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Turning to the Bible in times of danger has
long been a source of comfort. Providing soldiers
with a printed Bible was first done by
Oliver Cromwell in 1643. His Souldiers Pocket
Bible was a small pamphlet including verses
selected mostly from the Old Testament in the
Geneva version. Starting with the American
Civil War, pocket copies of the New Testament
or the entire Bible were regularly distributed
to both Union and Confederate soldiers, with
the American Bible Society assuming the
leading role. Surviving copies of these Scriptures
bear testimony to their use and tell
compelling stories of hardship and faith. This
exhibition brings together a large number of
“Soldiers’ Bibles” that document individual
lives within the tragic context of war.
Exhibition and preservation of the Rare Bible Collection @ MOBIA are made possible, in part, by the generous support of the American Bible Society.
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