Bible Case Part of National Park Service Display

It seems that these days we are not taught much about the religious roots of our nation and its leaders. Christianity and religion in general played an important role in the early history of our nation and continued through our whole history.

The National Park Service would probably not be seen as an organization promoting a right-wing agenda. Yet, part of their function is to preserve our history. They don't make it up, they just preserve it.

So it should not be surprising that we find a "Bible Box" on display as part of the National Park Service Museum Collections. It is an antique box owned by the Roosevelt family, and dates to the 16th century (it is probably an antique obtained by the family to use long after it was built). The box held the Bible that was used to swear in FDR for each of his four Inaugurations. With many families at the time and earlier, a Bible was a treasured book, not just a device for ceremonies. It was used for worship, reading practice, and to record births and deaths in the family. Boxes like this displayed and protected the Bibles in some families.

See the Bible Box here:

http://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/elro/gallery/biblebox_HOFR225.html