Norwich bulletin., 1911-01-16
BURNING BOOKS, OR
 GOOD AND BAD LITERATURE
Fierecest Battles of the Future Are to Be Fought With Pen and Type, Says Rev. Dr.. M. s. Kaufman.

Sunday evening at Trinity Metho- dist Episcopal church Rev. Dr. M. $. Kaufman preached on Burning Books, or Good and Bad literature, taking as his text. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men, Acts xix, 19. He said, in part:
 The burning words of St. Paul at Ephesus set fire to thousands of dol lars worth of wicked books. In com- ing years the blazing words of Christ's gospel are destinted to burn up all per nicious literature. It does not have that appearance now, we must confess. From present surface indications it would seem more likely that floods of pernicious literature are destined to put out the fires of gospel truth. Such is certainly it's tendency But apear- ances are often deceiving. If we walk ed by sight alone we should soon be groping in the darkness of despair. Faith is clear visioned and can pierce the thickest clouds and always find the sun shining. Literature has become one of the mightiest of all facts for blessing or cursing society-for ele- vating or degrading communities and fndividuals-for helping the soul in it's upward flight or weighting it down with burdens that sink it to ruin.
 There are two kinds of burning books; those that burn up the base and corrupt vices of the heart, and those that burn out of the soul it's best impulses and holiest desires. There can be no question in thoughtful minds concerning the proper choice between these two varieties The one consumes the drosS in human nature; the other destroys the gold. In the selection of literature for pei sonal use. would it not be well to determine which result we prefer? It is a matter of choice. We can have the base metal burned ont of ne nr-x ha ho gold consumed. Which shall it be :? Each one will decide for himself.
 The press never had such wide in- f1uence in molding character as in our day. Its leaves are like the leaves of the forest in multitude. Would that they were all like the trees of paradise, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.
 The fiercest battles of the future are not to be fought with swords and guns, buI with pens and type. Let us believe that a purified and Christian literature is to trample down and crush out that which is polluted-that ultimately the bad book is to be displaced by the good one. As matter of fact, there are now many more solid and valuable books published than light and trashy ones. In certain year the English pres issued 3,063 new books, and of these 1902 were substantial works on science. morals, government, educa- tion, and other subjects which tend to elevate mankind. Only 461 of the more than three thousand were works of fiction Aboue one-tfird of the whole number were in the realm of theology and religion. But the readers of the light publications ia. utnum- Der the readers of the weigf1ty vol umes. We cannot believe that this will always be the case. As men and wom- en rise in the scale of true living thaN will SJIoh f+n1-a t11rQ ac contributes to real manhood and pure womanflood
 Fiction at it's best is to be commend ed chiefly for hours of relaxation and never for a steady diet It is better fitted for dessert than for a full meal. Promiscuous and excessive novel read ing vitiates the taste for books of the first rank and weakens the mental fac ulties. Every one who can should be- come acquainted with the few truly great writers-those who have express ed the finest thoughts and sentiments in choicest language. Parents and teachers have a great responsibility in helping the young to form the taste for good reading and the habit of utilizing it. Some parents would be surprised and pained if they could know the yilest books their children have read or are in the habit of boring over. Our land is flooded with trashy books and periodicals gotten up expressly for girls and boys.
 Reading which gives the young dis torted views of society and disqua1ifes them for the demands of noble devel- opment is to be summed. Literature that gloriffes evil. winks al vice toler- ates sin, that lauds as heroes notorious villains is burning literature. It blasts character. Books which diminish rev. erence for God and things sacred, con- fuse our ideas of right and wrong, which dull the conscience and render the soul less sensitive to evil, and dampen ambition for high achievement. lowering lffe's worthiest ideals, are burning books They weaken self con- tro1 and make one restive under the legitimate restraints of divine law. They make wrongdoing appear attrac- tive and rightdoing naonotonous and even repulsive. eOn the other hand, literature which strengthen faith in God and goodness. which inspires the soul to climb the heights of Christian character that 1t may become worth as much as possible to humanity and to God such literature is invaluable and t should be cherished and utilized.