Universal Encyclopedia

On a recent tour of a magnificent home in Michigan, built in the 1880's I was struck by the set of "universal encyclopedias". As I looked closer, but unfortunately not allowed to open or touch, I noticed the title of the volume bookending them..... Half Hours with the Servants of God.
I wonder who those conversations were with and who they would be if the volume was updated from the 19th century to the 21st? And then I was reminded of one of the biggest "time" purchases my parents ever undertook- buying a set of Encyclopedia Britannica's. And sadly how google has replaced the selection of a volume, the weight of taking it from the shelf, and the fine feeling of thumbing through the pages.