Small Seeds.

Jesus told us how the least of seeds can grow into a mighty tree. How the British and Foreign Bible society came into being is the story of just such a little seed. Mary Jones’ story is a touching and inspiring tale from the early 19th century that played a significant role in the history of Bible distribution. Here’s her story:

Mary Jones was a young girl born in Wales in 1784. She grew up in a devout Christian family that valued the importance of reading and studying the Bible. However, at that time, Bibles were scarce and expensive, making it difficult for ordinary people, especially those in rural areas, to own a copy.

The story of Mary Jones and her Bible inspired the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Mary Jones (16 December 1784 – 28 December 1864) was a Welsh girl who, at the age of fifteen, walked 42 kms barefoot across the countryside to buy a copy of the Welsh Bible from Thomas Charles because she did not have one. Thomas Charles then used her story in proposing to the Religious Tract Society that it set up a new organisation to supply Wales with Bibles.

Mary Jones had become a national icon by the end of the nineteenth century, she was from a poor family, the daughter of a weaver, who lived at Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Abergynolwyn, at the foot of Cader Idris near Dolgellau. Her parents were devout Methodists, and she herself professed the Christian faith at eight years of age. Having learned to read in the circulating schools organised by Thomas Charles, it became her burning desire to possess a Bible of her own. The nearest copy was at a farm 4km distant from her little cottage, and there was no copy on sale nearer than Bala – 42 km away; and it was not certain that a copy could be obtained there. Welsh Bibles were scarce in those days. Having saved for six years until she had enough money to pay for a copy, she started one morning in the Spring of 1800 for Bala, and walked the 42kms over mountainous terrain, barefoot as usual, to obtain a copy from Thomas Charles, the only individual with Bibles for sale in the area. According to one version of the story, Charles told her that all of the copies which he had received were sold or already spoken for. Mary was so distraught that Charles spared her one of the copies which was already promised to another.

 According to tradition, it was the impression that this visit by Mary Jones left upon him that impelled Charles to propose to the Council of the Religious Tract Society the formation of a Society to supply Wales with Bibles. Her story of walking a long distance and enduring hardship to obtain a copy of the Bible inspired Thomas Charles to establish the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804. This society aimed to make the Bible more accessible and affordable to people, regardless of their social or economic status.

Mary later married a weaver named Thomas Jones. She died in 1864 aged 80 and was buried at the graveyard of Bryn-crug Calvinistic Methodist Chapel.