--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Day, J. Frank collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 6 published: 1909-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Day, J. Frank, "The Giver of Books," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 6 (April 1909): 476–481.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1206unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1206unse start_page: 476 end_page: 481 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1206unse publication_year: 1909 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Giver of Books THE GIVER OF BOOKS. BY PROP. J. FRANK DAY. [Prof. Day delivered the following" address at the Murdock Academy, on Monday, March 1,1909, at the dedicatory services of the "George Hawaii ClurT Library," founded by Benjamin Guff, Jr., in honor of his departed son. In submitting the article, Mr. John G. McQuarrie, to whom the Era is indebted for the manuscript, says, "I think this lecture very interesting in itself; and I asked Prof. Day to allow me to send the article to the Era, also because I thought that in publishing and commending such generous actions as that of Prof. Guff, it might prompt other men and women to follow his example, to give of their means to assist in the uplifting of mankind." — Editors.] It is a principle of the religion of Christ that' man can best serve his Creator by doing good to his fellows. Nothing pleases an earthly father so much as to see his children loving him and each other, and to see the older and stronger helping the weaker up the nobler way of life. So God is most pleased when his children so love the world that they serve it. Christ himself set the crowning example of devotion to humanity, and we are told to walk in his steps. It is not the privilege of any other man to lay down his life that all mankind might be saved ; but it is within the right of all to do lesser things. And, without doubt, it is he who gives with charity, that best serves the Master. Said Christ in the vision to Sir Launf al : The Holy Supper is kept, indeed, In whatso we share with another's need; Not what we give, but what we share, For the gift without the giver is bare; Who gives himself with his alma feeds three, Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me. The life of a little child ties the soul of one of our greatest THE GIVER OF BOOKS. 477 benefactors to this campus. Our school is brother to the boy, for it was from the brain of the child's father that the Murdock Academy, like Athena from the head of Zeus, sprang forth a living institution. The father loved both his children, and watched them grow with pride and gratitude in his heart. God claimed the child of flesh, and since that sorrowful time the school has received a greater portion of love, and often has our friend turned to us with open heart and hand. We are very grateful for the way in which President Guff chose especially to help us. His soul's labor during the early years of the Beaver Branch has borne its fruit. He returns to find us making the struggle of life alone, still honoring but not leaning upon the B. Y. U. , at Provo. We cut loose from her guardianship because we thought we could and must make a name for ourself in the world. Yet, even as the boy who leaves his home to seek fame and fortune and honor remembers those who gave him life, we, too, are still drawn to him who saw the possibilities of this spot and the rough stone buildings scattered about; to him who created this institution spiritually before it was temporally; to him who is indeed the father of its soul. I repeat: we are grateful for the way thou hast blessed us. God gave man Nature, the greatest source of inspiration, comfort, and knowledge. Next to Nature, are books valued for giving man these things. Good books are Nature second hand. Indeed, Nature's signature of approval is the sign of a good book, which may be called a living creature born of the union of the author's soul with Nature; and being immortal, shall never die, but shall serve, and be loved by the children of men for ever. Says Wordsworth: Books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good, Round which, with tendrils strong as flesh and blood, Our pastime and our happiness can grow. Good books are the best friends of some men, and may become good friends of any man. They will comfort him in sorrow, and fill his lighter hours with mirth; direct and strengthen his budding ambition; satisfy his thirst for knowledge; and give to his thoughtful moments joy, hope, and inspiration. Indeed, to a less extent 478 IMPRO VEMENT ERA . than Nature only do books "to him who . . . holds communion with[th?ir] visible forms, speak a various language." "A good book," says Smiles, "is the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in old age." Indeed, I think good books, much more than comfort and console us in our old age. The man who has cultivated a liking for good books, a taste for good literature, may look forward to his age, not with regret, but with a longing for that well earned leisure when he can spend his time more and more with the great and good and wise men of the past. With his books around him, tried and faithful companions of a lifetime, he will approach his grave with a wise and benevolent calm that knows no fear, but that waits for death, assured of immortality. For years he has daily talked and walked in his reading with the great of the earth. Nowlie is soon to meet them as old friends face to face." "Books," says Hazlitt, "wind into the heart; the poet's verse slides into the current of our blood. We read them when young, we remember them when old. We read there of what has happened to others; we feel that it has happened to ourselves." Thus it is that we enter into "the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived . . . The great and good do not die. