Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-30
REV. DR.. TUcKLEY'S LECTURE.
A Sensible sermon to Young Men ON thu
Choice of Books and Reading.

A Sensible sermon to Young Men on the
Choice of Books and Reading.
A large audience, filling the auditorium
of st. Paul NJ. +. church. listened. last
evening Ia the second lecture of Rev. DIR.
Tuckley's course To young men. The theme
treated was The Young Man and His
Books" The text chosen for the discourse
comprised the admonition of Paul to Tim
othy, give attention to reading" The
speaker began by presenting the many ad-
vantages of cuitivating a reading habit
among the young. Good books are the her
itage Of the best minds of past ages To those
who live in the present He gave some
valuable advice to students in our schools
and colleges regarding the formation of
reading habit while at school. The person
who does not possess love for books and
reading is certain 10 be very dwarted in
character, and 10 have very narrow view
of life and affairs. While good books are
the most valuable companions man can
have, evil books are the worst; because as
sociation can be carried Oh with them III Sc
cret without the disgrace which often deters
persons from associating with bad people.
They are also more nsidous in their evil
influences.
The speaker said that In this age of the
world young people are very certain to read
something. Ii will either be a good book
or profitable paper. or it will be a trashy,
! if not a positively evil book. or possibly
newspaper which SCOTS at virtue and makes
vice attractive by throwing a glamour over
its achievements. Young men, he said.
| ture, but they also need suggestions a. to
| the good. In ancient times kings and
rulers used to have in their court a food
/ faster to guard against assassination by
| poisoned food. In the family where there
are young people the parents. or some jul
dicious person, should be the book-taster for
the children. Our public library should
have book-tasters To keep out bad and
worthless literature. Such an officer, if ii
Were possible. would be 4 good thing even
oversight books and papers which now
serve simply 10 enkindle the fires of passion
in the hearts of youth would be used to
kindle bonfires on the streets.
In making suggestions as to some lines of
profitable reading. the speaker said the pe-
rusal of books of science, history, and natu-
raj history would always be found Of utmost
profit A good book Of travel is the vessel
which carries us to foreign lands without
perils Of shipwreck or the pains of seaSick-
ness. Ii is the camel that bears us over
arid deserts. the railway train that carries
us across continents. and the staff that lifts
us over Alpine heights. Every young man
should acquaint himself with the history of
his own land. As it forms a point of view
from which he can survey the events of the
past and Judge the effects of occurrences of
the present.
Regarding newspapers, the speaker said
it is safe to discard any paper which revels
in the details Of vice. ostensihly for the pur-
pose cf deprecating it. but really for the
purpose of making money by pandering to
the vicious imaginations of the people. The
Rev. DIR. said he would not forbid all read
ing of fiction. though care in this respect
should be exercised. There are works OF
fiction. he said, from whose reading one
would arise a nobler and better man. bu,
much that is annually put on the marke!
belonging To this class of literature gives
one false ideas of life and enervates the
mind and incapaeitates it for graphing with
its stern realities. While life has in il
much of romance and pleasure, still the
great bulk of life is neither fairy tale moi
a perpetual romance of love. In fiction.
therefore. read none but the best books.
and nothing that renders you unfit for the
duties of life.
Finally read the bible. Sir Walter Scott
on his death-bed said. Read to me from
the book" His attendant said. What
book" Sir Walter replied. There is but
one book. the bible" The scriptures are an
ineXhaustible mine; guide to the young; a
strength To the middle-aged: solace to the
old; and in their precepts is the way of life.