Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-05-03
LITERATURE AND HOW TO USE IT.
(The following paper by Mrs. Laura
Rand. was read before a meeting of
the Barton w. C. T. W

| tQ0 DAT IOll UsAOs "
"Of making many books there is no
end" said the inspired writer, and in
this age Of the world the uninspired
writer knows the truth that the wise
son of David uttered 80 many centuries
ago.
The literature of today may be clas-
sifed as most things are in popular
parlance-"Good. bad, and Indifferent.
1t is of the good literature that we
are to consider mostly in this paper.
There are so many special departments
of good literature that it will not be
possible to consider them all. but we
will take the departments that interest
or should interest all.
RELIGIOUS LITERATURE.
The one book that stands ahead of
all others is the Bible, the inspired
Book It is wonderful book, real
"ight unto our feet and lamp unto
our path. Each one of us ought to read
few verses in Gods book every day
and learn one verse each day. Aside
from the influence on our spiritual life
it has an influence upon our intellectual
life. There comes to my thought as
write this, little incident that hap
pened to friend of mine some years
ago. She was working for short
time at the same place with young
French girl and they worked side by
side. One day the young girl said to
my friend: would it be possible for
you to get me a French Bible? | have
always wanted one but never have
been able to get it." That evening
the lady carried a French Bible to her
young friend. The next morning as
the lady approached the place where
they worked, she saw her young friend
standing in the open door, the precious
book open in her hands and as the lady
approached the girl said. 30 hurry,
do hurry! I have found the most
beautiful thing that was ever written
You surely could not have known that
it was in the Bible or you would have
told me about it before. Listen"
And then the girl read in the beautiful
French language the story of the
Beatitudes. Yes, the Bible is beau
tiful book!
Then there are multitudes of rell
gious books, many Of them written by
eminent authors. that appeal to our
spiritual and intellectual welfare.
These good books are almost exhaust.
less. How shall we use them? BY
getting one thought, one idea every
day, think upon it, until it becomes
knowledge to US. Frances E. Willard,
whose memory we venerate, had a
rule not to let day pass without
learning one new thought, some quota
ton that she never forgot. Those who
had the privilege of hearing her,
whether in address or in conversation,
often wondered at the apt quotation
that always fitted so admirably her
theme. When we learned her habit OF
acquiring some new thought every day.
we understood what help it must have
been to this great and gifted woman.
And this is benefit to Us who may
not be great and gifted. 1t will be to
us who have not genius helping stone
in all our walks of life. It will help
give US an interest in the great field Of
literature that will abide with US all
! through life
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
Then there is at the present time
much literature that tells US how to
care for the body. It is said that there
has been a gain in the longevity of
! life. If we live few years longer
than our ancestors, it doubtless is
because we know better how to care
for our bodies than they did. There is
/ scarcely a magazine published that
does not have at least one article upon
some phase of the health question,
which of course includes foods and
drinks. This has been especially valu-
able to mothers in the care of their
children. I opened magazine yester-
day and the first article that riveted
my attention was entitled, "a Mother
as a Nurse" There followed an illus
trated article giving the way mother
could care for her sick child. In an
other part of the magazine was menu
given that would be of adaptability to
the average house wife. We have
literature in abundance that is for our
moral, intellectual and physical good.
The best rendering of each is to study
single thought each day, for several
days until it has become an education
to us. Gradually in this way, one will
become learned on all these important
subjects. Body, mind and soul are so
connected and hold such relation to
each other that one can scarcely be
benefited without helping the others.
FICTION.
There is another class of literature,
PfOUdUly FedO IuOTe CHau ally OCners
fiction, that is of value if rightly read.
The great trouble with most of us is
that we allow the novel to drive out our
interest in all other kinds of good liter
ature. The novel. as rule. should be
a recreation, not an absorption. Fasci-
mating, but not to the exclusion of all
other reading. A judicious amount OF
fiction is good for US, but care must be
taken that it does not absorb US.
once knew a very intellectual woman
who acquired the novel reading mania
to such an extent that she would leave
her breakfast table standing, with
dishes unwashed. until it was time te
get dinner, while she would sit porting
over novels. She not only neglected
her house, but also her family. There
, are good novels that while they enter
, tain, also elevate. Read novels. but