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Mary Jones and her Bible
Many years ago, a young girl lived with her parents in a small cottage in the Welsh countryside. On Sunday mornings Mary and her parents walked to the little chapel in the village two miles away, and one particular Sunday caused Mary a great deal of excitement. The minister announced that a school was to open in the village, and Mary thought to herself, "Now I can learn to read, and one day read the Bible."
Mary worked hard at school and saved all she could, until, after six years she had enough money to buy a Bible. She was told that a man in a town called Bala had a number of Bibles so Mary decided she would walk there, which was about 20 miles.
The journey seemed endless. Mary followed many paths, crossed valleys and streams, and found her way around hills until eventually she arrived. She then set out to find a gentleman called Mr Charles and, after knocking on several doors asking for directions, she found his house.
As his door opened, Mary made her request for a Bible.
"You are fortunate," Mr Charles informed her, "this is the very last one." He held out a brand new Bible and Mary stared at it for a long moment before taking it with both hands. Then she expressed her heartfelt thanks.
Soon after Mary's visit Thomas Charles went to London, and he shared the story of Mary Jones with some important men. They were as moved as he was.
Almost two hundred years ago, the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed by some of these men to help poor people like Mary Jones own a Bible of their own.
Today the Bible Society works in many different countries around the world, providing Bibles for poor people in their own language.
This material is adapted from the book Mary Jones and her Bible © Three's Company 1992, text © Mig Holder 1992, published as a worldwide co-edition by Angus Hudson Ltd for The British and Foreign Bible Society.
