The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-28

addressed it in some way. 1t may
never answer in like. Better, possi-
bly,, if it do not. 1t may not prompt
us to write. But it shall give us
larger achieving power in some field.
1t shall help us more tolive. 1t shall
deepen the souls insight. 1t shall
enhance our happiness.
Ideals minister to us; thoughts are
mental atmosphere; word-images of
nature which our fellowman hath
brought us, full of trueness, make
nature itself dearer, since he hath
described it. The reading of the
best books gives us keener relish
for the things of sense; the more de-
licious does the peach become, or
sweet the grape, to the taste, the
more fragrant the heliotrope or the
rose to the smell, the more beautiful
the fresh sunrise, or gorgeous the
flaming sunset, to the vision. When
James Freeman Clarke was travel
ing in Switzerland, Byron's poetry
was present to his mind. He felt
the reaction of genius upon external
nature; the sublime and picturesque
in the world about had awakened the
sentiments of the poet, whose express
sions added charms to the scenes for
those who looked after him through
the memory of his words.
An authors heroes affect us might
lily. Pernicious literature in yellow
covers, picturing lawless valor, hath
made murderers and thieves and out
laws of many boys into whose hands
it came. Wholesome reading, MAX
ing conspicuous noble characters,
hath saved and uplifted. A nation
has been as much influenced by it's
legendary heroes as by its real actors.
The poems of Homer were golden
bands for the Greek nation, helping
to hold the people together, maintain
ing unity by binding all to one heroic
past.
2. Literature works reforms polit-
ical, social, religious, and personal.
Whittier's poems and Mrs. Stoves
"Uncle Toms Cabin" are to be large
ly credited with the freeing of the
slaves in this country, and they
wrought even beyond the bounds of
our nation. Helen Jackson's era
mona" has done to some extent for
the red man what "Uncle Toms Cab
in" did for the black man; that is, it
has produced a change of heart to-
ward him and made the sentiment of
our people more tender and kind and
just. Tennyson's poetry became rep
resentative of the best religious
thought of England because it had
nodded and shaped it SO amply. Ar
nold's Light of Asia turned eyes
toward Buddha which should not
have been directed by the volumes
written for scholars. Wallace's ben
Hur" told the tale of the Christ in
many homes where dust had gathered
over the Bible thatthe dogmatist has
stolen from the masses in his at
tempt to get it before them. But the
day draweth nigh when the soul of
the Bible shall be redeemed from
the dust and shall live again. One
chapter of it, with three months
reading, has wholly changed man
for the better. There is great num-
ber of books now being published
which are helping the people solve
both religious and social questions.
3. Literature broadens. Being cos
mopolitan, it is common shrine for
all our homes. 1t is as generous as
the sky and air. 1t makes acquaint-
ances of strangers, friends of ac-
quaintances, lovers of friends, on the
grounds where immortals have intro
duced us. 1t calls the sectarian from
a narrow space and shows him the
world field of divine and human fa-
vor. 1t gives the bigot the seed of
the kingdom, which, though small as
the grain of mustard when he receives
it, shall grow large large and hospit-
able. 1t forecasts the universal pente-
cost when none shall ask his neigh
Dor, saying, know ye the Lord, for all
shall know him from the least unto
the greatest.
Laurels for its creators are being
formed by every nation. A tablet
of memory is set afar from tn : place
of birth and the life and death of an
author who has appealed to the uni
versal SOUL Some of our poets are
given places in memorial chamb-
ers of foreign cathedrals, but not our
merchants, our doctors, our lawyers,
nor our state-men.
4. The imperishableness of litera-
ture and its enduring influence con-
sist with it cosmopolitan character.