What To Read And How!


A YOUNG man found that he could  read 

with  interest, nothing but sensational stories. 

The best books were placed in his hands, but 

they were  not  interesting.  One afternoon, 

as  he  was  reading a  foolish  story, he  

over-heard one say,  "That boy is  a great reader; 

does  he  read  anything  that  is  worth

  reading?” 

 

"No," was  the reply;  "his mind will run 

out if  he keeps  on reading after his  present 

fashion.  He used  to  be  a sensible  boy till 

he took to  reading  nonsense  and  nothing."

The boy  sat  still  for  a  time, then  rose, 

threw the book into the ditch, went up to the 

man  who had said that  his mind would  run 

out,  and  asked him if he  would  let him  have 

a  good book to read.

"Will you read  a  good book if  I will let 

you have  one?"

“Yes, sir."

"It will be hard work for you."

"I will do it."

"Well, come  home  with  me,  and  I  will 

lend  you  a  good book."

He went with him, and received  a  volume 

of Franklin's works.

"There," said  the  man,  "read  that, and 

come  and tell me what  you have read."

The lad  kept  his  promise.  He found it 

hard work to read the wise sentences  of  the 

philosopher,  but he  persevered.  The more 

he  read,  and  the  more  he  talked  with  his 

friend  about what  he read, the  more interested 

he became.  Ere long he felt no desire 

to read the feeble  and foolish books in which 

he  had formerly delighted.  He derived  a 

great deal more  pleasure from reading good 

books than he had ever derived from reading 

poor  ones.

Besides, his mind began to grow.  He began 

to  be  spoken  of  as  an  intelligent  and 

promising young man.

Some, who do not read  flashy  and 

worthless  books,  and who read  good  books,

 read them  hastily,  and with very little 

 attention. 

They seem  to  desire  to  be  able  to say that 

they have read  certain  books.

It does one  very little  good  to say that he 

has read  a  book.  A gentleman  once  asked 

a young reader of this  class if he had read  a 

certain  book.

"Yes, sir," was the  prompt reply.

"What do you know  about it?"  asked the 

gentleman.

"I know I  know that I have read it."

He  spoke  the  truth.  He  had  read  the 

book;  and  he knew that he had read it,  and 

that was  all  that he  knew  about it.

Of course he derived no benefit from reading 

that  book.  Perhaps the  reading  of  it 

kept him  out of  some mischief;  but, on  the 

other hand, it tended to form  a bad  habit of 

reading.

No book does  any one  any good  unless it 

is  understood.  Unless  you  get  some  definite 

 ideas  from  a  book,  the there  is  no  use  in 

reading it. 



 Youth's  Visitor.



TEMPTATION  can  have no  power  over the 

heart  while  it  thinks  of  the bleeding Saviour.