The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-19

cally, though with real sorrow, that
there Is not Its but simple truth that
the aVoWed religious journals of the
country, especially those which are sent
forth from this city, are a disgrace to
the secular character which they bear,
and doubly SO to the sacred cause
which they profess.
II is q sad fact, indeed, that the in
terest Of religion should be weakened
by an fundamentally which ought to
be their strength and support Can it
be q matter OF wonder that the people
are led 20 pstronizs Sunday editions of
the dailies when they discover SO little
difference between them and the re-
ligious journslsY They look to see a
paper in which every sentiment ex.
pressed shall be elevated, and where
the sublimity Of Christian faith shall
be made the inspiring idea throughout
And when, instead, harsh spites, dilu-
ted homilies, purchased puff, and dis
gushing advertisements comprise the
pabulum doled out, is it at all surpfiss
ing that the of pure Christianity
suffers2 Are they 10 be found fault with
who, loving things holy and sacred,
and desiring above all things else the
increasing power of the true religion,
shall protest against such a lowering OF
the standard just where it should first
be elevated3 If the publishers and
editors Of such journals do little or
nothing for the cause which they pre-
tend, and doubtless desire, to advOe
cate, surely the secular press must not
be blamed II Il should in disrepute their
undigdifed prostitution of an unlim-
tied means Of usefulness. We say this
not that we would join the cry against
religious journals on the part of those
who are unwilling that the good should
succeed at all, but because we love the
cause which these journals essay TO re-
present and because above oil things
else we would q it %gloriously triumph
In this present Gr6cle il is not our
design to look beyond two instances in
proof of what has been said. We have
selected the most notable-the New
York Observer and the Independent
And If and reader imagines that we
speak of their shortcomings with pleas
IRE. or with any desire for notoriety,
that reader is quite st fault. The Oh
server, in its issue for the last week,
gave the strongest possible proof of the
truth of our complaints, in language
that would more become q sporting pa
per than a weekly relig ous journal
That our readers may see how Low this
sheet has descended, we have repro
duced the article in question entire in
another column There is nc need Of
comment 1t speaks too shsmefully
for itself We need hardly say that for
ourselves it can matter not at all. But
it is for the great class of people, in the
country who have planted their faith
on Christian love and purity that we
express sorrow and shame that the ed
itors of q professedly-religious Jour
nsl should so b~edraggle their
skirts in the dirt of simple personal
abuse. We are unwilling to think that
gentleman occupying 3 % high and sa-
cred positions should thus descend
from their lofty calling, except in a
moment of thoughtlessness and anger.
But unfortunately, this is not the first
instance where this journal has de-
parted from the dignity and propriety
which belongs to every class OF Christ
ian effort It's notices of books and its
editorial columns have too often sayor-
ed of advertisements and unmesning
puffs, even TO q grester extent b al
most any other weekly. Beyond this
the general character OF its writing is
weak and insipid, and altogether IN
worthy the sublime U 1t seeks TO
advance. We are unwilling to believe
that there are no better writers or
thinkers on christian topics than those
whose oommonplaces make unpardon-
ably stupid the columns Of the Obser-
YER We cannot wonder that its pub
fishers enter the field with all the trum-
peting and clap-tTsp prize offers which
some of the sensation weekIies employ
TO secure subscribers
The Independent is surely not so
stupid in a literary point Of view as the
Observer. But We cannot conceive
what right or title il has to the name of
a religious paper. A religious article
in its columns is an sccidens, while pol
ities. insurance companies, sewing ma
! chimes. and almost anything and every
thing but the pure Christian religion,
receive ample attention. We cannot
believe that gentlemen like the pub
! Usher and editor Of the Independent
would willingly or knowingly SO secu-
lariEe q protested religious journal On
" q few weeks since q prominent col
umn in their paper eontsined q most
astounding puff Of a eweler 3 enterprise
on Broadway. Is the good u to be
thus sacrificed 30 cTpidity Is this the
high calling OF q press that aims to re
fleet holy and sacred thiDgsf We ask
the publisher Il he calls Il pure religion
and indebted TO make such 4 mockery
Of things solemn By mockery we
mean placing at the head Of the paper
this motto: "But IS we were elloyed Of
God to be pat in trust with the gospel,
sven so we speak, not ss pleasing men,
but God, which trieth oar hearts, and
then giving so much space to every imag-
Unable humsu enterprise, with little dis
elimination as 10 its character. We ask
the editor, who surely would not care to
be associated with an openly irreli-
gioas enterprise If he is not lending q
helping hEnd 10 the lowering Of the
Christian STANDARD. We had thought
20 take up copy Of The peper and by
I analysis show lust how many columns
are given 10 purely religious matters,
and how many 20 putis snd advertise
ments and worldly schemes generally.
But this must suffice for the present
We have said what we sincerely believe,
and what we think will reflect the sen
ument Of Christian people in all parts
Of the land
We are glad to say there sse reli
gious journals in this and other cities
to which ali that we have said does not
| apply. We have selected prominent
examples. and have spoken what we
believe 10 be the truth concerning
them But 81 the same TINA We mean
our applioation,to be general The reli-
] gious papers Of the country do not rep
resent their cause 50 ably as do The
secular papers theirs And there seems
70 be an increasing tendency with them
10 lover their standard, either for popu
lanty or pecunlary reward IL is this
that we deplore, and against which we
shall not cease 20 lin our voice so long
~ the eyii remains-Roua2 TdblG