Pittsburgh : $b a sketch of its early social lifeDahlinger, Charles W. (Charles William)
History
Pittsburgh : $b a sketch of its early social life
Dahlinger, Charles W. (Charles William)
Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Social life and customs
It would be impossible at this late day to compile a complete list
of Cramer’s publications, nor would it serve any useful purpose. He
published many schoolbooks, particularly for children in the primary
grades. His Pittsburgh and New England primers, and the United States
Spelling Book, were famous in their day. Ecclesiastical books were
in great demand, and Cramer met it. Catechisms were used as books of
primary instruction and were printed in many forms; there were _Larger
Catechisms_, _Shorter Catechisms_, the _Mother’s Catechism_, and the
_Child’s Catechism_. For the Germans he published in German, _The
Shorter Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther_. The religious books that came
from his press would form an endless list. Among those having a bearing
on the history of that time was, _The Marks of a Work of the Spirit,
together with Remarks Respecting the Present Astonishing Work of God,
and Revival of Religion in the Western Country_, by J. Hughes of West
Liberty.[297] “J. Hughes,” was the Rev. James Hughes, pastor of the
Presbyterian churches at Lower Buffalo in Washington County, and West
Liberty in the adjoining county of Ohio in Virginia, and one of the
trustees of the recently established Jefferson College, the pioneer
college of the West.
Cramer lived and flourished in an age when many of the publications
sent out in the name of religion contained the merest drivel, or
were elaborations of theories in regard to matters infinite held by
narrow-minded controversialists. The press was flooded with them.
There were publications bearing such depressing titles as _The Happy
Voyage Completed_, and _The Sure Anchor Cast_. Cramer realized that
in publishing works of this character he might be misunderstood. This
sentiment was evident in the advertisement of at least one of his
publications. On that occasion he prefaced his notice by stating: “_On
the recommendation of some pious friends_, we contemplate printing, _A
Token for children, Being an exact account of the Conversion, holy and
exemplary Lives and Joyful Deaths of several young children!_”[298]
The most pretentious of his works was religious in character, and was
published in 1807. It was _A Dictionary of the Holy Bible_ by the
Rev. John Brown of Haddington, in Scotland, of which two editions
were printed. It was a noteworthy achievement to be accomplished on
the frontier, hundreds of miles from the center of civilization.
Many difficulties had to be overcome, not the least of which was the
delay occasioned by the difficulty in procuring a regular supply
of paper.[299] The work was in two large octavo volumes, and was
illustrated with engraved pictures and maps that are still desired by
collectors. Heading the list of subscribers, was the name of President
Jefferson, of whom Cramer appears to have been an ardent admirer. In
1810, the firm published the _Select Remains of the Rev. John Brown_,
the author of the Dictionary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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