Robert Aitken’s Petition (1781)

On this day in 1781, Robert Aitken, a Philadelphia printer, petitioned the U.S. Congress to officially sanction his effort to publish an English Bible in America. The Revolutionary War had severely restricted imports from Britain, and many families found themselves without affordable Scriptures at a time of national upheaval. Aitken’s request was not merely a business appeal; it was a plea rooted in the conviction that liberty cannot endure on political courage alone, but must be nourished by truth that stands above shifting human plans. As Scripture says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

A Printer’s Risk and Resolve

Aitken worked in Philadelphia, a city central to the young nation’s political life and also to its printing trade. Producing a Bible required paper, type, skilled labor, and steady distribution—resources made scarce by wartime disruption. Yet he persisted, accepting financial risk and public scrutiny in order to serve households hungry for God’s Word. His labor reflects quiet heroism: steadfastness, diligence, and willingness to bear loss so others might gain lasting good. In a moment when people spoke often of freedom, Aitken’s work pointed to a deeper freedom that flows from knowing and obeying the Lord. “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).

Congressional Examination and Commendation (1782)

Congress later examined Aitken’s Bible and, in 1782, commended it to the nation—an unusual public encouragement to cherish the Scriptures. That commendation did not create God’s authority, but it acknowledged a public need: a people seeking self-government must not neglect self-government of the heart. The episode stands as a reminder that faith is not only private comfort but public strength, shaping conscience, restraint, and neighbor-love. Aitken’s petition endures as a witness that rebuilding a nation requires more than arms and arguments; it requires a renewed devotion to the Word that “will not return… empty” (Isaiah 55:11).