The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-03-30
INFLUENCE OFLITERATURE
Subject Of a Special Sermon by
Rev. r. Van Deventer.

Sunday morning at the Baptist
church, the pastor, Rev. Robert Van
Deventer, preached special sermon
on the g Influence of Literature,' in
watch he considered newspapers among
other things. His remarks were based
on the latter part of the 18th verse Of
the 4th chapter of Paul's second epistle
to Timothy, the whole verse reading
1.-THE cloak that left at Troas with
Carpus, when thou contest bring with
thee, and the books, but especially the
parchments." The pulpit should al
ways be regarded as religious institu-
ton, said the pastor, but it should be
broad enough to touch every sphere of
life. There should be vigor but it is
not to be turned into Forum. Sub
jects of vital interest must be discussed,
but rather for ediication and spiritual
growth than entertainment and specu-
lation. While the pulpit is not ma
chine, it should reach every branch of
literature Their reading should not
dwarf the intellects of the people. They
should guard against literary bias. No |
man can be we'll rounded, perfectly de-
veloped-in his intellectual life-who |
gets into rut. We can not ignore
the vitality of book-it makes an i'm |
preston upon the mind either for good
or for evil. While we can not feel its
throbbinss and pulsations it is not
dead, it is living, vital thing. The
vitality of a good or bad book is not to
be overlooked; it goes on to sweeten
or corrupt as long as it exists. The
| influence of literature on social life Is
perhaps not fully estimated. 1t is adj
mitted that the people of India are de-
ceitful-it is a national trait-but II
you want to know what gave direction
to Indian life trace the stream and you
will come to a book, read by every boy
and girl more than any other book. A
book showing how a person may over
come by deceit. 1t is known that 1t IS
said of the Illiad that it is the Greek
Bible. They have made it the lamp to
their feet and the light to their path.
1t is their law, their statute, on social
life, their history, their authority. The
literature of the Chaldeans, books in the
form Of tablets, is worthy of mention
in this connection. When their Ian
guage ceased to be spoken and became
only learned language, their books
dis not cease. The acts and sciences,
religion and traditions of Babylon, As
syria, Phenicia and Syria can and
have been traced to Chaldea. And
Greek art was powerfully impressed
by ideas of Chaldea. Who can ever
tell the influence of literature on our
national life? Is it true that our con-
stitution is based on the Word? Is it
not by its precept and example that
we are taught that nations safety and
widest power and influence depends on
being right? Bishop Warren says we
are proud of our varied and exact Eng
lish speech. The Bible largely made
it. Ruskin is without question the
master OF pure English. Whence came
that pure vigorous speech? He says
he owes it to the Bible. The American
Bible Society in the last 10 years have
distributed l5,350,9 copies. The
best minds in the world are interested
in this book. In Germany 10 million
volumes come from the presses yearly
and most of them are caused by the
Bible. A professor in Harvard Col
lege, not a professor of religion, says
it is not too much to say that the books
of the old and new testament have eX-
erted more influence whether for veal
or for woe, in the course Of human af-
fairs among civilized life, than all
other books together. Consider Also
the influence of the Bible in individual
life. Somebody wrote a tract on . The
Bruised Reed'. Baxter read it and was
converted. Then he wrote THE
Saints Everlasting Rest" Bishop DOd-
bridge read that book and was converted.
He wrote "Rise and Progress of
Religion in the 'Soul'' and Wilberforce
was converted as a result of his read
ing it. He wrote ''Practical Religion
and Hugh Richmond was converted.
Richmond wrote ''Dairyman's Daugh
ter,' and hundreds of persons have
been converted through its influence.
and far reaching its influence and
power. What goodly harvest it will
bring homaat last. Give out a tract
here and there, scatter them over the
earth with a prayer for Gods blessing.
We can not estimate the good that
may be accomplished as the result of
sowing the seeds Of pure and whole
some literature. It will not return
void. Literature measures your life,
determines your mental grasp, your
moral appetite, your spiritual condi-
ton. You mothers, young woman,
young man, let me see what kind of
books you read and can tell you your
mental grasp. Mothers should know
the character of literature their daugh-
ters read. Look at the books in the
sitting room, look at the books in the
trunk, under some cushion in your
daughters room, and you can learn
the intellectual and moral health Of
the person.
A prominent feature in \ nerican
literature is the newspaper. The diff
ference between the American and
English idea of newspapers is that we
look for news first, while the English
man looks for opinions, the editorial.
We say paper that does not give us
the news. secular or religious, does not
meet the want. The editor is in
certain sense prophet, a seer. The
newspaper must keep ahead and lead
the community-not let the community
pull the paper. The editor starts in
the van and his business is to keep
pushing to the front bidding the people
follow and take broader and higher
ground industrially, intellectually,
morally. He stands upon the battle
ments of progress and civilization as a
reader of the signs of the times, and if
he be true man, faithful to his trust
and responsibility the standard he
bears is dedicated to the cause of God
and humanity. The voices below ask
him Waterman what Of the night, and
again at the first touch of purple light
he cries what of the day. The news
paper is no parasite. 1t helps the
town. Indeed it is absolutelynecessary
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