Soldier's Bible

The Soldier's Bible

This pocket New Testament, printed by the Reilly & Lee Co. of Chicago, appears to have gone through a war. The metal front cover is a prayer engraved in a black-letter typeface: "May the Lord be with you." The flyleaf inscription is written in blue fountain-pen ink faded from age and damp. I picture the soldier's mother writing, "Love to you B____y from Mother," the simple words conveying her heartfelt prayer for her loved one's safe return. Acid migration from the rusted "turn-ins" has blackened the edges of the pages. This little 3"x5" New Testament is sometimes called a "Heart-Shield Bible" because it fits into a breast pocket, protecting the heart.