The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-08
NOVEL READING
MINISTER URGES IT. If BOOK
IS GOOD.
Rev. George P. Eastman, Of Orange,
Recommends Reading the Story
of the Hour.

Recommending the reading OF the novel
of me dav with careful discrimination, and
with a plea not to forget the old-estab-
lished fiction, the Rev. George p. Eastman.
pastor of the Orange Valley congregational
Church. gave an interesting discourse last
night on novel reading In general. 1t was
! the closing sermon of an interesting series
on Eat the Feet of the Worlds Great
teachers" Mr.. Eastman said in part:
Nothing absorbs the attention ike an
interesting novel. 1t may be loosely Joined
series OF adventures. uke Robinson Cru-
soc or it may have an intricate plot, care
fully worked out, like sMiddlemarch; Il
may be a problem novel, treating Dues
tions of faith, such as Robert Elsmere, 1s
social questions, as Is true OF some novsis
written within a year OF two, or IL may
treat Of the development OF human enaL-
acter, as In DR.. Jekyll and MT dyoe.
any case the same quality gives II poWsa
over the human mind-its appeal to the
Imagination and to the curiosity
This is a fiction-reading age. NOT many
years ago Christian total abstaineFs inciu-
ded the novel. Today we frankly fecognizs
that while there may be grave dahgers IN
the manner of reading such nterabar so anu
of this class, when the right KIND OF nction
is read with thought and dlscrlmlnallon
e there t is no oo eeadl TGis .n s Especially nas true Of
children and young people. .o.ann
There are dangers in novel reaofng,
without a doubt. The fascination OF Z
good story often leads to such rapid and
Confined reading that 1t produces mental
dyspepsia. Either mental Incidence lS CUT
tivated. the habit of reading carelessiy. or
an unhealthy, morbid excitement, Whlch
is almost equally harmful.
MANY novels are constantly suggestive
of evil. though never quite openly crossing
the border. There are also many which may
nave an attractive picture OF some form
of evil in the midst of a plot otnerwlse
strong. This picture may cling 10 tne
mind when everything else is forgotten.
Some novels err by not adequately draw,
ing the consequences Oh gooo anu sen
action, This is usually due TO the lack
OF real ability on the part of the writer.
.'Still other books of this class present
an unreal and impossible life In such an
attractive form that young people are I'M
PEELED to initiate it. The dime novel,
many of the weaker class OF love stories
and some so-called goody-goody books
but il the author has strong moral in
stlncts, sees clearly the debasing enaracteT
of evil. and has grasped the fundamental
ness are always of highest worth, then. II
his powers of imagination and descriptlon
and his ANALYSIS OF human cnarael Of e exe
ceedingly great moral influence. 1t cannot
fail to excite the interest, impress the
memory and imp eoIn 70 3 soo sey 1esagni powerful
and timely novels which have been Large
factors in social reform. The erect Of
! Dickens's novels on the schools, the courts
and the almshouses Of his day + well yell
known. Thackerny held up to ridlcude' ana
with good apparent erect, some OIL y
T SGelal 1 Ruso ando Df sns inaaenced the
judicial system of France by Les Miser-
abless Mrs. Stowe. helped on the anti
/ Europe by Uncle Toms cabin
s'The universal testimony of tlhougnt1ul
observers is that good ncthon l y nay Iipe
1t stores in the mind a group Of wholesome
and helpful characters which are 'sotteh
more WILDLY remembered than any actual
! oh n ~ cfarc a Of history. RHLSeY anu TT
becca. Kim and Mowgli and dear old Rop-
inson Crusoe cannot fall TO innuencs %e
zion is especially rich in well-drawn char,
acters. School teachers have learned that
often AN effective way to reach an unruiS
touches his case. It is significant that
Kate Douglas Wiggin was trained as q
The list of strong. well-known char
acters that appeal to the adult mind Is too
long TO mention. Scott gives us lyanhoe.
Charles cha Sed K s ybjlI hSpaI hSaii saiw sIa cssasorre
John Rid and Lorna Doone: George
Elliot, the strong Adam Bede: Ian Mac
laren, the ~thoughtful faithful Doctor. do
pict the evilminded man as to excite as
gust and adherence. Charles DICKENS mas
done this with particularly gooa eme esd E az
perheld.' Then there are those books winch
| show the development of character TOT
good or cyl with great at SKILL ( atter Ha% and fhe
Marble Faun,' and Stevenson in DR.. Jekyll
and Mr.. Hyde with great power. George
| Elliot has given US one ofAthe most re-
| markable studies of this kind in the CHAR
| acter Of Tito In Romola
I'VE should not omit the vivid incidents.
often so like experiences In our own lives,
which are often worth more than q SCR
mon. Such experiences as that of the doc
tor, narrated by Ralph Conner. when he
found his brother unconscious and on the
point of death, against whom he had cher
ished the bitterest feeling. are not unlike
the MISUNDERSTANDING and jealousies OF
| everyday life.
.'Then, too, there are many teachings
put into the mouths of the characters or
thrown in by way of comment by the
author. which are made impressive by the
conditions under which they are made.
This may be easily overdone.> But George
Elliot follows the career of Tito with many
such comments, which are so searching
that we cannot fail to be impressed by
them. A beautiful illustration of this Is
given at the close of Henry Van Dykes
sThe Other Wise Man where the words
of the Christ, Inasmuch as We have done
1t unto me- are used to point the life Of
the seeker for truth.
my advice would be to read the novel
of the day, but with careful discrlmina-
lion. But don't forget the old, well-estab-
lished fiction. Make a business of reading
a few such books each year. To parents
and teachers 1 would say be careful In
the selection of this class Of reading for
the children. There is nothing Of greater
power either for evil or good. There is too
much good literature at hand which will
attract and interest to allow the child to
waste his time on ANYTHING that is Door"