The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-05-21
WHAT OF THE BOOKS?
A LARGE AMOUNT OF VALUABLE LIT
TERATURE GOING To WASTE

When the Jackson Reading Room was
first thought of, many of our people took
hold of the matter enthusiastically, and
the result was very valuable collection
of books. A room was opened, and for
one year the people of town had access to
these books. When the year was up how
ever, the room was closed for want of
funds to pay the rent. The books were
then piled up in spare room, and left to
the tender mercies of the mice and the
mold.
1t is a sad thing to have all these val
liable works lying around, going to de-
structiOn, when the people might be reap
ing incalculable benefit from them. The
rules of the Reading Room forbade the
taking of books away from the building,
and great many persons even then could
not read the books because they had not
time to attend at the room. Most of the
young people, however, could enjoy the
full benefit of the fine library while the
room was open. Now that the Reading
Room is thing of the past, it becomes
an interesting question whether it would
not be better to adopt some means of get
| ting the books into the hands of the peo-
pie. There are ways in which this could
be accomplished. Suppose, for instance,
that the books be placed in the hands of
a Librarian, who could be paid by month
ly or yearly dues paddy persons reading
the books, then let person taking a book.
deposit the value of it, to insure it's safe
return, or in some way secure the Libra
rian for the full value of the book 1t
would require but small amount to be
paid by each individual to compensate a
Librarian for attending to the matter.
| If this be thought impractible-and
these are only uggestions-wouldi it not
be vastly better to sell the books out, even
| if it has to be done at Public Auction,
and devote the proceeds to some charitable
object, than to have the entire Library
falling into paper-rags? That collection
is too valuable to be entirely lost.
Another 'Prophet' has dawned upon
the gathering shades of this benighted
old world of ours. This new Prophet
rules and reigns in Chicago, and his realm
embraces some three or four families
| tllll 81 uOtS lle I16 Is Il MOI WtS1dily ttllu
his name is Reinerston. This would be a
puZZler to the sacred poets of his church
for there's scant hope of attuning any
thing to rhyme with that name. This
fellow set up the claim that he had a
special revelation from Heaven, giving
him general supervision of the spiritual
world, and providing that no man could
reach salvation save through him. He
called around him several families, among
them that of Karl Stiansen, another Nor
wegian, and for more than a year the
women of these families have been kept
at Reinerston's Laundry, and their hus-
bands not permitted to stay with them
One day last week Stianson asked for his
wife, and the holy man told him he would
break his head. The Prophet was arrest
ed, and bound over to keep the peace
| but not the wife. The woman went home
with her husband, but he had to watch
her, and she grieved after the sacred pres
ence of the prophet to such an extent
that both went back penitently and re-
ceived the great mans blessing, and now
all is serene in that Church. How much
better are these people than a race who
worship an alabaster image, or carved
brlckbat? 1t is scarcely necessary for us
| to 90 to the heathen-he has come to us.