonk, wusSu Testament. Ne
ouoshkinnumuk nashpe Wuttineumah
Christ noh asaowesit John Eliot, Nah
ohtopn ontchotoe PriutenOvmuk Cam
bridge, PrinterOnp nasbpe Samuel
Green, MDCLNNXF."
Gov. Stoughton's copy, which bears
his autograph as well as that OF It's sub
seQuent owner, the Rev. John Danforth,
who married Gov. Stoughton's niece,
shows no evidence of use except IN the
first few leaves. Jonathan Edwards
copy is finely bound. but by the bind
ers mistake theca,echiSm, which shon!d
have been bound at the end OF the VOL
u,ne, is placed after the Old Testament.
This ca,achrsm was translated by Mr.
Trumbull, the only living master oil the
Nstick language, for presentation to the
owners Of the few copies OF the Bible.
The John Allan copy is enclosed Ill
Solander case OF maroon morocco, letter
ell in gilt.