Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-07-21
Popular Literature.
From The Western Christian Advocated

upOh puuliC Oul
Gus circles are not exempt. know mer
1 who, this year, refused to renew their sub
scription to religious journal, weekly
and welcome visitor to their homes FOR years
because they have substituted one of the
"lllustrated Weekles" of the East. II is
not matter of great surprise that a taste
of this Kind of literature should fasten itsel
upon the unregeneratod mind, but we must
wonder and lament when Christians patron
ize it and introduce it to their children.
The love and murder. blood and thunder
literature which flooded our country in yel-
loo covers, has left US only TO be substitu.
ted by that which is better disguised. per-
haps more refined, yet more dangerous, for
it is equally unnatural and untruth(ul, and
its attractive disguise will be its passport
to the brains and hearts of thousands who
would never acquaint themselves with the
former.
believe in truth--in immortal truth for
immortal minds-and that it needs no fic-
titous dress or ornament to make it desira-
| BILE; yet, if the men, and women, and chill
| uIeu vi IuC mUsl udSC lOE
consciences' sake let 1t come in such image
and figure as to give us, as near as possible
truthful views of human life and human
nature.
But what is the most Of this popular
newspaper literature! Romantic love stories
extraordinary adventures, and diabolical
characters. The mind cf the habitual rea Ter
of this literature 5ecomes-if at all impress
siSle-soon disgusted with the practical
things of life, and is soon led off into very
dreamy, visionary state of existence, in
which it is effec'ually disqualified for earth
or heaven. If this is disputed, please to look
upon the thousands of dreamy ,aimless young
men and women who are now floating upon
the surface of American society. What are
they but curse to themselves! What will
they prove but an unmtigated curse to the
next generation! Many of them starting
in life with fine intellects and bright hopes
might have become blessings to their race,
had they not sacrificed their all at the sFrind
of this false but popular god. One would
suppose that Christians, and especially
Christian parents, would be warned by what
is so fearfully palpable, yet it appears other
wise in too many instances. Says one, 81
cannot forego my taste for this reading; or
at least can not abandon my paper, for it
is favored with contributions from some of
the best writers Of the age, and can dis.
criminate between unhealthy tales and " hat
is chaste and pure," etc. But. friend, your
children can not discriminate if YOU are
blessed with that yonderfnl faculty Yet
they can reason, at will not hurt me to
read this paper, for father does" Thus,
while YOU are reading from the chaste pen
OF the distinguished E, you are introducing
the mians of your children to the dreamy
and attractive stories which crowd the col
umns OK that paper. Their tastes and habits
are in rapid process of formation. Your ex-
ample is On important instrument in that
process. Early Impressions are ineffaceablc.
Then what must be the consequences of
your example! What judgment-day rev.
elaiion you will have to meet!
Do you say that you must have recrea-
ton, and this reading furnishes relaxation
and rest to your weary limbs. But when
you make recreation business, it no longer
is recreation. We need not be slaves to
work We need not drudge out life's exist
ence without rest or recreation. But God
forbid that we should recreale our hearts
into a distaste tor that work and grace by
which, alone, we can be useful here, or
blessed through eternity!
Time is precious--a little section cut out
of eternity and given us to do our work in.
1t will soon leave US. Do we see that our
own little streamlet is gliding away, bear.
ing us with it toward that other world, of
which all things here are but dim shadow!
How DO we use our time. Every day rising
out of eternity asks US the question, What
will you do in Gods world for God!" A
certain writer describes marble statue in
a certain city, fashioned, by art, into beau
tiful fountain, and through the lips and the
hands the water flows in continual stream
ON and on, forever. But the marble
stands ive--cold-making no
effort to arrest the water. So time runs
through the hands of men, never pausing
till it runs out. O! how many stand, like
the marble man, and never know what it is
which is passing away from them forever.
Christian brother and friend, how do we
spend our life! Last year is gone, yester-
day is gone, and it can never come again.
1t was born fresh from eternity, with its
duties and its own work for us. What were
we doing Yesterday! Idling away the time
in light and trifiing reading! Thrilling our
hearts with false excitement? God help
US! In whatever light we look upon this
subject, we can get but one response. May
we all improve it as for eternity!
@It is noticeable fact, that in the
Maine Democratic Convention, when the
baloting for Charleston Delegates COM
menced, there were not over five hundred
delegates present. The ballot-box, never
;heless, was found TO contain, at the close,
over eleven hundred ballots! Truly, har-
monious Democracy is "the same every
where" from Bangor, in Main, to Oxford
and Klckapoo. in Kansas.
CtTSam was ra.ed as mate in his fa'her's
ship, the Happy-go Lucky. In his own
quaint way, he called in at Taylor's Aca-
deny, as he said, "just to learn French ard
navigation that afternoon, as he was going
to sail for MarseiIles in the morning"
GrA juryman, having applied to the re-
corder To be excused from serving on ac-
count OF deafness, the latter asked, "Could
you hear my charge u the grand jury, slr!'