“Yes, indeed,” said Somebody, “a book was a priceless possession in those days, and there’s not much wonder that there were very few scholars--only priests and physicians had the leisure to become learned, even if they could have obtained the books from which to study.” “The Bible we have is then a translation,” said the boy named Billy. “The Bible was translated into various languages,” said Somebody, “but the first English version was translated from the Latin by a priest named John Wycliffe, of Lutterworth, England. He believed that the Bible belonged to everybody and should be put into such form that everyone could read it. But instead of being thanked and made much of for the very great service he was doing he was put out of the church and called a heretic for daring to meddle with the word of God--which did not stop his work at all, because he finished it. After his death no one did any more about it for a hundred years or so until Johan Guttenberg discovered the art of printing, and when in 1454 the use of movable type was found possible many copies of the Bible were printed and everyone could have his own. “In 1516 Erasmus, a learned Greek scholar, published the New Testament, which was translated by William Tyndale, who was so persecuted by those who did not want it published that he was obliged to go to Germany to finish his work; even there he was so hampered that it was not until 1525 that the New Testament was finally printed. “Merely as literature, it has made a deeper impression upon the human mind than has any other book, and the extent to which it has helped shape the world’s ideas cannot be estimated. No matter how much you know of poetry or prose, you cannot consider yourself well read unless you are thoroughly acquainted with the Bible.” “It is wonderful that the language has been kept so beautiful after all those translations and copyings,” said the boy named Billy. “Very likely it was changed a good bit,” said Somebody, “but its wonderful message of Truth has not been changed.” “I don’t know where there’s another story like that of David,” said Billy, “and the one about Joseph’s coat has any one of the six best sellers beaten a mile.” “Perhaps you’ll like to know,” said Somebody, “that the Bible, year in and year out is _THE_ best seller.” “I don’t wonder,” said the boy named Billy. Good Friday “Tomorrow will be Good Friday,” said the boy named Billy. “That is the day on which Christ Jesus was crucified, wasn’t it, Somebody?” “Yes,” said Somebody, “and is why it is remembered by us all in one way or another--by church services, or in our thoughts.” “Of course I know the story,” said the boy named Billy, “but won’t you please tell it over again?”