The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-06-07

family histories, and family trees, even
crestS and arms If you please, books
sometimes sneered at as un-republican
and un-Amerfcan, and vet having a
Moses himself who recorded the gene
alogy of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and a great many more.
And now that we have come to the
library, the actual memorial library,
should that, first of all, let us have old
books, both as c0mmeInorating an old
family with the qualities Of the old
time, but as in themselves most valua-
BILE. All must remember the words OF
Goldsmith, really much older than he,
II love everything that's old. Old
friends, old times, old manners, old
books, old Wine.o And in old books
you have the bright or serious compan-
ionship of ''old friends" the impress
of '.Old manners" the restoration of
all that was best in the s'old times,
and the cheer, subtle and potent, of
name If / should mention it, would be
recognized as that of one endowed with
nearly every sort of modern culture,
ST try sometimes to read modern
novel, but cannot keep my mind on
it; / lay it down, and read "WaVeFly"
or "Ivanhoe" for the SEVENTEEN or
eightieth time.n This is not saying
Il1tSb LI6IS LO RGOU HOW pDOhS III SAO
world, but let us not forget to gather
the books, the common books, that the
world has pronounced its Judgment
upon, and set its seal upon. The writer
of some melancholy meIedy. 81 cannot
sing the old songs gives as reason,
''for foolish tears would how." That
is the very reason you should hold to
the old books, the books that have for
centuries, it may be, caused the eyes
To Vinr ~ at eli
the heart, and quickened the pulses
and informed the spirit. Keep them.
Let no friend withhold books
because they are old, because
he or she fancies that every''
body has read them. One generation
after another rises to call the good old
books, blessed. They are inexhausti-
blessings of the rain. Neither is it
necessary to stand on the appearance
of the covers. The first lesson to be
learned about books is, that it is not
the outside but the inside that
counts.
Then we should gather. think, what
may be called home books, books
about America, about the United
States of America, about Kansas, the
heart of America, books written by
Americans about America, about Kan
sas. Reading, like charity, may well
begin at home. This because there is
so much to read and because we have
need of that sentiment in regard to
our country which may be called SLOW
ing her very earth" and to that end
those books are most valuable, like
Thoreau's, which teach us of the
ground, the trees, the waters, the
winds that blow over what we call our
native land, the waves that break upon
the shore. Gather such books here
that there may grow in young hearts
and country, ones own visible and
actual country, that wells from the
heart of the ancient mariner: IL
oh, dream of joy, Il this indeed
The iighfhh,1SIuss &c tSH tS see n,-,
Is this mine own countrees
1t is designed, it may be said, to
make this library. not only memorial
| to friends and benefactOrs of this in
stitution, but q means of instruction
| to students who may gather here, but
/ while this is true, it is to be hoped
that mere text books, will form the
least of the collection. It is not as
taskmasters that books are wanted
here, but as a comfort, a solace and a
help. 1t happens to all Of us. that eX-
| perience which forms the opening SEN
/ tence of one of the most famous of
books. LAS 1 journeyed through the
wilderness of the world, says John
Bunyan, 81 came upon certain place
where was den." We all in journey
ing through this wilderness, this actual
| great American desert OF 8 world
come upon Bunyan's 'sden," and are
reminded of what Coleridge said of
/ Edmund Burke. ''IIe lived in world
like Noah's ark, where there were a
few men and great many beasts. .
The books which stand US in hand then
are books of gold, but they are
| great in their variety; they are books
that appeal to the heart, the sensible
ties, the spirit, rather than cold reason.
What some people call verses" and
eight reading" have before now, liv-
ing in the. memory, kept
the brain from whitening and
the heart from breaking. May
| all those books which have in other
ages and our age from the medita-
lions of Thomas Kempis, backward
and forward, stronghold the soul, be
found here, and may along with these
every book that has stirred the heart
to innocent joy be found here, and
may all the books that told the story
of bravery by land or sea be found
here.
OF bad books, so much talked of. l dc
not have much fear. Wicked action Ii
the result of ignorance which cannot
write books, or of sudden and distort
ed impulse that does not take the time
The c0mpanionship with oneself, the
elaboration, the sober second thought
necessary in the composition Of q book
wickeineSs. Doubtless many books
have been written that did no good
few am inclined to think that have
done much harm by their degradation
of the mind or binding of the con
science. Even in this fortress Of ortho
doxy, there need not be fear thai
books will pass the guard line that vii
Most authors are men of such thought
fulness that whatever their theories
they yield the main and Essential
| question, as in the well known
| case of Lord Herbert, of Cher
bury, who having finished his greai
work to the effect that there is no rev
eIation, kneft down in his chamber, il
being as he says, a fine day in summer
| the sun shining clear and no wind stir
| ring, land so taking his book in hi
hands. besought a revelation" which
. he further says, came in the shape o.
"a loud, but gentle noise, forth from
the heavens.
And so friends, it seems that Their
can be no better memorial gathered O
lives spent in goodness and honor; o
fifty years Of welded happiness; of al
ancient and patriotic American family
. a memorial to remain such while thi
school endures, than these books, no
forgetting 70 place among them SOM
stored copy, like the Bible of Wesle.
they have been reading at the grea
conference in New York, of that vol
ume, which, whether from its age, it
!, circulation, its influence, the wealth, o
the learning drawn to its exposition
: and defense, or the broad and dee
l mark it has made on the literature @
: the world, may be called the Book c
Books, which In the soldiers knapsac
or beneath the sailors swaying pillow
: goes around and around the wOrlC
speaking TO men, and women, and iii
2 tie children Of the Book Of Life"
: Miss Kittie Edwards, one of th
v young students In the College, the
.1lo os-k.kIn,l ~,