Mennonite Life, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, will host two events focused on books. Both events will take place in the community room.

A Collections Feature program will highlight "The Martyrs Mirror" on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. The event will showcase Dutch and German printings of the book dating back to the first edition published in 1660 as well as related early imprints from Mennonite Life's rare book collection. Mennonite Life archivist and librarian Julia Wiker will provide an overview of the editions, and David Fuchs will speak on the book's 1748 Ephrata Cloister printing. The event will feature a rare condensed version of "The Martyrs Mirror" published in 1722 and recently added to Mennonite Life's collection, an early 1700s book of 115 illustrated plates of martyrs, and an original copper plate used in printing the 1685 illustrated edition of the book.

To make reservations by Friday, Oct. 27, visit https://mennonitelife.org/events/.

In addition, Mennonite Life's final Rare and Used Book Auction of 2023 will take place on Friday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Items up for bids will include a copy of "The Martyrs Mirror" printed at the Ephrata Cloister in 1748, two Nurnberg Bibles from 1765 and 1768, a 1685 Dutch "Martyrs Mirror" with Luyken prints, and "The History of the Martyrs" by Claas Bruin, published in 1747.

Local history aficionados will have the opportunity to bid on "Annals of the Conestoga Valley" by Mast and Simpson, "The Earth Is the Lord's" by John L. Ruth, and Martin G. Brumbaugh's "The Life and Works of Christopher Dock," a limited-edition number 30 out of 1,000. The auction will also feature family Bibles and prayer books, including an 1834 Ausbund formerly belonging to Sara Yoder of Menno Township in Mifflin County, an 1828 family Bible belonging to Christian and Esther Oberholtzer Hostetter, a Mast family Bible from 1776, and an 1814 "Martyrs Mirror" previously owned by Heinrich Kauffman of Bern Township.

The full auction catalog is available for download at the aforementioned website. Bids may be submitted online and by mail until Thursday, Nov. 9. Auction books will be displayed in the Collections Building several weeks before the event.