Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-11-14

to imagine anything worse, to which
the blessing of the printing press may be
devoted, are books which, in defiance of
the United States mail laws, are scat
tered broadcast over the land, leaving
moral destruction in their path. So
self evident are the baneful influences Of
this class of literature, in the destruc-
ton of good taste, in the pOlluting Of
good morals, in the lowering of stand
ards of prlncely manhood and queenly
womanhood, that it seems hardly neces-
sary for me to dwell upon them; but
there is one phase about them too often
overlooked or scarcely measured-the
permanent III effects upon life. All
great Neptune's ocean could not wash
the blood from Lady Macbeth's hands
SO the stains that this class of literature
makes upon the soul are indelible, they
make the multtudinous seas of life in
carnadine.
The permanent effects Of this literature
is often likened to scars upon the phys-
cal body, but scars do not hurt, they
only dsfigure, while the bruises of the
soul, caused by the impure tale or pict-
ure, both disfgure and harm forever.
So far as earthly days are concerned
this Is everlasting, or eternal, punish
ment. 1t is the souls hell. One of the
most sainted souls of the last century,
the Rev. John Angel James, relates that
once, while young man, he held in his
hand and for Is minutes perused bad
book, the evil effects of which he had
not been able to efface in twenty five
years. Before they burn themselves
into our souls, cast them into the flames,
as did the people of Ephesus under the
preaching of Paul. and as, centuries
afterwards, the Florentines did under
the leadership of the heroic and now
historic Savonarola.
A lesser danger, which if not an evil of
the reading habit, is, at least, fault,
regards quantity. | have little sympa-
thy with the Oft-quOted saying, BE
ware of the man of one book" 1t is
generally spoken by men of many books.
There have been men, like Lincoln and
Wesley. of great responsibilities, who
were devoted to a few books, but, as a
rule, the man who understands few
books well, fortifies his knowledge of
the few by an acquaintance with many.
If, like Lincoln, Grant, Washington and
, Wesley, man has little time for read
ing, it may be best to confine it to few
standard books.
| speak. however, not as an auth Ority
on this matter. | established custom
, when | entered college, of reading al
I least one book week outside of my
regular work, custom which ! have
, conscientiously followed ever since. II
2 | were to enter college again, as young
man, | should, | think, establish this
same custom, though | would. not, OF
course, recommend others so TO do, as
believe each person should work In the
manner best suited to himself. A com
q mon danger of today comes from sur
o feiting with so called "curTent reading
matter, the daily paper and the popular
q novel. The word current" as applied
to this class of literature, is decidedly
f apt, for 1t is as running stream, with
this close analogy to the water of the
stream, that after it has passed it has nj
value whatever. am always sorry fol
the mentor this is a disease that seldom
affects wOmen-who are slaves to the
:. daily newspapers, and spend practically
e all their spare time behind these grea
q sheets. 1t is impossible to become wei
informed through this method. A mar
ought, ordinarily, to get through his
t newspaper reading in fifteen minutes {
e day, and on extraordinary occasions il
q thirty minutes. All time beyond this hi
: can reasonably count as wasted. Ther
e there is the mania for reading the curren
}. popular novel, and what a batch W,
s have had of them during the past few
. years, What money making devices
. they have become! | started on the
e trip of reading them myself, but wher
e | beheld the flOodtide | recalled Emer
k sons saying, mot to read book un'i
:, 1t WAS IA year DID," and following THU
u advice. have found, in many instances
l. that in years lime most of them AT,
e not worth reading, while others, with