READING HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 13, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 15.

READING HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

Good books are guides to lead our wandering feet In paths of righteousness and pastures sweet; Other than these true wisdom never knows— Other than these are never friends—but foes.

It is astonishing how much one can add to his store of useful knowledge by a systematic course of reading history and biography. The old saying that "history repeats itself" is so true that we may learn much of the future history of our own country by the past history of others,—even tho we had not the sure word of prophecy to help us.

Take, for instance, the history of France. In the continual troubles between the very rich and the very poor, between the peasantry and the nobility, between the servant and his master, as chronicled by the historian, we may see, as in a mirror, the certain future of any country where ill-gotten wealth is amassed in the hands of a few multi-millionaires whose least concern is the embarrassment and distress caused by their own avarice and greed.

Do we read with horror the bloody history of the French Revolution? Let us remember that it is only a little more than a century since the dreadful cry, "Down with the aristocrats!" brought terror to the stoutest hearts, and blanched the cheek of the bravest,—and this in cultured France,—the home of art, refinement, and education.

A few moments each day given to the study of ancient history can not but be productive of good results. There is nothing which can better lay the foundation of a sound education than the study of the history of nations. To one unaccustomed to such reading, the pages of history may at first seem dry and uninteresting; but read with the distinctive object of self-improvement and culture,—such reading soon becomes a source of pleasure as well as of great profit.

It is always well, in reading profane or secular history, to compare it with the Book of Inspiration—the sure word of prophecy. We here read of the four great universal kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome. The exact order in which they are to arise has been accurately foretold, as well as the distinctive characteristics of each. Turning quickly to the pages of ancient history, we find not only a fulfilment of the prophecy, but also an exact agreement in every small particular. The kingdom of Babylon, whose capital city, Babylon, was one of the most wonderful on earth, was succeeded, so says ancient history, by Medo-Persia, or the united kingdoms of Media and Persia; and in exact accord with the prophetic word, this was succeeded by the kingdom of Grecia, whose first king, Alexander,—himself a subject of prophecy,—overthrew the Medes and Persians. After this, says Inspiration, there must arise the iron kingdom of Rome, which will be divided into two parts, and then subdivided into ten. Again the voice of the historian attests the perfect fulfilment of the prediction of the pen of Inspiration.

It is well, of course, to know something of the history of our own country. Since the Lord Himself has taken the pains to point out the characteristics of our nation, among others, it will certainly be time well spent if we inform ourselves concerning our early history. While it is well to understand the prophecy regarding the future of our country, it is also profitable to compare its past history with the Word of Inspiration.

Then, too, it is always well to store the memory with the biography of good men,—mind, I do not say great men. How inspiring to read of the conduct of Luther before the Diet of Worms. Surrounded by the bitterest enemies, who thirsted for his blood, stands this man of God, calm and unmoved.

There sit the lords and ambassadors of Henry the Eighth, of England; Francis the First, of France; the nuncios of the Pontiff from the banks of the Tiber; and last, tho by no means least, young Charles the Fifth, of Germany. His youthful face is pale and expressive of the deepest concern and anxiety. Can he succeed in stamping this heresy from the face of the earth? Ah, the Eternal has not so decreed; He will send every angel from the courts of glory to the help of His servant, rather than that the cause of evil shall triumph. Read the wonderful prayer of Luther just before entering the Episcopal court to appear before the Diet. The historian declares it to be the key to the Reformation: "I will not break off from Thee, either now or through eternity," declares the servant of the Most High. Even like Jacob of old, he has wrestled alone with the angel, and prevailed; and strength is given him to say, in the very face of the faggot and the stake: "I can not and I will not recant; so help me, Thou Eternal God!"

In order to get the most good from the reading of history and biography it is best to read slowly and understandingly. It is a good memory drill to repeat the substance of those chapters which seem most impressive and important. A few facts clearly remembered are of much more value than whole volumes so dimly and imperfectly remembered as to form a sort of "hodge-podge" in the brain.

Then let us read slowly, carefully, intelligently. Let us break ourselves of the brain-destructive habit of "skimming," and let us always remember that there is no history so thrilling and exact, and no biography so wonderful, as that found in the Word of God.