In Wyckliffe’s time (14th century) a single copy of an English Bible often sold for thirty pounds—as much money as would build two arches of old London Bridge. Even rich people seldom possessed a whole Bible, but were obliged to content themselves with part of one. Workmen would frequently give the earnings of many years for one of the Gospels or the Book of Psalms. Farmers gladly exchanged a cartload of hay for a few chapters of Paul’s Epistles. And apprentices would save their pocket-money for more than a year, and then join two or three together to purchase a New Testament. If the word of God were as much valued by everybody nowadays the strongholds of Satan would all be destroyed.
ML 10/11/1903