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“THE LITERATURE OF LIVING.”
One of the most attractive, as well as one of the
most inspiring publications which have come to
our desk for many months, is “The Literature of
Living,” by Caleb A. Ridley. The appearance of
the volume in itself is such us to bring it to the
attention of even the most casual observer, for its
dainty blue vellum binding and grey art cover, to
gether with theclear and artistic letter press and
the unique illustrations combine to make the phy
sical part of this book appeal to our sense of the
'beautiful, while a single glance at the context
will assure us of the real value of the work.
The book is dedicated by the author to Captain
W. J. Hillman, of Live Oak, Fla., of whom it is said
his “kind words and generous spirit have greatly
helped in putting these lectures ’ in permanent
fonn -’ I
«if ’MIbvSH
REV. CALEB A. RIDLEY.
In the preface to the work Mr. Ridley tells of his
work on the lecture platform, and of his reasons
for refusing to make this his permanent profession,
for, he says, “I feel a divine call to remain at
my post of duty as an humble pastor, and yet, I
have in these lectures certain suggestions along
educational and inspirational lines which will, I
believe, strengthen the will and steady the nerve
of many a fellow who is facing a crisis in his life
work.”
Following the preface is an introduction by Mr.
AVm. D. Upshaw, editor of The Golden Age. Mr.
Upshaw tells of his personal knowledge of the
author of this work, and of his peculiar fitness
to deal with the problems presented therein. He
says of the author’s brilliant pen and warm heart:
“Ridley has a right to write “The Literature of
Living’.”
Several of the lectures have already appeared in
The Golden Age, notable among which was the
“Triumphs of the Church,” which attracted wide
spread attention from critics everywhere. In addi
tion to this lecture the volume under consideration
(contains the (following lectures: “The Longest
Pole Knocks the Persimmon”; “Mirth as Medi
cine”; “The Larger Life”; “The Man for the
Twentieth Century,” and “Shadowing a Drunk
ard.”
Each one of these lectures is arranged with inclos
ed paragraph heads, showing at a glance what the
reader may expect from the context, and each one
contains more beautiful philosophy, more helpful
suggestions, together with more real spiritual
strength, than it is often given for any one volume,
however extensive, to contain.
We only regret that our space forbids us to
make more than the following excerpts from a
work which should have a place in every home,
school and church library in the world.
(From “The Longest Pole Knocks the Persimmon.”')
“Our literature holds a thousand adages most all
of which are petrified lies. They are the rotten
The Golden Age for January 17, 1907.
A Rare New Book, By Rev. Caleb A. Ridley.
stumps in the fields of our rhetoric, and I have
often wished that some strong arm would chop out
the last vestige of them. But the biggest lie of
them all is this: ‘All things come to him who
waits.’ They come, but they come to the other
fellow. A better maxim is this—All things come
to the man who hustles. There are too many folks
waiting now. Boys waiting for their family po
sition to set them forward, and girls waiting to set
their family position forward. Men waiting for
congress to make their cotton grow, and for the
church to pull them out of the gutter and make them
decent. Men waiting for crowns to be placed upon
their brows when they have never shown themj
selves worthy of a crown. But there is one old
maxim lam going to plead for. It is this: ‘Every
man is the ARCHITECT of his own fortune’.”
“The False and the True.
“Every real thing in life has its counterfeit. The
False and the True are so nearly alike that some
times we find it difficult to distinguish between
them. Men often lay hold of the shadow thinking
they have the substance of life. There are men
whose daring deeds, rare attainments or brilliant
pens force us to admire them, and yet who are not
worthy our emulation.”
* * * *
(From “The Triumphs of the Church.”)
“One by one the myths have faded from
the heavens, one by one the phantom host has
disappeared, and one by one facts, truths and
realities have taken their places. Tn the
march of human history every religion whose
traditions were entwined with exploits of mar
tial valor must give way to that religion of
peace, of progress, of education, of unselfish
love. Under the influence of this religion man
is tearing away traditions, ceasing to bow to
the mandates of superstition and ignorance,
and is beginning to stand erect in the great
empire of thought. And I hail the change
with gladness. I see no reason why the dead
hands of fallen sires should reach up through
the moss of centuries and hold back their fee
ble progeny. It would be better for philosoph
ers instead of looking back through genealog
ical vistas to see what apes we have been, to
look down the march of ages and see what
gods we shall be.”
# * * *
(From “The Literature of Living.”)
“In nature God has made ample provisions
for every demand of our physical being, and
through inspiration and the 'Church he has
made provisions for every demand of our spir
itual being. The beauties of sunrise, the thou
sand attractions of the day, the glowing sun
set with all its gorgeous splendors of light
and shadows commingled, falling athwart the
emerald landscape, satisfy every demand of
the eye; and when the ear makes its demands,
from the hills and the valleys and mountains
come the sweet melodies of birds and beasts and
bending boughs and breathing winds, until the still
ness of night brings the music of the spheres.”
* * *
(From “Mirth as a Medicine.”)
Meeting Responsibility With a Smile.
“Why not meet life’s responsibilities with a
smile? Have you work to do? Then, why not go
about it with sunshine in the soul, and the heart
brimming over with joy? Are there mountains in
your way; then why not drink in the ozone of the
hills, breathe the aroma of the Howers, hear the
music of the birds, watch the marshalling of the
clouds, and under the inspiration of it all forget
the rocky road and rugged steeps? In other words,
why not get on the BRIGHT SIDE? Some one once
said to Turner, the great artist of nature: ‘I can
not see in Nature what you say you do.’ ‘But do
you not wish you couldf’ was the artist’s reply.”
(From “Shadowing a Drunkard.”)
“There was no danger so long as the thing was
kept in the glass jar; but, oh, the horror, and the
sorrow, and the agony, and the death if the glass
jar is overturned! And you had better have a thou
sand fiery serpents turned loose in your community
than to suffer one low-browed and godless man to
sell your child that which not only poisons the
blood and slays the body, but which as surely de
stroys all hope for the future, either in this or the
life to come. I tell you the evil of INTEMPER
ANCE is not only powerful, and deadly, and damn
ing, but is universal in its attacks. Tonight it will
creep into a home and pale the blushing check of
a virtuous woman, and tomorrow lobby the legisla
ture and defy every law in the land. There is no
cottage with thatched roof and broken door too
humble for its attacks, and in all the world there is
not a palace or a mansion strong' enough to shut
it out. It has taken an oath to oppose all law and
order. It is the great withering curse of the human
race.
“Faith may be cast down but never destroyed.
Faith is as ETERNAL as God. I am on the side
of the cloud next to the sun. The sun shines on
my back, and the black is in my face; yet on that
ebon cloud I see a radiant bow, which spans its
darkness and reveals its heavenly colors, the mer
cies of God to a fallen world.”
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The End of It All.
“And finally, my friends, shall our lives burn out
like some taper around a festal board, and before
the day-dawn end in utter darkness? What mean
these high desires that burn continually upon the
main altars of our hearts? We throw ourselves at
the feet of science and beg’ for an answer to these
questions, but proud science that measures the uni
verse and weighs the distant stars breaks her cruc
ible, blows out her lamp and answers nothing. But
inspiration comes whispering to us that these yearn
ings after immorality shall he satisfied. That they
are fixed stars that shall only fade before the bright
ness of an Eternal Sun. It tells us that we are
the children of a King and that the broad earth is
our heritage, to set in order for the coming of the
Master: that the march of every century, the rise
and fall of every state, is hut the building of an
imperial highway over which Tie shall come.”
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