The 1776 Saur "Gun-Wad" Bible

A Symbol of Resilience, Self-Sufficiency, and Faith in Early American History

The 1776 Saur Bible, often referred to as the "Gun-Wad Bible," stands as a pivotal artifact in the annals of American religious and printing history. Printed by Christoph Saur Jr. in Germantown, Pennsylvania, this third edition of the German-language Bible was completed amid the escalating tensions of the American Revolution. It not only represented a milestone in colonial printing—being the first Bible produced entirely from American-made materials—but also embodied the intersection of faith, immigrant identity, and the struggle for independence. Its destruction at the hands of British troops during the war underscored the Bible's unintended role in the conflict, while its survival in limited numbers highlights its enduring significance as a testament to the religious underpinnings of the American founding.

Background on the Saur Family and the Germantown Press

The story of the 1776 Saur Bible begins with the Saur family, German immigrants who played a crucial role in colonial America's printing and religious landscape. Christoph Saur Sr. (1693–1758), born in Laasphe, Germany, emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1724 with his wife and young son, seeking religious freedom amid persecution in Europe. Saur Sr. was a multifaceted craftsman—skilled in medicine, clockmaking, carpentry, and eventually printing—and aligned with the German Baptist Brethren (also known as Dunkers), a pacifist Anabaptist sect emphasizing simple living and biblical piety. Settling in Germantown, a hub for German-speaking immigrants, he established one of the colonies' most influential printing operations in 1738. His press addressed the spiritual needs of Pennsylvania's growing German population, which included Lutherans, Reformed, Mennonites, and Brethren, many of whom arrived in waves from regions like Crefeld in the early 18th century.

Saur Sr.'s son, Christoph Saur Jr. (1721–1784), inherited and expanded the family business after his father's death. Baptized into the Brethren Church in 1737, Saur Jr. became a deacon and overseer, embodying the family's deep religious convictions. The press produced over 200 works, including almanacs, newspapers (such as Der Hoch-Deutsch Pennsylvanische Geschichts-Schreiber), and devotional materials, fostering German cultural and religious continuity in the colonies. The Saurs anglicized their name to "Sower" in English contexts, reflecting their adaptation to American life while maintaining ties to their heritage.

The Saur Bibles were based on Martin Luther's German translation, drawing from the 34th Halle edition, but incorporated elements from the mystical Berleburg Bible (1726–1742), including additional apocryphal books like 3 and 4 Ezra and 3 Maccabees. This choice catered to sectarian groups like the Brethren and the Ephrata community, emphasizing spiritual introspection over orthodox Lutheranism. The editions featured a large quarto format (approximately 9.5 x 7.25 inches) with legible Fraktur type, chapter summaries, cross-references, and traditional German bindings using beveled wooden boards and corded spines—distinct from emerging American styles.

The Three Saur Editions: Milestones in American Printing

The Saur Bibles marked a series of "firsts" that underscored America's growing independence from European imports:

• 1743 Edition: Printed by Saur Sr. in an edition of 1,200 copies, this was the first Bible in a European language produced in America (preceded only by John Eliot's 1663 Algonquin Bible). It addressed the scarcity of affordable, readable German Bibles, with Saur Sr. distributing copies to the poor and funding production through subscriptions. Despite controversies from Lutheran clergy and internal Brethren debates over apocrypha and textual choices, it sold slowly but established the press's reputation.

• 1763 Edition: Produced by Saur Jr. in 2,000 copies, this was the first Bible printed on American-made paper, sourced locally, including from mills associated with Benjamin Franklin. It omitted some controversial elements from the first edition and sold out by 1775, reflecting increased demand among German communities.

• 1776 Edition: The culmination of these efforts, this third edition of 3,000 copies was the first Bible printed using American-made type, cast in Saur Jr.'s own foundry established in 1772–1773. Paper came from his mill on the Schuylkill River, ink from local ingredients, and bindings from native calfskin. Requiring nearly 500,000 sheets and about 1 million hand-press pulls, it mirrored the 1763 layout but used fresh type settings. Labeled "Dritte Auflage" (Third Edition), it included the Old Testament apocrypha in smaller type at the end, without the postface from the 1743 version.

This progression from imported tools to fully domestic production symbolized the colonies' burgeoning self-reliance, aligning with the revolutionary spirit of 1776.

The 1776 Saur "Gunwad" Bible in The Flood Museum collection

Role in the American Revolution: Destruction and the "Gun-Wad" Nickname

Printed at the dawn of the Revolution, the 1776 edition's fate was inextricably linked to the war. The Saur family, as pacifist Brethren, opposed the conflict; Saur Sr. had condemned military actions before his death, and Saur Jr. refused oaths of allegiance to Pennsylvania in 1777, leading to his arrest in 1778, brief imprisonment, and property confiscation. Exonerated by George Washington but exiled from Germantown, Saur Jr. saw his press operations halted.

During the British occupation of Philadelphia from September 1777 to June 1778, troops encamped in Germantown seized unbound sheets from Saur's warehouse. Following the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777, soldiers reportedly used the paper for horse bedding, kindling, and—most famously—powder cartridges (wads) for rifles. Each cartridge required paper to wrap gunpowder and balls, speeding reloading; with over 400,000 sheets available, this could have produced millions of cartridges. While some legends attribute this specifically to the battle (now largely discredited), the widespread knowledge of such uses earned the edition its enduring nickname, "Gun-Wad Bible."

The depredation was so extensive that most of the 3,000 copies were destroyed, leaving fewer than 200 surviving today—many incomplete and possibly rebound with reprints. This loss not only curtailed Bible distribution but also symbolized the war's disruption of colonial life, including religious practices.

Importance to the Founding of America

The 1776 Saur Bible's role in America's founding extends beyond its material fate. Printed the year of the Declaration of Independence, it exemplified the colonies' push for self-sufficiency, mirroring the revolutionary ideals of liberty and autonomy. As the first fully American-made Bible, it reduced dependence on European imports, aligning with economic boycotts and the drive for independence. The Bible's influence on founding principles was broader: Scriptures shaped colonial views on governance, with citations dominating political writings from 1760–1805. Figures like Samuel Adams cited religious freedoms—such as the British suppression of Bible printing—as motivations for revolution. For German immigrants, who comprised a significant portion of Pennsylvania's population, the Saur Bible reinforced community cohesion and moral foundations essential to the republican experiment.

Significance in American Religious History

In American religious history, the Saur Bibles were instrumental in sustaining Protestantism among German speakers, who faced poverty and cultural isolation. Affordable and accessible, they promoted biblical literacy and personal piety, countering imported editions' small print. By including Berleburg elements, they supported mystical and sectarian traditions, influencing groups like the Ephrata cloister. As the first European-language Bibles printed in America, they paved the way for later milestones, like Robert Aitken's 1782 English Bible, and highlighted the role of immigrant presses in diversifying religious expression. The 1776 edition, despite its scarcity, remains a symbol of faith's resilience amid adversity, embodying how religion intertwined with America's emergent identity.

Legacy and Conclusion

Today, surviving copies of the 1776 Saur Bible, housed in institutions like the Museum of the Bible and The Flood Museum, serve as rare windows into colonial America's soul. Its story—from innovative production to wartime destruction—illustrates the Bible's profound impact on the nation's founding, not merely as a spiritual text but as a material embodiment of independence and endurance. In an era when faith informed governance and daily life, the "Gun-Wad Bible" reminds us of the sacred threads woven into America's revolutionary tapestry.