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Dangerous Literature

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 7, 1904

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 81, No. 27.

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Dangerous Literature

The moral degeneracy of much of the literature in the monthly magazines at this time, should be a subject of serious concern to parents, in view of the popularity of such literature and its educational influence upon youthful minds. On this point the editor of American Motherhood says in the latest issue of that journal:—
“I have been reading the late magazines with this thought in mind, asking myself if they are calculated to inspire right ideals in the minds of the young and inexperienced; and I have been startled at the thought of the youth of the land being influenced by the suggestions I found therein. It would seem as if invention of reputable situations had exhausted itself, and authors were feeling themselves obliged to resort to the questionable, or even to the criminal, in order to make their writings attractive. Heroines are pictured as doing things which heretofore have been considered of most doubtful propriety, and no question as to the correctness of their conduct is suggested. A young girl consorts with smugglers, aids them in their criminality; and it is all depicted as admirable daring. A trio of girls plot a robbery of one of their nearest friends, and it is supposed to be humorous. A young lady traveling alone, meets a stranger, enters into a flirtation, and the acquaintance thus begun ends in a wedding at the end of three days; and no hint is given of the dangers of such a proceeding.”
“Nor are the heroes more admirable. A retired train-robber tells in glowing phrase of the ease with which a train may be held up and its passengers fleeced of forty thousand dollars; and, although the fluent rascal advises his hearers not to undertake the business, one gains the idea that the advice is given more because he doubts their ability to carry it through successfully than because he considers it immoral.”
“Crooked schemes for defrauding individuals, companies, or even communities, are told with a charm of literary style that doubtless won them their acceptance by editors who apparently are looking only for skill, and care nothing for morals. Some of the magazine stories are clever lessons in petty thieving, burglary, or even in the art of destroying life, which might easily fire the susceptible imagination of the adolescent, and lead him into most reprehensible conduct.”
“Lincoln Steffens, in McClure’s for April, tells us of his hunt for the sources of corruption in city, State, or national politics, and of his finding that it led him every time into the maelstrom of business, and here he found the sources of national corruption. What hope is there for any improvement in the business methods of the future, when our boys are reading in our daily papers jokes concerning bribe-taking, and our magazines give prominence to tales of unblushing rascality?”
“A task of tremendous importance is before the parent who desires that during the approaching vacation only worthy models shall be held up before his children for emulation. His censorship would eliminate many periodicals whose reading-matter is worthy, because of the advertisements they carry; the daily papers would be placed under ban because of the prominence given to criminality and scandal; even the monthly periodicals would need close scrutiny, and books could not be purchased merely upon the strength of the reviewer’s testimony.”
“It would be worth all possible effort to keep in touch with the young people in their reading, to know by actual perusal in advance the character of the books they are reading; or else to read with them, and in either case to discuss the various situations, to put the stamp of parental approval on all that is worthy, and of disapproval on all that would not be desirable if repeated in their own lives.”
More and more must parents beware of the demoralizing influence of that which often bears the world’s stamp of respectability. More and more must the line be drawn between the education allowed or approved by the world and that which alone can develop Christian manhood and womanhood in our sons and daughters.