1808 Ephrata Imprint, Press of Johannes Baumaun
Die Ernsthafte Christenpflicht : Darinnen Schöne Geistreiche Gebäter, Darmit Sich fromme Christen-Hertzen zu allen Zeiten und in allen Nöthen trösten können. Ephrata [Pennsylvania]: Johannes Baumaun, 1808. [10107]
Full leather binding with an intact and working leather & brass clasp, small chip at top front corner of spine. 13.7 x 9 cm (5 3/8 x 3 1/4 inches), 1809 German inscription in brown ink on the ffep. 202 [2] pp. Text is counted and complete. The spine may have been painted or whitewashed long ago; traces remain. Very good. Full leather.
No. 1596 in Arndt & Eck, The First Century of German Language Printing in the United States of America. Shaw & Shoemaker 14952. Bender, Two Centuries of American Mennonite Literature, 10.
Includes the additional half-titles: Anhang der Confession, Fürstellende Einen Kurzen ausfüherlichen Bericht, von wegen der Junckheit unserer Religion der Waffenund Rachlosen Christenthums, und dessen Zustand, p. [134]-171. Fürstellung dur Vornehmsten Artickeln, unsers allgemeinen Christlichen Glaubens, wie dieselben in unserer Gemeine durchaus gelehret und belhret werden. p. [173]-202. This section has 18 Articles of Faith.
The Baumann family were papermakers and printers for the Ephrata Cloister. Johannes (1765-1809) was of the third generation, the grandson of Johann Bauman (1703-1771) who was a vocal supporter of Conrad Beissel. Johannes, the printer, was active between 1800 and 1809: "He printed a variety of religious tracts, medical books for both people and animals, and broadsides..." - ephratacloisterdotorg.
"Die Ernsthafte Christenpflicht (The Earnest Christian Duty) The most popular Mennonite and Amish prayer book, even today...John Bauman...(1765 - 1809)...and his wife were married Cloister members. John purchased the Ephrata Cloister printing press in 1800, and moved it to his nearby Ephrata home. He previously had worked as a papermaker with his father Benjamin. John printed many books and broadsides...[The Bauman printing press] was built in Philadelphia, circa 1787, by John Goodman. The press was owned by printer Joseph Bauman, in Ephrata, Lancaster County, in the early 1800s." - Lancasterlyricsdotcom.
The printing press made by Goodman and one of two used by Baumann is considered to be the oldest American-made printing press and is in the collection of the Cumberland County Historical Society, at Carlisle, Pa. See Stephen O. Saxe, "The Goodman Common Press, The Oldest American-Made Press," in "Printing History," the journal of the American Printing History Association. - Lancasterlyricsdogcom.