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The Pocket Testament League is a Christian nonprofit organization which distributes printed copies of the Gospels from the New Testament.

History

The Pocket Testament League was founded in 1893 by a 12-year-old named Helen Cadbury, daughter of the president of the confectioner Cadbury, who wished to introduce her classmates to Christianity.^[1] She formed a group with her Christian schoolfriends, “The Pocket Testament League.”

In 1904, Helen married American evangelist Charles McCallon Alexander, who officially organized the league with Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman in Philadelphia in March of 1908.^[2] Alexander had been associated with the prominent evangelist Dwight L. Moody, and his experience in worldwide evangelism gave a huge impetus to the League. In 1914, The Pocket Testament League opened an office in London and began sharing gospels as part of its First World War outreach. In October, one of their campaigns gave out 400,000 New Testaments to soldiers on Salisbury Plain.

During the Great Depression, members of the League shared Gospels through the Civilian Conservation Corps in the South and throughout New England. Billy Graham encouraged the League, commenting that "I am completely sold on the work of The Pocket Testament League, and continue to pray for those associated with it."^[3]

Many people heard the story of a pocket sized Bible in a soldier’s pocket that saved his life. It was Private Jennison of the 5th Yorkshire Regiment who, during WWI, was carrying his New Testament supplied by The Pocket Testament League which stopped the bullet that would have pierced his chest.

After WWII, General MacArthur asked the league for Pocket Testaments. Members of league contributed 11 million Gospels for the nation of Japan. As a result of these Gospels being shared in Japan, Captain Fuchida Mitsuo, who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor, later became a Christian and worked for The League.

After WWII, the league started missionary work in foreign countries. With the support of Generals George Marshall and Chiang Kai-shek, Bibles were distributed among Chinese soldiers fighting in the Chinese Civil War.^[4]

Present

The League has over 450,000 members and a staff of 5 full-time people that work from virtual offices. A small team runs the ministry and it is managed by a 15-person board of trustees. The League has members from all 50 U.S. states and from 140 countries.

The League is based in Lititz, Pennsylvania, US. It is also known as Bridge Builders in the UK.^[5]

Today, the league still prints small, pocket-sized Gospel of John in languages including English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Russian, German, Spanish and Portuguese, with wide range of cover designs. In 2019 about 16,000 individuals shared 1,150,000 gospels. It also partners with local Bible Societies for accurate Bible translations and ships from several locations around the world and in 2019, 300 partners distributed 6 million gospels.

References

^ Official website
^ Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.
^ Official website
^ Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.
^ Official PTL-UK website

External links

Official website
The Pocket Testament league around the world by George T.B. Davis
The Remarkable Story of Helen Cadbury at Therebelution.com

