From the time that George Washington took his oath of office on April 30, 1789, until today, the Bible he laid his hand on has remained intact and been kept in good condition.
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The story goes that prior to the oathtaking rites, everything was well-prepared and had gone smoothly, except, nobody brought a Bible. The only one at hand nearby was the Bible at St. John’s Lodge. They hurriedly got it, opened it on a random page, and George Washington took his oath.
St. John’s Lodge No. 1 Foundation asserts that none of that was by accident, pointing out that the Masonic Bible had been used intentionally to remain neutral from any denominational squabbling, and that the page used for the oathtaking was also carefully chosen.
How it survived more than 200 years, being made from vegetable-based inks, is not exactly described, but it remains intact and is currently at the possession of St. John’s Lodge. When not being used, the lodge lends it to the Federal Hall in New York to be displayed.
As a testament to the Bible’s longevity, four other presidents have used it during their inauguration – Warren G. Harding, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush. It had also been used for other events such as at Zachary Taylor’s funeral procession and Abraham Lincoln’s lying in state.
(Image credit: Ramon de Elorriaga/Wikimedia Commons)
Source: neatorama