The Detroit times., 1915-05-21
Terss Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic Of the
Young Peoples soeieties-chris-
ttsu Endeavor. ete.--for May p:
"RsIio,ovs Reading: What and
\ Why7"--Ps. tte: t29-136.
~ WILLIAM T. ELLIS

0Y WILLIAM " CEGio
Speech has slain it's thousands
and literature has slain It's tens OF
thousands A central and dominant
principle OF our modern life Is the
prevalence and power OF published
communications. The printed page
rules the world. All news. all views.
all truth and error. are now swiftly
disseminated by the fartyins leaves
from the printing press. We are SO
accustomed TO this condition, and II
II 30 naturally accepted as matter
of fact. that We seldom pause 20 con.
slider It's revolutionary consequences.
No other single agency Is 80 directly
responsible for the universally ana
uniformity OF the ideas that nov
rule the world. The printing press
n the throne OF civilization The
periodical IL the realization OF the
classical myth OF Mercury. the mes
senger Of the gods. Since all man
Kind reads, or r. learning 30 read
the whole order OF organized life Is
being made over. Let US here and
nov. in recognition OF a truth with
unmeasured religious implications.
do reverence 10 the printed page.
All true and noble literature is re
ligious. whether technically so label
cd or not One has said that The
poets are the worlds ordained
priesthood."
While we freely grant the adtec'
tive religious 10 vast body OF
poetry and philosophy and Action
which wears no ecclesiastical tags
We must at the same time deny the
name religious" 10 a plentitude OF
trivial, mechanical. acrimonious and
unlovins literature which has come
forth from presses established In the
name OF religion. A church imprint
by no means insures a religious char
acter TO a printed page Indeed.
present day fact OF considerable i'm
portance is the rapid increase in sin
cerely religious literature. along
with the decline OF denominati0nai
publishing houses.
ANY literature which helps people
20 think more soberly, reverently
and nobly Is religious.
An inclination toward the htera-
ture OF meditation and inspiration IS
one Of the surest signs OF sincerely
devotional temperament Those who
tive thought 10 the things OF The
spirit seek the aid which comes from
the printed page. Thus, fondness for
Thomas Attempts Imitation OF
Christ" has been a characteristic OF
Y sptritually-minded persons OF all
faiths for hundreds OF years.
For child. OF a young Christian.
the little manuals. such as Daily
Food" Daily Strength for Daily
Needs" and kindred volumes. are
strongly TO be commended AS we
grow older and maturer in spiritual
experience. sturdier volumes. like
selection from Jeremy Taylor, or the
limitation" or Fenelon and Madame
0uyon. serve our needs better Long
or portions OF literature, and OF BIZ
BILE passages especially. are needed
10 satisfy our spiritual sppetites.
We may outgrow books OF deyo-
ton. but we never get beyond the
exhaustless riches OF the Bible. This
II the marvel alike OF literature and
Of religion The earliest groupings OF
childhood are satisfied by this Book
Of books; while the ripest sage. az
ter Q long life time of study. dies
without having plumbed its depths.
We get through with the other books
and cast them aside: but the older
we grow the more we find In the 81.
BILE. the Book which mirrors man and
reveals God. There is no wiser pro
vision In the Christian Endesvor
pledge than that which insures daily
Biblereading.
Some progressive" churches IN
stall frequently the latest revival
song books. These changes are nee.
essary. because one soon tires OF
most OF the modern hymns. Perhaps
the trivali'y of so many OF these
popular religious song books il OF
less Importance than the fact that
they crowd out the great hymnals
which contain the precious heritage
81 the ages. Every Christian is en-
titled 20 be familiar with the death.
ess hymns OF the Church and every
:hild should come unconsciously into
possession OF them A mind stored
with the sublimities Of Christian
aymnody is established and enrich.
ID In It's religious thinking.
A Christian newspaper ia every
Christian home is really an essential
" an efficient church lie Only the
eligious newspaper treats fully AMI
egularly and synpathetically the
,oncerns OF the kingdom In times
" crisis. Il alone can be counted
ipon TO champion the truth II
makes for more loyal and fruitful
,hurcb membership As the support
VI the Christian constituency be-
zones more outspoken and discriml
lating the quality and leadership OF
ha .hurcb uraGa Viii sgaadf.N fr,t