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The Story of Mary Jones and Her Bible
Mary Jones was poor and illiterate. She learned to read and walked two miles to study a neighbor’s Bible. A resolution became fixed in her mind that she must have a Bible of her own. For six years she did odd jobs for halfpennies, until she had enough to buy a Bible. One bright morning she walked barefoot 25 miles to buy the Bible. When she reached Mr. Charles, he said that he did not have any Bibles for sale. Mary broke down and wept bitterly, and his heart was so touched that he could not deny her a Bible. Mr. Charles, deeply moved by Mary’s story, was taken by conviction to supply Bibles for all of Wales. He petitioned before the Religious Tract Society in London, and was warmly received. In March, 1804, the British and Foreign Bible Society was established for the purpose of Bible distribution worldwide and is still active today. “If but one heart is moved by the perusal of these pages to more earnest work Mary Jones, for the Master, to self-denial and loving service in the spread of His truth; to a more eager study of God’s Word, and a greater zeal in circulating and making it known among others—then indeed this little story of the poor Welsh girl and her Bible will not have been written in vain.” 27 illustrations.
Author Mary Emily Ropes (1842–1932) was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her father was William Hooper Ropes, a merchant in Russia. While young she lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, then moved to London and spent her later life in Wales. She wrote about Russian life with her brother, Adrian Ross (Arthur R. Ropes), in the book “On Peter’s Island.”
Author Mary Emily Ropes (1842–1932) was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her father was William Hooper Ropes, a merchant in Russia. While young she lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, then moved to London and spent her later life in Wales. She wrote about Russian life with her brother, Adrian Ross (Arthur R. Ropes), in the book “On Peter’s Island.”
106 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1882
52 people are currently reading
575 people want to read
About the author
Mary Emily Ropes
40 books7 followersMary Emily Ropes (1842–1932) was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Her father was William Hooper Ropes, a merchant in Russia. While young she lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, then moved to London and spent her later life in Wales. She wrote about Russian life with her brother, Adrian Ross (Arthur R. Ropes), in the book “On Peter’s Island.” Another popular story was “Mary Jones and Her Bible.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
March 12, 2015
3.5 star rating.
It was neat to read about a young lady who so desired her own Bible that she saved for 6 long years and then walked 50 miles barefoot to get one. Her story inspired the founding of a Bible Society that went on to translate, publish and distribute more than 3 million copies of the Holy Scripture during an era when it was quite difficult to come across a copy.
We take so much for granted... this book caused us to remember that our scriptures are among us most valuable and treasured of possessions.
It was neat to read about a young lady who so desired her own Bible that she saved for 6 long years and then walked 50 miles barefoot to get one. Her story inspired the founding of a Bible Society that went on to translate, publish and distribute more than 3 million copies of the Holy Scripture during an era when it was quite difficult to come across a copy.
We take so much for granted... this book caused us to remember that our scriptures are among us most valuable and treasured of possessions.
April 6, 2014
What an amazing story! This book is incredible. The idea of there being people like Mary that loved the Lord so much to live her life the way she did is amazing.Her life was truly inspirational. :)
January 28, 2011
Gag. What an "Oh, she's a perfect young girl" story. I wanted to puke. Why this is included in this level of the Sonlight curriculum I have NO idea. Blah!!!
February 6, 2022
2022 - re-read as a family (at dinner) per our homeschool curriculum. Great inspiration for memorizing and not taking for granted having the printed Scriptures in hand...Bible translators do great work and it's not finished despite living in the age of the Bible App or YouVersion!
2017 - Not our favorite read-aloud so far this year, but certainly an inspiring true story. Mary Jones desired to purchase her own Bible so much that she saved her money for 6 years, meanwhile memorizing entire chapters and books of the Bible to keep with her always!
2017 - Not our favorite read-aloud so far this year, but certainly an inspiring true story. Mary Jones desired to purchase her own Bible so much that she saved her money for 6 years, meanwhile memorizing entire chapters and books of the Bible to keep with her always!
