Worth Dying For

In the 1300's, John Wycliffe, the great reformer, translated the whole Bible into English—a work which took 22 years. Many handwritten copies were made from his translation. Those who could not afford to buy one of these Bibles paid considerable to read it for one hour a day. A load of hay was sometimes given for a few pages of it. Truly, the Word of God was precious in those days! History relates a long list of martyrs who were burnt at the stake rather than give up this blessed book.

In 1525, William Tyndale was the first to publish an English New Testament in print. This was done under great difficulty as he suffered exile, poverty and distress. In all, at least 15,000 copies were issued which were secretly imported into England in bales of cloth or sacks of flour. Many thousands were seized and destroyed. In 1536, Tyndale was strangled and burnt at the stake by those who hated the Word of God.

President Grant's Message

President Ulysses S. Grant gave this advice to the children and youth of the United States in 1876: "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties. Write its precepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this Book are we indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to this we must look as our guide in the future."