History From its founding in 1816, the American Bible Society has grappled with the task of making the Word of God available to Christians and churches in America. From its earliest days, it has worked to provide scriptures to the men, and later women of the military, to local and international bible societies, and to translate the Holy Bible to other languages used by peoples in the United States so that they could not only possess scripture, but could understand its importance in their own lives.
Leaders Starting with a leader of the American Revolution, Elias Boudinot, John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and going right down to current president Paul Irwin, The American Bible Society has always been led by “true believers” in the Bible cause.
Founding of the American Bible Society in New York City. Elias Boudinot was elected its first president.
The American Bible Society made its first grant, giving 300 Bibles to the Steuben County Bible Society (Bath, NY).
Bibles were distributed to the crew of the USS John Adams, thus beginning a Scripture grant program to the armed services a program that continues today.
The American Bible Society Library was founded.
Quarterly Extracts, the predecessor to the present day publication American Bible Society Record, was issued.
The American Bible Society published the Delaware Indian/English parallel text of three Epistles of John. Translated by Christian Frederick Dencke, this work marked the first publication by ABS in another language.
John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society moved to its first permanent home, 72 Nassau Street, in Lower Manhattan.
The American Bible Society received its first endowment, a $250 bequest made by Seth Warner.
The American Bible Society sent a gift of $1,000 to the missionary William Carey to support his Scripture translation work in India.
Former New York City Mayor Richard Varick was elected president of the American Bible Society.
John Cotton Smith was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society committed $3,000 to print and distribute Scriptures in China.
A gift of $1,000 to the New England Institution for the Blind resulted in the first Scriptures for the visually impaired.
The American Bible Society established its first permanent Foreign Agency in the Levant.
Incorporation of the American Bible Society under New York State law.
The American Bible Society issued its first charitable annuity.
Managers authorized the sale of Scriptures.
United States Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen was elected President of the American Bible Society.
The Mexican War was fought, and the American Bible Society supplied over 7,000 Scriptures to U.S. troops.
The American Bible Society relocated to Astor Place (in New York City).
The American Bible Society provided Scriptures to both the North and South during the Civil War.
Luther Bradish was elected President of the American Bible Society.
James Lenox was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society celebrated its Jubilee Year.
The transcontinental railroad was completed, thus creating new avenues of distribution for Scriptures.
William Henry Allen was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society exhibited a collection of historical Bibles at the Philadelphia Centennial.
Samuel Wells Williams was elected president of the American Bible Society
Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen was elected president of the American Bible Society.
Enoch Lewis Fancher was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society exhibited its rare book collection at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition.
A conference on auxiliaries was called to evaluate current domestic fundraising, distribution and missionary practices. The meeting resulted in greater centralization for the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society established the Agency Among Colored People of the South. Located in Atlanta, this agency was headed by Dr. John Percy Wragg (1855-1936).
Johns Hopkins President Daniel Coit Gilman (1831-1908) was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society exhibited Scripture texts at the St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
Frances Snow Hamilton (1863-1915) was appointed agent in Mexico, the first woman in American Bible Society history to hold that position.
New York philanthropist Mrs. Russell Sage promised ABS $500,000 in the form of a matching gift, thus establishing the American Bible Society's first permanent endowment.
Theophilus Brouwer (1827-1911) was elected president.
James Wood (1839-1925) was elected president of the American Bible Society. Mr. Wood was the grandfather of James Wood (1927), the president and chairman of the American Bible Society's Board from 1986 to 1996.
The American Bible Society distributed Scriptures to troops serving in World War I. It also launched a European War Fund Campaign for additional donations.
The American Bible Society sent an exhibit of Bibles to the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. It also sponsored the World's Bible Congress. This group brought together distinguished religious leaders from around the world.
>Bible Sunday was first celebrated. The event, held in conjunction with the Panama-Pacific Exposition, continues to the present day.
The American Bible Society celebrated its centennial anniversary.
Emma Baker Kennedy (ca. 1833-1930) and Helen Miller Gould Shepard (1868-1938) became the first female vice presidents of ABS. Mrs. Theodore Weston became its first female manager.
The Advisory Council met for the first time. This group continues to meet today as the National Church Leadership Council.
Churchill Hunter Cutting (1842-1924) was elected the 15th president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society phased out on-site production.
J. Frederick Talcott (1866-1944) became president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society sent an exhibit to the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. The display's highlight was a globe “designed to show the parts of the world in which the Bible, the gospels, and portions of the testaments have been translated and distributed.”