January 21, 2022
There wasn't terribly much to this story, but somehow it didn't feel too badly dragged out for all that. There were some digressions on the history of other connected people and a bit on the formation and work of the society whose founding Mary Jones helped to inspire, but it really didn't feel out of place. Mary's hunger for a Bible of her own was very touching, and I found myself with tears in my eyes several times over the course of the book--sometimes for no definable reason I could name. Still very much a worthwhile read for anyone who wants a reminder of how precious and powerful God's Word can be in the lives of those who love it. <3
January 14, 2021
A neat inspirational story, but very dry and my kids thought it was boring. If it weren't based on a true story it would hardly be worth reading.
May 1, 2008
This book is one of the Children's Victorian Classics. What this means, I don't know, because surprisingly enough, there is no advertisement in the book listing the other "classics". I have a suspicion that the series is not comprised of true classics that have continued to be published through the decades, but rather tales of strong moral character that certain Christian groups have decided to resurrect. Anyway, I'm not inclined to find out. Mary Jones & Her Bible isn't a horrible story, but it's nothing better than waiting room material. It's the tale of a girl who was born and raised in Wales around the turn of the 19th Century. She was a pious girl, of pious stock, who developed an intense desire to own her own Bible. The story details her nascent interest in scripture, then goes through her endeavors to save up enough money and purchase her own Bible. There are a couple of interesting folks involved in this story, but it's one of those tales where the good guys are all perfect and the bad guys... well, there aren't really any bad guys in here. I don't know if that's typical of "Victorian" literature, or it's just the style that appeals to this particular publisher. Whatever it is, it makes for a story that's morally uplifting, but a tad boring.
February 7, 2018
This book was a bit slow and not my kids favorite read a loud this year but the message was phenomenal! I read this book to my 10 year old son, and my 12 year old daughter.
This book is a true story about a Welsh girl (Mary) who had such a strong desire to own her own Bible that she worked hard and saved every cent she earned for a Bible for six years. It is an inspirational story that led to creating a Bible society in order to print and distribute Bibles across the world. I love the heart of Mary and the contentment she found through both harboring Gods Word in her heart and giving what little she had! We live in a society where we want more and more and our children own more stuff then any other generation. So I was glad to read this book to my children and challenge them to not only cherish Gods Word like Mary did but to give up their own earned money to help others in need! It also challenges adults (like myself) who can struggle with contentment and wanting more as well. A very encouraging and inspirational book.
This book is a true story about a Welsh girl (Mary) who had such a strong desire to own her own Bible that she worked hard and saved every cent she earned for a Bible for six years. It is an inspirational story that led to creating a Bible society in order to print and distribute Bibles across the world. I love the heart of Mary and the contentment she found through both harboring Gods Word in her heart and giving what little she had! We live in a society where we want more and more and our children own more stuff then any other generation. So I was glad to read this book to my children and challenge them to not only cherish Gods Word like Mary did but to give up their own earned money to help others in need! It also challenges adults (like myself) who can struggle with contentment and wanting more as well. A very encouraging and inspirational book.
July 21, 2019
Page 30: "The Lord has made the want and He'll satisfy it" sums up a cute but moving story of self-denial. This story made me realise how simple it would be to put a little aside to make a difference, but mostly it is about trusting that God will satisfy your needs and the importance of trusting his plan that sometimes takes years to reveal itself.
It was interesting to learn about the history of the British and Foreign Bible Society that came about due to the Welsh need for Bibles, that brought about the idea which was applied for the world.
Short, sweet, and inspirational.
It was interesting to learn about the history of the British and Foreign Bible Society that came about due to the Welsh need for Bibles, that brought about the idea which was applied for the world.
Short, sweet, and inspirational.
January 27, 2011
It got across the actual story in history, but it was a little flowery for me. You know, the kind of stuff like, "Infact, she was so happy that whoever saw her was happy too," and, "she was so happy that she started singing a tune of thanksgiving." But that was the style of writing back then, so it is what you might expect.
