ZIONITISCHER WEYRAUCHS HÜGEL.
This book contains a preface written at Ephrata, Pa.,
14th of Fourth month, 1739, which with the title-page
covers fourteen pages; seven hundred and ninety-two
pages of hymns, and fourteen pages of index. It is
dedicated “To all solitary Turtle-Doves cooing in the
wilderness as a spiritual harp — playing in the many
times of divine visitation.” There are a number of facts
in the bibliographical history of the Weyrauchs Hügel,
any one of which would be enough to make it a remarkable
publication. It was the first book printed in German
type in America. It was the first book from the
justly celebrated and prolific colonial press of Christopher
Saur of Germantown. A letter from Germantown dated
November 16th, 1738, and published in the “Geistliche
Fama,” a European periodical of the Inspired, says:
“We have here a German book-publishing house established
by Saur, and the Seventh-day Baptists have had a
great hymn book printed of old and new hymns mixed.”
In rather a curious way it led to the establishment of the
Ephrata press. The 37th verse of the 400th hymn runs
as follows : —
Sehet, sehet, sehet, an!
Sehet, sehet, an den Mann!
Der von Gott erhoehet ist,
Der ist unser Herr und Christ.
Which translated literally is —
Look, look, look,
Look, look upon the mrin ;
He is exalted by God ;
He is our Lord and Christ.
