The Bible of the American Revolution

Washington Times ^ | August 20, 2011 | Donald Brake

[Pharmboy]

VANCOUVER, Wa., August 20, 2011—snip...

In the early days of the struggling American colonies, England refused to grant permission to the colonists to print the sacred text on the new continent. All Bibles were imported from England. This allowed appropriate taxes and revenues to be collected. The Continental Congress sought in vain to import 20,000 Bibles from Holland and Scotland.

However, the successful revolution and independence from England signaled a new era for printing Bibles. In 1777, an entrepreneur Scotsman, Robert Aitken, courageously set out to publish the first New Testament ever printed in America.

The first complete Bible in a small hand size hit the market in 1782. The printer’s quaint address listed on the title page reads, “Three doors above the coffee house, in Market street.” The “Bible of the Revolution” as it is called, received full congressional support, the first and only Bible ever to have such approval.

The statement issued by Congress and published in the Aiken Bible reads:

"Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aiken [sic], as subservient to the interests of religion, as well an instance of the progress of arts in this country, and ... they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States, and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper. Cha. Thomson, Secy."

[21twelve]

Yes - he died. But his wife still does the shows (unless they are all repeats now). I find her very interesting when I happen to click on it at 2 am. Her knowledge of the languages brings a lot to the scripture. I think you would find her interesting as well Laz, but perhaps for other reasons. ;)

[colorado tanker]

I am partial to the original King James Version, as it seems to me to be the equal of the soaring poetry of Shakespeare and Milton, but coupled with the Word. I agree with you it is basically the Geneva Bible with a few modifications. And, I know it may not be the most accurate translation, but I love the poetry coupled with the Word.

[colorado tanker]

Oh, and I agree with you that neither the bishops nor King James should be given credit for Tyndale's amazing work.

IMHO, modern historians have never given proper credit to the fact that the Reformation and Counter-reformation were part and parcel of the Renaissance in most of Europe. It is where our modern Western civilization, now in decay, was forged.