The Holy Bible. Specially Bound for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (With signature of David O'McKay, ninth President of the LDS) David O'McKay (signature)

Octavo, full leather black morocco binding with yapp edges, stamped in gilt to the spine "Missionary Edition", all edges gilt, thumb index, ribbon marker, pp vi, 1107 [Old Testament], ready reference section "for the use of missionaries", copyright 1917 by Joseph L. Smith (pp 103 plus lined blank section), pp 339 [New Testament], A Concise Bible Dictionary based on the Cambridge Companion to the Bible (pp 160), Concordance to the Old and New Testaments (pp 152), eight Bible maps in colour, gazetteer. Signature of David O. McKay first blank free endpaper, followed on another endpaper by three different ownership inscriptions, all with addresses in Utah. There also two shorter ownerhip signatures to the reverse of the front free endpaper, one crossed out. Two handwritten lines with religious meaning in the lined section, otherwise very clean throughout. Near-fine condition. The 1611 Authorised King James version of the Bible, specially bound for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints [the LDS, known informally as Mormons]. Uniquely, it is signed by David O. McKay (1873 - 1970). McKay served as the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1951 until his death in 1970. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was an active general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church history. "He expanded the vision of the Church?s worldwide mission, and under his administration the first stakes were created outside of the United States. He also strengthened Church membership with a renewed emphasis on the value of family life and education." (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/). This signed Bible was clearly treasured by several Mormon communities in the church's heartland of Utah. McKay was a very important figure in LDS leadership and religious education (and a link between nineteenth and twentieth century LDS history). Signed items by him, let alone specially bound LDS missionary editions of the Bible, are scarce.