John H. A. Bomberger Library
John Henry Augustus Bomberger (1817-1890) was the first graduate of Marshall College and later received the first Doctor's degree conferred by Franklin and Marshall College. After completing his studies at the Theological Seminary in York, Pennsylvania, he served as pastor of German Reformed churches in Lewistown, Waynesboro, Easton and Philadelphia.
During this time, Bomberger became the leader of the minority "low church," which countered the ritualistic form of worship, or "high church," advocated by Dr. John Williamson Nevin, President of Franklin and Marshall College from 1866-1876. This controversy grew for more than 20 years. The crucial point is: Dr. Bomberger and men of like thought, constituted a minority. Had they been the majority, Ursinus College would never have been founded. Dr. Bomberger served as President from 1870 until his death in 1890.
This collection is a digital representation of Dr. Bomberger's private library, containing many rare volumes (some of which were brought over from Europe by his grandfather) which helped form the basis of the first Library at Ursinus College. Much of the commentary for these books comes from the notes of Dr. Gerald H. Hinkle, who arranged the collection in the 1960s. Dr. Hinkle came to the Ursinus faculty as an assistant professor of English in 1963. A graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, Hinkle would later write his doctoral dissertation on "The Theology of the Ursinus Movement: Its Origins and Influence in the German Reformed Church."
In addition to Dr. Hinkle's commentary, we have included information from the Reverend John H. A. Bomberger, Doctor of Divinity; Doctor of Laws 1817-1890 Centenary Volume where relevant, and have added several transcriptions of handwritten notes found in the volumes. Whenever possible, links have been provided to the fully digitized texts in resources like HathiTrust Digital Library and the Internet Archive. To view the rare books in Myrin Library, please contact the Special Collections Department.
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Die Grundzüge der Lehre von dem Menschen
David Theodor August Suabedissen
This 389 page book on the philosophy of man is printed in Gothic script.
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Handbuch der Biblischen Alterthumskunde
Ernst Friedrich Karl Rosenmuller
This four volume work on Biblical antiquities contains these titles: Biblische Erd- und Länderkunde, Biblische Geographie, Biblische Naturgeschichte, Das biblische Mineral- und Pflanzenreich, Das biblische Thierreich.
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Conversations-lexicon: Oder Encyclopädisches Handwörterbuch für Gebildete Stände
Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus
This ten volume encyclopedia is accompanied by a supplemental volume published in 1818. This fourth edition of the encyclopedia was reprinted by Macklot without the permission of the Brockhaus publishing house.
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The Beauties of the Evangelical Magazine
Evangelical Magazine
This second book of a two-volume set contains selections from Evangelical magazine and missionary chronicle (London).
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Geschichte der Christlich-Kirchlichen Gesellschafts-Verfassung
Gottlieb Jakob Planck
The first two volumes of a multi-volume work on the history of the Christian church's social constitution. The books contain the following titles: 1. Geschichte der Entstehung und Ausbildung der chirstlich-kirchlichen Gesellschafts-Verfassung in römischen Staat von der Gründung der Kirche an bis zu dem Anfang des siebenten Jahrhunderts. -- 2. Geschichte der christlich-kirchlichen Gesellschafts-verfassung in den neuen Staaten des Occidents, von ihrer Enstehung bis in die Mitte des meunten Jahrhunderts. -- 3-5. Geschichte des Pabstthums in den abendländischen Kirchen.
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Zend-Avesta, Zoroasters Lebendiges Wort: Worin die Lehren und Meinungen Dieses Gesetzgebers von Gott, Welt, Natur, Menschen; Ingleichen die Ceremonien des Heiligen Dienstes der Parsen
Johann Friedrich Kleuker and Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron
This three volume German edition of the Avesta text is bound in two volumes and was translated from Abraham Anquetil-Duperron's version by Johann Kleuker.
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Catechetischer Hauss-Schatz, Oder, Erklärung des Heidelbergischen Catechismi Durch Frag und Antwort: Samt Derselben Nutz-Anwendung, Durch Uberzeugung, Prüffung, Aufmunterung, Vermahnung, Trost, und Daraus Gezogenen Gebätten
Christoph Stahelin
This book about the Heidelberg Catechism is the fifth edition and contains two volumes in one.
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Het Nieuwe Testament Ofte Alle Boeken des Nieuwen Verbondts Onses Heeren Jesu Christi
States-General of the Netherlands
This bound volume contains the States-General Reformed Church of the Netherlands translation of the New Testament of the Bible, the Psalm of David and the Heidelberg catechism.
