The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-03-08
Fraternally yours,
TFoR THE CENTRAL PREsBYrERnY.l
Concerning Religious Journalism
RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION.

hELlulOOS DloSbcolON'
There are few topics more easily understood,
yet of greater Importance than the right meth
cd of managing religious discussions. If the
spirit of charity and the love of the truth al
ways characterized them, what tribute would
that fact render to the Master, and how much,
how very much, would it contribute to his
glory and the extension of his kingdom The
spirit of controversy, of bitter and unreenting
hostility, is the spirit of "the world We
expect to find it there The instanceso of calm
ness of temper and moderation Of statement
in the secular journals, are the exceptions, and
not the rule, and the exceptions are so rare
that | doubt whether We could find a single
paper of this kind which for six months to-
gether has preserved its equanimity and fair
ness-even on those subjects which do not call
for vehement invective, and in which nothing
can be gained by evasion Or false coloring.
Is the case quite different with the religious
press? and with religious publications? Are
they altogether free from these common, but
not venial faults? Is it not true that in many
instances there is as much rancorous hate as
much reeklessness of statement, as much bit
terness Of invective, and as many evasions Of
the real issue in religious journals as in the
secular? When this practice shall become
general, we shall lose all faith in the power of
the religious press to reform, and purify, and
elevate, but will regard it las indeed it ought
to be regarded when thus perverted from Its
lawful purposes as a sewer of iniquity, whose
foul waters will faint and corrupt our house
holds and the churches. How easily, asI have
said, may all this be averted. A few obvious
suggestions followed out blythe writers for the
press, would effectually secure the columns Of
our religious journals from contamination, and
would greatly promote 1.-THE peace and COM
fort of their editors and the edifcation of
their readers.
l. Wiftas for the religious press should
aim ahcays to further the cause Of truth
should ner@ argue simply for the sake Of
triumph Temporary triumph may be obtained
for error, and the advocate may experience
some satisfaction in gaining it, but the triumph
will only be temporary and illusory-the day
of defeat will come, for truth must prevail
sooner or later, and the confusion of the arguer
for wrong will be the greater, because of his
transitory triumph. 1t was the opinion Of
AUatus NagnoS, who wrote in the 18th cen
tury, as cited by Blackstone, that the lciSdOm
of an advocate was manifested in three things,
namely by carrying every point l. Against
a wise and just Judge; .. Against an astute
and sagacious adversary; 3. In desperate
cause" But affairs have changed since his
day. We have better system of morals at
the bar and among the people. He is the wise
barrister and the wise writer who always con-
tends for the truth. Success linked with truth
is perpetual, united with error it must die with
its support.
.. Writers for the religious press should
never send an article to the editor which I'M
necessarily involves the discussion of private
character. A safe rule, surely, is this. If
adopted universally, our editors would be re-
lieved of not little embarrassment, and the
readers of religious journals would be spared
much that is neither edifying nor promotive of
gracious influences The purer, the more
spotless the surrounding columns, the darker,
the more perniciouS these "spots of black
ness which sometimes disfgure religious
journals. Let me illustrate. During the war,
we of the South were cut off from all outside
literature, we had to content ourselves with
the home commodity. | remember well hay
ing carried to my family one Saturday after
noon, the Central Presbyterian, the Southern
PRESBYTERIAN, the North Carolina Presbyterian,
the BiJlicm Recorder, the Confederate Bap-
list, the Religious Herald, and the Georgia
Christian Lader. That was my Saturday
evenings reading, and | think the hours
passed by as delightful as any l ever expert
enced There was nothing, absolutely moth
ing, in all these journals to mar the pleasure
of their perusal: they were strictly religious,
neither political nor personal, and felt richer
at the close, richer | mean in thought and in a
happy contentment of mind than I had done
during the war. Had there been but one
"peySoaaEty," the whole effect would have
been destroyed. Eccle. 10: l, 9, IS.
8. Before writing on any topic, and especi-
ally before writing on one involving PERSONAL
ties Of any sort, and before committing it to
the press, writer's ought to do two things: l.
They ought to be sure that in writing and
publishing it they are actuated by no unhoIy
motive. .. They ought to pray for enlighten-
ment and direction, that they may cherish no
wrong thought and utter no wrong word in its
composing.
Discussion is right The clashing of argu-
ment with argument stimulates thought and
is promotivc Of truth. Discussions on any
important subject, conducted by men with sin
cerely prayerful hearts, and thoughtful minds,
can not fail Of doing good. In what l have
written, | have not aimed to suppress discus
sion, but simply to extract from it the poison
Tbara ara Some Otbar n, ttore obo,,f rali in,,s