The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-03

the inventors OF printing, ornamented
with two borders and many initial letters
Illuminated in gold and colors, printed on
thick paper in double columns without
title, pagination or signatures; one of the
original impressions, the first volume con-
tanning 324 folios and the second 3lS,
making in all 642 leaves, of which the
last is blank In this first issue the
headings of St. Jerome's epistle and of
Genesis are printed in red letters,
and the rest written in red ink, but
those OF the second issue are all writ
ten. This copy has the first three leaves
in vol. ii slightly damaged, and is also
wormed in few places 1t is bound in
old calf We have now seen within few
years no less than four copies of this
splendid specimen of the art of printing
at its birth, since when it is not exagger-
ating to say that as an art it has not been
surpassed by any modern achievements.
The finest OF these Gutenberg bibles was
that sold in 1873 in the Perkins sale for
C., 500, when it passed into the noble Ii
brary of Mr.. Huth. Then comes the fine
copy which was sold in the Syston park
library sale, Sir John Thorold's, Decem-
Der, 1884, for $4,000, to Mr.. Quaritch.
After this, in June, 1857, came the other
fine copy sold in Lord Crawford's library
sale for G., $50, also to Mr.. Quartet"
Religious Note and Thought.
Mr.. John D. Rockefeller has Just given $780,
600 to the American baptist education society
for educational work in the United States, pay
able $4,000 each month, beginning with March
and ending with December next.
1t is just 100 years since the introduction Of
methodism into New England. Jesse Lee had
the distinction of having been the first circuit
preacher. and bronze equestrian statue on the
site of the old apple tree at NOrwalk, where he
held his first meeting is proposed.
D. L. Moody will be in Chicago TO preside
over the sessions of the christian convention"
which will begin April 4. The special direc-
ton of Christian work contemplated is that of
bible study, and the series of meetings will be
almost exclusively devoted to an exposition OF
the fundamental doctrines of the Christian
faith.
AT recent meeting of the baptist elergymen
of Chicago, facts were presented showing the
increase OF its population and the need OF an
increase of the home missionary force of that
denomination TO reach the non-church-gOing
population. The meeting favored the raising
of $4,000 to be expended by that denomina-
ton in city missions during the current year.
''The Baptist Yearbook" for 1889 makes the
following showing for the past year: Total
number of associations 1872; ordained min
isters p APO; churches, 81 900; baptisms, 1884,
OpOs ItCclftu ny ltllcI, OO,J-O3 D9 ICcAOIdtlOAi
20,000 by experience 9,4O6. Losses: By letter,
7l,452; by exclusion, 81, S43; by erasure, lO623;
by death, 25639 Total membership, 2,997 ,794;
gain over last year of S0,479.
The oldest minister of the gospel in active
service is the Rev. William Stoddart, of the
parish of MOderty, in Scotland. The baptismal
register shows that he was baptized on the 18th
OF March, 1887 and is now in his one hundred
and third year. Father Stoddart walks
about mile to his preaching service every
Sunday with buoyant step, and breaches a
sermon of about an hours length, discharges,
unaided, all his pastoral duties, and is a most
efficient chairman of the county school board.
Church of To-Day
However artificial may be the observances
which accompany Lent any season in this
modern busy world which brings a period of
rest for mind and body is to be encouraged, not
merely on account of its origin, but for the
sake OF its effects. There are over-indulgent
people who might be greatly benefited by OBJ
serving with some strictness the rules pre-
scrlbed by some of the acts in regard TO fasting.
There are fashionable women who would be
better for a cessation from worldly frivolities.
But the external and superficial aspects of
Lent ought not TO be confounded with its more
wholesome religious signifcanee.-The Ulitar-
ian.
Human nature will always have some ter
rible penalty to inflict upon those who try to
interfere with its inherent rights, and has
abundantly asserted that freedom of worship is
one of these. The sympathies of mankind
rally round a prosecuted cause. Attempted
obstruction has again and again not
only defeated itself, but done more to assist
the cause it hates than all other agencies COM
bined- This was the case with the reformation,
with methOdism, with the Tractarian move
ment, and it has been true in hundreds of
minor cases. The religious prosecutor has be-
come poor creature in the eyes of mankind.
He still appears periodically, but no longer
dares TO indulge in the oppressive measures,
the harsh epithets, and the Misrepresentation
of his earlier career.-PrOUideRce Journal.