Vintage Library Blessing - Roads to Everywhere

Being the book hound I am, I couldn’t resist this quaint framed blessing when I came across it at a garage sale this summer:
I just love the verbose pompous wording! “O God, the Lord of all knowledge, mercifully bestow thy blessing upon this library that it may be protected from fire and all other evils; grant that at times it may congruously be enlarged and that all those who resort hither officially or for the sake of study, may advance in divine and human knowledge, and in love of Thee through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

I especially like the part about, “…grant that at times it may congruously be enlarged…” And anytime you would like to “resort hither officially or for the sake of study” just let me know!

The interesting thing about this piece of art-work is that the wording was printed (on a printing press) but the “O”, the scroll, book, flowers, border, and “Amen” were painted by hand. I wonder how old it is? And I wonder where it originally hung?

It’s hanging in my office/library now.

12 Comments

Jeni

October 2, 2008 at 5:07 pm Reply

That’s really nice! I wouldn’t have been able to resist it, either.

Coloradolady

October 2, 2008 at 5:57 pm Reply

This is so cute. I have never seen anything like that before. What a great find. I can not believe someone was getting rid of that piece.

Dori

October 2, 2008 at 6:02 pm Reply

I’m thinking that it hung in an old Methodist church library for generations! How quaint! Can’t you just imagine the old church lady that runs the library?