Release date is 2026-01-16

"The story of Mary Jones and her Bible" by Mary E. Ropes is a biographical historical narrative written in the late 19th century. Centered on a Welsh girl’s steadfast quest to own a Bible in her own language, it blends devotional storytelling with documented history to show how one child’s perseverance helped spark a wider movement to spread Scripture. Readers follow Mary Jones, her family, and the minister Thomas Charles of Bala, as her six-year saving and a barefoot journey crystallize into a catalyst for the British and Foreign Bible Society.

The opening of the work frames the tale as fact-based and immediately connects Mary’s personal story to the broader rise of Bible societies in Britain and America, with an introduction outlining how her longing and long walk helped inspire large-scale Scripture distribution. The narrative then shifts to Llanfihangel-y-Pennant under Cader Idris, portraying Mary’s poor but devout home, her hunger to read, and the kindness of Mrs. Evans, who lets her study from the farm Bible. Schooling at Abergynolwyn follows, Mary’s diligence and charity stand out, and a self-taught teacher, Lewis Williams, is introduced. After years of saving pennies, eggs, and small earnings, Mary walks to Bala, weeps when told no copies remain, and receives a reserved Bible from Mr. Charles, whose resolve to end the scarcity leads into the account of his London efforts and the first steps toward a dedicated society to publish and distribute the Scriptures. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: Chicago: Christian Witness Company, 1892