Family Bible

One day last week while I was browsing the second hand shops, I came across an old, oversized Bible. It was setting on the floor in the book section of the store. I gently ran my hand over the fancy gold leaf lettering identyfing the book as "The Holy Bible and the Bible Arranged in Subjects with A Complete Concordance and Comprehensive Helps". I then carefully turned to the opening page to find the 1891 copyright and publisher, J.A. Wilmore. I had never heard of Wilmore, but surmize he must have been an early publisher of Bibles as Tyndale and Thomas Nelson are today.

Other than the well worn cover and title page being torn away from the binding, the Bible looked to be in fair condition with the remaining 1,062 pages still in tact and readable. There are several introductory pages : Contents, Preface, Publishers Announcement. I scanned quickly through them, then came to the First Book of Moses, called Genesis and read, " In the beginning God created the heaven and earth". My spirit was lifted, as it always is whenever I read the word of God.

I spent several more minutes turning the pages of Exodus, Kings, Chronicles before coming to a Family Record section. To my surprise each line was filled in with names and places of birth and death. The first entry John Wyler born October 1835 in Ragersville, Ohio; Died July 1910 was written in that cursive style script practiced in the 19th century with a fine point fountain pen. According to the record, other family members were born in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Iowa. The last recording was Kurt Alan born March 1963 in Tahoe City, California.

Marriage and Baptism dates are also listed, and as I flipped through the pages I found obituary clippings of William Wyler and George Lindell , bible study notes written in long-hand and a thank you note dated April 25, 1962 to "Dear Emma - Love, Sarahlyn" . One other interesting piece I found between the pages was an Edison Phonograph Owner's Certificate dated July, 1910 giving me a further glimpse into this family - telling me the one time Bible owner enjoyed listening to music.

I closed the Bible and knew it didn't belong on the floor of a thrift store or antique store or any store, but with the ancestors whose family history has been so carefully documented and recorded in these pages.

I asked the sales clerk how much she wanted for the Bible. She said, "Oh, I don't know. How about two dollars"? I said, "I'll take it". So now Wilmore's New Analytical Reference Bible is no longer on the floor of the Animal Shelter thrift store, but safe and secure on a table in my study. I don't plan on being the permanent keeper, only the temporary guardian - at least until one day I can locate the rightful owner of this Good Book.