A LITTLE ABOUT BOOKS.

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 343, 18 January 1924, Page 11

A LITTLE ABOUT BOOKS.

Picture, with me, a rural homestead, far from the thronging crowds and the busy turmoil of city life. Par even from the railways, that are the connecting link with busy centres. The house is not large*, but it is well built, arid has an air of solid comfort and thrift about its 'well-kept garden, where bloom many of the choicest flowers in season. Hut it is might now, and our vision is obscured; we can only hear the min coming down in torrents, the thunder rolling, and see the lightning flashing. The wind comes in mighty gusts, and hurls itself against the house as though inviting it to a game of pitch and toss; hut the house merely gives a little shake, and seems to settle down firmer on Its solid foundations, as though saying, “No it is for you to hurl, but for me to withstand.” Now let us peep inside. Hound the hearthstone, where a fire is burning, such as ran only be had near the virgin forest, sit father, mother, and the elder children; the wee ones have already been tucked in. To-night mother

is too busy with some little garment to

road. When she can read, they each have their own booh, and enjoy each his own story, hut this evening fat in r

reads aloud, while mother sows an I listens to one of (Yirwood’s beautiful nature stories, which young and oM can alike appreciate. They have not yet been able to buy a piano, or even a phonograph, so cannot enjoy music, »»*.:? they nevertheless have a most enjoyable evening, and before they retire, that Hook of books is brought down and a chapter read, and the father does not forget to thank (Sod for all fits mercies, and among the chiefest of them for his happy home, and for the easy access to good books. They are out of the reach of picture theatres and such like amusements; they cannot afford music, except the rich melody of the birds, but they can afford books.

and they have anti enjoy them to the n 1 most. 1 wonder do we ever consider how fortunate we are in living- now’ and not in an age when books were unknown. What a friend a book can be, only the book-lover knows. Those who are not fontl of reading do not know how much they miss. A person who is homesick and alone, far from home and kindred, if he is fond of reading can lose himself in a book, and live for a time in the characters ol his book; and there are books to suit the tastes of all. The physician, botanist, naturalist, agriculturist, scientist, phrenologist, sociologist, theologist, astronomer, etc., all find that some gift ed person has left the humble creation of his brains to bo handed down to p>stenty. Those who like a good wholesome love story have not far to look in any modern library. The invalid in his arm chair, or s*ill more helpless on a bed o f pain, can sometimes forget his pain, for a time, and ♦ravel in imagination with some exploit to the heart of Central Africa, or to China, Japan, to Egypt or Home, and view their ancient glories. Happ> should the author feel who can beguile the wepry hours of suffering thus. h,en lor the wee mites there are wonderful picture books, and as the mind matures. the beautiful Bible stories, fairy stories, stories of birds, beasts and flowers, and for the •’ '* • ones again there is no lack of good wholesome and instructive books. It is marvellous the influence of books on one’s character. Who has not felt the up.iftirg Influence of some good biography, felt the need to restrain some unworthy desire, to try to cultivate more fortitude of character, more patience, more self-sacrifice, after reading one of these. When one is tire 1 and despondent, how soothing is the influence of the right sort of book. How often has a person almost given up in despair, when he has heard or read of someone in a similar position, who has struggled on through ;.dve«s».y and eventually attained his goal; and it has given him renewed courage and stimulated him to fresh achievement and attainments. What an intense power and scope the author has o *xhale his influence for good or evil. Wherever men go, there can go the children of bis brain. He can reach

the people and the hearts of the people that no others can reach and influence them as no others can influence. If only all authors could comprehend this, as many do, and realise that this marvellous power is not really their cun, to he used only for their own selfish ends, hut only lent to them by God for the furtherance of His own kingdom, then perhaps we would not coine across so much trashy and immoral literature. We pick up books to-day by the score that csin do no good to anyone, but can and do work untold harm to some. Some will argue that in this advanced jige we must take a wider outlook on ife. That is quite so, and if there is a good moral in a hook, even although it lx? rather plainly spoken, 1 have no doubt it attains its end.

A few years ago there was a great controversy about a book of Hall Caine, called "The Woman Thou Caveat Me.” I heard many people say it should never have been written, and that it was most unmoral. Certainly it was not a book that should be read by those who had not reached years of discretion, but l am convinced that it was a book writ-

ten with a great purpose, and that purpose was to show the folly and sin of forced and loveless marriages. Some time ago I read another book, written l am sorry to say, by a New Zealand woman. It was cleverly written, the language was good, and the .story would have Iwen beautiful if it had not been spoiU, for every self-re-specting man and woman, by its utter immorality, and 1 think it would take a supernaturally clever person to find any purpose in that book, ex« ept to pander to the taste of a class that is no ac-

quisition to the world at large

it is the children and the youth o f the nations that are going to lx* sullied by these sort of books. When the mind is fully developed it can as a general rule withstand those influences, hut to the undeveloped mind and character an immoral book emanates just the same influonce as an immoral companion When you realise that that influence does not remain with one person, but is passed on and on by him. until it goer. down the countless ages it is appalling The only thing we can do is to en courage the young people to read books of a high moral tone, advise them to choose authors we know are sound, and never let them read books we knov;

nothing about until we have scann< them. When their tastes are cultivy i<l tor good literature they are saie, bi let them get a taste for sensation trash, and they will vote good pui liooks “tame.”

1 could go on and on, but there is refrain ringing in my brain “Boil down,” and after all, what can 1 c but appeal to some influential persoi to set revolving the wheels with! wheels that will stop the import ai sale of immoral l»ooks. A. CtJUJON.