It was just another brick in the wall, but embedded in the mortar was a nail, forged by a blacksmith and, for some reason, spiked into the brick wall of a 17th Century church tower, leaving visitors to wonder at its purpose and by whom it was installed. This was Jamestowne, the original, successful British colony on North American soil - a colony established not only for the growth of the empire or for making companies rich by finding gold or other treasures, but also for the establishment of the Christian religion among the Indians along the Virginia coast. |
Jamestowne was settled in 1607. The original church building, made of wood, was built shortly after arrival. Other land (Grebe Land) was set aside for the use of the minister nearby in establishing a mission to teach the Natives. The brick replacement sanctuary was constructed shortly after, and I can't imagine that it would taken very long for King James Version Bibles to arrive on the American shore. Jamestowne would be one of the first American locations to receive and utilize this important publication, and it would have been right here, in the presence of these simple bricks (and that forged nail) that soul-saving Words would be read aloud.
Being me, I did not resist touching the walls and the nail and allowing myself to travel some 400 years back in time to also touch the cracked, calloused hands that placed them there.