January 7, 2023
For anyone of Christian faith this historical account of how Bible production progressed will make you cherish the Word we so readily have even more. It is listed as fiction but documented to the best of ability at the time the remarkable true story of Mary and her influence on the spread of God’s Word.
March 1, 2022
I really liked this book read it for school.
It's an inspiring story about a girl who is poor and wants more than anything to have a Bible, so she saves money for six years and walks a great distance to buy one.
It's a very short book, but it was very good 👍
It's an inspiring story about a girl who is poor and wants more than anything to have a Bible, so she saves money for six years and walks a great distance to buy one.
It's a very short book, but it was very good 👍
November 8, 2019
This book was okay. It wasn’t the best.
November 8, 2022
I knew the bare points of this story as we learn about Mary Jones in school bit reading the book filled into he gaps. Amazing the trouble that she went to just to get her Bible.
October 12, 2025
As convicting as it is inspiring, it's a simple story of a grand desire of a young girl that only grew after being fulfilled and became the inspiration of a Society that would take the gospel to millions!
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February 23, 2025"There is still a great need for the Word of God to be spread and made accessible. You and I might take for granted that we have a Bible in our own language, but there are still countless souls who have no access to the bread of life. What will we do? What will you do?" Opening - Preface
"Her determination to own a Bible never wavered. For six years, she saved every penny, sacrificing small pleasures that, given her modest means, would have been especially tempting for someone her age. She continued her visits to the farmhouse, where she diligently studied her Bible lessons for school. With each visit, her yearning to have her own copy of the Scriptures intensified, turning her desire into a deep-seated passion. She often imagined the joy of being able to read the Bible every day, memorizing its verses and filling her mind and heart with its eternal truths. "But the time will come," she reassured herself, "when I will have my own Bible. Yes, despite the long wait, that time will surely come." Each night, beside her modest bed, she would kneel and pray fervently, "Dear Lord, let that time come quickly!" The story of Mary Jones and her Bible, chapter 5: Faithful in that which is least
"In 1800, 15-year-old Mary Jones walked 25 miles, across the Welsh mountains, to get a Bible. With each mile, her feet ached more and more, for she walked barefoot so she wouldn't wear out her shoes. Upon arriving, Mary carefully pulled her shoes onto her red, swollen feet. She wanted to look her best when she bought her Bible!”
"Her determination to own a Bible never wavered. For six years, she saved every penny, sacrificing small pleasures that, given her modest means, would have been especially tempting for someone her age. She continued her visits to the farmhouse, where she diligently studied her Bible lessons for school. With each visit, her yearning to have her own copy of the Scriptures intensified, turning her desire into a deep-seated passion. She often imagined the joy of being able to read the Bible every day, memorizing its verses and filling her mind and heart with its eternal truths. "But the time will come," she reassured herself, "when I will have my own Bible. Yes, despite the long wait, that time will surely come." Each night, beside her modest bed, she would kneel and pray fervently, "Dear Lord, let that time come quickly!" The story of Mary Jones and her Bible, chapter 5: Faithful in that which is least
"In 1800, 15-year-old Mary Jones walked 25 miles, across the Welsh mountains, to get a Bible. With each mile, her feet ached more and more, for she walked barefoot so she wouldn't wear out her shoes. Upon arriving, Mary carefully pulled her shoes onto her red, swollen feet. She wanted to look her best when she bought her Bible!”
December 21, 2024
Reavaliando este livro após minha amiga Saile me questionar a respeito.
Retifico: esse livro é 05 ⭐️
O testemunho de Mary Jones é poderoso. Sem mais. No entanto, o livro foi mais do que saber de mais uma história de fé. Ao iniciar meu ano com esse livro eu recebi uma injeção de fé, coragem e força. E, hoje, olhando retrospectivamente para meu ano, o que me trouxe até aqui, sem desistir daquilo que o Senhor me falou, foi a fé, a coragem e força que vem dEle.
É um daqueles testemunhos essenciais para qualquer cristão que deseja ter mais fé.
