Why Buy Ancient Bible Pages

Depending on whether you are a devout Christian or not, the importance of antique Bible pages will vary. Devout Christians find holding a piece of the “Word of God,” studying it, and sharing it with others a joy that just can’t be measured in terms of words or money. Some others find these antique Bible pages items worth collecting and cherishing, and perhaps even handing them down to the next generation to be kept as a family heirloom.

There’s also a third category of people who believe holding pages of an ancient Bible let them honor those martyrs who faced a lot of adverse situations and even laid down their lives to make the “Word of God” accessible to the commoner. Since it was another era and another place, many might have forgotten the sacrifices made and no longer paused to think about the high cost paid by a handful to bring the Bible into their hands to read, reflect, and implement. As it has become quite easy to get our hands on a Bible these days, often at a relatively low price, many have become oblivious to its real value. This is what this third category of people wants to change by buying antique Bible pages and displaying them or sharing the vital acquisition to the public to drive home the importance of people, who worked tirelessly to translate, publish, and bring the Bible into the hands of the commoner.  

Today, when people sit in their air-conditioned buildings, on comfortable seats, and read the Bible in a language they can easily understand, they don’t spare a thought for those who had to undergo tortuous times in prisons and even get burned at stakes or were executed. Those people were the ones who paid the price for the convenience a majority are enjoying today by accessing and studying God’s Holy Words. Though the true value of a Bible has been wiped from the public’s collective memory, a few are striving to hold onto the real value that resides in the appalling pain and blood of the martyrs. And they find buying ancient Bible pages the right way to do it.

According to these people, the pages of an ancient Bible are a genuine testimony to the commitment and courage of a generation that was tried and tested hard for its faith. You simply can’t deny their heartbreak, suffering, and distress. Time or people’s indifference can’t wipe away the truth of these events. No matter whichever of these three categories you belong to, buying ancient Bible pages is an investment worth every dime.

Who Started the Practice of Collecting Ancient Bible Pages

Bibliophiles often search for elusive books, but when they fail to find what they have been looking for, a single page or a few of that book could appease their quest to some extent. Those pages represent that missing piece of history, which can help make the collection of these bibliophiles more complete. For ages, this has been a chief reason driving the collection of ancient Bible pages. Otto Ege, Gabriel Wells, and Francis Fry are some notable individuals who facilitated acquiring those missing pieces of history for collectors that gave the latter a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment. To this date, their long-forgotten efforts of supplying single pages to the book trade of antiquarian tomes are bearing fruit. For instance, if Gabriel Wells - a New York-based antiquarian bookseller, didn’t do what he did, collectors would have never been able to lay their hands on the first book, which was printed using a moveable typeface.

In 1921, after Gabriel Wells obtained a fragmented copy of the celebrated 1455 Gutenberg Bible, he took it apart entirely and sold the pages, charging $150 for a page. This earned him publicity, and the New York Times ran a piece where it said Wells was spreading the Gospel among the affluent. His 8-page fragment was purchased by Mortimer Schiff. He gave it to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, which later sold it via Sotheby.

Final Words

If you plan to buy ancient Bible pages, you need to buy them from a The Bible Museum. You should check your dealer’s reliability and market reputation and compare the quoted price with a few other antique Bible pages’ dealers before closing the deal. And once you get the prized possession, you can display your antique Bible pages to encourage your family and friends to appreciate God’s infallible, absolute, and inspired Holy Words. If you are looking for Antique & Rare Bibles Pages, Visit the world’s most unusual gift shop today.

Know All About The History Of The Christian Church

According to recent statistics, Christians are the largest religious group, with a whopping 2.3 billion believers or a noticeable 31.2% of the global population of 7.3 billion. Christians have always deemed the era of Jesus and his disciples a standard for all the other ages. This belief powered the church's faith in Jesus - the Messiah, who was resurrected. This faith also drove the anticipation of forgiveness of sins through Jesus. But have you ever wondered how the history of the Christian church changed over the years? And how it's related to the English Bible's history? Let's take a brief look.

