The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-12-02
Vol. 4.---No. 20.
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
The Art of Printing.

The Art OF Printing.
Is is only about three hundred years
since the art of printing was invented.
Previous to that time books had to be
made by the slow process of copying
them with pen. They were written
upon parchment and sold at very high
price, SO that poor people were unable to
purchase them. The great majority of
people in ancient times were not taught
to read, and books would have been to
them possession of no value. 1900
At last the art of printing was invent
ed by John Guttenburg, at Mentz, in
Germany. The idea of making movable
metallic types, he derived from another
German who had engraved letters upon
wood, and made a very limited use of
them. Guttenburg kept his invention a
profound secret, as long as be could do
so. He only communicated it to rich
merchant, and entered into partnership
with him for the publication of books.
These books were very different in ap-
pearancs from the books we make use of.
They were printed upon parchment, and
were made to resemble the manuscripts
that were written with pen. The diff
ference could not be discerned between
them. They were indeed sold as manu-
scripts, and the publishers of them ex-
pected to secure large profits, and to be-
come wealthy, on account of their being
able to make them with SO much facility.
The first book printed by Gutenberg
and his partner was the Bible. Some
copies of it were taken to the city of
Paris and there sold. They sold at a
high price to the first purchasers. After
wards they did not bring more than half
the price that had usually been paid for
copies of the sacred volume. One copy
was sold to the Arch bishop of Paris
another to the King of France. On
comparing them together they were found
to agree perfectly. They were exactly
alike even to the crossing of a t, and the
dotting of an i. They had the same
number of lines on the same page, and
the same number of words in each line.
Amazement filled the mind of all who
examined them. They were supposed to
be the work of magic, and it was believed
that the Devil had hand in the pro-
duction of them. The man, who sold
them, was taken up and accused of hay
ing unlawful dealings with his satanic
majesty. The punishment of such a
crime was death. To free himself from
this unjust, but serious accusation. he had
to make it known, that the only devil
concerned in the publication Of his books
was John Guttenburg, who was engaged
in the work of printing them at Mentz.
Thus the invention of the art of print
ing became known to the world.
What change it has already pro-
duced in human affairs 1t is a signif-
cant fact that the first book printed was
the Bible; but how strange was the idea
that the Devil had hand in the publica-
tion of it. 1t is the last book that he
would have thought of publishing. 1t
cannot, however, be denied that he is
very actively employed in making use of
the printing-press at the present day.
He fully understands its value.
There is likewise consolation in the
thought that its value is understood by
the friends of truth. Copies of the BIZ
Bile are now multiplied with rapidity
that is truly astonishing; and conse-
Grated use of the printing press contri-
butes to the success of all our efforts to
spread the knowledge of the truth both
in Christian and heather lands.