A Brief History of the Last Thirty-Eight Years of Sid Barht’s King James Bible

Written by Colin Windhorst

            Shortly after moving to Pembroke, Maine, Sid Barht, early in 1975, contacted the Reverend Ronald A. Windhorst of Dennysville, Maine.  Some years earlier, Sid had purchased, for a nominal sum, an early edition of the King James Bible.  Although a Jew, Sid had great respect for Jesus and his teachings.  It was his express desire that this Bible, as he said, “so precious to the New England Puritans,” should be made available to be seen by Christians in Eastern Maine, and especially Washington County.

          He asked Ronald Windhorst to accept the Bible with the understanding that it be seen by the people in eastern Maine.  He told Mr. Barht that he would be glad to do so, but he thought the best site for its location would be the Moulton Library of the Bangor Theological Seminary.   Pastor Windhorst spoke with Professor Throckmorton at the Seminary about that possibility, who agreed that it would be an excellent venue for that purpose.  It was Mr. Barht’s desire that every few months the bible would travel to various church sites in Eastern and possibly northern Maine.  Professor Throckmorton agreed to that.  With that understanding, the Bible was presented for display to the Bangor Seminary.

          Previously, Reverend Windhorst suggested that a period appropriate oak Bible Box should be made for the book’s travel purposes.  Pastor Windhorst provided the example of a seventeenth century Bible Box from Wallace Nutting’s Furniture Treasury, plate number 135.  Elliot Fishbine, a talented wood-joiner and artisan in Eastport, made a modified version of the original example about two years later.

          For some time, Mr. Barht was distressed that the seminary had not made the book available, “not even once,” for wider viewing, the express purpose for which he had placed it with the Seminary.  Pastor Windhorst urged him to give them further opportunity to carry out the original intent.  However, when the Seminary announced that it was divesting itself of the Campus and Library, Mr. Barht, then approaching his nineties, asked the Reverend Colin Windhorst, Ph.D., to intervene and retrieve the Bible for the original purpose for it, which he had had in mind.  Dr. Windhorst expressed in writing Mr. Barht’s wishes to the Seminary. 

          Since 2013, when the Seminary had ceased to exist in its traditional functioning, including degree granting, etc., the book was returned to Dr. Windhorst in August of that year.  He has undertaken the responsibility of professional care for the original express purpose of the Bible’s pubic accessibility and viewing.