Along with worldly ambition and dreams of wealth, Columbus had the almost inseparable aim of advancing Christianity throughout the world. In the years that followed the first encounters with indigenous Americans, the Spanish crown launched an army of Catholic missionaries who set about the task of learning innumerable native American languages and inculcating the Christian story and belief. As Protestant nations set about founding colonies, they too undertook to disseminate the Christianity of their understanding. African-American populations also became a focus, in particular by the Moravians.
Honorius Philoponus. Nova typis transacta navigatio. Novi Orbis Indiæ Occidentalis. [Linz : 1621].
Caspar Plautius used the pseudonym Honorius Philoponus so that he could dedicate the work— a celebration of Benedictine missions to the Americas, especially the West Indies and Peru—to himself. A specimen of Indian music is provided. Shown here are gathered Benedictine missionaries and Native Americans, who have gathered to hear a sermon by a bishop whose assistants hold his mitre and crozier. In the background workers clear away the remains of the previous native religion and build a church while a bishop baptizes natives. Also shown in the engraving are fortifications, ships, crosses, a cart with goats, wheelbarrows, bows and arrows, and palm trees.
Wolfgang Kilian (1581-1662), an Augsburg printmaker, is presumed to be the artist for all the images in this book not derived from the 26-volume series of voyages published by of Theodor de Bry.
Georg Stengel, SJ. Ova Paschalia sacro emblemate inscripta descriptaque a Georgio Stengelio Societatis Iesu theologo curae secundae. Munich: Nicolas Henricus, 1635.
In this most curious of emblem books, the author takes the egg as inspiration for meditations on Easter and the Eucharist. One hundred egg-shaped emblems explore the meaning of the egg within a Catholic theological perspective. There are two specific chapters relating directly to Native Americans, as well as four more emblems where Native Americans serve as an inspiration for the illustration. The well-read Jesuit author has closely examined Heinrich Salmuth’s commentary on Panciroli’s Rerum memorabilium sive deperditarum. When Salmuth first published the work in an unauthorized edition of 1599-1602, it was condemned and prohibited by the Inquisition for its unorthodox remarks. However, Stengel appears to be unconcerned about commenting further upon Salmuth.
In emblem 42, Stengel relates a story Salmuth told about Native Americans feeding chickens. At the border of the emblem are shown the options of eternal hellfire or heavenly rest, and appreciation of all nature. Elsewhere, Stengel reports Salmuth’s claim that Native Americans abstain from eating eggs (citing book 2 of Panciroli's Nova reperta). The text goes on to explain, with many citations, how safe and healthful eggs in fact are.
Purchased with the assistance of the JCB Associates Fund.
Mathias Tanner, 1630-1692. Die Gesellschafft Jesu der Aposteln Nachfolgerin, oder fürtreffliche Thaten und Tugenden der jenigen, welche aus ehrwehnter Gesellschafft in Besördnung des Seelen-Heyls. Prag: in der Carolo-Ferdinandäischen Buchdruckerey der Societät Jesu bey St. Clement, durch Joannem Franciscum Starck, Factorn, 1701.
This is the translation of Societas Jesu apostolorum imitatrix, first printed Prague, 1694. Mathias Tanner was the leading middle-European Jesuit biographer in this period, producing gripping portraits of Jesuit martyrs and vivid portrayals of the life and work of Jesuits, as in this first volume of a series he did not live to complete. He was born in the Bohemian town of Pilsen (Plzeň), best known to Americans for its unique Czech lager. American missions play a role in this volume especially through the work of Joannes Bordesius in New France, and Andreas Vitus, shown here ministering to indigenous people of Maryland. The many fine etchings illustrating the book were created by J. C. Hafner, W. P. Kilian and others after the artwork of J. C. Henisch.
David Cranz, 1723-1777. Kurze, zuverlässige Nachricht von der, unter dem Namen der Böhmisch-Mährischen Brüder bekanten, Kirche Unitas Fratrum Herkommen, Lehr-Begrif, äussern und innern Kirchen-Verfassung und Gebräuchen. [Halle, 1757].
The Moravians, coming originally from Czechoslovakia, the then kingdoms of Bohemia and Moravia, and later in Saxony, established themselves in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and launched missions from Greenland to South America and beyond. In this history of their pious work, one may also find illustrations of ordination ceremonies, the baptismal rites observed for infants and adult Africans, Greenlanders, and continental (mid-Atlantic) indigenous Americans. Portrayed as well are Moravians prostrated in prayer, rites of exorcism, foot washing, the Eucharist, marriage, and the kiss of peace. Shown here are adult baptisms of Native Americans in Pennsylvania.
