The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-29
THE ONE GREAT BOOK

If were compelled TO live on a
desert island with only one book to
read l would select, not the Bible,
not Shakespeare's works, not even
the greatest masterpiece of fiction.
CerYantes's Don Qui1ote." but The
Confessions of ST. Augustine.
A prediction for one book above
all others may impress the omnivor
Gus reader as mark of intellectual
norrawnesg, but. even If this were
true-and I do not for a moment al
NIT that 1t isl would prefer TO be
narrow and intense rather than wide
spread and shallow. An old Latin
proyerb says Beware OF the man
OF one book" For the multitude in
our day the enormous increase of
books is a misfortune. To read all
sorts of books and 10 concentrate at
Iention on none OF them is TO be
"bookish'' in the worst sense OF the
word-it is to cultivate condition OF
mind aptly described as Learned
ignorance" 1t is to swallow books,
low food when they are hungry-or
in homely language TO bolt them.
1t seems to me that 10 the solitary
the most precious volume is that
which unveils another soul. This
Augustine has faithfully done and 1nnd
t1.;s So oh-5S,~,r:S, - .f6 s.aaasGi.sTo 81
his Confessions" as his extraordin-
airy sincerity. He did not shrink
from exposing not only his worst
/ sins. hut also the wounds which
were never entirely healed during his
mortal life.
| A modern writer has said: The
path OF the passions has led me TO
/ philosophy" But Augustine would
have said If he were TO indulge in a
similar generalization. that the path
of the passions had led him 10 reig-
ion" He has produced theological
works which have had many inter
prefers. But 1t is as the author OF
the Confessions" that he viii live
] in literature entirely agree with
the three greatest formative books
OF the world
| Let there be no mistake about it.
In St Augustine we have writer in
whom there is nothing Hellenic He
more than in Vergil or Cicero we
may see the flower and the glory OF
Latin civilization.
Z
| man IS as full OF human interest to
day as it was fourteen hundred years
ago. His life was new and, / would
submit better application Of the
Latin dramatist's words, Homo
Sum" Augustine might with tire
mendous force have said: Il am q
man, and into tie story OF my life
you may read that OF every man" In
a sense Augustine is Humanity His
temptations, his transgressSons, his
struggle against the enemy OF human
souls. are in one form or another
such as have befallen and must be
fall every child of man His history
lis truly human history-it is the EN-
bodinent in individual shape of tht
inevitable battle of mans VIII agains
1.-THE Powers Of Darkness.
Il Augustine was born al Tagaste, {
town in Numidia in the north o
Africa on November IS, 354- Hi!
father. PatTicius. was a pagan at tn:
time of the child's birth. His mother
Monica, was a christian, and her at
lection for both her husband and he
son, her devotion 10 their spiritua
welfare. and her noble patience whil'
waiting for the fulfiIment of he
prayers on their behalf have mad
her a model for all mothers.
The country around Tagaste is OF
Ione side fertile and beautiful and Oh
the other side barren and desoiate
Possibly 10 the strongly CONTRASTING
features OF his birthplace Augustin
lowed the conflicting elements OF nj
own character. Tagaste was fire
town" and its characteristics wer
Latin. II was not q fine city. but
Ihad some OF the resources which ar
associated with civilized existence.
Augustine in sHite OF his vices
was a studious youth. But it was hi
love for mis- mother. her prayers, an
, lher tears, that filled him with sorro'
Il for his sins of the flesh. CATlyi
: said: at is the Most High God tha
made women" But Augustine's fee
ing is more deeply personal. In hi
mother he saw a select being. ii
/ remarks that her father and mothe
did not know what one shout
come from them" And so Monte
was not the creature of heredity- TIL
culture of her soul made her an e.
: pert in the science of sainthood.
As hoy he loved 10 Dlay as he In