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad," and speak to man. Good books preserve the best thought of the past, the most important experiences of the past. If we had not this heritage, our progress would be limited to that which a single life can make aided by mere legend? of the past. Hence, one man has said: ''We breath but the air of books. We owe everything to their authors, on this side of barbarism." Though this be a slight exaggeration, the following by Southey is not: My thoughts are with the dead, with them I live in long past years ; Their virtues love, their faults condemn ; Partake their hopes and fears; And from their lessons seek and find Instruction with a humble mind. THE GIVER OF BOOKS. 479 It is as impossible for any one man to become acquainted with the words of all the books in the world, as it is for him to become personally acquainted with all the people in the world. Hence arises the necessity of knowing best those that will help us most. Some books like some men are not good companions, others are worthy in varying degrees. Says Bacon: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and still others to be chewed and digested"— and I might add there are some modern books that may well be left alone. We should be as careful of our author friends as of our personal friends. Says Samuel Smiles: ''A man may usually be known by the books he reads, as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men." A good library will not only furnish one with good and great companions, but will preserve one from bad companions whether of books or men; for habitual thinking upon a high plane, will make association with the low and coarse impossible. Only one other caution, I feel, is necessary at this time. Do not forget what I said a few moments ago: that good books are Nature's second hand. Get as much inspiration as possible first hand. The flight of the floating bird, "as darkly seen against the crimson sky," can teach you and me as well as Bryant the beautiful truth impressed in the words of "To a Water-fowl." There are some readers who shed tears with the heroine of a story, and fail to see real sorrow on the street below. Let us gain inspiration and knowledge in all of Nature's forms, for divinity and beauty exist, for those who see, in the croaking frog, the early violet, the common dandelion, the new-born calf, the roar of the ocean's shore, the surging crowd in a city street, or the companion at thy side. But books come next to Nature, and he who knows the latter can judge of the worth of the former. With Wordsworth let me say that It is just That here, in memory of all books which lay Their sure foundations in the heart of man, Whether by native prose or numerous verse 480 1MPRO VEMENT ERA . That in the name of all inspired souls — From Homer, the great thunderer; from the voice That roars along the bed of Jewish song; And that more varied and elaborate, Those trumpet-tones of harmony that shake Our shores in England, — from those loftiest notes Down to the low and wren-like warblings, made For cottagers and spinners at the wheel, And sun-burnt travelers resting their tired limbs, Stretched under wayside hedge rows, ballad tunes, Food for the hungry ears of little ones, And of old men who have survived their joys — 'Tis Just that in behalf of these, the works, And of the men that framed them, whether known Or sleeping nameless in their scattered graves , That I should here assert their rights, attest Their honors, and should, once for all, pronounce Their benediction; speak of them as powers Forever to be hallowed; only less, For what we are and what we may become Than Nature's self, which is the breath of God, Or his pure word by miracle revealed. Our friend has given us a gift second only to that of our Maker's. Many good books ! A Library ! A collection to be dedicated this day as the George Hawaii Cluff Library, m honor of the little son who spent the best part of his life on this campus. A library that shall grow from a thousand volumes to many thousands. Books that will help to form the characters of nearly all before me now, and likely, also of your children and grand and great-grand children. President Cluff's work in founding this library entitles his name to enrollment among the benefactors of his race. Carnegie has spent millions in founding many libraries throughout the land, yet we hold thy gift greater than all of his, for: He gives only the worthless gold Who gives from a sense of duty; But he who gives but a slender might, And gives to that which is out of sight, That thread of the all sustaining beauty Which runs through all and doth all unite, — The hand cannot clasp the whole of his alms* THE GIVER OF BOOKS. The heart outstretches its eager palms, For a god goes with it and makes it store To the soul that was starving in darkness before. 481 Beaver, Utah. Foundation Site of the New Building, Murdock Academy, Beaver. The building will cost $75,000, and is built of red lava stone.