But One Life to Live by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 12, 1875

But One Life to Live.

By James White

A BOOK agent offered a novel to me on the cars. When I refused it he began to recommend it. I told him I had no time to read that kind of books. In a careless manner he said: "We have but one life to live." "That is my reason for refusing your book," I answered. "If I had several lives to live I could better afford to waste one on novels."

How many times are these words, "I have one life to live," uttered as a seeming excuse for a course of folly, when they ought to arouse every one to carefulness, and to a wise improvement of time in this our only life of probation.

Novel reading is more than a waste of time; yet in this age it is becoming fashionable in church circles. A few years ago I read the advice of an aged New York minister to young ministers; he told them to read novels to improve their style! Style—and such style for a pulpit—cannot atone for a vitiated taste or a bad habit.

A man committed suicide in Indianapolis, leaving in his room in the hotel a letter which gave as the reason for the act that his life was a wreck because of his habit of novel reading. There are thousands in the land—and many thousands—who lead a useless, aimless life because of this pernicious habit. It first destroys a taste for good, sensible, useful reading, and then for all useful pursuits. The habitual novel reader lives in an imaginary world. He, or she, is unfit to be entrusted with any great responsibilities in life. Duty is irksome, and perseverance in right doing becomes almost impossible.

When I was young I was very fond of reading. The Sunday-school library was composed almost entirely of pleasant little romances, which I read with avidity, and soon a taste was formed for that kind of reading. Early in life I was put in a printing office, and for several years a book store and circulating library were kept in connection with the office. There was a rare chance to gratify and to strengthen the habit of novel reading. I am now astonished when I think of the zest with which I read all the silly works of Captain Marryatt—the trashiest of their kind. But the current publications alone did not satisfy me. Fielding, Smollet, and every old author was called up, and every volume perused. With no friend to guide me, and all my associates with the same tastes, I seemed fast going to ruin.

In 1843, over thirty years ago, being awakened to serious things, I resolved to abandon the practice. Dickens was just then becoming popular, and I broke off in the middle of one of his novels, which I never finished. The reader may suppose that in thirty years I have fully recovered from the effect which my novel reading had upon my mind. But not so. No one who has been an inveterate novel reader for five years or more at that period of life when the character is forming, will ever fully recover from the effects of the habit. It stamped itself upon my very being, and permanently injured my mind. If others cannot perceive it, I can realize it; and I deeply regret that the time wasted in such reading was not spent in acquiring useful knowledge.

There is something captivating in works of fiction by which they easily gain an influence over the minds of the young. They destroy in a measure the power of deep and steady thinking, and incite to a state of indolent dreaminess which is pleasing to the selfish feelings. I some time since inquired of the Superintendent of a Sabbath-school what class of books was mostly called for. He said the works of fiction, such as are found in every list of Sunday-school publications, were always in the best demand. Biographies, histories, and the like, were not read much when the others could be obtained. This is not surprising; it is only natural; and it shows with what care parents and teachers should guide the reading habits of the young. The children who, when left to themselves, will choose good, healthy, solid reading, in preference to works of fiction, are very few. Encouragement in the right way is always needed.

A peremptory order to abstain from such reading, without appealing to, or convincing, the reason, will generally fail of any good result. The first object of the parent should be to make good reading interesting and attractive to the child, and this being accomplished a decided victory is gained. To this it may be necessary to explain and simplify or illustrate the truths taught, so as to draw out the powers of the youthful mind in the right direction. The mother who cannot leave her work a few minutes to listen to the questions of the little one, to enter into its feelings, to guide its tastes and sympathies, must expect to lose her child. She may dress and feed it well, and send it to school, and afford it a good lodging place at night; but the child is not really hers. There is no genuine union between them, and this she will learn to her regret if her own sensibilities do not get so blunted that she cannot realize the true condition of things. The father who is so deeply interested in his "business" that he cannot associate with his boy; cannot find time to assist in guiding his thoughts and forming his mind, will some time discover that his life of business was a failure.

But here a sad mistake may be made. The mother may descend to childishness to please and interest her child, and work a permanent injury. She should get down to the level of the child only to raise it up; to gently guide it to a higher sphere of thought and action. How much more than earthly wisdom is needed by a parent. How earnestly the faithful parent cries, "Who is sufficient for these things?"

Only one life to live, and that so short, so uncertain, so full of responsibilities, so beset with temptations and dangers. And every action, every word must be brought into Judgment. How carefully and wisely should it be improved. J. H. W.