The Republican journal., 1896-12-10
Modern Literature;
Or. How Can the World be Made Better.

When we consider the pure, wholesome
pages of our own home newspapers, his
words do not seem true, but when we
think of the many modern tragical, H.
lustrated newspapers that crowd the news
stands, we realize that his statement is
correct, and we fear, as is often remarked,
"The world is, indeed, growing worse;'
and in no way is it so strikingly manifest
ed as in the tendency of modern litera-
ture.
Is not the newspaper the great edu
Gator? For in many homes it is, perhaps,
the only reading afforded. Do not the fu-
ture lives of the children reared in those
homes depend in great measure on what
those newspapers contain? Are not the
ideas imbibed in childhood more potent
for good or evil than at any other period
in life?
What parent would not choose for the
child's physical diet wholesome, nutri-
mind, like the body, must be fed and that
it will grasp at whatever is in its reach
and as poisonous food brings disease to
the body, so unwholesome mental food
dwarfs and corrupts the mind and leads
it down to darkness and death.
How much more demoralizing were
those gladiatorial combats in earlier times
than the fiendish crimes gathered from all
quarters of the globe and exaggerated by
reporters for countless newspapers, which,
as one writer has said ''serve as wings
transporting moral dynamite all over the
world" Can the world be growing bet
ter fed on such poisonous food?
Are the crowds who tnrong the court
rooms eager to listen to the revolving de-
tails in criminal trials and to witness the
agony of the accused, far in advance of
Nero, who lighted his gardens with burn
ing Christians and with 1iendish delight
witnessed their physical torture?
The Golden Rule makes this statement:
''rbere is large colony of more than two
Thousand Americans in the City of Mexico,
but scarcely two hundred church goers
people whose names appear on the church
rolls in their northern homes are found at
the bull-tights that always take place on
Sunday afternoon rather than at church -
That we are drifting backward is seen
not only in the taste for literature and
amusement, but also in dress and choice of
ornaments. The slaughter of birds at the
demand of fashion is crime; and how a
woman of common feeling can wear the
poor, innocent victims is a mystery But
who would not shudder and recoil from
the lady who decorates her person with
reptiles? Think of the glittering eyes and
shining spots of a serpent encircling her
neck.
Now how can this world be made bet
ter? There formation must begin with
the newspaper, and, instead of filling its
columns with loathsome details and illus
trations of rize-fghts, robberies, muir
ders and all the horrors imaginable. place
before the children the good and glorious
work that is being done all over the
world. Let such names as Clara Barton.
Lady Henry Somerset, Frances f. Willard
and all the noble men and women who are
for the good of humanity be ia
mliar in every home.
Who cannot see at this time. with the
mental vision, families whose lives from
infancy to mature years have been known
to us? Some have been fed on cheap.
t1ashy novels, perhaps not containing one
single thought worth recording. How do
they compare to-day with those who by
good, wholesome literature were stimu-
lated to pure and noble lives2
Had all like Frances E. Willard "a great
mother" to assist and direct them, the
world would need no great reformers
Among the ranks of the ''great moth
ers" who have lived to see the reward of
their labor in this world, and who are now
reaping it's fullness in the home eternal.
is lue HlOJueI Oh ITeSlQenL CndSe OF Bates
College. Not like Madame Willard has
the record of her noble life been given to
the world, but no less does it deserve it's
praise. To the sorrowing, the poor and
the fallen and down-trodden,
she was ministering angel, and in the
hearts of all who have felt the magnetic
influence of her world wide sympathy
and love, her memory is sacredly enshrin-
ed.
Her great ambition was to educate the
minds and hearts Of her children, and
nobly she succeeded. A teacher in her
youth and possessing mind of no com
mon type, her choice of books was a wise
one; and during the long winter evenings,
while she busily piled the needle, she
listened to their reading and discussed
with them the best authors Thus in the
quiet of home was laid the sure founda-
ton for the higher education to which
they attained. Not only in their studies,
but in their home amusements also, they
were ever confident of her warm SYM
pathy and cooperation. Was not that
better than permitting them to spend
their evenings at the village stores. lis