PERNICIOUS READING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 357, 20 February 1880, Page 17

PERNICIOUS READING.

(From the Louisville CatMic Advocate.)

A very serious evil of the present day is reading, that is to say, the reading of bad books and other publications. Under the head of bad reading may be included all books or other issues from the press, under whatever title or form they may appear, wherein the proofs or dogmas of the Catholic religion or the authority of the Church is disputed or doubted ; her moral teachings and manner of government wilfully misrepresented, or her august chief upon earth and her hierarchy and clergy slandered or calumniated. Such is the character of innumerable works circulating in all the countries of Christendom to-day, and the purpose of many of them is to make war upon religion and morality and seek to destroy the one and the other. There was an epoch in the history of literature — a glorious epoch— when the consciences of those fascinated by its charms, might to some extent find means of evading the stern condemnation of the moral code, or of seeking a shelter from it. Some of the choicest masterpieces of of literature though not positively immoral, were still not entirely blameless, and thus, whilst not liable to condemnation, they could not be commended by the Church. The rules of the Church concerning the forbidding of books were in the last century sometimes difficult of application, and in order to insure exactness in their enforcement, the gravity of the case was often necessarily measured by the quality of the persons concerned, and the nature of the circumstance involved. These embarrassing circumstances have, in modern times, ceased to exist. The evil of bad reading matter is to-day too evident. Works, which it might formerly have been sought to justify a3 orthodox, or as of only doubtful morality, have given place to books, written openly and directly against faith and morals. The point of issue raised by their authors, is one against which our eyes may not remain closed. In many of the romances, and other literary productions of the day, people are taught there is no God, no immortality, no conscience, no future state, no distinction between good and evil. That no happiness is to be found excepting in the gratification of animal passions ; that there is no law but that of self-love, and no restraining motive excepting the fear of punishment. These productions sow broadcast the seeds of infidelity, impurity and impiety. They gradually, but surely, corrupt the morals of the readers, and effect their spiritual ruin. The evil of bad reading is so widespread and pernicious, and its effects so baleful, that the subject is one of the most serious import, Catholics should exert themselves, individually and oolleotively, in their various spheres to check and correct it.