The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-11-12
PERNICIOUS LITERATURE,
Be You Know What Your Children Are
Reading.
A Clergyman Makes Investigation as to
the Reading Matter Most Patronized
by HisSunday-schOoI Scholars.
suggestions as to Rem
sdfaI Measures.
The Newsman.l

NeWsdealeTs, as rule, are prepared TO Sec
ond Christian public sentiment in putting
down this most perniciOus public curse.
But parents who slur over their duty to
children in letting them read fast and loose
publications, can hardly expect newsdeaIers
to exercise rigid censorship as to what lit
erature they sell to young people, when
their elders are Indifferent to the subject
A conscientious clergyman residing in
New England village, recently determined
that he would ascertain what manner of
books and papers his Sunday-school children
were in the habit of reading. He
is a shrewd man, and the
youthful sharp-ones could not humbug
him, if they tried. To his horror, he found
that large numbers of the children were
habitually reading vile trash and nothing
else. With profound concern he called the
attention of parents to the subject expect
ing their eager cooperation in mending mat
tiers. He was amazed at the languid recep-
ton which was accorded his alarming state
ments He set forth the terrible results
which might ensue if the children were not
guarded from the corrosive faint of bad read
ing matter; but the parents, as rule only
made vague promises of looking into the
affair" Their interest was evidently of
perfunctory character. Thsy felt kindly
toward their pastor; but it was very palpa-
bic that they regarded him as q conscientious
enthusiast, who wss fighting phantom OF
his own creation.
An average parent sees boy with his head
buried in book. He takes it from him and
casually scans it over. 1t Is to him badly
written piece of lurid sensationalism, ridic-
uIously absurd, but not dangerous, by any
means He hands it back TO the eagerly ex-
pectant youngster and goes his way, think
ing that the senseless stuff will serve to give
his boy the reading habit, which is so
rarely acquired after one reaches years OF
maturity.
How does the boy regard the same book?
II giver him Joy that is unutterable. His
rapture is q secret treasure. He don't tell
grown-ups about it. He lives in an ideal
world that eclipses the real one, entirely.
His quick sympathies go bounding out to
the good-natured rapscsllions, whose scamp
ish deeds the novel transfigures. He loves
vigorous action. and this roguish book is
chuck full of fights. The robberies and out
RACES are perpetrated by the jolly fellows IN
such a very pleasant manner, that the boy
thinks there must have been fun in iI for
the victims.
When the writer was about ten years old,
he borrowed from another boy a dog cared,
highwayman novel of the most approved
blood and-thunder species. IS name is well
remembered after all these years, but won't
be advertised here. That horrible
book was read, and re-read
dozen times with ever-increas-
ing fascination, until the rascally tramp
who figured as hero, became altogether a
more glor ious being than William Tell or
George Wa shington. 1t was indeed, dark
day, when the urchin, who had loaned the
book, came and took it away; but the seed
which had been planted by it (of the drag
On's teeth variety, bore an immediate fruit
in the shape of a brass pistol and big dirk
knife
Books of the above type are, however, alto
gether innocuous, when compared with that
loathsome class of publications which seem
to be printed with the sole purpose of min
isteriDg to the depraved literary taste of
people who are moral lepers.
When bright child comes across q book
of that Kind, it infects them with almost
permanent contamination. The evil results
may have to be fought against, and deplered
through many bitter years. before character
publication is effected. The child has end
less curiosity, and vivid imagination. 1t
has vast respect for print, and quickly assim-
Hates bad literary food to its own detriment.
Children are very intuitive, and, as a rule,
know vastly more about their elders than
the eldees do OF them. They are well aware
that the majority of grown people have no
knowledge or respect for, that fantastic won
der-land which makes no the inner life of a
bright child.
Few women and fewer men carry into ma
tarity welI-de6ned recollections of their
their tho0ght-life as children. Memories of
that wondrous morning time OF conscious
ness, which should be guarded as sacred
treasures OF the soul, are allowed to fade
away from Us until they are merely grotesque
shadows soon to be lost in a mist of forget
fulness, along with the vanished years.
Children are shrewd little elfs, and avail
themselves Of this ignorance OF them, finding
II an easy matter to hoodwink teachers aud
parents alike. They live largely in a world
of their own and anxious natural guardians
froonpnf htnndcrarq " N
thwart or circumvent them on their own
ground. Parents fondly imagine that they
can keep an exact measure OF the intellect
ual growth of their children; this is a very
common error in Judgment. a child
can be out Of the house but one
short hour, and came back freighted with a
stock Of new information regarding life,
which II would never dream of telling to the
mother. Its sweet, round face, and iimpid
eyes, make more effective masQue than the
diplomats suave, passionless visage.
When boy furtively ACQUIRES knowledge
which ne feels that he dare not communi.
cate to his mother, he opens up choice OPP
pOrtunity for devil work, which is OFTEN i'm
proved to his SOULS sorrow and shame. 1t is
the bitteIest hour of life to many loving
mother, when she at last realizes that her
dear little boy has been innoculated, with
the virus OF a hideous half wisdom, and that
she can not even attempt to cure him of the
resultant moral disease, without running
counter to traditional restrictions, which
prohibit full and free confidence between a
mother and child.
In a progressive Christian land it is full
time this unnatural barrier should be torn
away. II was regarded in an ignorant and
unrefDed age, when all social intercourses
between parents and children was barri-
caded by chilling courtesy. That time gave
to US precious maxim in family discipline,
Children should be seen and not heard
Respect for parents was enforced so rigidly,
as TO leave no room for mutual love and
sympathy.
Terror has but small space in enlightened
family government in our country, as the
Lord Bishop of Rochester recently remarked,
and there is no reason why the relations be-
tween parent and child should not be char
acterized by perfect frankness and fearless
trust.
No false sentiment as to what Is proper,
should bar the way to complete mutual con-
fdelce. The most sacred mysteries OF hui
man life must no longer be revealed to the
young by sin-polluted lips. Home is the
true place for solemn rite Of moral vaccin-
alton, which may protect the child from con-
tsgion through all its future years.
We have given considerable space to this
subject because we know ID to be of import.
snce. We have communicated with many
intelligent news dealers who have long been