The "A True Scholar Tries To Explain Luther And His Writings To Me" Story

Foreword:  I have written a few thousand stories over the past ten years for the blog you are reading, but my story today is one that I'm not sure I am qualified to write.  The minister whom I had visited recently to talk about Bibles and book binding has intelligence that I can only dream about having.  Rev. Adam Morton received me with enthusiasm and was very interested in the family Bible I handed him, but the knowledge he possesses about Martin Luther and his writings, the German language, bookbinding and Christianity in general left me behind as if I had never studied any of the topics before.  He is an amazing young man who made me feel part of the conversation as well as asking me a few times about a variety of topics.  But, I was mostly lost in the dust as we talked!  Therefore, I'm not sure I can do him justice with the following story, but the tale I have to tell might at least make you interested in the topics they will cover.  Let's see...

The family pages on which you can report births
and deaths.  I had found a carnation as well as a
clipping from the newspaper when I first viewed it.

It was an ordinary day.  Just pulled out my old family Bible to see if Adam could help me understand a bit more about the history of the "German Die Bibel" which was printed in 1846 in Philadelphia, PA.  And, why would I ask this associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania?  Well, he holds several Master's degrees as well as a start on a Doctorate in Theology, and a recent newspaper article about him made me think he would be the person to answer my questions.  Adam Morton is a very refined young gentleman who appears to be much younger than his reported 40 years of age, but he is a whiz with history and knowledge of Martin Luther and any publications associated with him.  He was able to give me a fair guess at a date for my Bible (I hadn't told him the date inside my Bible cover) by the style and usage of the German used in the Bible.  

Rev. Adam Morton holding a 1518 collection
of writings by Martin Luther.  The book on
his desk is an illustrated collection of
writings about Lutheranism from 1571.
Photo was taken by LNP photographer
Dan Marschka.

I initially called Adam after reading about him in Lancaster's newspaper's "The Scribbler" column written by Jack Brubaker in the August 14, 2019 newspaper.  Jack has been writing stories about Lancaster County and its residents for years in his "The Scribbler" column and when he posted his article about Adam, I knew I just had to make a visit.  Two books which were part of Trinity's archives were featured and after seeing photos taken by staff photographer Dan Marschka, I wanted to see them for myself to see how they may have been bound years ago.  One of the classes I taught in high school included book binding in which my classes made their own marbled paper for the end sheets of the book they folded and bound by sewing the paper signatures by hand with linen thread.  I was hoping to see how these two sixteenth century books had been bound. Well, when Adam and I finished examining my Bible, he pulled out the church's 1518 collection of writings by Martin Luther that they had just gotten back from a local bookbinder.  

The new binding on the right and the old cover that
he had taken off on the left.

The bookbinder did a very nice job of rebinding, but I personally would have chosen a different material and color for the cover of the book.  The book contained some of the very early writings by Luther including "Ad LeonemX", "Pontificem Maximun" and Martin Luther's "Ninety-five Theses."  Wow, just to hold this manuscript in my hands was remarkable.  How many scholars had opened these pages in the past few hundred years.  Rev. Morton found another one of the two volumes on his desk one morning when he came to work at Trinity Lutheran Church in center city Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

This is the 1571 rare illustrated collection
of writings about Lutheranism.  It was
donated by D. Mellinger Swarr in 1885.

The book had been brought to his office by a church archivist.  It was titled "Corpus Doctrinae Christianae" and was a collection of early Lutheran writings.  It was published in Germany in 1571 which was 25 years after the death of Martin Luther.  In the book was a note dated 1885 which explained that the book was a gift from a Mr. D.M. Swarr.  Adam became interested in the book and began a search of the church's archives and found five more rare books that chronicled the early years of Lutheranism.  The majority of the books he had found were in a box labeled "Luther."  Another book contained the first-ever published collection of writings by Luther.  "Ad Leonem X, Pontificem Maximum" (To Pope Leo X) contained the famed "Ninety-five Theses."  Everything was in Latin and published in 1518 by Johann Frozen.  The book is one of only 15 known to exist.  

You may be able to read what was written in the book
that was donated by Mr. Swarr on February 6, 1985.

Most copies were ordered destroyed when Luther was declared a heretic and excommu- nicated.  Across the end of the book is written in Latin, "Beware."  Just to hold this manuscript was amazing.  A letter that accompanied the book told how Mr. Swarr had ordered the book from Berlin, Germany and had given it to his church in 1883, the 400th anniversary of Luther's birth.  The other books Adam had found were also donations from Swarr.  Seems that Mr. D. Mellinger Swarr was a Mennonite who had limited formal education.  He did know enough to realize the importance of the books he had in his possession.  

