Editorials

Rare Books

Dear Friends:

Today's article is a little different...it's non-political. It's about a new technology
that I recently discovered, and which, in my opinion is incredible. But first, a
short story.... I like to collect old books. I have only a few, but treasure each.
I used to have one from 1897 entitled Letters from Adina. Now that just happened
to be the planned name for my daughter, if I ever had one. A couple years after
my daughter Adina was born, the book disappeared. I spent the next 15 years trying
to find another copy of the book. (I really wanted to give her a copy of the book
on her 16th birthday). I was unsuccessful until two months ago. I tracked down
the original book which was entitled, The Prince of the House of David, printed
in 1857. I learned that the University of Michigan had a copy in its rare book
section. What I learned after that is the real crux of this story.

The Univ. of Mich. has scanned many of its rare books into a computer and
we can access and read them on the internet. I am talking hundreds of books
from the 1700 & 1800's, etc. You can access them at http://lib.umich.edu.

I spent several hours one day reading an American History book from 1879.
Interestingly, the author touched on the issue of origins and did a short comparison
between the theory of evolution and Intelligent design, stating that, "the question
between these two is, at the present time, a subject of earnest discussion throughout
the whole scientific world". (I love old books!)

But here's even the better part of the new technology. Not only can you read these
books, you can have one printed and shipped to you! At a reasonable cost!
The book that I first mentioned above....The Prince of the House of David.
I ordered a copy of it. It arrived a couple of weeks ago. It is a brand new,
hardbound book that is an exact duplicate of the 1857 original. (except for that new
hardbound cover). I paid approx. $50 for the book, which included shipping. Not
bad when you consider that a copy of the original would run several hundred
dollars, if it could be found. (Later reprints are cheaper, as I found on the internet
using the proper name). So now I have a copy of the book to give to my daughter,
and her 20th birthday is fast approaching....

Speaking of birthdays, here's an interesting coincidence, last week my father turned
75, my son 25. What a week! (And we men think our jobs are the most important
thing in our lives!) How our women must forgive us!

I'll close this edition with another quote from that history book I mentioned earlier.
Being a judge, I really liked this:

"The Creator has implanted in the human mind a natural sense of justice,
a love of what is right in the dealings between man and man, and a disapproval
of what is wrong...." (I really love old books!)

Be Good!

Judge Paul Enlow

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