No man has a right to bring up his children without surrounding them with books. It is a wrong to his family. He cheats them. Children learn to read by being in the presence of books. The love of knowledge comes with reading, and grows upon it. And the love of knowledge in a young mind is almost a warrant against the inferior excitement of passions and vices.

A little library, growing larger every year, is an honorable part of a young man's history. It is a man's duty to have books. A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities of life. It is not like a dead city of stones, yearly crumbling, and needing repair; but like a spiritual tree. There it stands and yields its precious fruit from year to year from age to age.

The influence of books upon man is remarkable; they make the man. You may judge a man more truly by the books and papers which he reads than by the company which he keeps, for his associates are often, in a manner, imposed upon him; but his reading is the result of choice, and the man who chooses a certain class of books and papers unconsciously becomes more colored in their views, more rooted in their opinions, and the mind becomes fettered to their views.

What sort of reading matter shall come into the family? All the life and feeling of a young girl fascinated by some glowing love romance, is colored and shaped by the page she reads. If it is false, and weak, and foolish, she will be false, weak, and foolish, too; but if it is true, tender, and inspiring, then something of its truth, and tenderness, and inspiration will grow into her soul and will become a part of her very self. The boy who reads deeds of manliness, of bravery and noble daring, feels the spirit of emulation grow within him, and the seed is planted which will bring forth fruit of heroic endeavor and exalted life.

Every family ought to be well supplied with a choice supply of books for reading. This may be seen from the consequences of its neglect and abuse on the one hand, and from its value and importance on the other. Parents should furnish their children the necessary means, opportunities, and direction of a Christian education. Bring them up to the habit of properly reading and studying these books. Every book you furnish your child, and which he or she reads with reflection is "like a cast of the weaver's shuttle, adding another thread to the tapestry of their character. It will be worth more to him or her than all your hoarded gold and silver.

Dear reader, be independent and make up your mind what is best for you to read, and read it. Master a few good books. Life is short, and books are many. Instead of having your mind a garret crowded with rubbish, make it a parlor with rich furniture, beautifully arranged, in which you would not be ashamed to have the whole world enter. "There are many silver books, and a few golden books; but I have one book worth more than all, called the Bible..." The parent who lives for his children's souls will often consider what other books are most likely to prepare his little ones for prizing aright that Book of Books, and make that object the pole star of his endeavors.

Good Christian books are invaluable as a moral guard to a young man. The culture of a taste for such reading, keeps one quietly at home, and prevents a thirst for exciting recreations and debasing pleasure. It makes him scorn whatever is low, coarse, and vulgar. It prevents that weary and restless tempter which drives so many to the saloon, if not the gambling table, to while away their leisure hours. Once form the habit of domestic reading, and you will, at any time, prefer an interesting book, to frequenting the haunts of vice.

Chief among the educational influences of a household are its books. Therefore, good sir or madam, wherever you economize, do not cut off the supply of good literature. Have the best books, the best papers, and the best magazines, though you turn your old black silk once more, and make the old coat do duty another season. Nothing will compensate to your boys and girls for the absence of those quiet, kindly teachers, who keep such order in their schools, and whose invaluable friendship never cools or suffers change. You may go without pies and cake, or without butter on your bread, but, if you care for your family's best happiness and progress, you will not go without the best of books.

There is a certain monotony in daily life, and those whose aims are high, but who lack the inherent strength to stand true to them amid adverse influences, gradually drop out of the ever-thinning ranks of the aspiring. They are conquered by routine, and disheartened by the discipline and labor that guard the prizes of life. Even to the strongest there are hours of weakness and weariness. To the weak, and to the strong in their times of weakness, the Bible is an inspiring friend and teacher. Against the feebleness of individual efforts it proclaims the victory of faith and patience, and out of the uncertainty and discouragement of one day's work it prophesies the fuller and richer life, that grows strong and deep through trials, sets itself more and more in harmony with the noblest aims, and is at last crowned with honor.