These are two illustrated pages of the Ten Commandments.

One of the books, a 1455 book that consisted of an oration of Aeneus Silvius, who later became Pope, was "stagger- ingly rare" according to Adam.  Mr. Swarr died in the early 20th century at the Lancaster County Home and is buried in Quarryville, PA.  So, why and how did this man donate these rather rare and beautiful books to his church.  Maybe Adam will be the one to eventually find the answer to that question.  Adam and I shared a few more stories about bookbinding and after a grateful "Thank-You" to Adam, I departed, relishing the time I had spent with this religious scholar.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
  
Postscript:  My notes from my visit are lengthy, but as I began to write, I realized how much I didn't know and understand that Adam had shared with me.  Therefore, my story is limited to what I was sure were correct facts and not just nonsense that might alter history. 

The "Books Lost...Books Found" Story

My old book press from my teaching years.

It was an ordinary day.  Helping my wife with the house cleaning.  Ran the vacuum on the first floor and grabbed a cloth to do some dusting.  For years I have been dusting the antique book press which sits next to an old desk we found at an antique dealer many years ago.  The book press was used for years in my classroom when we made hand-bound books, but when I retired and the new teacher didn't want it, the principal told me to take it with me.  I claimed the press plus the old floor model guillotine paper-cutter, wooden teacher's desk, a few dozen wooden California job cases and drawer after drawer of old wooden and metal type pieces plus metal engravings that were of no use to anyone.  As I dusted the book press I checked out the three books that have been a part of our home since we moved into our Beach House over 20 years ago.  As I looked at the small bound books I was stumped as to how we acquired them.  Carol and I found that one book came from the Martic Elementary School where she went to school as a child while the other two came from the Pequea Township School District.  All three have the little "Date Due" flyer in the back of them showing how many times the book had been read and in one case, what year it was placed in circulation in the library.  Somehow over the years we acquired the three children's books and placed them in our book press when we moved to our current location.  And, today for the first time in my life I opened them and examined them. The following information describes the really neat children's books what I re-discovered: 

• Far from Marlborough Street by Elizabeth Philbrook.  

  

  
  

  This book was published in 1944 and is listed as a book for juvenile audiences.  The book tells the story of Nancy Wadsworth who could hardly believe her ears when her grandfather suggested she, ten year old girl that she was, go along on a stagecoach journey from Boston to Springfield.  It was in the year of 1793 and the roads were rutty.  But, who else could go?  Someone had to take the mysteriously valuable box to Uncle Jonathan to get him out of trouble.  The adventures she goes through from catching a horse thief to buying a moose are all explored in this book.  This book was actually one in Oprah's Bookclub.
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  
  
  This is book 1 on the Chronicles of Narnia and tells how Aslan, the noble lion, freed Narnia from the spell of the White Witch.  The novel is set in Narnia, a land of talking animals and mythical creatures that one White Witch has ruled for 100 years of deep winter.  Four English children are relocated to a large country house following a wartime evacuation.  They are sent to the countryside to live with professor Digory Kirke.  The youngest visits Narnia three times via the magic of a wardrobe found in a spare room.  All four children are together on her third visit, which proves that the youngest was telling the truth.  You must read the book to find what happens to the children.  The book all began with a picture in the author's mind of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood, but it wasn't until he was about 40 that he made a story about it.  After reading some online notes about the book, I fell compelled to read it myself, being a child at times in my mind.
• A Horse Named Summer by Karen Bendick.  
  
  The book is based on a diary kept by the author when she was 14, therefore the style of the book is very simple.  The sentences are short and declarative and the illustrations, also by the author, are clear and unadorned line drawings.  The devotion the author had for her horse, which her family had rented for her over the summer, is quite evident.  Miss Bendick called her horse Sil Summer Salt and tells details about his care and comfort as well as the pleasure she took in riding him.  As the entries in the diary near the end of the summer, they indicate her transition to a more mature view of her relationship to the animal, which she began to liken to that of a parent and child.  Young girls will love the book it is said.  As I leafed through the book, reading passages, it reminded me of my wife as a young girl who too had a horse that she cared for during her high school years.  

All three books are now back in the book press, but can be removed if anyone would like to read them.  Just type me a comment and we may be able to arrange for you to borrow the books.  All three books have probably entertained quite a few children in the past half-century.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A popular book titled "A Horse Named Summer" which was borrowed close to 60 times.  On the back of it, but not pictured, was printed in all capital letters: I LOVE JOHN. 