Cranz was raised in a Pietist household and entered seminary at Halle in his teens. Two years later he joined the Herrnhut community in eastern Saxony, and was soon in Count von Zinzendorf’s inner circle, serving him as secretary. Zinzendorf was likewise a Pietist, but wanted to purify Lutheran practice by bringing it closer to apostolic Christianity. In 1761, Cranz joined the mission to Greenland, then in its third decade. In a year there he wrote the chronicle of the mission and conveyed much on the indigenous culture. Following its publication, he continued as a historian while serving congregations in eastern Germany.
Christian Georg Andreas Oldendorp, 1721-1787. Geschichte der Mission der Evangelischen Brüder auf den Caraibischen Inseln S. Thomas, S. Croix und S. Jan. Barby: Christian Friedrich Laux; Leipzig for Weidmann Heirs & Reich, 1777.
The Moravians became closely familiar with a number of indigenous American groups through their missions, and also worked with Africans. Oldendorp’s study focuses on the three islands of the Danish West Indies (later U.S. Virgin Islands). Part of the book is devoted to a study of the slave trade in Guinea. The table shown offers testimony as to the breadth of African peoples they encountered in their mission work. The table lists 26 African languages for which vocabulary is presented for the words “God, sky, Sun, Moon, human, hand, foot, head, man, woman, child, father, and mother.”
Denkmal der Liebe und Achtung welches seiner Hochwürden dem Herrn D. Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg ... ist gesetzet worden. Samt desselben Lebenslaufe. Philadelphia: Gedruckt bey Melchior Steiner, 1788.
A portrait of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711-1787) appears in this memorial tribute to him. Born in the state of Hannover as V Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg, he studied theology at the University of Göttingen. There he came under the influence of Pietism through fellow students who had worked at the Franckische Stiftungen in Halle. Soon he was teaching at the Francke Foundations, where he was mentored by Gotthilf August Francke. In 1741, Francke sent him to Pennsylvania as a missionary to multiple German communities. He became active as well in the neighboring colonies of Maryland and New York, and established the first permanent Lutheran synod in America in 1748 (Ministerium of Pennsylvania) and is regarded as the founder of the Lutheran church on the continent. His large family and numerous descendants continued to shape the progress of the new republic, in roles as clergymen, teachers, public servants, and soldiers. Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg, trained at Halle and serving as a minister, became the first president of Franklin College (later Franklin & Marshall), which Benjamin Franklin had founded by legacy in order to bring education to the German farmers and tradesmen.
“Vue de l'Etablissement des missions a St. Johns dans l'Isle d'Antigoa aux Indes occidentales.” From: Johann Heinrich Stobwasser, 1740-1829. Ansichten von Missions-Niederlassungen der evangelischen Brüder-Gemeinde = Vues des etablissemens missionaires fondés par la Communauté évangélique des Fréres-Unis. Basel: Birmann, [1830?].
This view alludes to the Moravian mission's humble beginnings under a Sandbox tree in the St. John settlement. This is one of four prints created in order to help raise funds for the Moravian mission on Antigua. It was engraved by Franz Hegi from an original drawing by Stobwasser.
Moravian missions in Antigua began in the mid-eighteenth century amid deplorable conditions and opposition by many of the planters. The missions succeeded through the dedication of their founders, and survive as local churches of the Moravian Conference.
“Vue de Gracehill dans l'Isle d'Antigoa aux Indes occidentales.” From: Johann Heinrich Stobwasser, 1740-1829. Ansichten von Missions-Niederlassungen der evangelischen Brüder-Gemeinde = Vues des etablissemens missionaires fondés par la Communauté évangélique des Fréres-Unis. Basel: Birmann, [1830?].
The Moravian church at Gracehill plantation was founded in 1791. The plantation house stands in the background. This is one of four prints created in order to help raise funds for the Moravian mission on Antigua. It was engraved by Johann Hürlimann from an original drawing by Stobwasser.
Exhibition prepared by dennis landis.
on view in the reading room from may to September 15,2013.
Images: Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions, Ephrata, 1795 & Hernán Cortés, Ferdinandi Cortesii. Von dem Newen Hispanien, Augsburg, 1550