Extensive Rare Bible Collection Dedicated; Bible Scholar Discusses Oddities of the "Star" of the Collection
Dr. Charles and Roena Tandy entrusted Hardin-Simmons University with the gift of a rare collection of early and antique Bibles just before Christmas 2008. Today, the valuable collection got an official dedication ceremony.
The collection includes 76 examples of Christian writings, some dating as early as the 1500's. Dr. Tandy is a 1949 graduate with a deep connection to Hardin-Simmons. He says the university has given so much to him that he is thrilled to give something back in a way that will increase the prestige and educational impact of the university.
During the dedication ceremony this afternoon on the second floor of the Sid Richardson Library, well-known Bible scholar and author of the popular Ryrie Study Bible, Dr. Charles Ryrie, talked to an overflow crowd gathered to hear about some of the oddities of what he calls the "star" of the collection.
The complete 1st edition of the King James Bible, from 1611, is one of only about 50 that still exist in the world today. Ryrie, an Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, says the successor to Queen Elizabeth I objected to the Geneva Bible in circulation in England at the time of his reign - that is the same Bible brought to America by the pilgrims. Almost as an afterthought, King James decided England needed a new Bible, thus creating the best known Bible in the world today.
However, the new King James Version of the Bible was not without mistakes, Ryrie says. In one place, the Bible says, "The unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom." In I Corinthians 10, instead of the word "moreover" it says "move over." "Women shall adorn themselves in "modern" apparel," instead of "modest" apparel, is another of the many problems with the text, he says. Ryrie also points out that the original King James version had no punctuation, causing misunderstanding of the text. Add to that the fact that one of the original translators, a Hebrew Scholar, spent most all of his evenings in a state of inebriation.
Despite its problems, the English King James Bible endures 400 years later. Ryrie says," It is everywhere." It is the most available English language book in the world; yet, he adds, "There are some 2251 languages that still do not have a Bible."
"The Tandy Collection contains several of the most significant Bibles in the English language," says Tommy Brisco, Dean of the Logsdon School of Theology on the HSU campus. That includes a first edition of the King James "Great She" Bible - a 1613 edition named for the correction of a previous printer's error found in Ruth 3.
The collection also includes a 1541 edition of the Great Bible introduced by King Henry VIII, who burned William Tyndale at the stake three years earlier for translating the New Testament into English. There is also a first edition of the Geneva Bible translated by Protestant reformers at Geneva in 1560. The Geneva Bible was also the Bible used by William Shakespeare.
The Rheims Douai Version, the first English Bible designed for Roman Catholics, is also represented in the extensive holdings.
"Dr. Tandy has a deep passion for the Bible as evidenced by this collection he developed over many years," says Dr. Brisco. He continues, "HSU is indeed fortunate to have this collection on campus. The generosity of the Tandys will allow faculty and students at HSU to have access to some of the most important versions of the Bible for study purposes."
The collection consists of 26 Bibles, 19 leaves and fragments, and 31 volumes of secondary literature. Bibles include:
Sacon Bible 1521
Tyndale New Testament facsimile 1976
Coverdale 1550
Coverdale facsimile 1975
Coverdale Psalter 1935
Sixth great Bible 1541
Geneva Bible 1560
Geneva facsimile 1969
Rheims New Testament 1582
Rheims New Testament 1600
Douay Old Testament 1609/10
Geneva Tomson Junius 1606
King James Bible, 1st edition (only 50 copies known to exist)
King James Bible, 1st edition fragment
King James Bible, 1613 "She"
Eliot Bible Leaf Book 1979, second copy of 16
Baskerville Bible 1763
Baskerville Bible 1772
Trenton, Isaac Collins Bible 1793
Noah Webster Bible 1833
John Brown Bible 1816
Philadelphia Bible 1829
First English Revised Version 1881-1885
English Hexapla 1841
Dr. Tandy, an Abilene High School graduate, applied to HSU in the 1940's knowing he did not have the resources to go to college. His high school teachers intervened with letters asking the university to help the exceptional student find a job which might defray some of the cost of tuition. He was able to work in the science labs and, through providence and hard work, graduated without ever having to pay tuition.
He told the crowd gathered at the Bible dedication today that his interest in collecting Bibles was sparked in 1960 when he heard Dr. Ryrie tell the amazing story of the so-called "Wicked Bible." Tandy says. "It was such a compelling story, about the word 'not' being left out of the Ten Commandments, that he started looking for a copy of the Bible."
Dr. Tandy completed medical school, a stint in the Air Force, and settled at Parkland Hospital in Dallas to practice. He married the former Roena Rainey 37 years ago, and keeps a busy civic schedule including a term as President of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and a position on the Dallas City Council. Dr. Tandy continues to practice anesthesiology in Dallas.
Photos:1st Edition of King James Bible, 1611; Dr. Charles Tandy
1 Comment
Donal L. Brake writes:
I emailed you a couple of weeks ago about your 1611 King James Bible first edition. Thanks for confirming it is indeed a "He" Bible the first editon. I would like to have a description of the binding and a brief description of its contents. You have such a wonderful treasure in this Bible. I will list its ownership as part of the HSU rare Bible collection.
Thanks for your help. I will be sure to make the results of the census availavle to you.
Donald L Brake
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