The Old Bible

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

 but the word of our God shall stand for ever" 

Isa 40:8

THE OLD BIBLE

In the year 1698 this Bible was new,

And ready a work for its Author to do.

Now outdated and quaint, print so very smell,

One wonders how anyone managed to read it at all!

But look at its pages, all battered and worn,

It was surely well used, some even torn!

Perhaps it was passed on from father to son, or

Mother to daughter, blessing each one, who

Seeking the truth, with desire turned its pages,

Its glorious truth undimmed through the ages.

In days gone by, were books rare indeed,

Few had a Bible to meet their heart’s need.

Large Bibles were in some Churches chained,

By those who could use them was blessing obtained.

To study God’s Word, there they had to stand,

How they must have longed to hold in their hand

The Scriptures of truth,in their own home to read,

As we do today, a true blessing indeed!

Are our Bibles well worn, used every day,

Or left on the shelf, perhaps stored away?

Still, there are many who a Bible can’t buy,

There are none for sale, or the price is too high.

Maybe there are none in a language they know,

Thus still on in darkness they sadly must go.

Let’s do what we can, so those in other lands

May also Have God’s Holy Word in their hands.

Language does change, Bibles old laid aside,

But the Scriptures unchanging shall ever abide,

Sinners to save, Christ’s sheep to sustain

Until that great day when He comes again.

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:  but the word of our  

God shall stand for ever" Isaiah 40:8 

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times, Thou shalt keep them LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this from this generation forever”  Psalm 12: 6 -7

The Story behind the poem…

Years ago Shirley Hirst Submitted a request to a little Christian magazine for Bibles to be sent overseas, one day she arrived home and found a carrier bag full of Bibles on the doorstep, and to her utter astonishment found among them small very old Bible, pictured above and dated 1698, the Authorized King James Version was only translated in 1611. What to do with this little treasure? Well it found at last a good home along with this poem in the CHRISTIAN HERITAGE CENTRE

"Christianity has been present in Britain since the end of the First Century and has been the most formative influence for good in our national life.

"The Christian Heritage Centre is situated in the landmark Providence Chapel in Rowley Regis, near Birmingham. It has been set up to demonstrate the massive impact that Christianity has had on the life of our country. Through a series of almost 50 illustrated and written panels, along with a large collection of fascinating artifacts and objects, the story of Christianity in Britain is told" 

                      What a great example this is of a well-used Bible! 

                 LISTEN TO THE BIBLE READ BY ALEXANDER SCOURBY