Books are the tools of my profession. But before I feel perfectly at home with them, they need to be edged or balanced to fit my hand. That is why I like to mark my books. An unmarked book is to me a stranger. A book that is worth reading is worth marking. It is most interesting to follow the blazed trail of some discerning reader who has marked a book before me. Men may leave footprints on the sands of time, but they also leave mindprints in the margins of books. Their personalities seep into books which they own and love and mark.
Not long ago it was my privilege to make the acquaintance of a really superior personality. His ministry is completed, and he rests from his heavy labors, but "his works do follow him." Though I have never touched his hand or even seen his photograph, I know him. I call him "Defender of the Faith." What passion for truth he revealed ! What far-ranging searchings after light! What joy in discovery ! What defense of the word of God and the people of God! He seemed to be so adept at adding a word or two, and lighting up dark sayings of old. He knew how to puncture great swelling words. It was a joy to see how he built up the walls of Zion. It thrilled me to follow him up over the parapet when he assaulted the enemy. I laughed with him and wept with him, but met him only in the margins and flyleaves of his books, which are now a part of my own little library.
When the new Ministerial Reading Course books come, they are always eagerly read, and marked as read. Statements rich in fact, sentences on fire with eloquence, are underlined with pencil. It is my habit to have a blue and a red pencil handy. But any pencil with soft lead will do. Material suitable for quotation is indicated by single or double lines on the sides, depending upon its importance. Statements that appear contrary to fact are noted by a question mark in the margin. Statements that are strange or doubtful are marked for further research by a cross, or "x."
All stories or experiences suitable for use as illustrations are fully enclosed with single lines in the margins, and marked at the beginning or in the middle of the story with a circle in the margin, around the letters "ILL." Sometimes one or two words are also included as key-words to the illustration. Important dates, unusual words and names, are transferred to the margin. Along with these, catch words or phrases are inscribed to direct the eye to important underlined material.
A few days after a book is marked, it is good to go through it again. Just as one crossing the country by air notes familiar landmarks on the ground, so the reader follows his markings from page to page, adding a little here, underlining a little more heavily there. After his second journey he gets a good look at the high points of the book. All illustrations are listed in the front flyleaves, something like this: "P. 36—Boy saves, sister, loses himself." On the back flyleaves important statements, statistics, phrases, dates, etc., are noted.
The book is now a tool. It is part of my working library. It is an investment, and one that ought to pay big dividends.