Inside the book, "Far from Marlborough Street", can be seen dates as early as 1963.

The "Holding An Historical Piece Of "The Black Art" In My Hand" Story

Small book printed in 1796 in Lancaster, PA

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in my brother Steve's garage in Ephrata, Pennsylvania looking at a large table full of ... stuff.  The stuff consists of a small box of old locks and keys, many old posters in frames, old books, rusted tools, a plastic envelope filled with old newspapers and a multitude of old books.  This ... stuff ... is part of an enormous batch of ... well, stuff ... that he bought from a person who is clearing out his business space so he can set up an office.  After looking through about half of the ... stuff ... Steve grabs one small book and tells me I might be interested in this.  Book is about 4"x7"x1/2" thick with a weathered brown leather cover on it that bears no title whatsoever.  

End sheet has the name of the original owner and the
first page tells the story of the book.  Click on to enlarge.

Since I taught graphic arts and printing for years, I knew I should handle this piece of "The Black Art" with care, so I opened it gently to find the title page read: THE New Teftament Of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, Newly Tranflated out of the ORIGINAL GREEK; And with the former TRANSLATIONS Diligently Compared and Revifed, LANCASTER, Printed by J. BAILEY and W. DICKSON, in Kingftreet, M,DCC,XCIII.  

Portraiture of Benjamin Franklin who opened
a shop in Lancaster in 1751.

Wow, now it has my undivided attention!  Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania has a storied history of the "The Black Art" with Ben Franklin founding Lancaster City's first print shop in 1751 and for six years he and his partners tried to duplicate the success they had created in Philadelphia.  It happened to be at the same time as the famous Ephrata Cloisters was printing a newspaper as well as a multitude of publications, some in German and some in English.  Due to the immense competition from the Cloisters as well as many other upstart print shops, Franklin's print shop sort of fizzled out and he closed up shop in 1757.  

Historical sign in front of the Lancaster
Newspaper office in Lancaster.

Another Lancaster printer, Francis Bailey, learned the printing trade from Peter Miller at the Cloisters and opened his shop in downtown Lancaster in 1771 where he printed sermons and pamphlets supporting the Patriot cause as well as a variety of other works.  In 1776 he printed one of the earliest editions of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, calling for America independence.  Now, I searched and searched to find out why the book I was holding in my hand had J. Bailey instead of F. Bailey.  After several hours of searching various websites I found what I was after.  Mr. Jacob Bailey was a printer who arrived in Lancaster in 1784.  Happened to be the same year that Francis Bailey, a supposed but not documented relative, left the printing trade.  

Rear pages of the book look as if they were used  by
the owner of the book to practice his calligraphy.

In 1784 Jacob began his career in Lancaster by printing The New and Improved North American Almanac for 1785 which had for the previous nine years been printed by ... Francis Bailey.  He also printed a variety of religious books and manuscripts which makes me believe that it was he, Jacob, that was responsible for the book I am holding.  The books pages are rather tattered, being very yellowed.  A small section of the book seemed to be falling out until I realized it was another document altogether.  

These loose pages fell from the book.  They are hand-sewn
in white thread and are printed in both English and German.

This section of about 16 pages was hand-stitched with white thread and half in English and half in German.  It somehow had found a home inside the New Testament book.  I then began a search for the other printer, William Dickson.  He and his brother Robert opened their printing office in Lancaster in 1796, the same year the small book I have was printed, and became the best-known of Lancaster's publishers.  Three years later they founded the Lancaster Intelligencer which was published by them until William's death in 1823.  Interesting that my youngest son just so happens to work for the Lancaster Intelligencer Company (now called LNP Media Group).  So, I think I have finally found the identity of the printers who were responsible for the very interesting religious book that my brother has now given to me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.    

