Our History
The Maryland Bible Society (MBS) was organized in 1810 by a butcher, a teacher, a dry goods merchant, a milliner, a stationer, a surveyor, a silk dyer, the collector of the port of Baltimore, the President of the Athenian Society, a businessman from Bowley's Wharf and clergymen from the Baptist, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Swedenborgian Churches. The report of 1810 states their objectives as follows: "to encourage the circulation, distribution and printing of the Bible in all languages without note or comment." For over 191 years we have held steadfastly to this Bible Cause commitment. We want to make the Word of God as widely known as possible, accessible enough for everyone to have a copy. We sell Scriptures at or below cost to all who can afford to pay, and grant (or give) Scriptures to those who cannot. For the first time in history, the year 1999 saw the Society distribute over 4 million copies of God's Word in Bibles, New Testaments, Portions, and Selections.
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| Sign outside the Bible House in Baltimore on Franklin Street |
Prior to the founding of the American Bible Society in 1816 the then existing State and Regional Bible Societies, there were a number of Bible Societies in the United States: Pennsylvania (1808), Connecticut (1809), Massachusetts (1809), Maine (1809), New York (1809), New Jersey (1809), and Maryland (1810). Maryland is a charter member of the National Association of State and Regional Bible Societies founded in 1997 to promote coordination, communication and cooperation between the various Societies as well as partnerships in ministry with the American Bible Society and the International Bible Society.
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| Dedication of the Bible House in Mexico, 1963, Maryland Bible Society contributed $50,000 or one fourth of the cost. Rev. Dr. Coggan (center of the picture above) with Rev. Melvin Griffin (on the right) Executive Director of MBS in 1963 |
Maryland Bible Society is governed by a Board of Directors (36 members) representing many denominations - Lutheran, United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Quaker, Assembly of God and several others. MBS is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit religious charity and educational ministry for the promotion of Scripture distribution to people in the Mid-Atlantic region, many states, and several foreign countries.
Member of the National Association of State and Regional Bible Societies
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| Colporteurs using a horse drawn wagon to distribute Bibles |
Did You Know?
Maryland Bible Society provided New Testaments to both Union and Confederate Troops? 1814, MBS provided for the printing of the French New Testament for the Louisiana Territory?
Maryland provides Scripture to churches and ministries in over 37 States in the US?
Dr. John F. Goucher, Educator and former President of MBS delivered a new Arabic Translation of the Bible to Arab leaders at the foot of Mt. Sinai at St. Catherines Monastery in Israel (1913)?
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| Former Bible House in Beijing China built by Maryland and ABS |
1916 - Bible House in Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone, funds contributed by the Maryland Bible Society for building this Bible House
1928 - Bible House in Peking (now Beijing China) built in cooperation with the American Bible Society and $60,000 from the members and friends of the Maryland Bible Society
1963 - Maryland contributed 1/4, $50,000 toward the building of the Bible House in Mexico City, Mexico
1991 - Maryland Bible Society fulfilled a pledge of $25,000 for the building of the Amity Press in China to print the Bible in Chinese for the people of China
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