Evening star., 1914-12-20
Gems from mp Keaning.
Up Keb. flopb 0M. Tonkins,
R>c

Reading, as leading to the cultivation
of the intellect and the consequent use
fulness of the man or woman, is q
Christian duty. God has given us our
minds and we must use them that the
world may be better for our knowl-
edge and our service.
In this generation there is little ex-
cuse for any one who does not read.
With our public libraries, our books
and magazines and our lectures in
many quarters stimulating the reading
habit, we surely have opportunity
enough. in spite of the fact that we
are busy people. to fill our minds
with good knowledge and to learn of
many things in many directions. The
chief trouble lies in knowing what to
read when the ma aterial is so abunda Mt
and when some of it is harmful rather
than helpful.
Discrimination is not an easy ac-
| quisition. 1t has to be cultivated, and
! in these busy days it is not a light
matter to decide what is good and
! what is bad in literature. Many things
| have to be taken into consideration
The language of the books we read
whether il is pure English or not; the
| topics treated. whether they are timel Y
and profitable or not; the character OF
tHc Wn1cn is Il matter we l.
not anord to diSregard-all these Ques-
i tons come up to us the moment We
, think Of reading, and they must not be
| lightly thrown aside.
l think the subject of our meditation,
Gems From My Reading" suggested
| at least one line of profit which IL is
| well for us to consider.
! II we find in our reading special
books which impress us or specia.
| passages which help us we should not.
ey nd fh<vs
them place in our memories
1t is good to make Il list of book:
which have helped us. and to collect
nigh sentiments or passages which.
strike US and have them ready fc.
use. The fine thing about President
Eliots suggested list of books is th.,
II gives us a guide in reading and alsc
opens up a Held in which we may feeL
TO our hearts content a good review
of books in some reliable magazine i.
also helpful, and most of our perioui-
calls are accustomed to comment upol
new publications with creditabi,
sanity.
Gems" in books or parts of book.
are what we should seek for. they ar.
the jewels OF thought which can wei
adorn the mind and give us the pows
to help.
Instead of giving a list OF quotations
today, let US rather indicate some line:
of profitable reading and some method:
whereby We may improve our readina
hours. We must not be too narrow II
our selection of books. for while We
may rightly be Interested in some spe
cial line we need the broad cultur,
which shall keep our brains BALANCED
| The nan who reads only scientifi,
books and neglects poetry and histor,
| soon becomes bigoted and thinks onll
! one study is worthy. And he who con
| fines himself to fiction and thinks his
| tory stupid and poetry weak. can hare
| ly be thoughtful student.
To my thinking there are at leae'
| four lines of reading to which ma
| should give himself. aside from h
| special study as a lawyer or doctor 0
! theologian-D poetry, (2) history, (3
votion. Poetry kindles the imagina
| ton and helps US to endure the hard
things of daily living while we grasp
! the ideal. History enables US to know
| the world as it has struggled on
| through the centuries toward noble!
| power.
| Fiction carries US out among people
| and makes us know humanity. while
| the soul. hungry for God and for COM
| fort which shall endure, needs that
| which shall lead 1t nearer to the Christ
| of us all and make US true to His
| teachings. And from all of these we
| gather jewels which shine in the sun
| light and reflect their richness upon
| the life we are living and upon the
| lives of others.
What gems poetry has! They come
throbbing with beauty. to our mem
DRY as We call them, little treasures