Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-07-13
Impure Literature.
MRS. 5. b. HILL.
From the Union Signal


Statistics prove that The number
of youthful criminals is increasing;
and 1t is computed that thee.fourtbs
of these attribute their downfall to
corrupt literature. DR. Talmage
SAYS in sermon entitled "FOrbid-
den Honey" "Literature, lascina-
ting, hut drathful. comes under
this category. Wher' one good,
honest book Is read, there are hun.
dreds of rhetorical trash consumed
with avidity; when a woman,
young or old, gets her heal stuffed
with the modern novel, ehH is In
appalling peril; bnt the devil does
not own all the honey; there is "A
wealth Of good books coming forth
from our publication houses which
leaves no cxcnse for or reading
that which debases mind and body"
Every book in which sin trlumphs
over virtue should be banished
from the home. Alas, in too many
homes we find the sensational pa
per read by the whole family, from
the mother down to the ten-year
old girl. Oh, mothers, think seri-
ousIy of the evil effect Of this tissue
OF lies upon the mind Of your fro
mantle and susceptible daughter
1t may be that there is nothing low
or impure in these fascinatin & tales
but at least 1t Is a waste of time to
read them. They give the reader
false impressions Of life and its du-
ties, and it may be In the future
should your darling, influenced by
the false glitter OF the hero, be led
astray by some handsome villain,
her life wrecked in consequence,
your gray head will 90 down in
sorrow to the grave. If we do not
bring such papers into the home
circle, how often they are thrown
INTO our doors. Not long ago a
member of our family hal two il.
lustraled story papers thrust into
his hand. Coming into the house
he laid them cdrelessly on the table.
Not wishing our little boys to see
anything Objectionable, we looked
the papers over, and, to satisfy our.
selves as to the character of the
story, read one, or at least this first
lnstallment. There were charming
descriptions of scenery, beautiful
worl plinting, romantic school.
girls and a handsome villain, who,
after an afternoons interview, tri.
ed to make the glrl believe that
marriage il not the honorable in.
stituti0n God has said it is. Any
person Of ordinary intelligence
could read between the lines, and
understand the corrnpling inhI-
euce of such literature upon the
romantic minds of young girls.
See to It that nothing but pure rea-
ding enters the home. Open the
eyesof your daughters to the snares
set for their feet. Teachers, also,
should watch their pupils, that
they do not get hold Of papers that
may corrupt their young minds.
Girls often have very questionable
fiction in their pockets to read dur
ing recess, and boys read what in
liuences them to commit criminal
assaults, and TO be the destroyer
rath9r than the protector OF virtue.
In the cars, ut railway book-stalls,
in barber shops, even in respecta-
bic book stores, such papers as the
Policc Nc,rs and Gd:cttc, etc., are
sold. Can weiwomen OF the white.
ribbon army not do something,each
in her own town to stop the sale of
such ? Anthony COmstOck says,
"The first essential for effective
work must be a comprehensive law
in each state. Having secured the
law, the next thing is wholesome
public opinion; that is, an opinion
that will sustain the enforcement
of the law. There must also be
constant communication between
the workers in this department of
| the w. G. r. L., and the different
societies for the suppression of
vice. In a letter Of advice from
/ Mr.. COmStOck received some weeks
ago, he says, "Ilach state has its
own law; find Out how far the law
will allow you TO go; if not clear
on the subject, obtain the advice OF
some respectable attorney; then
each superintendent, knowing her
duty, do it, and God will crown
her efforts with success
Not only in New York, where
Mr.. Comstock is doing such won
derful work in Kidding the city of
vile literature, pictures, statuary,
and Othsr sources of corruption,
but in many other parts of the
world there seems an earnest call
for similar work. In France reac-
ton has set in against polluting
literature. NJ. De Pressensi is one
of the leaders, and is ably second
ed by the League of Public Morals
which is circulating petitions
throughout the country for sigma
lures, which are to be presented tC
the French Senate.
The literature of the naturalist
! ,obooI 10 oopooiollv oin,o1 NJ bnl