A Bible for Every Hand and Heart

Copyright © 2014 by Michael Grant, Editor.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover photos courtesy of the editor and include two items from his personal collection – a color-enhanced 1879 map (Thanks to the skills of my kids, Jonathan & Anna!) and a partial Torah Scroll dating circa A.D. 1250.

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Old English pronouns are edited to reflect modern usage. Words unfamiliar or no longer in common use are replaced with more familiar, commonly used words or phrases.

Rev. date: 10/09/2014

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Contents

Dedications

Editor’s Disclaimer

Editor’s Introduction

Foreign Missionary Sermon

Original Introduction

Foreign Missionary Sermon

The Charge

The Right Hand of Fellowship

The Word of God – A Volume for the World

The Word of God – A Volume for the World

Trustees’ Report

The Bible For The World

The Bible For The World

Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

DEDICATIONS

To Carol, my dear wife and best friend, who is supportive in every adventure God brings our way. I could not possibly love her or thank her enough for the unceasing love and support she gives me.

To Jonathan, my oldest and only son (at this point), who chose to stay home and work with me after graduating from high school. His typing and graphic arts skills have been invaluable on this project. His help and presence with me in my endeavors means more to me than he knows.

To Christen, my oldest daughter, who also chose to stay home after graduating from high school. Her typing skills have also contributed to this project. Her help and presence with me in my endeavors means more to me than she knows.

To Anna, my used-to-be youngest daughter, who has helped on the final editing and graphics of this project. Any errors remaining are exclusively the fault of the primary editor and should not be blamed on her. She also wishes I would not reference her as my used-to-be youngest daughter. She prefers being the youngest.

To Ashley, my next-to-youngest daughter, who reminds me every day in her own special way that life should be lived carefree and laugh-filled.

To Sarah, my youngest daughter (at this point), who, by the time this book is published, will be four years old – a sober reminder to me that time marches on and respects no man.

To the Board Members and Friends of Treasuring the Word Ministries International, Inc., who have prayerfully and financially supported Treasuring the Word’s ministry endeavors as well as telling the story of the English Bible through its rare Bible and book museum located in Sevierville, TN.

To the Workers of Bibles International, in America and abroad, who exemplify and pursue daily one of the themes of this little volume – a conservative Bible translation in every language.

Would that this one Book were in every language, in every hand, before the eyes, and in the ears and hearts of all men!

— Martin Luther, commenting on the Bible

Where there is not the Bible there is no right knowledge of God, or of the way of salvation… This heavenly Light has never yet pierced the darkness of many lands. As the heathen cannot become truly wise and holy without the Bible, it is one great object [purpose] of Christian missions to give it to them.

— The Missionary Printer

EDITOR’S DISCLAIMER

Doctrinal beliefs and other views expressed in this book by the original authors and speakers do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal beliefs and views held by the editor, nor should the inclusion of a particular author constitute the editor’s endorsement of the author’s full body of work or their life’s testimony.

Though the earliest history of Bible Societies and their work is addressed in this book, this does not imply the editor approves of every Bible Society past or presently existing and may not endorse every aspect of their work.

Bibles International, though referenced herein, does not necessarily support the doctrinal beliefs, views, and policies set forth by the original authors, speakers, and editor of this work. Bibles International does not necessarily approve of every Bible Society past or presently existing and may not endorse every aspect of their work. Information about Bibles International may be found on their web site: www.biblesint.org

You may contact the editor at: mike@treasuringtheword.org

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

Editing this little volume has afforded me the opportunity of dusting off some items from my rare book collection. As I write this, I am looking at these items – three of them. Though rare, none of them are particularly appealing to the eye. Each is very plain and simple in appearance. None are housed in a solid, protective binding. Two were removed from books at some point in their history, thus losing their protective bindings. The other is made of untrimmed, handmade paper, covered with a blank handmade page signed in the upper right corner by a previous owner, and held together with a single strand of bookbinder’s sewing thread. Nothing outwardly about these items suggests value. So why have they been chosen for republication in this book? The answer resides in their content. This is their redeeming value, the characteristic that endears them to me for this project. What then is so endearing and impressive about the content of these plain, simple looking items? Though spoken in different locations, to different audiences, at different dates, and subsequently printed, all spoke with a unified voice declaring content of utmost importance for all mankind and, particularly, for all of God’s true followers.

Content of this nature must be declared in subsequent generations. Republishing these selected nineteenth-century pieces for the purpose of declaring this content creates a dilemma for the modern reader. Nineteenth-century speakers originally delivered this content for their generation to audiences that easily understood it. A modern reader will struggle understanding parts of the nineteenth-century content as originally delivered. Revising the nineteenth-century material, with the aim of updating it, solves this dilemma by giving a modern voice to the material so that it may speak again and be understood by our generation. In revising the original items for this little volume, the following guidelines were observed:

1. The speaking nature of the material is maintained since the majority of it was originally spoken before live audiences.

2. Some quotation marks, commas, and semi-colons appearing in the original materials are eliminated. With apologies to strict grammarians, some grammar marks remaining are not always in keeping with modern grammar rules; but, in the opinion of the editor, are necessary for maintaining the speaking flow of the lengthy sentences.

3. With apologies again to strict grammarians, some spelling is corrected, but not all. Names of countries and languages are, for the most part, left as the authors would have spelled them.

4. Scripture quotations are as they were spoken. Old English pronouns have been changed to reflect modern usage. Unless the Bible passage location is part of the original sermon or address, it is absent.

5. Statistics are as the original authors stated them and, therefore, do not accurately reflect contemporary statistical data.

6. With apologies to historians, no attempt is made to correct the original authors’ understanding of historical events.

7. Original footnotes are eliminated by incorporating their content into the text of the booklet.

8. Words unfamiliar or no longer in common use are replaced with more familiar, commonly used words or phrases.

9. Quotes are kept intact by inserting bracketed definitions for words unfamiliar or no longer in common use.

What exactly has been chosen for revision and republication, forming the three sections of this book? The first encompasses all the spoken material of the service held in 1812 commissioning America’s first foreign missionaries, of which Adoniram Judson is the most well-known of the group. Due to the historical significance of this event, the original introduction accompanying this material is included. The second is a sermon preached in Salem, Massachusetts by Benjamin Wadsworth in 1815. (Yes, it is that Salem, the witch trials’ Salem!) In addition to this sermon, the Salem Bible Society Trustees’ Report is included for its research value and, primarily, for the enthusiastic desire it conveys for Bible translation, printing, and distribution. The third is a sermon delivered by Baron Stow in 1846 to the American and Foreign Bible Society on the occasion of its ninth anniversary.

While reading these sections hear the original authors’ in their own personal manners, speaking styles, and content enthusiastically proclaiming belief in and adherence to the following truths of utmost importance.

Each conveys a deep-seated belief about all men. Since the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, all born into the world bear the image and sinful nature of Adam. As such, all stand guilty and condemned before God, doomed for all eternity.

Each, very thankfully, proclaims the one and only cure for mankind’s guilt and condemnation before God. That cure