The Early German Bibles

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 16, 16 April 1903, Page 15

The Early German Bibles

Monsignor John S. Vaughan, in his very interesting and valuable contribution, ' Concerning the Holy Bible ' (says a correspondent of the ' Catholic Times '), deals at considerable length with the editions of the Ihblo in Gorman which were printed befose Luther's time. He mentions that the I'aulist Fathers of New York in thenlibrary possess a copy of Anton Konurger's splendid Bible m German, published in 1483. May 1 add that tho Catholic UnUersity at Washington contains another copy of one of these early Bibles, printed prior to Luther's birth. It is exhibited in tho Museum of Biblical Archaeology founded there by the Orientalist, Rev. Dr. Hyvernat. But may I further draw the attention of your readers interested on this subject to tho copies of these early Bibles preserved much nearer home in our own. British Museifm ? The British Museum Library contains very many copies of early Catholic vernaculars, including those in German. It has copies of eight different editions of Bibles printed in German and bearing dates previous to Luther's birth, and three more editions bearing dates before his losing the Catholic faith. There are also in that library two editions in Low German on the dialect about Cologne Among these German Bibles the earliest is ' not later ' than 1466. They also include a well-preserved copy of Anton Koburger's Bible of 1483. One or other of these early Bibles is usually on view in the cases illustrating early German printing, which are arranged in the King's Library' gallery of the museum. A full list is published in the Catalogue of Printed Bibles sold in the Museum. A vast amount of information on these German Bibles may be found in Janssen's great work, 'The History of the German People at the close of the Middle- Ages.'

You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless. and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and most delicate ways, also improve yourself.

Jesus Christ, our great model, suffered much for us ; let us bear our afflictions cheerfully, seeing that through them we have the happiness of resembling Him.

We prefer soil which produces abundant harvests after we have cultivated it in preference to that which, though it have not thorns, yet yields but little fruit.

The whole faculties of man must be exerted in order to call forth noble energies ; and he who is not earnestly sincere lives in but half his being, self-mutilated, selfparalysed.