Today in History
1802
First Bible Printed in U.S.
1802
First Bible Printed in U.S.
On September 12, 1782, Congress approved of Robert Aitken's printing of the Bible.
Hon'ble James Duane, Esq. Chairman, and the other Hon'ble Gentlemen of the Committee of Congress on Mr. Aitken's Memorial. uthorized by an act of Congress:
"ENDORSEMENT OF CONGRESS
Honble James Duane, Esq. Chairman, and the other Honble Gentlemen of the Committee of Congress on Mr. Aitken's Memorial.
Honble James Duane, Esq. Chairman, and the other Honble Gentlemen of the Committee of Congress on Mr. Aitken's Memorial.
... Whereupon, RESOLVED,
THAT the United States in Congress assembled highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an influence of the progress of arts in this country, and being satisfied of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work, 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, Secretary.
THAT the United States in Congress assembled highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an influence of the progress of arts in this country, and being satisfied of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work, 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, Secretary.
Robert Aitkens' "Bible of the Revolution" is one of the rarest books. In 1940, the Rev. Edwin A.R. Rumball-Petre located 28 copies of the "Bible of the Revolution" in institutions in America and abroad, and 22 in private collections.
Copies of "The Bible of the Revolution" are in the possession of the American Bible Society's Museum of Biblical Art in New York; Houston Baptist University's Dunham Bible Museum; and
Hobby Lobby's Green Family, who established the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. to display The Green Collection -- the world's largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts.
Hobby Lobby's Green Family, who established the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. to display The Green Collection -- the world's largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts.
Congress' endorsement of Robert Aitken's Bible was signed by the Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, who had also signed the Declaration of Independence with John Hancock on July 4, 1776, and who, along with William Barton, designed the Great Seal of the United States.
When Charles Thomson retired from Congress, he spent 19 years researching and writing his "Thomson Bible," a four-volume work containing the first American translation of the Greek Septuagint.
Charles Thomson's Bible was printed in 1808 by Jane Aitken, the daughter of Robert Aitken, who had taken over her father's printing business when he died on JULY 15, 1802.
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