CODEX SINAITICUS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1933, Page 5

CODEX SINAITICUS

COSTLY BIBLE 1 MSS

WIDE INSPECTION IN LONDON

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, December 27

The Codex S'inaiticus, -the fourth century manuscript -Bible, was brought from Russia at the week-end by (special courier to London. The Soviet is being paid £loo,ooo‘for the Codex.

The purchase price of the Codex will be credited to- the London account of the Soviet, which lias undertaken to devote it entirely 'to tho purchase of British goods. On arrival, the. C'odex-, which is written in block characters onr vellum, containing four columns on each page, was at once handed over to the British Museum. It was later placed “ on view at-the Museum. '

Many substantial donations have been Received ip anticipation of the opening of a. fund for the purchase of the manuscript. They include £SOO from a society known as the Friends of National Libraries, as a first donation. :■ .• -- -

Lord Wakefield has sent "a .cheque for £IOOO towards the fund, . 1

Doctor Bell, the ' keeper of the manuscripts at the Museum', .spent two hours in testing the authenticity of the, Codex, after which He installed it in the entrance hall,where a queue speedily formed. ’ Some 3.5°0 people inspected the Codex, ; eighty per cent of them placing a contribution, sometimes a treasury note in a ' box ’ alongside of it. ■ '

The visitors were generally amazed at the wonderful preservation and clearness of the manuscript.