COMPANIONS IN GOOD BOOKS by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 30, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 13.

COMPANIONS IN GOOD BOOKS.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

*"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

WHAT shall I read? and, What shall I allow my children to read?" are questions which were never asked more frequently than to-day. This is not because of the scarcity of books or papers, but because of their very profusion. If the declaration of Solomon that "of making many books there is no end," was true in the days of the wise man, it is more emphatically so to-day.

Now, if all these books were good books, and all the newspapers and magazines which flood the market, were good, wholesome literature, one of the greatest sources of evil which the enemy of all mankind uses with which to entrap the feet of his victim, would be at an end. But, unfortunately, such is not the case; hence, we must use the reasoning powers with which God has endowed us, to discriminate between the good and the bad.

If we would make the most of the precious probationary time which still remains to us, and whose priceless hours are so rapidly passing, we will spend very little of it in reading the ordinary newspapers of the day. Why?—Because they are, as a class, highly sensational and disgustingly detailed in describing the horrible incidents of crime.

We need to know but little of these things. Would it not be better to "close our eyes from the seeing of blood and shut our ears from the hearing of evil"? It is enough to know that the perils of the last days are upon us.

"But," says one, "I must read the papers, or I can not keep in touch with what is going on around me." Now while this is true in a measure, it does not follow that an hour or two must be spent daily in order to become intelligent regarding the important happenings of the day. It is not necessary that Christians should know who was the champion of the latest prize fight, or be acquainted with every horrible detail of the thousand crimes and revolting scandals with which the ordinary newspaper of the day deals so extensively. "By beholding, we become changed." Does it increase the wisdom or the intelligence of any one to spend an hour reading the names of the latest arrivals at Blank Hotel, or the fact that the fashionable Mrs. A is entertaining the elegant Miss B?

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." If we apply this test to our reading—apply it conscientiously and rigidly, we will have no trouble in determining our duty in this matter.

"One need never be lonely," said an intelligent lady one day, "so long as the world is full of good books," and it is verily true.

Good books are like good people, the more one knows of them, the better. A good remedy for dullness and a fit of the blues, is to spend an hour reading reliable history. "Truth is stranger than fiction," and much more profitable.

Still, there are some biographies, which, however truthful, I would never recommend a young man or woman to read, for truth is not the only requisite which a book should possess. The biographer of a famous man does not stop to inquire if the example of his hero is a good one for a young man to follow. It is enough for him—and, oftentimes, enough for the world—if the man is famous. If he is a great artist, or sculptor, or musician, or soldier, his every act is lauded to the skies, his cruelty is termed "bravery," and his dishonesty is dominated "business foresight."

I remember once, while at the house of an acquaintance, I glanced through a volume entitled, "The Life of ———," a noted desperado. In this book the author had so skillfully covered the criminality of his hero, that, had I not heretofore known something of the real character of this misguided man, I am sure my sympathy would have quite run away with my judgment.

Then, in reading biographies, we may well be careful that they portray the lives of Christian men and women, whose examples we may safely follow. With what a sense of our own unworthiness we read the biographies of the early missionaries, who counted not their lives dear if they might but win souls to Christ; or of the godly reformers in the days of Luther, some of whom bravely faced the fire and the rack for the name of Jesus.

In order for a book to be companionable, it should never be read hastily. A book that is worth reading at all, should be read carefully and deliberately.

"Well," says one, "I pride myself upon having read twenty volumes during the past three months."

But, my friend, how much have those twenty volumes taught us? How much better man or woman are you than you were before you had read them? If some vital part of those books you have so hastily read does not stay with you and help you to do life's duties, they are in no sense companionable, nor have they done you any lasting good. This is an age of rush and hurry, and I am sorry to say we have formed the habit of hurrying in our reading, and thus failing to grasp the meaning of the author. This manner of reading only leaves us mental dyspeptics.

It is best to read those books which not only abound in good thoughts and teachings, but which call out the best and most earnest thought in us.

Let us discuss with the members of the family what we have read. How much better to have the mind stored with useful knowledge than with gossip and folly.

Any book which arouses in our hearts nobler desires and aspirations; any book the reading of which makes us kinder to each other, more affectionate parents, or more dutiful children; any which increases our love for God, humanity, and righteousness; any which causes our prayers to become more earnest and frequent,—these are books which it is safe and desirable to take into our hearts and homes, where they may enter into our lives, and influence them as verily as our dearest friends and companions.

Then let them be well chosen; and remember that, as followers of Christ, we must do all to the glory of God.