The Lost Books of the Bible

About the book

The Lost Books of the Bible


This is a collection of New Testament Apocrypha, including many works which were admired and read by the early Christians, but which were later excluded from the canonical Bible. It includes accounts of the young Jesus, particularly the Gospel of Mary and the Protevangelion, which provides additional folklore about the birth and youthful adventures of Jesus. Of note are the letters of Paul and Seneca, and the letters of Herod and Pilate, which are most likely a forgery, but add more depth to the question of the historicity of Jesus. There are also a number of non-canonical epistles, such as Laodiceans. Also worth a close read are the three books of the Shepherd of Hermas, which uses apocalyptic and symbolic imagery.


About the Author

Rutherford Platt Hayes


Rutherford Platt Hayes was the third son of Rutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth president of the United States, and Lucy W. Hayes. He was born on June 24, 1858 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rutherford attended Michigan State University and in 1880 graduated with a B.S. degree from Cornell University.Soon after his arrival in Fremont, the Birchard Library was founded by Sardis Birchard, President Hayes’ uncle. Rutherford Platt Hayes was appointed one of the trustees. He devoted most of his time outside business hours to the library and introduced progressive ideas to its management. To make the library attractive to children, he arranged small desks and chairs and a large collection of books suitable for them. Boxes of books were sent to nearby towns, thus anticipating the present traveling libraries. He established a catalogue which was published by installments in a local paper. He was among the founders of the Ohio Library Association in 1895 and instrumental in getting a bill through the legislature for the appointment of a state library commission. The governor appointed him commissioner for six years.


During the last fifteen years of his life he spent his winters in Florida. First at Umatilla and in 1920 located permanently in Clearwater. As chairman of the board of directors of the Clearwater Savings and Loan Association, and the First Mortgage Investment Co., he promoted the business interests of the city and encouraged people to own homes of their own. He was interested in the organization of a Republican party in Florida and was one of the founders of the Lincoln Memorial Association, the purpose of which was to draw the northern and southern elements of the community into a closer bond of friendship. Prior to his death he devoted much of his time to the study of plans for vocational education. Throughout his life, he maintained his interest in library matters, promoting those of Asheville and Clearwater and retaining his membership on the board of trustees of the library in Fremont. For many years he was secretary of the American Library Association and also served as vice president and acting president. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Commandery of Ohio, and the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Rutherford Platt Hayes died July 31, 1927 in Tampa, Florida.