The Middle Ages

Several dissenters emerged in the late Middle Ages, like England's John Wycliffe, Bohemia's John Hus, who was one of the followers of Wycliffe, and Florence's Girolamo Savonarola. These individuals challenged the organized church's teachings in more radical ways than Assisi's St. Francis. Despite their differences, these dissenters stood united in their critique of what they believed complicated Christianity's essence. On a Biblical prophetic basis, they wanted simplicity in Christianity's moral, cognitive, and devotional aspects.

The Protestant Reformation paved the way for infinite Christian variety and triggered the development of several Protestant bodies that debated Christianity's essence among themselves. This made it increasingly difficult for any solitary organization or the church to assert its monopoly on the custodianship of that essence. Every new sect offered a fractional discernment of a diverse essence or way of talking about it, even though the vast majority of Protestants settled on one thing - that the essence could be retrieved uniquely or in the best way via recovery of the Scriptures' core message.

It's interesting to note that the history of the Christian church is tied closely to the English Bible's history. In 1380, John Wycliffe created the first Bible manuscripts in English that were hand-written. Throughout Europe, Wycliffe was popular for his opposition to the teaching of the organized church. He used the Scriptures in Latin Vulgate as his source and translated them into English, followed by producing dozens of manuscript copies. This infuriated the Pope to such an extent that 44 years after Wycliffe's death, his bones were dug up, mashed, and dispersed in the river following the Pope's order.

Though the church threatened to execute anyone who read or possessed the Scripture in a non-Latin Bible language, John Hus vigorously endorsed Wycliffe's ideas. Wycliffe had emphasized that people should be allowed to read the Bible in their own language and should resist the Roman church's oppression. Sadly, Hus was murdered in 1415. While he was tied to a large wooden stake, Wycliffe's manuscript Bibles were employed to start the fire that eventually burned and killed him.

The Era of Reason and Revival

Renaissance humanism took pride in human achievement and supported human autonomy, while Reformation ideas stressed autonomy in expressing faith. As a result of these two, the modern church faced new difficulties in the quest to identify Christianity's essence. The Enlightenment, an 18th-century Western philosophical movement, further added steam by encouraging searches for Christianity's essence. The Enlightenment declared hopeful views of human perfectibility and reach that challenged earlier essential Christian views about human limits. Their God became a caring, albeit a distant force, instead of how He was perceived earlier an agent that organized a method of salvation for people reliant on being rescued. Additionally, the Enlightenment advocated a view of human autonomy and emphasized the use of reason in seeking truth. In other words, this era in the history of the Christian church stressed that people should no longer trust the priests' words that convey ideas of essential Christianity.

For all this positivity, we should note that while Humanist Enlightenment may embrace certain ideals of freedom in which Christianity can flourish, there is a stark difference between secular humanism and its goal of humanity self-actualizing unto perfection, and the clear teaching of Christ, that all have sinned and fallen short of God's standards, and that salvation cannot be earned or achieved, but rather it is granted by grace through the unmerited gift of God, bestowed upon His chosen. The scriptures teach, "Lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths."

During this era, Robert Aitken printed the first English-language Bible in America, which was a King James Version. This Bible, printed in 1782, was the lone Bible that the United States Congress authorized ever. In 1791, Isaac Collins enormously enhanced the American Bibles' size and typesetting quality and produced the nation's first Family Bible. Jane Aitken, Robert's daughter, printed a Bible in 1808. She was the first woman ever to print a Bible.

The Era of Ideologies

From the two World Wars to the modern era of the late 1900's, new contenders seeking to replace God came to the forefront to assert their power on secular people. Nazism was lauded throughout much of Europe. Communism taught to render God irrelevant in its worship of the State as supreme. Meanwhile, individual rights were respected by the American Democracy. These were troubled times for the Christian church. However, thanks to the work of the missionaries from Europe and North America, as well as indigenous church planters in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, the Christian Gospel made tremendous advancements around the world.