Ps: Já estou pensando aqui, preciso de um livro muito bom para 01/01/2025. Um livro que vá ser, quem sabe, o tema do meu ano.
Retifico: esse livro é 05 ⭐️
O testemunho de Mary Jones é poderoso. Sem mais. No entanto, o livro foi mais do que saber de mais uma história de fé. Ao iniciar meu ano com esse livro eu recebi uma injeção de fé, coragem e força. E, hoje, olhando retrospectivamente para meu ano, o que me trouxe até aqui, sem desistir daquilo que o Senhor me falou, foi a fé, a coragem e força que vem dEle.
É um daqueles testemunhos essenciais para qualquer cristão que deseja ter mais fé.
Ps: Já estou pensando aqui, preciso de um livro muito bom para 01/01/2025. Um livro que vá ser, quem sabe, o tema do meu ano.
August 24, 2017
The thing I struggle with with almost all Lamplighter stories is that everyone in them is perfect. Paragraph upon paragraph expounds on the sweetness of character, the gentleness of spirit, the willingness of service, and so on and so forth, of the main persons of the story. Someday when I read these aloud to my children, I will appreciate that their moldable minds have such exemplary people to hear about, but as a somewhat cynical and more experienced Christian adult, I know everyone struggles at some point with SOMETHING, so these stories just feel unrealistic.
All that being said, I really did like this little story of the young Welsh girl who walked 50 miles roundtrip simply to purchase a Bible for her very own. This is a true story, and Mary Jones was unknowingly the one to begin the huge movement to bring Bibles to people far and wide, of various nations, denominations, and status. This short historical narrative was very inspiring, as well as convicting. Do I treasure my Bible as much as Mary Jones did? Am I storing it in my heart?
All that being said, I really did like this little story of the young Welsh girl who walked 50 miles roundtrip simply to purchase a Bible for her very own. This is a true story, and Mary Jones was unknowingly the one to begin the huge movement to bring Bibles to people far and wide, of various nations, denominations, and status. This short historical narrative was very inspiring, as well as convicting. Do I treasure my Bible as much as Mary Jones did? Am I storing it in my heart?
April 11, 2013
this isn't the edition i have, my copy is published by sonlight curriculum revised by christopher wright, i assume the same autho.
loved the book, in 1800 a young welsh girl wants two things in the world - to learn to read and her own copy of the Bible. finally after six years she'd saved enough money and then walked fifty miles to purchase a Bible from someone who Might have one. amazing true story about the passion for God.
loved the book, in 1800 a young welsh girl wants two things in the world - to learn to read and her own copy of the Bible. finally after six years she'd saved enough money and then walked fifty miles to purchase a Bible from someone who Might have one. amazing true story about the passion for God.
February 26, 2017
This book wasn't paticuarly 'well written' and I didn't desperating enjoy reading it. However the fact that's it's a true story is so amazing and that made it so incredible - that a hundreds of years ago a poor girl put her mind to getting a bible, and, through utter determination and prayer, got it.
August 25, 2017
Illustrated but with relatively dense text, this children's book tells a version of the story of Mary Jones. It does a good job of keeping the focus on her experience, although much of the emotional detail is imagined from a particular viewpoint and could easily be otherwise. Some of the facts of the story are also in doubt as the historic record is complex and incomplete.
Read
July 16, 2009nice
Want to read
March 4, 2012its really gooooooooood
August 1, 2011
I read this book when I was 12 years old. This book could be read along with family or individual daily devotions.
February 17, 2012
What an encouraging and convicting book!
October 9, 2013
Highest Recommendations. Treasure and share the Word of God!
October 12, 2014
Good book about a girl and her desire for a Bible. Often goes off on tangents which can be uninteresting to younger listeners.
September 25, 2015
3.5 Stars
December 30, 2015
What a wonderful tale of perseverance and patience! We in our modern times truly take for granted the ease with which we can obtain a copy of the bible! I long to have her passion and desire!
June 25, 2016
the story of Mary Jones is very inspiring and heart felt . i am blessed to have such generous amount of word of God.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews