We attended a citywide Bible Fair, it was really something special! Everyone from the surrounding area was invited to bring their most unusual, smallest, largest, newest and oldest Bibles. There must have been 200 Bibles on display. We exhibited a 1941 U.S. Serviceman's New Testament.
The largest Bible was 12 by 18 inches and was printed in the 1860's. An unusual Catholic Bible had a huge, carved wood crucifix on the cover. A Methodist congregation brought a Bible covered in woven leather. Other unusual Bibles included a Catholic Bible with a hinged silver cover, and a tiny 1800's Bible in sixteen volumes with a custom wooden case. The most unusual Bible was a 1700's Bible printed for the followers of the reformer John Huss!
The oldest Bible was really something and was in very good condition. It was printed in 1576! The next oldest Bible was printed in 1590! One elderly lady brought in thirteen Bibles and her newest was 120 years old! She was the lady who exhibited the 1590 Bible and the most unusual Bible.
A Jewish synagogue brought a 100-year-old sheepskin scroll of the first five books of the Bible, and a rabbi was on hand to explain how these skins are prepared and how the writing is done. The ink is made only of carbon black and water and rubs off easily. Only a silver pointer is used to touch the scrolls, as oil from the hands will ruin the skins.
Several language Bibles were exhibited including: Spanish, French, German, Czech, Romanian, Afrikkan, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Dutch, Swahili, Chinese, Japanese and others. Some of these foreign Bibles were over 100 years old!
The Christian Record Braille Foundation brought in a 23 volume Braille Bible, all the volumes stacked up is over five feet tall! Christian Record's gift to everyone was the complete Bible printed on a small piece of plastic; it is called "the tiniest Bible in the world!"
It was a fantastic day seeing all these beautiful Bibles!
No comments:
Post a Comment