Members of a Mississippi church are in mourning after a fire destroyed their historic sanctuary. Still, a 180-year-old Bible that weathered the blaze is bringing much-needed hope to the beleaguered congregation.<\/p>\n
College Hill Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Mississippi, built in 1844, has inspired Christians for nearly two centuries. Still, the historic building was left in what WATN-TV described as a \u201cscene of complete devastation\u201d after the fire broke out on August 13th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n The original pews, pulpits, and stained glass were destroyed during the tragic inferno, leaving church members in pain and mourning. But one item did endure: a Bible.<\/p>\n The historical Bible, dating back to the church\u2019s founding, has been handed down and preached from throughout the church\u2019s history, with dated inscriptions in the book\u2019s margins telling part of its history. While the holy book was usually kept open on a pulpit, someone closed it just hours before the fire, amazingly protecting it from potential destruction.<\/p>\n