The "The Hardcopy Book Vs. The EBook" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol is telling me about the book she is reading which I bought her for Christmas.  Book by Jodi Picoult which is one of the best books she has ever read.  And ... the book is a real honest to goodness book.  One that came off a printing press.  Since both our sons work in the printing trade, we both appreciate the fact that she enjoys paper books.  But, I must admit, I'm not a help in that category, since I have a Kindle and love it.  I can go on vacation and have a dozen or so books loaded on my Kindle which weighs about a pound while Carol might have eighteen paperback books that take up more space in our luggage than our beach noodles do.  So why do I prefer the Kindle over a hand-held paperback or why does Carol enjoy the feel of a real book instead of an electronic instrument in her hand.  A few years ago when the eReaders were introduced I thought that might be the end of the printed book, but the more I read, the more I find that the hand-held book is making a comeback and is preferred by more readers than the eBook.  My reasons for loving my Kindle are: Simple to buy a book; I can change the size of the type if I care; I can put it in a plastic baggie and don't have to worry about getting it wet; and the books cost less to buy.  Carol tells me that her reasons for having a real book are: She can hold the book and turn the pages; she can put an actual bookmark in the book when done reading; You can share them with others for no charge; and you look neater reading a real book.  So far we are even-steven!  Then I began looking online to find out what are the other reasons for one or the other.  Seems that the print books might edge the eReaders in reasons to buy one over the other.  Some reasons one way or the other are: Print books are great to share, as Carol said; eBooks take up less space. Print books are for life; You can read an eBook in the dark if you happen to have that feature on your reader. You can write in the margins of a print book or underline a sentence; Wait a minute - I can underline on my Kindle. Print books have jackets so you can see what others are reading; eBooks open up to where you finished reading and you don't have to worry about losing your bookmark. Reading a real book makes the story seem more real; Using an eBook eliminates having to cut down trees to make paper. Yes, but using the earth metals to make eBooks can be more harmful due to toxic metals and the energy needed to make the eBooks; Etc., Etc., Etc.  I guess you get the idea by now that we all have our reasons why we like one over the other.  Will we ever really agree with each other.  Nah!  But, that's OK. At least if the hard copy book returns to prominence in the future, my sons will benefit!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "The Ancient Art Of Bookbinding" Story

Water Street Bindery

It was an ordinary day.  Knocked on the old blue door that sits under the historical sign that tells of the one and a half story house that demonstrates the architecture during the period of early settlement of Lancaster which dates from 1730.  The doorknob is a round brass sphere with a small brass shield over a keyhole to the left of the knob.  On the side of the home, high above the alleyway, is a sign that states "Water Street Bindery".  House caught my eye as I walked past, since I recently talked to the President of the Ephrata National Bank who told me the Water Street Bindery rebound the Santa book that is kept in the safe of the bank when it is not being signed by generations of children who made visits to Santa and signed the book telling of their love of Santa and what they wanted for Christmas.  

Tony preparing a piece of leather for
one of his restorations.

Lost yet?  Well, I just had to stop in the bindery to find out what they do in this neat little old house on Water Street in the historic city of Lancaster, PA.  Knocked a few times until a young woman opened the door and asked if she could help me.  I entered the shop and was greeted with memories from the past.  By now, many of you probably know that I taught Graphic Arts in high school and part of my curriculum was a section on bookbinding.  There, sitting in front of me in the center of the small room, was a small guillotine paper cutter which at the moment was serving as a coat rack.  Looked much like the one I have in my garage I use for trimming jobs I still print for the high school where I taught.  The young woman, Anna, had taken her seat by a window and continued with her preparation of twine that she would use on the spine of a book she was working on at the time.  

Guillotine paper cutter disguised as
a clothes tree.  

I walked into the next room to meet Tony, the owner of the bindery.  Tony has been in the bindery business for 40 years and the owner of the Water Street Bindery for 30 years.  It is obvious the skill he possesses just by watching him at his trade.  I stood next to him as he worked on a piece of leather that he was scraping to reduce the thickness of the leather at certain areas in order to be able to shape it to the back or spine of a book he was working on.  At the time, he and his daughter Anna were rebinding a 27 volume collection of small books, that were an early edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, for a collector who lived in San Francisco, California.  Tony and I talked about some of the binding procedures that he uses that have been used for ages as well as used by me in my classes I taught.  

Part of a set of Encyclopedia Britannica books that
have been rebound at the Water Street Bindery.

The shop was filled with an assortment of old binding tools and book presses as well as quite a few beautifully bound books.  I loved everything about the old house on Water Street, but knew it was time to leave and allow my hosts for the past half hour a chance to perform their skilled art of bookbinding.  

Anna prepares cords to be used on the spines of the books.

Oh yeah, Tony also remembered working on the book that had been signed for ages by young children who had made their way to visit with Santa in Ephrata and tell the jolly old guy what they wanted for Christmas.  As for me, I find that as I write stories for my blog, I meet some of the most interesting people who love to share their life's experiences and occupations with me.  I in turn have gained a great understanding of the people who, along with me, call Lancaster home. It's a wonderful city!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Book press holding a set of backing boards which are used to form and round the back of a book.

One of many beautifully bound books that are found throughout the bindery.

The front door is a good display of the architecture throughout the homes on Water Street in Lancaster, PA

Anna works on the spine of one of the books in the Encyclopedia Britannia collection.  It is being held in the book press illustrated in an above photograph.