400 year old Bible Placed in Papua New Guineas Parliament

Papua New Guineas Senior  Pastors  carrying  the 400  year  old  bible
to  Parliament house

By FIDELIS SUKINA

After almost 4 months the King James Version bible donated by an American pastor of the Independent Nazarene Church Gene Hood has been placed in the Parliament chambers.

A close  up  of the  King James 1st  edition bible
printed in 1611 still  with its original binding

A motion by Parliament early this year  by majority of members has allowed the bible to be place in the chambers as a national  treasure.  

Believers led a procession from Unagi Oval to the Parliament house in  Port Moresby on Papua New Guineas 40th Independence Anniversary  on the 16th of September, to take  part and witness the historical moment where a nation which is hailed as a Christian Nation placed a bible in the chamber of parliament as a national treasure.

 American Benjamin Crawford who is a pastor and authenticator of antique bibles worked extensively with the late Gene Hood and was here to give a speech on behalf of Gene’s family who were present all the way from America.

“The Bible itself is first edition first issue of the authorized King James Version of the bible, published in the year 1611.”

“There are very few remaining first edition authorized versions and this is one of three remaining copies held by private collectors to be given to this nation.”

PNG's Prime  Minister Peter  O'Neill touching the Bible
in  front of a  packed  Parliament area 

“Many have hailed the bible President Lincoln said it is the greatest book that God has given to men and President Washington said it is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the bible.”

“It is fitting that the First edition of the Authorized Version be placed at a position of prominence to serve as visible reminder of the message contained therein, for it is this message that has long led humanity out of the darkness and into the light”Crawford said

Speaker of Parliament Theo Zurenuoc said we have long claimed to be a Christian nation but nothing has been in place within the chambers of parliament to prove this.

“The action which the Prime Minister and the leaders have taken Passing this motion to place the word of God in parliament we are telling the people of Papua New Guinea that we are building the nation on the foundation of Christian Principals.”

The crowd of  believers gathered  at the Parliament House

“Last 40 years we have put first our country as a Christian nation yet we have not physically put something in the Parliament to signify our allegiance to our Christian faith, there is nothing in the parliament that signifies the beliefs of the thousands and millions of Papua New Guineans non symbol until today.” Zurenuoc said

Papua New Guineas Prime Minister Peter O’Neil who was present said this was a special occasion and the Bible will help guide the leaders of this nation in decision making.

“The word of God had come to PNG before independence and as we celebrate the 40 years we must renew our belief. The bible must be a book that unites our country for years to come we are diverse but there is only one bible. We put it in the parliament so that our leaders as well must be guided by this book to make right decisions for the country. Guidance from the book helps us make the right choices according to the interests of the People.”