Omaha daily bee., 1884-01-14
BAD BOOKS.
Rev. Mr., MaCkay Gives his Hearers
Plain talk,
Sensational Novels and Goody.Goody
Mem oirs both to be Avoided.


Yesterday morning, in his usual frank
manner, he pulled off his gloves and
handled the subject of literature for
youth and children. He chose as his
starting point the incident in the life of
Manoah, when al angel appeared unto
her and informed her that she was to
bring forth q child, Samson. He paused
to remark that in American homes such
an announcement would bring sadness
and gloom, rather than Joy and gladness.
He had already, in a previous discourse,
handled that subject, and so only paused
long enough to point to the contrast be.
tween Manoah and most of the women
of to-day. His text proper was the
question which Manoah asked, "How
shall we order the child, and how shall
we do unto him ("
This question he pressed home, espe-
cially as to what kind of reading shall be
put in the hands of the children. He
spoke of the great amount of vile trash
which was being scattered like the wind,
only to reap the whirlwind. He cited
facts and figures gathered by Anthony
Comstock and others, showing that this
evil was far more extensive and alarming
than even intelligent, well.read people
had any idea. The result was also ap-
parent in the large number of boys and
youth arrested for crime, and he gave
startling figures, showing the number
arrested in New York alone during seven
months. Youthful criminals and other
evil results were but the f~ruitage of this
vile literature. He spoke of the sport
ing papers whose horrible pict-
ures lay exposed upon the
counters of the news.dealers, before
the eyes of young and old, a shame to a
civilization which would produce such
literature. He also picked up a list of a
"nickel" library, the prospectus of which
stated that all the books were free from
slang and vulgarity, and showed the un.
healthy moral tone of wen this alleged
collection of chaste reading. "a Hun
dred Scalps," 1.-THE Miners Ghost" and
other titles were given us as samples.
For five cents a boy was able to buy poi
son which might ruin mind, body and
soul forever.
Besides The Police Gazette and other
papers he gave Peck's Sun a slap in the
face and cited the instance of a gang of
boyish robbers and incendiaries being
organized, with a care for headquarters,
in the very city where ''That Bad Boy"
was written and most circulated.
In urging his hearers to make a strong
fight against the distribution of vile
and trashy literature, among the
young, he warned them not to be too
confident that their own sons and daugh-
ters were not already caught in the
whirlpool. Many vile books and papers
were read on the sly, without the knowl-
edge of parents. The children should
not be whipped, and the trashy books
destroyed, and the matter end there
This would not stop it. 1t would SIM
ply lead the children to still further de-
ceit, and q greater anxiety to get at the
prohibited reading. The childrens'
minds must be given something better in
its place.
He thought that the church people
were much to blame. They placed in
the Sunday school library goody.goody
kind OF books which the adults them
selves would not read. Memoirs of this
and that and the ether good saint, are all
right enough in their place, but no sort
of books to interest the young. The boy
would take such a book home, stick It
under the sofa, or in some nook, and let
it stay there unopened until another
Sunday brought him the bare chance of
getting some other book interesting.
He, himself, thanked God for the good
woman who early In his life placed
SCOTS novels in his hands, and got him
interested in those, 80 that his mind, be-
ing kept engaged and interested, there
was developed in it a love for good liter
ature. He urged parents to get their
children started on some such reading
give them ''Leather Stocking" or some
of Maine Reid's stories. Tell them
something about the book. Awaken
their curiosity. Read to them. In this
way much could be done to get them
started right.
He strongly criticised the namby-
pamby, goody-goody sort of Sunday
school paper. They gave the children an
idea that religion was sentimental, and
with nothing in it for a boy or
girl who are full of life, merri.
ment and activity. 1t was only
by a struggle that he could read one Of
these papers himself. He wished the
church would give him money enough
50 that he could furnish every scholar in
the Sunday school, who was not other.
wise provided, Harper's Young People,
or the Youths Companion, or some
paper or journal of that sort. The sickly,
sentimental stuff dealt out by the church
only drove the children to read some
thing vile and hurtful. A healthy, inter
esting, invigorating reading should be
given.
Broken hearts, doctor bills and funeral
expenses can be avoided in every case by
using DIR. Jefferis' Council Bluffs. LAY
preventative and cure for diphtheria.
Cures all kinds of sore throat. Best
remedy for cataarh known. Send for it.
Full printed directions for use.