Wisconsin entered the union on 29 May 1848. Prior to its current political status, this state’s land had been stewarded and claimed by multiple Native American nations, the Commonwealth of Virginia (1609-1783/4), France (1634-1763), the United Kingdom (1763-83), and the United States’ Northwest Territory.[i] Perhaps their long series of associations predisposed the people to focus on our present and future. Dedication to reach contemporary audiences has characterized a number of Scripture dissemination projects associated with the Badger State.
Helena Monson Rossing (1851-1931), a Norwegian immigrant to Argyle, Wisconsin, embroidered Bible verses and sayings onto a quilted dressing gown (illustrated above).[ii] The detail shown here is in Norwegian: “For synden skal ikke herske over eder” (Romans 6:14a, Norsk 1930).[iii] The English translation says: “For sin shall no longer be your master” (ESV). Since its other messages appear to match sections of Scripture that are typically shared with confirmands, experts have envisioned this garment as a gift Rossing made for her daughter Viola. Maybe they had both memorized that verse and completed it silently whenever looking at the embroidery: “because you are not under law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14b, BSB).
On 14 September 1898, John Nicholson arrived in Boscobel later than expected to stay at what was known as Central House Hotel (image below).[iv] Since the establishment was already full, its landlord negotiated a solution. Sam Hill agreed to share Room Nineteen with Nicholson. Asking to keep the light on late, Nicholson opened his Bible. Hill invited him to read aloud. Afterward they prayed about starting an association that might encourage fellow traveling salesmen.
Although it took a couple of years for the first chapter, or camp, to form, enduring results of their friendship developed into a Scripture-distributing organization now called Gideons International.[v] Between their initial hotel room Bible placements in 1908 and 2001, the Gideons gave away one billion copies of Scripture, then doubled that number by 2015.[vi] They have spread God’s Word, using over 90 vernacular languages, to 200 countries. Their work continues, and it seems reasonable to project that the Gideons’ Biblical gifts could surpass three billion by the end of this decade. Their persistent efforts bring to mind a prophetic saying: “so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do” (Isaiah 55:11, HCSB).
The Whitman Publishing Company in Racine produced a series of affordable Scripture editions from the 1930s.[vii] Their “Heart Shield Bibles,” or pocket-sized New Testaments with metal covers of the 1940s, were durable and popular for World War II soldiers (photographs above).[viii] Inscribed “May God bless you,” this copy was gifted from Lottie Bille to Major Charles Hearn. Its standard King James Version could have offered Protestant Service members the comfort of familiarity.
Approved by Archbishop Moyses Kiley of Milwaukee, the Kleist-Lilly translation used the Bover Greek text (1943), rendering Biblical books into less formal, modern English (see above).[ix] Kleist (1873-1949) had already shared his version of Mark’s Gospel by partnering with the Bruce Publishing Company in 1932.[x] Kleist’s opening for John’s Gospel contrasts with the soldier’s Scripture above: “When time began, the Word was there, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God. This Word, when time began, was face to face with God. All things came into being through him, and without him there came to be not one thing that has come to be” (1:1-3).[xi] If you would like to add other examples to my brief discussion of Wisconsin’s Bible history, please comment. I also encourage you to post your reflections and responses to this material.
[i] This entity was established by Congress in 1787 to include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, northeastern Minnesota, most of Ohio, and Wisconsin; https://csac.history.wisc.edu/2020/12/11/the-northwest-ordinance-13-july-1787/, accessed July 2026. Temporary changes during the War of 1812 have been omitted from my succinct reference.
[ii] Many thanks for the image of this public domain work, c. 1900, courtesy of the Vesterheim National Norwegian-American Museum: https://collections.vesterheim.org/virtual_galleries/dressing-gown-1992-079-001/, accessed July 2026.
[iii] This is not the translation embroidered. See https://biblehub.com/nor/romans/6.htm, accessed July 2026.
[iv] Here is documentation involved in approving this hotel for the National Register of Historic Places (1996): https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/c6e15b6c-c601-44af-95c0-80fbaa92948d/. Thanks to Jonathunder for the image of a public domain structure that I resized: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CentralHouseHotel.jpg, accessed July 2026.
[v] They are headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee; https://gideons.org/about and https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/bonus-section-who-put-the-gideon-bible-in-your-hotel-room, accessed July 2026.
[vi] https://gideons.org/blog/two-billionth-scripture, accessed July 2026.
[vii] Margaret Hills, ed., The English Bible in America (New York: American Bible Society and New York Public Library, 1961) pp. 377-8, 381, and 395; numbers 2331, 2334, 2349, and 2421.
[viii] Grateful for the image available courtesy of the Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC: https://collections.museumofthebible.org/artifacts/15831-major-charles-hearns-wwii-heart-shield-bible. Find an example printed by the Empire State’s Thomas Nelson at the Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC: https://collections.museumofthebible.org/artifacts/15734-glenn-simpsons-wwii-heart-shield-bible, accessed July 2026. Despite the New York imprint’s engraved cover’s wish, “May this keep you safe from harm,” it was ultimately a gimmick that offered no real protection. It was given to Glenn Simpson by his wife in 1943. See also Hills 1961, p. 395, no. 2421.
[ix] Appreciate the image available at: https://archive.org/details/newtestamentrend0000jame/page/n5/mode/2up, accessed July 2026.
[x] Hills 1961, p. 420, no. 2543.
[xi] https://coursebible.com/bible/kleist-lilly-new-testament, accessed July 2026.
There were many times in my travels when I was grateful for a Gideon Bible in the bedside table. Now I know how the originated. Thank you!
The Gideon Bible was always there when you needed it. Not so much anymore.