The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-01
SNAPPY WEEKL|ES PLAYED BY STUART Finds Time After Sermon on Isaiah to Comment on
 Best Sellers

Warning a ,ainst danger lurking In suggestive books and other modern literature in their influence on the rising generation, pr. George R. Stu art, pastor of the First Fethodist arch, Sunday morning in nis ser mon to a capacity audience, pointed out that practically all j. the so- called best sellers" of this cay are books based CT immortality and all that goes with it. althougt falsely protesting to teach a moral.
 The text of sermo was based on the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian through Philip ,as found in the eighth chapter of Acts, and espe- cially the thirt'e eth verse: And Philir ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah, the prophet. and said. Under sterdest thou wha thou reldest.
 Meditas.~e Hou Lost
 "A desert is the eventide at home with the world shut out and { ood book. It Is rainy day with a good book. The orld needs these desert hours of meditation. r. tn case after the dollar by day and pleasure y night, we have lo-- the me itative hour. When you are reading a good book, great thoughts can come to you and wien you are entertaining great thoughts. great cal ma. reach you.'
 Scientific Principle Pointing out that such diseases as smallpox, typhoid and others are be- ing wiped our by reco gnizng that the germ must te killed, D.. .tuart de- clared that the present reat wave of crime is largely due to the germ that breeds in bad literature, expressing doubt if there are five well selected youtrs' libraries in the city of Bir- mingham.
 What kind of literature is in your boys rooms Who knows what youi children read?"
 After also pointing outo that news papers only report happenings and that as long as there are murders thefts. divorces, graft and immortality that is what papers report, he read from Roger Babson's description of ar old New England newspaper and com pared it with the paper of today, and illustrated how the world is drftine from the days of old literature oi classics, of higher ideals. to rot.
 Plays Suggestive Periodicals
 Just look at your umorous week lies and monthlies," continued pr Stuart. If mention their names il
 
 them tomorrow, but just look at some of the names. Wampus Cat, V gllizs Bang, Hot Dog. They are rightly named, for they are acts and dogs ant vulgarfty galore. I wonder how these can get through the mails, much les. in the homes of our people. I would to God we had in these United States today one good. clean, humorous mag. azine that did not indulge in slurs a the church, home. ministers, married life and other sacred relations of life And fiction? Who is it today that reads Dickens, Scott, Lytton ant other great novelsts of high ideals Who reads the great classics? opinion Varies
 asked one of the great literateur: of this country as to the so-calleo best sellers. He named these four Main Street. Great Impersonation. This Side of Paradisc,' and The Foui Horsemen of the Apocalypse.' II every one of them there is woman with immortality. man with immor. alit
 Following a brief review of the principal characters in these fou, books and showing the immoral trag. edy especially of the second and third Dr. stuart scoredethe excuse for all these, given by the authors, Ito teach a moral lesson" and declared tha, ''th4s is the same excus, they make 1 for rotton picture .nows."