STATE OF TH£ PRESS. 319 



earth, air, fire, water, aye, even immense tracts of space, far 

 as the telescope can discernj tributary to man^s comfort, 

 knowledge and happiness. Aided by Guteriburgh's copying 

 machine, every new idea, useful to mankind, soon crosses 

 every sea and every ocean, and finally, pervades every part 

 of our habitable globe. It was this copying machine that 

 enabled Martin Luther to spread his doctrines over Christen- 

 dom, and to assert the rights of conscience, and the liberty of 

 speaking and writing our opinions, upon all matters in religion, 

 science, politics and literature- This machine has prostrated 

 error, wherever it has had free scope. It is the friend of 

 genuine libertyj of justice, of human happiness and human 

 glory. Through the aid of this machine, the scriptures have 

 been spread, are spreading, and will continue to do so, until 

 the light of the gospel shall shine on all lands, enlighten all 

 nations, and render all men happier and better. Happy will 

 it be for mankind, if the Press continues to be unshackled, as 

 it now is, in this country. May those who use it, never de- 

 scend to licentiousness — to the servility of panders, for the 

 men in power, nor become the tools of aspiring demagogues, 

 either in church or state. The Press multiplies copies of 

 books, and renders them cheap,* and accessible to all read- 

 ers. Ideas beget ideas, which are the parents of others, ia 

 endless progression. One invention leads to other inventions, 

 enabling man to overcome time and space, and turn to his 

 use and benefit all the elements. He conquers the whole 

 world, rendering useful to him earth, ocean, air, and every 

 plant and every animal. He is enabled to make the very 

 stars in the deepest vault of the far blue heavens useful to 

 him. And whether he travels back, down the long lapse of 

 ages past, or rise on the wings of his enraptured imagination, 

 and fly into the most distant regions of futurity, his wander- 

 ings may be all recorded by a pen, and by the Press circula- 

 ted all over the world, and their remembrance be perpetuated 

 forever. 



*Two hundred years ago a New Testament cost two hundred doUaiS— it 

 costs now ten cents. 



