The Preacher Among His Books
IS to the reading of books, its object is fivefold.
I. First to gather information as to facts and truths; to store the memory with valuable material. That word “information” is etymologically suggestive. Inform-ation implies something taking form in the mind, symmetrically arranged, crystallized, not hastily, superficially, and chaotically accumulated, but built up into form and proportion. It implies classification, orderly arrangement.
2. The second object of reading is intellectual quickening, the projection of lines of thought upon which the mind may move, like a locomotive on its tracks of steel. This suggests thought awakening thought, mind coming into contact with mind, the flash of intelligence, sparks created by friendly collision as between the flint and steel.
o THE DIVIXE ART OE PREACHING.
3. The third effect of reading good books is the refining of the sensibilities. One is brought into contact with the heart of the author in his works, and whatever is refined and cultivated and ennobHng in him communicates itself to us. There is a heart quickening as well as a head quickening in all true reading.
4. Again, books of a high character chasten style. They show us how the best mgn think and express their thoughts; they enlarge our vocabulary, teach us the discrimination between different words, and how different words may be effectively put together in sentences, and so they enlarge the whole scope and compass of our use of knowledge.
5. Yet once more, good books impart moral tone. As a stream leaves its residuum upon its bed, the green of sulphur, the red of iron, the glitter of gold on the very pebbles that lie in its channel; so good books leave their residuum in the mind; and this is perhaps the main benefit of wholesome reading, that it leaves in the whole character a deposit as it passes through. The book may not be remembered, but the effect of it is permanent.
Some rules for reading may here be
added.
I First never lose a valuable fact or a good thought. Make a note of it, preserve it, and put it into shape for future use. You will not only thus retain it, but you will make it serviceable.
-. Never read a vile, coarse, or worthless book. Time is too short, character is too priceless; and you are, moreover, in so doing, encouraging a low type of literature, and so helping to make a market for poor wares; and you are so far responsible, for you help to create the demand of which worthless literature is the supply.
3 Never pass by a reference to an historical or scientific fact, or anything else worth kno wing-never pass even a word that you do not understand-until it is understood. No one can tell how much added intelligence wi 1 come in the process of reading a single book of worth by mastering its contents as you go If you do not care to stop in the process of reading, make a note of what you do not understand and search out the meaning of words and the reference to facts afterward.
4. Mark and indicate in the books you lo THE DIl’IXF ART OF PREACHING.
read the matter contained in them. It has been my habit to indicate on the margin of a book by single, double, or triple lines, drawn with a pencil, and again by a line underscoring words and sentences, whatever in these books I desire to have at my fingers’ ends for ready reference and future use; and then, on the fly leaves of such books, to make a brief index, under subjects, of such portions of the contents as are specially valuable. These may seldom be referred to afterward, but the very fact that one has made these discriminating marks will tend to impress valuable contents upon the memory,
5. Read a good book with such mastery of its general contents as that you are not likely ordinarily to need a second reading. Read with reference to a practical command of the contents, and not in a slovenly fashion as though you expected to give future examination.
6. Read some books at least that tax all your powers. It may be well to read now and then books that do not by their contents particularly attract, and are what we call “dry reading,” for the sake of learning concentration of mental powers, of
THE PREACHER AMONG HIS BOOKS, n
acquiring the voluntary exercise of attention aside from attractive features that draw out our mental powers by fascination. There is some reading, which, like medicine, may not be agreeable, but may be as necessary and useful.
7. Let reading be varied. Variety of mental occupation is restful to the mind itself. After reading a philosophical work the mind will without fatigue turn to romance, poetry, history, or biography. We rest in such a variety of mental occupation, and not in absolute repose of mind; and the very variety will help us to come back with the more avidity to a book that we have
laid down.
8. Ordinarily do not buy a book that you may as well borrow, and which you do not need as a permanent possession. There is vanity in accumulating a large library, but it is often a snare. There are comparatively few books that you will ever examine after you have once carefully read them. Those few you want to keep, and keep at hand. Encyclopedias, for instance, are permanent accessions to a library, always in use, but even a worthy book of faction may be once read and laid aside.
9. Seek first-class books not only in point of authorship but in point of accuracy, fullness of information, and complete classification, so that you may save all the time possible, and avoid all the error possible, when you consult their contents.
To these suggestions about reading, we may add some hints as to the composing of sermons.