Final Words

The history of the Christian church stands testimony to Jesus Christ's Gospel. The church's relationship with English Bible's history indicates that even though some may call the Scriptures irrelevant, God's Word will continue to inspire people and collectors of rare and antique Bibles and Bible leaves available here.

Know All About The Bible Museum

This post isn't about the Washington, DC-based Museum of the Bible. Instead, it's about the interesting journey of The Bible Museum and how it grew up to become a popular name worldwide from its modest start. It all began without any plan, but by God's grace, it grew so big that people from far and wide now come to the online site as well as the physical store to browse and buy ancient and rare Bibles and Bible leaves.

Since 1987, The Bible Museum has been the largest dealer of antique and rare Bibles globally. Its sales figures for rare Bibles are significantly more than the collective total of all other dealers selling rare books worldwide. Since 1996, the online shop of The Bible Museum has been functioning at GREATSITE.COM. This popular website finds preference with thousands of other websites of ministries, churches, and individuals who enthusiastically link to it. Perhaps this popularity explains why the site attracts thousands of daily visitors. The Bible Museum also has a physical showroom in Phoenix, Arizona, that stays open round the clock. If you're wanting to learn more about The Bible Museum, read on the learn more.

Beginning of the Bible Museum

It all began in 1987 when Dr. Craig Lampe, who was then the World Bible Society's International Director, shared his idea of building a unique company with Dr. Jonathan Byrd - his old friend. This friend was one of the bigshots in Indy Car Racing and was chosen in 2002 for the Indianapolis Speedrome Hall of Fame. Dr. Lampe's idea was to capture the market of antique and rare Bibles by establishing an organization to repair and conserve the antique printings of God's Word for upcoming generations and put these magnificent assets up for sale. This idea was to grow this organization into the world's principal source for antique and rare Bibles.

At that time, Dr. Byrd had just sold all seven franchises of his Kentucky Fried Chicken and was getting ready to construct America's largest cafeteria. But perhaps it was divine intervention that made him decide to support his friend's idea financially. This paved the way for establishing the company named Jonathan Byrd's Rare Books Bibles. This company didn't have any brick-and-mortar store or public display area during its early days. It was positioned in a small storage room without any windows in the offices above Dr. Byrd's Cafeteria in Indiana's Greenwood. It was just people's word-of-mouth referrals that helped others find their way to the company. Surprisingly, by 1989, the company grew to become the largest dealer of antique and rare Bibles globally.

In 1994, a hobby collector of old Bibles named John Jeffcoat was feeling disheartened as he couldn't find Bibles printed before the 1800s. From a rare book dealer, he got the phone number of Dr. Craig Lampe. After two short calls, he took a 1,200+ miles round-trip to visit Dr. Lampe's little shop that had established its near-monopoly in the field of antique and rare Bibles. He returned home two days later, armed with his first purchase from the store.

Two years later, John Jeffcoat shared his idea of creating a website with Dr. Lampe that he said would display a sampling of the company's extensive and magnificent inventory of antique Bibles and Bible leaves. Jeffcoat planned to leverage printed advertisements and search engine listings for the website to make the public aware of his splendid material that they could easily access. And thus, GREATSITE.COM was born that houses The Bible Museum.

The Bible Museum's Story Continues

The site and The Bible Museum got such a great response that within a few weeks of the site going live, John quit his full-time job to ensure he could easily handle the deluge of incoming emails and calls from around the world.

The Bible Museum encouraged several people to turn into collectors as nothing could be as rewarding as owning the earliest and some of the rarest prints of God's Word. You could hardly find anything more precious than these antique Bibles. Even when it comes to family heirlooms or astute investments, it is hard to imagine a more intriguing investment than these rare Bibles offered by The Bible Museum.

