The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-05-16
Minute Readings.
BY EILEEN NORTH.

The Importance of improving the
spare moments and of setting apart a
few minutes each day, regardless of
the everlasting chores and daily labor
to be performed, in reading some re-
liable and comprehensive book of his
tory, travels, geology, etc., and the
amount of information gained thereby,
has endless proof and illustration. 1
have determined many times to read
for few minutes every day, but often
at the close of day regrettingly find
myself without my moments of read
ing. 1 have lately finished Bryant's
Homers Odyssey" which 1 did not
expect to like, but did like it very
much. The example of the great war
rior, but humane man, Ulysses of Ithaca,
who lived B. G. 1854, and the faithful
ness of his wife, Penelope, are in every
way worthy of imitation to-day. The
idea of the web woven.by Penelope
during the day and pulled out at night
is very suggestive. My Sunday-school
study is "Outlines of Christian His
tory" from A. d. so to 1880, in which
1 am very much interested. To me
the most striking and appalling feature
in all ancient history is the enormous
crimes and atrocious murders COM
mitted in "his name" "Might was
right" is the dark, low channel
through which primitive humanity
slowly wendell it's way, eliminating in
the "Martyr" and "Dark Ages"
through which penumbra of gloom,
ignorance and superstition it took ages
for the light of reason, science and
brotherly love to penetrate. History
is mans readings of the past-some
read well and some badly-but it seems
to me that by critical comparison of
ancient and modern language, the
patient study and ingenious decipher-
ings of architecture and inscriptions
found in ancient ruins, and various
relics of human activity embedded in
the soil of different countries, we have
given us clue and safe guide through
some of the narrow avenues of primi-
tive life and by which we plainly see
the unmistakable evidences of step-by-
step progressive development. The
geologist who explores the inner depths
| will bripo, IN frop, tho 1ar oauarno IF
earth's interior from layer after layer
and strata after strata the composition
of formation as testimony to long
series of natural facts which can not
be ignored. The astronomer, too, who,
with enlarged vision, explores the up
per depths and views the comets path
way, sees in the nebulous cloudlets, or
flashing Examinations, the nucleus of
another world. We are inclined to
think that the hand of creative energy
and power is folded and that no new
developments are to be given us, but,
as / read in late issues of Emmanuel
ism Cures" Indestructible Fuel"
Esoteric Culture" CLAWS of Psy-
GEOMETRY" Mental Telegraphy,"
Thought Forms," ETC., l am forced
to believe that there are still new dis
coveries under the sun and that there
is and ever will be waiting in the ele-
ments grand possibilities to be de-
veloped and understood so soon as
humanity is able to grasp and compre-
bend them. Earnestly l hope that
every working sister of us may secure
a few minutes each day for reading
and rest. Let us fold the tired hands
and think, investigate and declare; let
us accept no ones opinion as a gift,
but value it as our own reason and
judgment discriminates between right
and wrong, justice and injustice.