The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-10-06
BOOKLESs HOMES.

heart OF UOu I1lmS0Il S1dA 10 AAau0
glad.
BOoKLEss HOMES.
Alas, how many families in our
State are without books Especially
in the country districts is found this
of books. Some of our towns
have public Libraries. In the towns
there are many private libraries; and
news stands and book stores, where for
a song books can be purchased. But
in a days travel in the country you
will not find an arm-full of books.
And yet the people OF the country,
above all others, need the information
OF books. The sharpening OF mind
that comes from conversation Is, In
large measure, denied them. While
the condition of the men is bad
enough, that OF the women is worse.
The men find mental recreation by at
tendance upon the courts and polit-
lcal speakings and other like occasions.
But women haye a dreary round OF
household duties, the same yesterday,
to-day, and forever, until death shall
break the chain and set the captlves
free. Their bright days are the
preaching days, especially those on
which the pastor makes his visit. The
passing stranger receives hearty well
come to-spend the night, because OF
the information he may have to give.
The boys and girls are growing up I'M
der these conditions, and by and by the
same sad story will be told OF them
that L am telling OF their parents.
Their days are given to work, the
nights to sleep, Sundays and holidays
to visiting. Meantime, ignorance en-
velops their minds. They walk IN
darkness, and grow up undeveloped
men and women. and are incapable OF
any great usefulness.
HOW SHALL WE DO 1T p?
Now, how shall these intolerable
conditions be relieved ? We know the
remedey. Give them books. Let
these come into their lives, and shed
their hallowed, uplifting influence up
on them. But how shall they be Sc.
cured9 Many of these people are toe
poor to buy them; some do not kno"
what books they need; some do moi
know where to buy. Some have the
means, but not the inclination to buy
Meantime, our pity is excited for the
children. How shall these, amid thu
poverty, greed or ignorance OF parents
escape the blight OF ignorance p?
Let the Sunday school library be TIT
neighborhood library. The countr'
church is the center OF the spiritua
lie of the neighborhood. In 1t tn
Young give their lives to Christ in i
the young men and the young wome1
are married from it the dead are Blu
ried, and around it they sleep. Let
be the center of the intellectual lit
also. Let the plan OF the present Sun
day school library be enlarged-indeed
radically changed. Now it Is com
posed almost exclusively OF distinct
= lively religious books-many Of yer
weak and worthless kind. / woul
= have it essentially like private c
family library, for why should 1t b
different ? Books that admit to m
% library are suitable for a place in
70 Sunday school library. AS I have i
my library books that minister in a
unusual degree to the growth OF m
spiritual life, so books of this charact'
- should find place IN the Sunda
u school Iibrary-but not these alone
70 Works of history, of biography,
~ travel, of poetry, OF science, of disco
+ ery should be on the shelves, as we
- as commentaries, books OF sermons, ct
y Nor would I deny place to the stan
ard works of fiction. Yea, would +
place many of the short, weak, reli
Q, 1ous stories-works OF the lmaginatit
It with Walter Scott, Dickens, Thac
le cray, and others. These point NOR
a. much more forcibly. Nor can an
re- be said to be thoroughly educat
ar who has not felt his heart thrilled wi
n the recital of the glorious deeds
th Ivanhoe, or wept over the sad misft
tn tunes of little Nell, or felt his hes
almost break on account of the dea
We of Colonel Newcomb. Everybody WI
ey has read these books has been ma
Ill better tor having read them.
1t. How shall the money be provided
re Not by the Sunday school, but by t
ID, church. Although books are We
tie cheap now, yet library that is to s.
ho isfy the demands of neighberho
ty, will cost good sum of money!
act not more than can be easily raised b.
church thoroughly interested. The
must be concerted, earnest effo
as Men spend money freely for til
DTS which is OF advantage to their Oh
no dren. Thew nav their tuition hi