Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-11-18
PREACHERS AND EDITORS.


A very discerning friend of ours. who is in
the habit Of saying much that is odd bot truth.
fal, remarked in our presence on one occasion,
that "a plurality Of preachers and newspapers
! in a village was often a great curse; for the
former frequently got all the women to log
gerhesdA and the latter, all the men," We are
not prepared to testify to the correctness of a
portion of the remark, but with reference to
the newspapers, we are pretty much of the
gentleman's opinion, and we presume there are
many who will endorse the entire assertion. 1t
proves that the occupations alluded to, when
in improper hands, are calculated to do great
mischief, instead of their becoming, as they
should, q blessing to the community in which
they exist, and the moral and social safeguard
to society generally.
In our humble opinion, it should be peculi-
arly the duty Of a minister, while apart from
or performing his professional duties, at oil
times to hold himself prepared to bear with
grace and humility any of those little casual
ties and notifications which may be anticipated
from the outer world, and not allow any thing
Of the kind 10 ruf1e his temper, and induce re-
| Sections on the street or to his flock; and last
of all, never to allow censure or personal allu-
sions, for any preconceived insult to himself or
to the church, to escape his lips while in the
pulpit. It 10 equally as culpable for a minister
to make known publicly his own grievances
for the purpose Of rejecting odium upon ano-
ther. as it is 70. him to make known in a SINH.
lar manner the private affairs and quarrels Of
any Of bis congregation. He should be a mi.
mister Of peace as well as piety, beyond the
reach of mans maledictions; his exhortings
to soar far above the petty strifes of life /; and
bis action and language to be so framed, that
at the domestic hearth, in presence Of the fair
or the sterner sex. or wherever his steps wan
dered. he should be known for the love and hu.
mility of his character, and his uncessing desire
to throw .oil upon the troubled waters" Of dis.
pute and bitterness ranking in the breasts Of
those Of either sex with which he may become
associated.
The editor, as well as the preacher, should
refrain from making an exposition Of his pri-
vate difficulties, or from bringing to public no.
tice the personal acts, q~uarrels, or contentious
of dis neighbors, or in saying aught to stain
the character or wound the feelings of the
most humble. Where. Is orr acquaintance
above intimated, there are two newspapers in
. village, political contentious at first are but
too apt to grow into personalities; hence, one
side or other is taken on the street. frequently
causeing bad feelings and angry words. That
such difficulties arise among the fair sex, in
consequence Of contentious among the preach
era. we are not prepared to say, although the
observing gentleman alluded to asserts it; and
thus, il Seems, these two great arms Of civil
zation and morality, peace and happiness, (he
Press and the Pulpit,) can easily become in-
struments Of evil, and retard instead of ad- !
vaucing these blessings. according to the tenn
peraments or characters Of those who have
been entrusted with the pen or the bible.
An editor i often thought wanting in indie
pendence because he fails to notice this or that /
occurrence, when his silence is only actuated
BY . desirs for the public good, in allayiog not
extending excitement But the editor, like the
We imagine, has q difficult road to
in the career he has chosen, and with
the best intentions in the world. cannot fail to |
make enemies for himsslfas we'll a. for others.
For our wi part We have certainly lived to
that our sndeavo5s 20 to conduct our pa.
per - to give no individual offence, have most
fsiled-but whatevsr may fall upon
v head, it shall ever be our aim, a. far 4
- oar columns have any influence, TO create
racs and good will among men, and leave it
70 The ministers Of the gospel to do the same
amopg the fifef sex. IS "a