From The Mary Baker Eddy Library November 13, 2017 Issue

Bibles of benefit

Did you know that The Mary Baker Eddy Library maintains a collection of historic Bibles, dating back as early as 1534? You can find a selection of them at mbelibrary.org/hbc.

This collection has grown to over 460 volumes. It originated in the 1930s, when British Christian Scientist William Pitfield donated a number of rare Bibles to The Mother Church. He was also aware of other Bibles that he felt the Church might be interested in acquiring.

The Christian Science Board of Directors worked with Pitfield to locate volumes that would enhance the growing collection. Beyond just rarity, they were interested in finding Bibles that had been “of great benefit to a large number of people” and might “represent turning points in history” (Board of Directors to Pitfield, 25 June 1936, Church Archives). Indeed, Mary Baker Eddy referred to the Bible as “the chart of life, where the buoys and healing currents of Truth are pointed out” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 24). She herself owned a copy of an 1871 Bible that is also found in the Historic Bible Collection—The first printed English New Testament translated by William Tyndale.

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