Untitled article by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 28, 1868

BOOKS! BOOKS!!

By James White

In our travels we find many of the houses of our people almost destitute of good books. Some parents have good libraries for themselves, and for their children; others have books mostly worthless, while still others are destitute of reading of any kind, excepting the Review, Instructor, and, perhaps, two or three pamphlets on present truth.

From some experience we can judge with a degree of accuracy as to the intelligence, moral worth, correct ideas, and the piety of families by looking over their book shelves. There is a power in books to those who cultivate a love to read. Novels craze the brain, and destroy the proper balance of the mind. Skeptical works placed in the hands of a young man are quite sure to make him an infidel. Books of a high-toned moral and religious character, are sure to mould the mind and religious experience of children, correctly, unless counteracted by poisonous teachings and influences. We would, in view of these facts, appeal to our people, as they value their own salvation and that of their children,

1. To banish from their homes all light, novel, skeptical, and other poisonous reading.

2. To seek for good books and obtain a good assortment.

3. To cultivate a love for good reading. The evenings in every family, when not otherwise employed, should be spent in reading. And we propose this plan. Let one of the parents or older children read aloud, while the entire family enjoy the intellectual feast of chaste, moral and religious thoughts. The books we would recommend, are

1. The Bible. Read the thrilling story of Joseph in Egypt, and many other sacred narratives found in the Old Testament, and you will see no lack of interest in a family circle of parents and children. Read at the proper time, and just long enough at a time to hold the increasing interest of all. Read one whole narrative at a time if possible.

Then read the story of Jesus recorded by the evangelists, and the history of some of Christ's first ministers in the Acts, and you will here see a love for holy things kindling in young hearts. Then come to the more practical lessons taught by Jesus and in the epistles. Here, dear brethren, in this holy book is a rich treasure for you and your children.

2. There are helps in the study of the Scriptures such as Cruden's Concordance, Bible Dictionary, Bible Atlas, &c., which every family should have.

3. The works on prophecy, and the various subjects connected with the present truth, for sale at the Review Office. These should be carefully studied and faithfully read by all, that each may be prepared and ever ready to give the reasons of their hope and faith. It is a discouragement to those who preach and write books to know that most of our people are really unable to give the reasons why they believe, much less to meet the objections of opponents, while the books written with so much care containing these reasons and the necessary arguments are lying at the Office. And it is a shame to those who profess our faith to remain ignorant of the reasons why they believe, and are an easy prey to wily opponents, when a few dollars will pay for the books, and study at proper hours would make them intelligent, strong in the faith and able to teach others. Every farmer and mechanic should devote at least two hours each day to reading and close study.

4. Every family should have the four volumes of Spiritual Gifts. Let the family gather around and listen to from five to ten chapters each evening. Those who have pursued this course testify that there is no lack of interest till all are read. These books contain lessons of theoretical, practical and spiritual importance, which should be regarded of the greatest interest to every Sabbath-keeping family at this time.

5. Appeal to the Youth. This book contains matter of the deepest interest to every youth. Thousands have been purchased or received as gifts, and have gone from house to house among all classes, being read by tens of thousands till literally worn out. The subject matter is as follows:

a. An able and affectionate funeral address of Henry N. White, who died Dec. 8, 1863, by the Editor of the Review.

b. A truthful and touching narrative of his worthy life, last sickness, and triumphant death.

c. His mother's letters to her three sons, Henry, Edson and Willie. These letters were by no means written for publication, but are the affectionate appeals of a tender mother to her children, written while traveling in different States from Maine to Iowa, and reveal a Christian mother's heart. The moral and religious lessons taught in these letters, the affection they show, revealing the strength of true family government, make this portion of the work of inestimable worth. No mother, who loves her children, and prays for their salvation, would delay to obtain this book at ten times its small cost, if she had any knowledge of its true worth. Ministers and members of the other denominations have pronounced this little book the best of the kind ever offered to the people. Especially have they prized the mother's letters.

6. Appeal to Mothers. The great cause of the physical, mental, and moral ruin of many of the children of our time. This is a faithful exposure of the ruin and sin of solitary vice, and an earnest appeal to mothers to be in season in teaching their children to shun it, and to those who are guilty, to immediately wash their hands from the crime of slow, yet terrible suicide. Mothers, as you value the salvation of your children in this world and in the next, let them have this little pamphlet.

7. Sabbath Readings. This is a work of 400 pages, containing 129 moral and religious stories for young men, young women, and children, and 25 pieces of first-class poetry of the same character as the stories.

The compiler of this work had in her extensive travels in different States during ten years, collected a great amount of books and papers from which she read to her three sons on the Sabbath, and was prepared to make the most valuable selections. Parents, this book is just what your children should have. You can sweetly, and most profitably entertain them on the Sabbath by reading to them these instructive and touching stories. The affection and love manifested in them, will soften the hearts of your dear children preparatory for the impress of the moral and religious principles taught.

And, lastly, but not the least, we recommend the two large charts with the key to the prophetic chart, advertised in the Review.

If the children of Israel were to teach their children diligently the commandments of God as follows: “When thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up,” “and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes; and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates,” Deut. vi, 7-9,—what could be more appropriate in the discharge of your duty to your children than to hang in your house the beautiful chart on which is lithographed the ten commandments? This would assist you in giving lessons to your children upon the law of the great God.

The prophetic chart and key of explanations will be found of inestimable value in the study of the prophecies. Let these be in every house of those who wish to learn present truth and present duty. To those who feel able to purchase, we recommend the varnished, mounted charts, advertised in the Review. To others we would say there are 400 sets on cloth, just as they came from the lithographer, which can be sent to you with the key, post paid, for the small sum of $1.50. For the prices of most of the other works mentioned, see list in another column. Concordance, leather, $2.00, cloth, $1.50, postage 36c; Bible Dictionary, leather, $2.00, cloth, $1.50, postage 24c; Bible Atlas, $1.00, postage 20c.

And then there are medical works of importance which you should have, such as Jackson on Consumption, $2.00, postage 28c; Trall's Home Practice, just the book for every family, $1.75, postage 16c; and Sexual Organism, which every parent should have, $1.75, postage 16c.

Again we say, as at the heading of this article, Books! Books!! Get books, and get the right ones, and read up.

JAMES WHITE.

P. S. We shall keep a full assortment of books and charts at Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich. J. W.