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Roy Jenkins investigates a new heritage centre established in a redundant church on the shores of Bala lake. Set to open on October 5th, Mary Jones World is a prestigious new project from the Bible Society, telling the story of the 15 year old girl who walked the Merionethshire hills to obtain her own copy of the bible, and Thomas Charles, the pioneering Methodist. Charles was evidently so moved by Mary鈥檚 efforts to obtain a Bible that he helped found a movement that continues to make the Bible available around the world.

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Costing over 拢1M, and using donations from throughout the world, questions have been asked whether this is an appropriate use of the Society鈥檚 funds, and what exactly visitors will be getting for their money? Certainly, some of people in the Bala district are delighted by the project. Lona Puw, who has been campaigning to rescue the redundant church from the indignity of ending up as a canoe store, feels the Bible Society鈥檚 intervention is an answer to prayer. Local Bible Society organiser Mary Thomas, who has devised a popular Mary Jones Walk, is confident that the success of that venture has helped raised awareness of her story as far afield as Australia, Germany and New Zealand.听

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Opening on the bicentenary of the death of Thomas Charles, Mary Jones World pays tribute to the man, who was both married at this church, and who is buried here.听 But does a faith heritage centre replace living faith? As Professor Densil Morgan observes, Thomas Charles was fortunate to serve at a time when Methodism was an expanding movement; nowadays the church is contracting. Nevertheless, the story of Mary Jones is known throughout the world. For Bible Society executive Paul Woolley,听 Centre Manager Nerys Pritchard, the hope is that visitors will flock here in their thousands.听 To make this project pay for itself, they will certainly need to.