The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-22
CBY WILLIAM T. ELLISO

l..
Speech has slain its thousands; and
literature has slain its tens of thou
sands. A central and dominant prin-
ciple of our modern life is the preva-
lence and power of published COM
munications. The printed page rules
the world. All news, all views, all
truth and error, are now swiftly dis
seminated by the far-flying leaves
from the printing press. We are SO
accustomed to this condition, and it
is so naturally accepted a matter
of fact, that we seldom pause to con-
slider its revolutionary consequences.
No other single agency is so directly
responsible for the universally and
uniformity of the ideas that now rule
the world. The printing press is the
throne of civilization. The periodical
is the realization of the classical myth
of Mercury, the messenger of the
gods. Since all mankind reads, or is
learning to read, the whole order of
organized life is being made over. Let
US here and now, in recognition of
truth with unmeasured religious i'm
plications, do reverence to the printed
page.
All true and noble literature is re-
igious, whether technically so labeled
or not. One has said that 1.-The poets
are the worlds ordained priesthood
While we freely grant the adjec-
tive religious" to a vast body of
poetry and philosophy and fiction
which wears no ecclesiastical tags we
must at the same time deny the name
religious" to plenitude of trivial,
mechanical acrimonious and unlov-
ing literature which has come forth
from presses established in the name
of religion. A church imprint by no
means insures a religious character
to a printed page. Indeed, a present
day fact of considerable importance is
civ
1g1ous literature, along with the de-
cline of UNCONVENTIONAL publishing
houses.
Any literature which helps people
to think more soberly, reverently and
nobly is religious.
An inclination toward the litera-
ture of mediation and inspiration is
one of the surest signs Of a sincerely
devotional temperament. Those who
give thought to the things of the spi-
rlt seek the aid which comes from the
printed page. Thus. fondness for
Thomas Attempts Imitation of
spiritually minded persons of all
faiths for hundreds of years.
For a child. or young Christian,
1 Eood n !. e.D manuals such as Daily
Needs and kindred volumes, are
strongly to be commended AS we
grow older and maturer in spiritual
experience, sturdier volumes, like Sc
lections from Jeremy Taylor, or the
imitation" or Fenelon and Madame
Guyon. serve our needs better Long
er portions of literature, and of Bible
passages especially, are needed to sat-
isfy our spiritual appetites.
We may outgrow books of devotion.
put we never get beyond the exhaust
less riches of the Bible. This is the
marvel alike of literature and of re-
HSlon- The earliest groupings of child
hood are satisfied by this Book of
books: while the ripest sage after a
long life time of study, dies without
having plumbed it's depths. We get
through with the other books, and
cast them aside; but the older we
grow the more we find in the Bible,
the Book which mirrors man and re-
yeals God, There is no wiser provis-
ion in the Christian Endeavor pledge
that that which insures daily Bible
reading.
Some progressive , churches in
stal! frequently the latest revival song
BOOKS. These changes are necessary,
because one soon tires of most of the
modern hymns Perhaps the trivial
ity or so many of these popular relig-
lous song-books is of less Importance
than the fact that they crowd out
the great hymnals which contain the
precious heritage of the ages Every
christian is entitled to be familiar
with the deathless hymns of the
Church: and every child should come
uneonsciously into possession of them
A mind stored with the sublimities of
Christian hymnody is established and
enriched in its religious thinking.
A Christian newspaper in every
Christian home is really an essential
of an efficient Church life. Only the
religious QeWspaper treafs fully and