Show has first bible printed eilf eted in US IL newberry library in chicago also possesses parliament act ordering it translated INTO RED TONGUE government ordered collection in england and wales to defray cost of propagating gospel in new england chicago tile the first bible printed in the united states sprang directly from a national solicitation of funds in england und and wales in a manner somewhat akin to the liberty loan drives according to george B utley librarian of the newberry library here the library has both the first american bible and the act of the english parliament which led to it the bible was a translation into the tongue of the massachusetts indians for years john ellot eliot a puritan fleeing front from persecution who landed 11 years after the mayflower had been sending back to england reports about missionary success among the indians ordered by parliament when the puritans came into powei he found a friendly government and in 1043 1649 within sa s1 six x months after charles I 1 was executed when cromwell was supreme parliament passed an act for promoting and propagate propagating pro n the go gospel gopel pel in new england the act created a corporation consisting of 10 16 londoners Lon doners which thereafter carried on the work but bill more especially it ordered a general collection in rill nil the countries cities towns and parishes of engl england and and wales niiles Vi iles it required the ministers to rend read the net to their congregations tind ond instructed them with others to go with nil all convenient speed front from house to house to every one of the inhabitants of the said parishes and places respectively and to take the subscription of every such person in ft a schedule to be presented to them fur that purpose and accordingly at the same time to collect and gather t the lie same to educate red Br brother othor better education of the indians was also named among the purposes tiL s of the corpo corporation rution twenty gilve years tears later there were four indian towns with schools in massachusetts and the pr illing indians there numbered awo tills this collection ordered by parliament brought in about ill it is reported fourteen years later in igge eliot furnished the first complete bible bablo printed in the western hemisphere its title page bears the alie lines at the ho charge and with nith the fir consent of the corporation in england for the promotion of tile lie gospel amongst the in deans in new england the place of printing was cain bridge mass abass where 23 sears jears before eliot had helped compile the he liny bas psalm book the first book to come off the lie press in what Is now nov the united states |