ations. His thoughts had naturally turned
to the young people, knowing from his own self-made fortunes, how
young men and women need help, encouragement and stimulus. He had
determined to throw all his time, strength and money into making
good books for the young people, who, with keen imaginations and
active minds, were searching in all directions for mental food.
'The best way to fight the evil in the world,' reasoned Mr.
Lothrop, 'is to crowd it out with the good.' And therefore he bent
the energies of his mind to maturing plans toward this object,--the
putting good, helpful literature into their hands.

His first care was to determine the channels through which he could
address the largest audiences. The Sunday School library was one.
In it he hoped to turn a strong current of pure, healthful
literature for those young people who, dieting on the existing
library books, were rendered miserable on closing their covers,
either to find them dry or obsolete, or so sentimentally religious
as to have nothing in their own practical lives corresponding to
the situations of the pictured heroes and heroines.

The family library was another channel. To make evident to the
heads of households the paramount importance of creating a home
library, Mr. Lothrop set himself to work with a will. In the spring
of 1868 he invited to meet him a council of three gentlemen,
eminent in scholarship, sound of judgment, and of large experience:
the Reverend George T. Day, D. D., of Dover, N.H., Professor Heman
Lincoln, D.D., of Newton Seminary, the Rev. J.E. Rankin, D.D., of
Washington, D.C. Before them he laid his plans, matured and ready
for their acceptance: to publish good, strong, attractive
literature for the Sunday School, the home, the town, and school
library, and that nothing should be published save of that
character, asking their co-operation as readers of the several
manuscripts to be presented for acceptance. The gentlemen, one and
all, gave him their heartiest God-speed, but they frankly confessed
it a most difficult undertaking, and that the step must be taken
with the strong chance of failure. Mr. Lothrop had counted that
chance and reaffirmed his purpose to become a publisher of just
such literature, and imparted to them so much of his own courage
t