They had got an English Bible, and to conceal and secure…
““They had got an English Bible, and to conceal and secure it, it was fastened open with tapes under and within the cover of a joint-stool. When my great-great-grandfather read it to his family, he turned up the joint-stool upon his knees, turning over the leaves then under the tapes. One of the children stood at the door to give notice if he saw the apparitor coming, who was an officer of the spiritual court. In that case the stool was turned down again upon its feet, when the Bible remained concealed under it as before. This anecdote I had from my uncle Benjamin.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A family concealed a Bible in a stool to avoid detection by religious authorities, showing secret worship practices.
In simple terms: People hid Bibles to avoid persecution.
Key Takeaway
Understand the lengths people go to protect faith.
Themes
religion
persecution
secrecy
family tradition
cultural resistance
Mood
tense
curious
Type
historical
anecdotal
When to use this quote
- historical study
- religious freedom
- cultural anthropology
Key Concepts
clandestine worship
authority evasion
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks did families face for secret worship?
- How does secrecy affect religious experience?
A Different Perspective
The story may be exaggerated or apocryphal.