Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-06-05
II Z S o Is u "a q n & o
EDITING A NEWSPAPER,
OR PREACHING A SERMON-NEITHER SO
EASILY DONEi

EASILY DONE!
Folks who don't like the way papers are ed
tied ought TO ask leave to put in specimen of
the right sort. Any editor will be glad TO give
such persons chance at any time. We
would ust for the fun Of seeing them cut
and slashed by the critics, afterwards. Every
man who thinks it easy to edit paper exact
ly right, ana to universal acceptance, ought TO
try it. Maybe he would succeed and if so,
he would be better entitled to reward than
the discoverer of perpetual moton.-Rich-
mOad Star.
We do not insert the above because we have
reason to find fault with the opportunities of
such friends as are therein complained of. That
class have pretty much concluded TO let us
conduct our paper according to our own no.
tons of propriety. The remark ",hat every
man who thinks he can edit paper exactly
right, had better try i,'' reminds us most lorci-
bly, oil an instance of a similar kind which oc-
| Cured once within our own knowledge A
certain captious brother in the Methodist
Church had grown wondrous wise in his con-
ceit, and found it impossible to be pleased
with the pulpit efforts of the clergy. Finally
heresolved to be independent and to do his own
preaching. Accordingly, after the usual prepa-
rations, the sanction of Conference was grant
ed; and the pompous gentleman armed, as he
supposed, "with the sword of the spirit,n
went forth to the conflict.
His first grand effort was before the very
people who had listened patiently to his crit
icisms and regarded him as ''smighty man in
the Scriptures" The services were com
menced in clear, distinct tone of voice, man.
4 iestlng only that degree Of pompousness
which is excnsable among gentlemen who
are conscious of their own superior powers
The reading Of the text and the Introductory
remarks, passed off with the same air of self
possession. AS the thread of the discourse,
however, was drawn out, evidences of its be-
coming somewhat entangled, began TO multi
ply.-Every effort of the speaker to recover
from his dilemma, only increased the difficult
ty. Abandoning the subject in hand, he at
tempted DEPRESSION in the shape of an ex-
horation, but some disorderly children at
tracted his attention, and he was drawn off in
| to kind Of "Caudie Lecture.n-That ended,
he had forgotten not only the place where he
left of, but the very subject Of his DISCOURSE
lie vainly attempted by raising the tone of his
voice and by accompanying his peculiar nasal
tones with the most violent action of both
hands and feet, to divert the attention of his
nally, as if III fit Of despair, and with the large
drops of perspiration standing on his brow,
he suddenly stopped short, and after every
eye was fixed upon him, said in a subdued
tone, only breihering, have hearn that any
man embued with the proper Sperit can preach
most of you have hearn me express that
opinion in your time. lam now satisfied with
my own experience. If any of you thinks
| I an, and 80, o.,,. -;
ness-why, Just leu him come up here and
hyn' The concluding remark was full of
practical wisdom even when applied to other
professions besides preaching. We are inclin-
ed 10 think with our friend Of the Richmond
Star, that if all the gentlemen who regard it
as so easy matter to conduct newspaper
ably, fearlessly, impartially, and yet so as to
please all parties, were only compelled to
! take hand themselves, they would soon ar
rive at about the same conclusion as did Bro.
Roberts about preaching. Should any one
think differently, all we have TO say is, @just
let him come up here and tyyf'
After all, the life of an editor to ono who
has trained his mind and habits TO the business
is not so disagreeabe.- it has its trials
its turmoils, its disappointments and its ever
wasting, never ending labors, is but TOO true
J ct even these are not without their counter
consoIations, their joys, their triumphs, tneil
convictions of duty done, as well as the oc
caslonal rejoicings over the success of sober
argument and sound principle. These con
sderatious when properly regarded, 90 far &c
tighten the labors and counterbalance the an
noyaDces Of the business. The man who
conducts strictly independent press mus
have degree Of moral firmness, equal TO one
Of the ancient martyrs The neoolo nee. o,,s.
party friends, are not DISCRIMINATING
make no allowances for differences of lem.
permanent and Of mental constitution. They
act strictly on the maxim, that che who Of
lendeth in one thing, ohendeth in ull.' w,
have known men to change their entire part,
relations because they differed from thei
friends on single, and some times, unmpor
Iaut particular; it is not strange then, tina
such men should indulge in sweeping denun
cations because THEIR whims, or THEIR in.
terpgtg have not bean cc,pcuIted b,, a.