The story of Mary Jones, a young Welsh girl of the 18th century, highlights her determination to obtain a Bible despite financial and geographical obstacles. Her faith and perseverance led to the purchase of a Welsh Bible from the pastor Thomas Charles, illustrating the power of devotion and commitment. Her example also inspired the creation of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
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Mary Jones is a little girl whose determination to obtain a Bible had extraordinary consequences. Her difficulties in acquiring one at the end of the 18th century are hard to imagine today, when the Bible is widely distributed and even offered free of charge by some websites.
However, at the end of the 18th century, books were very expensive and, sadly, a large part of the working population was illiterate.
Mary JONES was born on 16 December 1784 in Wales, in Great Britain, into a humble family. Her father was a weaver in the village of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Abergynolwyn, at the foot of Cader Idris near Dolgellau.
Her parents were devoted Calvinistic Methodists, and she herself embraced the Christian faith at the age of eight. Like many children of that time, she actively helped with household chores. The only day of rest remained Sunday, which she spent at church with her parents. It was there that she discovered the Bible, listening to the pastor's readings during the sermons. Although very interested in these readings, Mary could not read, and her family did not own a Bible.
There was not yet a school in her village. One Sunday, the pastor announced that a travelling school would soon open in the village. This type of teaching was organized by Thomas Charles.
Thomas CHARLES (1755-1814) was a Welsh Methodist preacher and a key figure of Calvinistic Methodism in Wales. He played an essential role in the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society and contributed to the spread of the Bible in Welsh.
He also set up circulating schools, inspired by the work of Griffith Jones, to teach children reading and Christian principles. His commitment to education and religion had a lasting impact on Welsh culture.
When the teacher arrived, Mary was one of the first pupils to enrol. She quickly made progress and, in just a few months, learned to read, which was regarded as a feat by those around her.
One Sunday, the pastor asked Mary to read the verses of the sermon from the Bible before the congregation, in order to encourage her. Mary carried out this task successfully, earning the admiration of the faithful present, given her young age of 9. It should be noted that many adults in the congregation were illiterate.
Mary can read, but she owns no book. What follows in her story is the fascinating part.
Mary JONES embraced the Christian faith at the age of eight. She thus came into contact with religious teaching early on and wished to own a Bible of her own.
At that time, acquiring such a book in a disadvantaged setting seemed an unattainable ambition. Funds were mainly used to meet the basic necessities of life. However, Mary Jones's wish was deeply rooted. She also understood that she had to take concrete steps to save enough money to acquire this precious book.
For six years, she carried out various household tasks and at the same time started a small business. She raised hens to sell the eggs, cultivated a small plot of land to sell vegetables, and set up a beehive to sell the honey. She also helped farmers at harvest time. After these six years, she had saved enough money to buy the Bible she longed for.
At the age of 15, Mary had saved enough money. She learned that Mr Thomas CHARLES, the Welsh Methodist pastor of Bala, was selling Bibles. Mary decided to make the journey, despite a distance of about 40 km and the difficult conditions, such as thieves who targeted travellers to rob them of their belongings. Mary put her trust in God and prayed to be protected on her way.
The next day, she discovered that only one Welsh Bible was left and that Mr CHARLES had already reserved it for a friend. Disappointed, Mary showed her sadness. Moved by her reaction, Mr CHARLES showed compassion and told her that he also had an English Bible, his friend being bilingual. So he decided to sell the Welsh Bible to Mary.
What is remarkable about this adventure is the consequences of Mary JONES's initiative, for this event made a significant impression on Mr Thomas CHARLES, who decided to take action.
Four years later, he presented the situation of the Welsh people in London, setting out their need for Bibles with such eloquence that the Reverend Thomas HUGHES, pastor of the Baptist Church of Battersea, exclaimed: “A society must be created to meet this need. But if we do it for Wales, why not act for Great Britain as well? And why not for the rest of the world?”
This gathering of 300 people led to the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society, thus launching the activities of Bible societies worldwide.
The British and Foreign Bible Society is an ecumenical Christian organization founded in 1804. Its main aim is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible throughout the world, by translating it and distributing it in different languages.
Its headquarters is in Swindon, United Kingdom, and it is affiliated with the United Bible Societies. Over the years, it has played a key role in spreading the Scriptures and has contributed to the preservation and translation of many biblical texts.
It thus gave rise to other similar works around the world, known as “Bible Societies”.
The main mission of Bible societies is to translate, print and distribute the Bible so as to make it accessible to as many people as possible, often at affordable prices. They play a key role in spreading the Scriptures throughout the world and work with different Christian traditions.
The Bible society movement emerged at the beginning of the 19th century, notably in response to the shortage of Bibles available to the common people. Today they are grouped under the United Bible Societies, which coordinates their efforts in nearly 200 countries.
Two of Mary Jones's Bibles are known. One Bible is in the archives of the British and Foreign Bible Society at Cambridge University Library, and another at the National Library of Wales. They are copies of the 1799 edition of the Welsh Bible, of which ten thousand copies were printed at Oxford for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In addition to the Old and New Testaments and the , the volume contains the Book of (in Welsh) and the Welsh metrical Psalms of Edmwnd Prys.
In the copy now at Cambridge, Mary Jones wrote the following (in English) on the last page of the (the spelling is her own):
“Mary Jones was born December the 16 1784.
I bought this in the 16 year of my age. I am the daughter of Jacob Jones and Mary Jones his wife. the Lord give me grace. Amen.
Mary Jones: He is the true Onour of this Bible. Bought in the year 1800 at the age of 16 years.”
After her famous purchase of the Bible, Mary Jones lived a simple and pious life in Wales. She remained a committed Christian and continued to live in her village, where she was respected for her faith and perseverance. Her legacy is still celebrated today, notably by schools and organizations that bear her name and carry on her message of determination and devotion
Mary Jones died on Wednesday 28 December 1864. A memorial in her honour stands in Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, her native village. The following text is engraved on it:
“In memory of Mary Jones, who in 1800, at the age of 16, walked this distance to Bala to obtain from the Reverend Thomas Charles, B.A., a copy of the Welsh Bible. This event led to the formation of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Erected by the Sunday Schools of Merioneth.”
The story of Mary JONES shows us a time when owning a Bible was a privilege. What is notable is her intense desire to read the Bible. Today, this book is available at a low price, cheaper than a cinema ticket. Associations even give away Bibles free of charge.
People often say: “What is cheap is rarely valuable.” Does selling Bibles at extremely low prices, then, mean that this book has no value? Friedrich Nietzsche said: “Everything that has its price is of little value.” In reality, what we pay for is not the text but the costs of production. This text is free of rights, and God asks nothing for his word, which remains free for everyone.
The Bible, beyond its physical aspect, offers a precious message that can deeply impact our lives. It therefore has inestimable value. The Bible is and will remain above all else: the Word of God.
It is notable that the determination of a little girl, with no particular influence, to obtain a Bible inspired many people and prompted the decision-makers of the time to create an organization dedicated to spreading the Bible.
