| Week-Day Religion |
Chapter 22 |
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Then, when we consider the subject from a Christian view point, it becomes even more important. Our work here is spiritual culture. We are to keep most sedulous watch over our hearts that nothing shall tarnish their purity. We are to admit into our minds nothing that may dim our spiritual vision or break in any degree the continuity of our communion with God; and it is well known that any corrupt thing, admitted even for a moment into our thoughts, not only stains our mind, but leaves a memory that may draw a trial of stain after it for ever. It is related of a celebrated painter that he could not look upon a disgusting object when engaged in his work without seeing the effect of it in the productions of his brush and pencil afterward. A distinguished clergyman, in speaking of the effect upon the mind of reading certain classes of literature, gives a bit of his own experience. He was beguiled into reading a number of the works of a popular writer which were not supposed to have any irreligion in them, but he could not preach with any comfort for six months afterward. If we would keep the tender joy of our heart experiences unbroken, we must hold the most rigid watch over our reading, conscientiously excluding not only all that is obviously impure, but all in which lurks even a suggestion of wrong.
Then there are books that are free from immoral taint that we must exclude also unless we want to throw away our time and waste our opportunities for improvement. They are unobjectionable on moral ground, but are vapid, frivolous, and empty. There are many popular novels that have even a sort of religious odor which yet teach nothing, give no upward impulse, furnish no food for thought, add no additional fact to our store of knowledge, leave no touch of beauty. There is nothing in them. There is a great demand in these days for this easy kind of reading. It agrees well with the indolent disposition of many who want nothing that requires close application or vigorous thinking or patient, earnest mental toil. It is not directly harmful. It could not be indicated for bad moral quality or influence. It leaves no debris of vile rubbish behind. It may be orthodox, full of sentimental talk about religion and of pious moralizing on sundry duties. It starts no impure suggestion. It teaches no false doctrine or wrong principle. It debauches no conscience. It flows over our souls like soft sentimental music.
And yet it is decidedly evil in its effects upon mind and heart. It imparts no vigor. It ministers to none of the functions of life. Then it vitiates the appetite, enervates the mind and destroys all taste for anything solid and substantial in literature. It so enfeebles the powers of attention, though, memory and all the intellectual machinery that there is no ability left to grapple with really important subjects. Next to the great evil produced by impure and tainted literature comes the debilitating influence of the enormous flood of trashy, worthless publications filling the country.
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