When the Pilgrim Fathers arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, the influence of the Bible and their Christian faith over their lives and literature came with them. A mere 20 years later, The Bay Psalm Book (originally titled The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre) was printed in 1640 in Cambridge Massachusetts. It was the first book printed in the colonies as well as the first book entirely written in the colonies. The early residents of the Massachusetts Bay Colony brought with them several books of Psalms in metrical translations into English, but they were dissatisfied with the translations from Hebrew and hired, "thirty pious and learned Ministers" to undertake a new translation. It represented a sacred value held by the Puritans - a faithful translation of God's Word, to be sung in worship by the entire congregation. Given the harsh living conditions of those early years, it was a remarkable achievement.




Another popular reading book was The New England Primer. This was the first textbook for school children. The Primer taught the children the ABC's by memorizing biblical truths and lessons about life. For example: A - In Adam's fall, we sinned all. B - Heaven to find, the Bible mind. C - Christ crucified, for sinners died, and so on. Click here to read The New England Primer
Included in the Primer were the names of the Old and New Testament books, The Lord's Prayer, the Apostles Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Westminster Assembly Shorter Catechism and John Cotton's "Spiritual Milk for American Babes." The Primer was the second best-selling book in the American colonies.
The number one selling book was The Bible.
Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3: 14-16 (The Message).