'Truly a work of God': 150-y-o Bible survives 2 fires at Wisconsin church
A Bible that is approximately 150 years old has survived two church fires in Wisconsin, including one from earlier this month, with the pastor declaring it “truly a work of God.”
Springs United Methodist Church of Plover recently endured a devastating fire, destroying the building and yet leaving the old Bible unscathed, according to a local news story from WSAW earlier this week.
The Good Book had previously survived a church fire in the 1950s, when located at St. Paul's Methodist Church in downtown Stevens Point.
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Tim O’Brien, pastor to both churches, said in a statement reported by WSAW that the Bible’s survival of both infernos was “a great testament to our faith that still stands strong.”
“I think this is really something special, truly a work of God,” added O’Brien. “Yes this is a building, yes things can be replaced. But these places have lots and lots of memories.”
Unable to be opened due to its advanced age, the Bible was the only object members of the church asked the Plover Fire Department to recover from the ruins of their former building.
The church held a prayer vigil on Tuesday, with the congregation asking attendees to “join the United Methodist Church community together in prayer and to begin this walk in process of healing and understanding.”
For the time being, members of Springs UMC will be attending St. Paul’s Church for their worship services and other activities.
Last December, an Oklahoma man had his truck catch fire and yet a copy of the Bible he had had since he was a teenager survived the conflagration without damage.
“My truck was parked 2 feet away from the house, if it wasn't for the horn blowing the house would've gone too,” explained Steven Gaut on a Facebook fundraiser page.
“The Vinita Fire Department had to pry the bible that was in a cloth cover. My bible was in great shape and the cover was in bad shape.”
In an interview with a Fox News affiliate in January, Gaut explained that not only did the Bible survive the truck fire, but “it doesn’t even smell like smoke either.”
