The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-01-10
ElKERKlH MAKES PLEA
FOR BETTER READING

The Rev. Noble Strong Elderkin in
the reading of his usual Sunday even
Ing editorial" which precedes the
regular sermon, made a strong plea
Tor good reading and suggests that
our young people turn away from
cheap fiction and systematically IA
miliarize themselves with the mass
OF rich biography to be found on the
shelves of Ogden's well stocked pub
lie library. In his editorial he said;
| have always wanted to plead with
Ogden people to look over that case
OF books at our Carnegie Library
which lines the west wall 1t Is moth,
Ing strange TO see the crowds hug
glng the fiction shelves, in intense
eagerness Those swnrms of growing
young men and women who steer
clear of the rear shelves have often
pitied. They are trying to feed on
the stubbles when at their right hand
is that which will strengthen and In.
yigorate
For on those shelves lining the rear
wall is mass of rich biography
Those shelves would be better stock
ed II they were more eagerly sought
after. Cnbots inspiring Life of EN-
erson Is crowded into two fascinat-
ing volumes. Balfour has made Rob
ert Louis Stevenson to stand at our
side. ]. T. Morse has told the story
OF DR.. Holmes In most charming
manner Andrew D. White spreads
before us the splendor OF his own
long and useful life. Stillman. the
journalist, makes us his intimate
friend. Ferris Greenslets incompar-
able life of Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Is there waiting for your perusal
There too. you may find Professor
Palmer's life OF his accomplished
wife, Alice Freeman Palmer-the An
est book produced In 1905 You may
come to touch the hand OF Haw.
thornc through the two good volumes
which Julian Hawthorne wrote be.
fore he turned advance agent of nu-
merous get-rich-in-a-jiffy concerns
Booker I. Washington waits to mar
rate the details OF his glorious life.
Helen Keller is just as eager to
speak with you Lockhart's life OF his
father-in-law. Sir Walter Scott, can
not be surpassed by anything on the
ten-cent shelves. ]. 8. Trowbridge's
own Story" is far more interesting
N.
l am getting at the point OF this edi-
torial About eight years ago I made
New Years resolution to which
have clung tepaclously ever since. 1t
had to do with the reading Of certain
books. And because It has proved so
rewardlng to me. want to suggest
that similar resolution might be
made by you tonight even though the
regulation day for such an exercise
be passed.
On that New Years day. eight years
ago. resolved that hereafter I should
read life of Abraham Lincoln every
January. And l have stood by that
resolution ever since through thick
and THU. 1t has more than paid,
There is no life we Americans can
afford to study so insistently as that
of our first citizen No other Ameri-
can inspires us with so great hope
In our institutions. His birthday Is
coming to be the one serious Ameri-
can holiday. The other holidays we
fancy. must be celebrated with a
drinking bout, He must be something
more than a name for US The way
to achieve a sense OF his reality, now
ShoI iAio pouiiy Picb'htC lS SoHt lIODl
US. is to sit at the feot Of those who
have moved in his presence We
are not to live in the past That
were stupid. But Lincoln belongs to
no age and to no epoch. You may
think tie problem" stories are thrill |
ling. but / can honestly tell you that
they will appear insufferably dull af- !
ter an evening listening to Hapgood |
or Rothschlld or Hay or Tarbell or
Morse or Chittenden as they unfold |
the glories Of the matchless leader
"A hero new, wise, steadfast in the |
strength of God and true"
May we not hope TINT
"Our children shall behold his fame.
The kindly, earnest. brave, foresee-
ing man,
sagaoious. patient. dreading praise.
not blame.
New birth OF our new soil, the
First American7"