DOUBTING THOMAS

1455 Johann Gutenberg invents to printing press, potentially increasing to lightning speed the slow process of hand copying books, including the Bible. Friar Thomas grumbles, 'Phooey, that impersonal pile of machinery will never replace the personal touch of our hand copied Bibles.'

1845 Samuel Morse's telegraph connects Baltimore and Washington, enabling almost instant messages to be transmitted between the two cities. Reverend Thomas says, 'Why in the world would anyone in Washington want to say something instantly to people in Baltimore; a letter will get there in several days.

1867 After winter ice jammed the East River halting all water routes into and out of Manhattan a variety leaders propose connecting Manhattan to the other boroughs with bridges over and tunnels under the East River. Reverend Thomas says, 'I doubt you could ever build a bridge over that river, and certainly never a tunnel under it -- why it would leak!'

1877 Thomas Edison shows off his new machine, called a phonograph. It talks or makes music when the crank is turned. Upon hearing it, Reverend Thomas remarks, 'Well, there certainly would never be a use for something like a box of music or speaking for people in the church.'

1879 News of Edison's patents for the electric light circulate. Reverend Thomas laughs heartily when someone suggests electrifying the church and starting an evening service. 'Now why in the world would a church need electric lights? Oil lamps were good enough for Eutychus and St. Paul, they should be good enough for us -- besides when it gets dark, God intended humans to go to bed. This will have no effect on the church'

1899 Marconi demonstrates that he can use his wireless telegraph to send a message across the English Channel through the air. Upon reading it in the newspaper, Reverend Thomas grouses, 'What would England and France have to say to each other? And for certain, the *church* would never need to use such a communication device.'

1903 Two Indiana bicycle shop owners, Wilbur & Orville Wright successfully complete a three-mile flight in a new machine that flies in the air. Reverend Thomas lays down his newspaper and comments to his wife, 'Why in the world would anyone want to fly? I doubt this will come to anything. Certainly it will have no impact on the church.'

1913 Henry Ford introduces mass production enabling several families in Reverend Thomas' church to purchase the Model T. Rev. T