Robert Aitken (Bible Publisher)
Encyclopedia
Robert Aitken was a Philadelphia printer
and the first to publish an English language Bible
in the newly formed United States
. He was born in Dalkeith
, Scotland
.
Starting in Philadelphia as a bookseller in 1769 and 1771, Aitken started publication of The Pennsylvania Magazine in 1775, continuing through 1776. He also printed copies of the New Testament
in 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1781. He died in Philadelphia in 1802.
passed a motion that would have instructed its Committee of Commerce to import 20,000 Bibles from "Scotland, Holland or elsewhere." This, however, was not a final vote. A second motion was made to pass an actual resolution to import the Bibles, but was postponed and never considered again. On January 21, 1781, Aitken petitioned the Continental Congress
to certify his version of the Bible which he had already printed as being textually accurate. Congress agreed to his request to endorse his Bible as accurate to help out the American printing industry, but denied his other requests that his Bible "be published under the Authority of Congress," and that he "be commissioned or otherwise appointed & Authorized to print and vend Editions of the Sacred Scriptures." Despite the 7 year interruption in the availability of Bibles, and over a year without any competition from imports, his Bible was a commercial failure and he ended up losing over £3,000 on the 10,000 Bibles he printed. His later attempt to have Congress buy his Bibles and give them to soldiers being discharged was rejected by Congress.
In 1968, Arno Press, in conjunction with the American Bible Society, published a facsimile of the original Aitken Bible of 1782. This Bible contains "An Historical Preface" written by Miss Margaret T. Hills, a former secretary for research for ABS. In her preface, she included the text of the original petition sent to the Second Continental Congress in July of 1777 by three Philadelphia clergymen: Francis Alison, John Ewing, and William Marshalle. Since books in general, and Bibles in particular were becoming more scarce, it was their desire to see copies of the Scriptures made available "for our schools and families, and for the publick worship of God in our churches." Their petition received very little action other than to be handed over to a Congressional committee for consideration, which consisted of three men: John Adams, Daniel Roberdeau, and Jonathan Bayard Smith. The war was the first priority, and the domestic materials to produce an American version of the Scriptures were extremely difficult to procure.
In 1780, another motion was introduced to Congress regarding the domestic printing of the Bible by James McLene of Pennsylvania and John Hanson of Maryland. Nothing substantial developed from this.
Finally, in January of 1781, Aitken presented the Continental Congress
with a petition asking them to inspect and authorize his recently produced copy of the Holy Scriptures. Aitken had already begun printing the Journals of Congress and was asked to perform more work for them.
On September 1, 1782, a committee that had been appointed to consider Aitken's petition asked the chaplains of the Congress of the Confederation
, the Rev. Dr. William White
of Christ Church and the Rev. George Duffield of the Third Presbyterian Church, to examine his Bible for accuracy. On September 12, based upon the report of the committee, the Congress of the Confederation
approved "the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an instance of the progress of the arts in this country" and recommended his Bible to the American people.
In 1783, after Aitken's Bible had begun to be distributed, Dr. John Rodgers of the First Presbyterian Church of New York suggested to General George Washington that every discharged soldier be given a copy of Aitken's Bible. Since the war was coming to a close and Congress had already ordered the discharge of two-thirds of the army, the suggestion came too late. However, Washington said, "It would have pleased me well, if Congress had been pleased to make such an important present to the brave fellows who have done so much for the security of their country's rights and establishment."
Printer (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
and the first to publish an English language Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in the newly formed United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was born in Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Starting in Philadelphia as a bookseller in 1769 and 1771, Aitken started publication of The Pennsylvania Magazine in 1775, continuing through 1776. He also printed copies of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
in 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1781. He died in Philadelphia in 1802.
Aitken Bible of 1782
The war with Britain cut off the supply of Bibles to the United States with the result that on September 11, 1777, the Continental CongressContinental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
passed a motion that would have instructed its Committee of Commerce to import 20,000 Bibles from "Scotland, Holland or elsewhere." This, however, was not a final vote. A second motion was made to pass an actual resolution to import the Bibles, but was postponed and never considered again. On January 21, 1781, Aitken petitioned the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
to certify his version of the Bible which he had already printed as being textually accurate. Congress agreed to his request to endorse his Bible as accurate to help out the American printing industry, but denied his other requests that his Bible "be published under the Authority of Congress," and that he "be commissioned or otherwise appointed & Authorized to print and vend Editions of the Sacred Scriptures." Despite the 7 year interruption in the availability of Bibles, and over a year without any competition from imports, his Bible was a commercial failure and he ended up losing over £3,000 on the 10,000 Bibles he printed. His later attempt to have Congress buy his Bibles and give them to soldiers being discharged was rejected by Congress.
In 1968, Arno Press, in conjunction with the American Bible Society, published a facsimile of the original Aitken Bible of 1782. This Bible contains "An Historical Preface" written by Miss Margaret T. Hills, a former secretary for research for ABS. In her preface, she included the text of the original petition sent to the Second Continental Congress in July of 1777 by three Philadelphia clergymen: Francis Alison, John Ewing, and William Marshalle. Since books in general, and Bibles in particular were becoming more scarce, it was their desire to see copies of the Scriptures made available "for our schools and families, and for the publick worship of God in our churches." Their petition received very little action other than to be handed over to a Congressional committee for consideration, which consisted of three men: John Adams, Daniel Roberdeau, and Jonathan Bayard Smith. The war was the first priority, and the domestic materials to produce an American version of the Scriptures were extremely difficult to procure.
In 1780, another motion was introduced to Congress regarding the domestic printing of the Bible by James McLene of Pennsylvania and John Hanson of Maryland. Nothing substantial developed from this.
Finally, in January of 1781, Aitken presented the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
with a petition asking them to inspect and authorize his recently produced copy of the Holy Scriptures. Aitken had already begun printing the Journals of Congress and was asked to perform more work for them.
On September 1, 1782, a committee that had been appointed to consider Aitken's petition asked the chaplains of the Congress of the Confederation
Congress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America that existed from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789. It comprised delegates appointed by the legislatures of the states. It was the immediate successor to the Second...
, the Rev. Dr. William White
William White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)
The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
of Christ Church and the Rev. George Duffield of the Third Presbyterian Church, to examine his Bible for accuracy. On September 12, based upon the report of the committee, the Congress of the Confederation
Congress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America that existed from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789. It comprised delegates appointed by the legislatures of the states. It was the immediate successor to the Second...
approved "the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an instance of the progress of the arts in this country" and recommended his Bible to the American people.
In 1783, after Aitken's Bible had begun to be distributed, Dr. John Rodgers of the First Presbyterian Church of New York suggested to General George Washington that every discharged soldier be given a copy of Aitken's Bible. Since the war was coming to a close and Congress had already ordered the discharge of two-thirds of the army, the suggestion came too late. However, Washington said, "It would have pleased me well, if Congress had been pleased to make such an important present to the brave fellows who have done so much for the security of their country's rights and establishment."
External links
- Religion and the Congress of the Confederation, 1774-89 (Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
exhibition) - The Manhattan Rare Book Company
- Spiritual Life - CBN.COM
- The First American Bible