The subject of reading matter (periodicals and tracts), has exercised me much for a time, and I venture a few suggestions. First, as to the importance of having in our homes, good reading for ourselves, to commence with. As one goes from place to place, the importance of this is felt. Very few Christian homes are without the weekly, if not the daily newspapers, and these are regularly read. Yet again and again one finds not one good, helpful, Christian magazine in such homes; and often the Prophet’s words might be used, “My people are destroyed (Heb. cut off) for lack of knowledge.” Hosea. 4:6. Beloved, this is, I believe, a very serious neglect with some. It is true that the Word of God must have the first place in a Christian home; and no books, papers or magazines should take its place.
Yet we believe where the Book of books is valued and fed upon as it ought to be by us, anything that helps, to a further understanding of its precious contents, will be valued and hailed with great delight. The written ministry of many honored servants, gifted and deeply taught in the Word, is within the reach of all.
Thus periodicals are a channel which all might enjoy from month to month. We cannot neglect such without serious loss to ourselves; and if loss to ourselves, it must be with loss to others.
Next, as to the children, and young in the home circle. How important for parents to place before the young, reading of a simple, sound, and Scriptural character. Here also there is need of real discernment, for much of the literature printed for the young, tends to educate their minds for light reading of the “novel” style. Here parents need to have godly wisdom and true discernment. All religious books of this kind should be discarded. We believe the love for novels and the theater plays, might in many cases be traced back to reading of this kind, with a religious clothing. Then let us he awakened as to the importance of simple, earnest, Scriptural reading for the young; and thus seek to store the young minds with knowledge, good and sound.
Eternity alone will fully reveal the loss to many parents, who now heap up riches and add land to land, and neglect to lay out part of their means regularly, to instruct the young upon divine things. What a blessed field lays open here to parents! The newspaper is subscribed for and paid for regularly; then, let us see, beloved, that first of all, each month or year, reading for ourselves and homes is attended to, as far as we are prospered in this world’s goods. O, how many a child of God we have heard bless the Lord for the written ministry; and also how many children have been brought to God in tears and repentance, after reading some gospel incident recording the conversion of others. Upon no other subject ought parents to be more awake.
Next we will look beyond the home circle, and see among our neighbors, what a field there is to serve the Lord Jesus.
These fields lay open everywhere, and all around us. What are we now doing in this respect? An aged Christian, a few years ago, came into a Tract Depot, and bought a few dollars’ worth of tracts, and said, with tears coursing down his cheeks, that a neighbor living by his side for nine years, had just died, and that he had never so much as given him a tract, or paper, setting the gospel before him, or warning him of his danger; and now he had died suddenly, and he feared he was lost. O, beloved, what a thought for us! One soul gone into eternity, and lost forever, whom we knew on earth! What a field here lies before every one of us. Often there are difficulties in the way of speaking to people about eternal realities, when one gospel tract, of but few pages, and handed on, or sent by the post, could do all the work. It can reach the king’s palace; it will enter the home of the poor; and stay for weeks, months and years, and turn up again in time and deliver its true and faithful message, just the same as it could the day it left the kind and thoughtful hand that passed it on.
Thousands upon thousands can rise up as one man, and testify that a tract was the means of their conversion. Thousands upon thousands will tell us, they have been restored from paths of sin and vice to that of peace and righteousness, by the truth carried by these silent messengers. Others have been cheered, comforted and stimulated in their Christian lives by them. And again what light and truth they have carried to people, and to homes, making the Bible itself a new book to them. This is a grand work—the distribution of tracts. It is a work in which the young and old, rich and poor, educated and illiterate can help. The fields everywhere are open. Then let us, beloved, inquire, Have we been, and are we now, as diligent in this branch of service for the Lord, as we ought to be? If not, may this day find us with more decision and purpose of heart to help, in some way, the distribution of tracts.
For a few cents, good gospel papers could be supplied to neighbors month after month. Thus in the absence of an evangelist, the work of presenting the gospel could be carried on continually. In a village, or town, street after street could be canvassed; tracts sent to a number of addresses through the mail; thus for a trifle, good gospel reading placed in many homes each month. How many will enlist in this service, take up the work in faith, and water it with much prayer? The end draws near. Soon we will leave the fields, now open, behind us forever. The Lord forbid that any of us may thus leave, and have no sheaves to lay down at His feet, when He comes.