The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-03-20
MINISTER'S VIEWS ON
A PUBLIC LIBRARY

have been asked to a a few
words about the Public Library
from the viewpoint OF the Minister,
] shall present only two OF the
most important things.
At the very outset | am remind
ed OF the experience OF the Apostle
Paul I'VE at Berea. Having been
thrilled by the alert, open minded
way in which the Bereans received
his message, he wrote; These
were more noble than those in
Thessalonica in that they received
the word with all readiness OF
mind and searched the Scriptures
daily, whether those things were
So"
Nothing so thrills a public speak.
er as a responsive audience. II
there he no response during the
delivery OF a public address, one
OF two things is certain: the
speaker is moving on a lower intel
%lectual plane than his audience or
the audience is on a lower plane
than the speaker.
Taking 1t Tor granted that the
minister has made a reasonable
amount OF preparation tor his work,
and is not only ACC iainted with the
teachings OF the Bible but has a
working knowledge OF history,
science, sociology and biography:
1t requires some knowledge OF these
on the part OF the audience IL there
bee that response SO coveted bv
every public speaker. In other
words ] near Just this; IL takes
eloquent hearing TO make eloquent
speaking. II there he no mental
aleftness on the part Of the au-
d%ience, no power to appreciate what
the speaker is saying, then that
speaker had Just as we'll be singing
Psalms to a dead horse. As the
greatest single endeavor OF the
church today is the evangelization
OF the world, a knowledge OF the
improved methods OF transportation
the applications OF steam and cleo
trical power, the manifold forms OF
machinery, the progress made in
chemical science, the great trade
routes, and those commodities that
figure most cNnspicuously in the
worlds traffic, | say some sort OF
knowledge OF all these is neces-
sary 10 both preacher and people II
there be that clear presentation OF
the greatest world movement that
has ever occupied the attention OF
mankind and intelligent under.
standing OF 1t by those who hear.
The Public Library furnishes
the people who are 10 compose the
minister's audience an opportunity
TO acquire a general knowledge OF
men and things and thus prepare
themselves tor eloquent hearing.
Once more: ii a man IS 10 SOW
seed from which he expects to reap
a harvest, there must be "A soil that
has had some sort OF preparation
Tor that sowing. Out OF the flood
OF DIRT cheap novels that enguli
our land the young mind is too apt
to select the detective story Or
French novel; alike dangerous
because on the one hand they in
c~ulcate a spirit OF daring that de.
ties law, and on the other a disre.
gard OF that modesty which is the
flower OF true womanhood. TO
, SOW IN that character OF soil is like
sowing among thorns.'
p Under the guidance OF a good
library n that keeps only the best
sort OF books the young will be led
INTO that field OF literature where
the masters OF the ages speak and
where the purest thoughts are
found, thoughts that will arouse
, the loitlest aud tenderest sentl.
ments TO which the human heart
can aspire. 10 let tall the pure
seed OF the Gospel into hearts thus
prepared is like sowing in good
ground.
As a minister OF the Gospel
hail the Inauguration OF the public
library as a great stride forward il
the moral and intellectual lite o
Iucumcari. The church has moth.
my TO tear from such an ally.
preach a religion that tears moth
lng from intellectual Announcements
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