John Thomas Manson (1861-1944) was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The American Bible Society relocated to 448-450 Park Avenue (southwest corner of 57th Street) in New York City.
The American Bible Society participated at the New York World's Fair with an exhibit entitled The Book for the World of Tomorrow. A time capsule sponsored by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company included a King James Version of the Bible.
The American Bible Society provided more than 7.4 million Scriptures to those serving in the U.S. armed forces during World War II.
Daniel Burke was elected President of the American Bible Society.
The Board of Managers established the Department of Visual Aids responsible for production of steropticon slides, motion pictures and filmstrips, radio and television broadcasting, exhibits and displays.
Founding of the United Bible Societies in Haywards Heath, England.
The American Bible Society completed the publication of the Illustrated New Testament with over 500 images and maps.
ABS introduced a finger-operated phonograph - a Finger Fono machine.
The American Bible Society consolidated its domestic work by merging its District Offices into three Regional Offices located in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
The Division of Women's Activities was created, and Inez Moser (1896-1987) was appointed its first director.
The Bible-a-Month Club was begun. Thirty-five staff agreed to contribute $2.00 per month each to support Bible distribution in a selected country of the world. The program continues today.
Everett Smith (1892-1991) was elected ABS president.
The American Bible Society held a special exhibit entitled Good News for a New Age at its headquarters at 450 Park Avenue in New York City. The exhibit coincided with the New York World's Fair. At the close of the New York World's Fair a time capsule was buried by members of the World's Fair Organizing Committee. Among the contents of the capsule was a Revised Standard Version issued by ABS.
Centralized warehouse facilities were opened at 186 Parish Drive, Wayne, N.J.
The American Bible Society celebrated its 150th anniversary.
The American Bible Society published the New Testament in Today's English Version, a translation written in common English language.
Dios Lllega, a translation designed to reach the newspaper reading level of the Spanish-speaking world, was published.
The American Bible Society relocated to its present location at 1865 Broadway.
Edmund F. Wagner (1898-1989) was elected president of the American Bible Society.
The Department of Women's Activities inaugurated Scripture Courtesy Centers.
Jesse Pratt (1909) became the first African American woman to serve on the American Bible Society's Board of Mangers.
The Good News for New Readers program was inaugurated.
The Good News Bible was completed.
Alice Ball was named general secretary, the first woman to achieve this position in the history of ABS.
Dios Habla Hoy, the complete Bible in the Spanish Popular Version, was released.
The American Bible Society sent an exhibit to the World's Fair held in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The American Bible Society provided more than 4 million Scriptures for distribution to athletes and spectators at the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
James Wood (1927) was elected president and chairman of the Board of the American Bible Society.
This year marked the first printing of Chinese Bibles on the Amity Press in Nanjiing.
A special appeal drive, “Gifts of Love,” was launched. This program aimed to secure Bibles for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
The Rev. Dr. Bryant M. Kirkland was appointed the first president and chief executive officer of the American Bible Society.
The Gospel of Mark was released in modern Navajo.
The Life of Christ was introduced in the American Sign Language Translation.
Eugene Habecker (1946) was appointed president and chief executive officer of the American Bible Society.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) New Testament was published.
The American Bible Society provided the military in the Persian Gulf with 300,000 compact Bibles with camouflage covers.
The American Bible Society celebrated its 175th anniversary.
A four-year, $23.5 million commitment was made to Bible work in the Commonwealth of Independent States and former Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
Out of the Tombs, a translation of Mark 5.1-20, was produced and sold in video format.
A partnership was formed with 4HIM, a popular contemporary Christian singing group, as part of the Society's Artist Relations Program.
The video, A Father and Two Sons, based on Luke 15.11-32, was completed. In 1995 this product was available in CD-ROM format.
Video and CD-ROM versions of The Visit, based on Luke 1.39-56, were completed.
The Contemporary English Version was completed.
The American Bible Society distributed Scripture resources at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The American Bible Society pledged to distribute 5,000 Scriptures to African American and interracial churches destroyed by fire bombings.
The American Bible Society completed the renovation of its headquarters at 1865 Broadway. The New York firm of Fox & Fowle Architects supervised this project.
The American Bible Society published the African American Jubilee Bible.
The Learning Bible in the Contemporary English Version was published.
Dr Paul Irwin selected as president and CEO of the American Bible Society