Library of Congress
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The Library of Congress, located in Washington D.C., began on April 24, 1800 to do research for legislators. It received an initial grant of $5,000 from Congress. The British burned it during the War of 1812, and soon afterwards Thomas Jefferson sold the Library his personal collection of over 6,400 volumes for around $24,000 in order to repay his creditors.
It is now the largest library in the world. It contains over 130 million items, including 1,470 Bibles and one of three existing copies of the original Gutenberg Bible on vellum.[1]
The Library has these verses inscribed on its walls:[2]
- The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not (John 1:5);
- Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding (Proverbs 4:7);
- What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with thy God (Micah 6:8);
- The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handywork (Psalm 19:1).
Also inscribed is Alfred Lord Tennyson's statement:
- One God, one law, one element, and one far-off divine event, to which the whole creation moves.