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+{{Short description|Christian organization}}
-{{multiple issues|
 {{refimprove|date=December 2013}}
-{{tone|date=September 2013}}
-}}
-The '''Pocket Testament League''' is a Christian organization which distributes printed copies of the [[Gospels]]. The Pocket Testament League is a relatively small non-profit organization serving hundreds of thousands of members from various denominational backgrounds. A small team runs the ministry, and it is managed by a 15-person Board of Trustees. Members of The Pocket Testament League have shared{{when|date=September 2013}} over 110 million{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Gospels.
+The '''Pocket Testament League''' is a [[Christians|Christian]] [[nonprofit organization]] which distributes printed copies of the [[Gospels]] from the [[New Testament]].
 == History ==
+The Pocket Testament League was founded in 1893 by a 12-year-old named Helen Cadbury, daughter of the president of the confectioner [[Cadbury]], who wished to introduce her classmates to Christianity.<ref>[https://www.ptl.org/about/our-history/ Official website]</ref> She formed a group with her Christian schoolfriends, “The Pocket Testament League.”
-The Pocket Testament League was originally founded in 1893 by a teenage girl named [[Helen Cadbury]], as a means of winning her classmates to Christ. In 1904, Helen married American evangelist [[Charles McCallon Alexander]], who officially organized the League with Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman in [[Philadelphia]], in March 1908.<ref>Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.</ref> Alexander had been associated with the prominent evangelist [[Dwight L. Moody]] and his experience in worldwide evangelism gave huge impetus to the League. In 1914, The Pocket Testament League opened an office in London, England, and began sharing Gospels as part of its [[First World War]] outreach. In October, a campaign gave out 400,000 New Testaments to soldiers on [[Salisbury Plain]].
+In 1904, Helen married American [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Charles McCallon Alexander]], who officially organized the league with Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman in [[Philadelphia]] in March of 1908.<ref>Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.</ref> Alexander had been associated with the prominent evangelist [[Dwight L. Moody]], and his experience in worldwide evangelism gave a huge impetus to the League. In 1914, The Pocket Testament League opened an office in [[London]] and began sharing gospels as part of its [[First World War]] outreach. In October, one of their campaigns gave out 400,000 New Testaments to soldiers on [[Salisbury Plain]].
-During the [[Great Depression]], members of the League shared Gospels through the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] in the South and throughout New England. The Corps was a government-organized effort to put jobless men to work on public projects. [[Billy Graham]] was a great encouragement to the League, commenting that "I am completely sold on the work of The Pocket Testament League, and continue to pray for those associated with it."{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
-<!--
-THE FOLLOWING ARE SIGNIFICANT CLAIMS, AND REQUIRE CLEAR SOURCING TO PUBLISHED, REPUTABLE WORKS. NOT JUST BLOGS, FORUMS, OR PTL'S OWN SITE.
+During the [[Great Depression]], members of the League shared Gospels through the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] in the [[Southern United States|South]] and throughout [[New England]]. [[Billy Graham]] encouraged the League, commenting that "I am completely sold on the work of The Pocket Testament League, and continue to pray for those associated with it."<ref>[https://www.ptl.org/about/our-history/#toggle-id-3 Official website]</ref>
-The ministry has a rich history.  Many grew up hearing the story of a pocket sized Bible in a soldier’s pocket that saved his life. It was [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=157116%20 Private Jennison of the 5th Yorkshire Regiment] who, during WWI, was carrying his New Testament supplied by The Pocket Testament League which stopped the bullet that would have pierced his chest.
+Many people heard the story of a pocket sized Bible in a soldier’s pocket that saved his life. It was [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=157116%20 Private Jennison of the 5th Yorkshire Regiment] who, during WWI, was carrying his New Testament supplied by The Pocket Testament League which stopped the bullet that would have pierced his chest.
-After WWII General MacArthur asked The League for Pocket Testaments. Members of The Pocket Testament League contributed a stunning 11 million Gospels for the nation of Japan through gracious giving and prayer. As a result of these Gospels being shared in Japan, Captain [[Mitsuo_Fuchida|Fuchida Mitsuo]], who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor, accepted Christ as his Savior. He later worked for The League.
--->
+After WWII, General MacArthur asked the league for Pocket Testaments. Members of league contributed 11 million Gospels for the nation of Japan. As a result of these Gospels being shared in Japan, Captain [[Mitsuo_Fuchida|Fuchida Mitsuo]], who had led the attack on Pearl Harbor, later became a Christian and worked for The League.
-After the Second World War, the league started its missionary work in foreign countries. With the support of General [[George Marshall]] and [[Chiang Kai-shek]], bibles were distributed among Chinese soldiers fighting in the [[Chinese Civil War]].<ref>Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.</ref>
+After WWII, the league started missionary work in foreign countries. With the support of Generals [[George Marshall]] and [[Chiang Kai-shek]], Bibles were distributed among Chinese soldiers fighting in the [[Chinese Civil War]].<ref>Archie R. Crouch (ed.), Christianity in China : a scholars' guide to resources in the libraries and archives of the United States, New York 1989, p. 226.</ref>
--->
+==Present==
-'''Nigeria'''
+The League has over 450,000 members and a staff of 5 full-time people that work from virtual offices. A small team runs the ministry and it is managed by a 15-person board of trustees. The League has members from all 50 U.S. states and from 140 countries.
+The League is based in [[Lititz]], Pennsylvania, US. It is also known as Bridge Builders in the UK.<ref>[https://www.ptluk.org/about/ Official PTL-UK website]</ref>
-PTL evangelism outreach in Nigeria. Watch historic videos of historical documentation.  Muslim students are given the Bible.  https://vimeo.com/71231276
+Today, the league still prints small, pocket-sized [[Gospel of John]] in languages including English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, [http://www.ptl.org/it Italian], [http://www.ptl.org/jp Japanese], [http://www.ptl.org/ru Russian], [http://www.ptl.org/de German], [http://www.ptl.org/es Spanish] and Portuguese, with wide range of cover designs. In 2019 about 16,000 individuals shared 1,150,000 gospels. It also partners with local Bible Societies for accurate Bible translations and ships from several locations around the world and in 2019, 300 partners distributed 6 million gospels.
-==Present==
-As of 2013, the League has over one million Facebook fans in dozens of countries, over 350,000 members, and a staff of 5 full time people that work from virtual offices. The League has members from all 50 states and 140 countries.
-Today The League still print small pocket sized Gospels of John in many languages, such as English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese. The League partners with local Bible Societies for accurate Bible translations, and ships from several locations around the world. They League offers a wide range of ornamental cover designs featuring artwork, hobby-related imagery, and camouflage.
 == See also ==
+* [[Gideons International]]
-* '''[http://www.gmahalloffame.org/site/charles-m-alexander/ Charles M. Alexander]'''
-A Romance of Song and Soul Winning by Helen Cadbury Alexander
-[http://www.butlertanneranddennis.com/heritage/ Printed in  Great Britain by Butler and Tanner, Frome and London]
-<br />
+== References ==
-* '''Helen Cadbury And Charles M. Alexander'''
+<references />
-Copyright 1989 Simon Fox
-[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Cadbury-Charles-M-Alexander/dp/0551019476 A Love That Embraced the World by Simon Fox]
-* [[Gideons International]]
-<br />
 == External links ==
 *{{official website|http://www.ptl.org}}
-*''[http://archive.org/details/pockettestamentl00davi The Pocket Testament league around the world]''  by [[George Davis]]
+*''[https://archive.org/details/pockettestamentl00davi The Pocket Testament league around the world]''  by George T.B. Davis
 *''[http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/11/the-remarkable-story-of-helen-cadbury/ The Remarkable Story of Helen Cadbury]'' at Therebelution.com
-== References ==
+== Further reading ==
+'''Helen Cadbury And Charles M. Alexander''' Copyright 1989 Simon Fox [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Cadbury-Charles-M-Alexander/dp/0551019476 A Love That Embraced the World by Simon Fox]
-<references />
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pocket Testament League}}
 [[Category:American evangelists]]
 [[Category:Christian missions]]
-[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1893]]
+[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1893]]
+[[Category:1893 establishments in the United Kingdom]]