Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-11-17
SOME QUEER OLD BOOKS.
,an,ea of peculiar 1nteres.-ola Eelles

Volumes of Peculiar Intcrest-Old i.clics
IN y,!alc Lore.
In the department OF different church e:S-
tf,irs at the Cincinnati centeni,Gl gro scnio
rD re old wonders. Two hundred and forty
two languages and dialects are represented
in book and pamphlet form, ono unique
namplet Of sixty-four pages alone represent
ipr ta5 specimen verses from versions in diff
feent languages and dialects In which the
Holy Scriptures have been printed and c!rcl-
lated by tho American Bible society and tho
British and Foreign Bible society. This is
tho second edition enlarged. work of Pc
culiar interest is an ancient Hobrew SYM
coguo roll, 500 years old, containing the
Book of Esther, with q beautifully carved
ivory distalR
A queer looking German Bible, stained and
worn, though still in state of remarkable
preservation, lying open, with ancient book
mark IN place, is tho property OF Mrs. bar-
ts,-e Grieo;s, 81 Meliickca avenue, CisieiI.,
1rlss Tbs EiAse Is $40 ycaia ola, wac pressed
misunderstanding town, just 100 years after
Lather wa, made an LID. 1t is quarto
volume founded on Luther's text, and Is nc
companicd by comment on obscure pas
sages. It Is illustrated inter the highest
style of German arJ engraving of the Six
tenth century, as taught aud practced by
Albrccht Ducvcr and Hans Holbcin- The
artist revels in the mystical announcements
OF the Apocalypse Hc shows tho angels
sounding their trumpets and plaques descend
h.g upon tho sons Of man, as IN authentic
specimen Of German wood engraving in the
beginning of tho Seventeenth century. The
volume is bound in stiff boards, covered with
heavy old leather. with beveled brass cor
uc1s ard leather buckle clasp. This ancient
Biblo has beon In the family for eleven gen.
cretions,
A copy OF tho "Mathows Bible" Is another
curiosity This was published In 1880. A
largo part of this edition was burned by tho
order of tho Inquisition, only 800 copies
finding their way into circulation. Tho edi-
tor was John Rogers, the English martyr,
whoee picture for SO many years adorned Tic
pages OF tho New England primer. This
copy was printed in 1851, md from its sze
was commonly called the Greet Bible. An
offer copy IS Geneva Bible, sometimes
called '.The Old Brooches Bible, from Tbs
carious rendering of Genesis iii, Z: They
scwed fig leaves together and raado thcDi-
L
lishcd in tho city of Geneva from, it is said,
silver typo in 1850 1t was tho most popular
OF all versions in England for sixty years. It
was prepared and published under the super
vision Of Calvin. Knox, Nottingham aud
Coler. This copy was printed in London in
$3.50, and is tho property OF YIN. Gibson, .!
the Gibson house, Cincinnati.
Still another relic in Bible lore is copy Of
the first edition OF the famous Bishops BIZ
ble." This is the first authorized English
version. and continued in uso among The PEG
pie for long tirlo after the publication Of
King James version This relic WAS loaned
to tho Young liens Biblo society lin whose
exhibit were also these other books usn-
ti,mcd) by tho I.ane seminary
One case of curious relics in this church do
Dartmcnt is the exhibit of q returned Chinese
missionary, fdrs. J. NJ Shaw, whose husband
died in China This exhibit belongs 70 tie
Presbyterian Missionary society of the Gin
cinnati p.csbytery. a Chinese picture bcol,
complied 60 years ago, is among tho nc
mentoes This book was widely known 0n.l
read, and contains incidents supposed to have
been taken from tie lives Of real persons who
lived GOO and 700 years ago. Translated ID
Tho following, as IN illustration of contents:
''I.ai's parents were very old, and fearing
Sat they might 10 dounhecrted, he, when
10 was 20 years old, put on bright Powered
tunic and performed childish antics before
tGeir to mako Thorn forget that they were
old.n
There Is also rnro old Chinese Testament,
published on rice paper.-Detroit Free Press