As the website grew and started raking in annual sales to the tune of millions of dollars and 1,000+ daily visitors, the need for a more elegant storefront showroom was felt. Dr. Byrd was then constructing three new lavish hotels in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. Finally, in 1999, the company headquarters shifted from Indiana's Greenwood to Arizona's Goodyear.

Today, The Bible Museum is located in the Grand Lobby of one of the most stunning new hotels in Arizona, where the showroom stays open 24/7 for visitors. However, you can only make in-person purchases at The Bible Museum during standard business hours, by appointment.

Original Source: https://greatsitethebiblemuseum.blogspot.com/2022/05/know-all-about-bible-museum.html

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Ancient Bibles

Saint Jerome once said that lack of knowledge of sacred scripture is equivalent to ignorance of Christ. This may send you rushing for your Bible, but instead of having your usual copy, why not get your hands on an ancient Bible? A rare, ancient Bible is worth the investment, especially if you steer clear of the dubious elements and buy from a reputed and reliable dealer of rare and ancient Bibles.

Not sure why you should buy an ancient Bible? Here are the top five reasons:

Keep Yourself Grounded, Albeit In Style

All of us are God’s children. However, in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive, stress-filled world, it could be very easy for you to lose touch with this reality. You could forget who you truly are when battling life’s blues. Taking some time out to browse through the leaves of your ancient Bible will help to keep you grounded by reminding you of who you truly are. When you read the scripture often, you’ll realize Christ is with you, even on your stress-filled, sloppy days or during those times when everything seems to go wrong. Though you can read your standard Bible too to stay grounded, leafing through your ancient Bible will give the activity a dash of class and style.

A Great Item to Display

For devout Christians, an ancient Bible that’s 300 to 500 years old and comes beautifully bound in leather is an item to cherish and display with pride. Even if you aren’t a devout Christians, an antique Bible is a stunning addition to your home for sure. Not every house you walk into will have a rare and ancient Bible on display. This makes acquiring your copy of an ancient Bible all the more significant. If you’re looking for great display items for your abode and want to steer clear of the usual fare, you can consider getting an ancient Bible. Whether you’re spiritually inclined or not, getting an ancient Bible printed in the 1500s and 1600s will make a marvelous addition to your abode.

A Good Conversation Starter

Since people are typically quite willing to discuss religion, having an ancient Bible can be a great conversation starter. If you’re entertaining guests you’re meeting for the first time, such a rare copy of the Bible can also act as an ice-breaker. Instead of forcibly starting some religious discussion, which could seem extremely intimidating and awkward, answering questions about your ancient Bible can set the stage for free-flowing conversations with your guests. Those who marvel at the ancient Bible in your possession are likely to ask questions like where you got it from, what encouraged you to buy it, what are your opinions about the purchase now that you have it, and a lot more. This could be a fun way to talk about your prized possession and even steer the discussion to a different topic after you and your guests settle down comfortably.

Could Become a Family Heirloom

An ancient Bible is much more than a mere item to display in your abode. This prized possession of yours can become a family heirloom that’s passed down from you to your children and from them to your grandchildren. By passing down this ancient Bible from one generation to the other, you not only ensure its safekeeping but also help your family members understand the significance of the religious scripture. You may even attach your personal notes and reflections to this ancient Bible. For instance, saying that you believe in your children and in God who loves they will be a real encouragement to them, especially during stressful times when you would no longer be present in person.

A Great Gift

An ancient Bible is a great gift for your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc. You can give the Bible as a gift at weddings, Christmas, baptisms or baby christenings, graduations, or when welcoming new members to the church. By sending your recipients God’s wisdom through His own words, together with His unending love, you can make them feel special. And since this isn’t your ordinary Bible but a rare, ancient Bible, it makes the gift all the more special and thoughtful.

Ready to Buy an Ancient Bible?

Now that you have learned the top five reasons for buying an ancient Bible, are you ready to act? Find a reliable and reputed dealer here for antique and rare Bibles to buy your copy of an ancient Bible for the world's most unusual gift-shop.