Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-29
rHE RANKS OF THE ARMY TO BE KEPr FULL.
Religious journalism .

Our able weekly contemporary the New York
Round Table, in one of its recent numbers. ami
madverted with much Dungency, and. we con-
ceive. with equal Justice, Oh the low tone main
tanned by most of the sO-called religious news
papers" in our country, whether regard be had
TO their moral OF intellectual force. In its Opn-
ion. 1.-The little religious writing in them" has
come 10 be ''pertunctory, aimless and inane,"
while their writing upon political and social
topics, II more animated than the former. is yet
not superior in general. to that OF the secular
newspapers belonging to the second or still
lower class
There are of course, some exceptions 20 this
general NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which will pre-
sent themselves To every reader OF the religious
but that in the main, il is just portraituIe Of
much that passes for religious journalism in the
United States will be admitted by all Nor is it
dlicait To discern or state the causes OF this
marked deterioration.
Foremost among these causes we must assign
the large, and, IN many cases. the paramount,
place given ia these papers To purely secular dis
cussions Aud this substitution of "profsue"
for sacred themes has naturally carried with Il
into the sphere OF such discussions the passions
and tendencies which are cot the earth. earthy "
There was a time when the odium theOiOgicun,
was proverb, but if religious controversy then
partook too largely of acrimony. it is only just
to say that this very acrimony marked the
presence OF strong religious convictions, assert
ing themselves with Vehemence because the men
who cherished them were earnest IN the belief Of
their truth and Importance. Ii the comparative
absence OF theological asperities in the sO-called
religious press" Of the present day ac-
companied by softened tone OF discussion on
other topics OF vivid interest. light hope that
this mitigation of the controversial spirit was
symptomaic of a general Improvement in the
9TH nf Ruf inf for Ia.
consoling deduction. We find that many OF these
papers. which are as vapd As dish water in their
theological dispositions as acrid = vitriol
/ in their political diSputatiOns. They make il
plain that on subjects were they feel keenly. and
IN which they have something more than Ian
guild interest. they are as ready "a ever 10 fight
with trenehant weapons instead of brandshing
the fos which they are content To WELD in the
joust and tourney of theological dgladiation.
The theoogans of former period fed their
minds imperial themes in the world of pous
meditation or abstract speculation The power
of the present world was overshadowed by the
powers of the world TO come The line OF de
marcatiun between the secular aud the sacred
WAS distinctly marked and recognized. Religious
fellowship was then determined by community of
religious faith. and was not made 10 depend on
community OF credence in regard to matters of
social reform or political agitation. The church
WAS not called 70 supplement its recognized creed
with annual "dellverances" on the predominant
topics OF the hour IN the political hastings. on
the rostrum of social reform IL WIS natural
that with the invasion of secular or seni-secu-
lar theses of discussion in the religious convent
Gle and in the religious press there should have
come with them a itigiOus spirit o, controversy
bearing fruit after lis kind Hence the Injurious
personality aud poiiiiea. inyectve which dishgure
= MANY Of our nominsl!y religious sheets. Tame
ana spiritless in their treatment of themes which
by their majestic grandeur no less than their inn
nlie moment deserve 10 I'LL the mind and IRE the
soul they reserve their best zeal far the pc "
siriies encendere,l by the norious spirit OF party
ia The dusty OF political life. Instead
OF needing the Injunction which bids u put away
''all bitterness and wrath and anger aud ciamor
and evil speaking, What journals are more ready
than some oi the so-ealed religious sheets 10 IN
dulge in terms OF reproach and calumny against
men who, equally sirtuOus in the walks OF prl-
vate lite aud equally sincere in IN. opinions they
hold. differ iron the conductors OF these sheets
ouIv il then conscientious views Of public poi
icy?
IL will readily occur q the thoughtful reader
that il i not affirmed bv the DRIFT of these re
marks that there occasions when religious
journals not Only may properly. bui when they
are in duty bound 10 discuss the religious and
moral aspects Of secular questions Iii not at
hrmed that questions which are purely secular
may not legiiimately occupy subordinate place
la their columns But 1t is precisely teca,se
they have tins liberty that care should be taken
lest IL be made an occasion ot offence and le-t
| IN giving undue Development TO the spirit aud