The New York herald., 1870-04-25
casAL siaEEr Pr. spyrqaus cHuacs.

sermon GU the Pulpit and the Pre5s by She
Mev. David Mitchell.
yesterday morning the services In the Canal street
church were conducted by the pastor. Rev. David
Mitchell Alter the usual Introductory services ana
Just beiofe the sermon the reverend gentleman said
thst at a congregational meeting 1t had been unanI.
mousiy resolved to raise funds Tor the erection In the
church OF suitable organ; that nearly half the
amount had been subscribed and that tae subscrip.
tion lists would remain open some time This an.
nounce'nent seemed TO give great satisfaction. Mr.
Mitchell then proceeded with curious but sugges-
tive sermon Oh the pulpit and tue Press from the
text Proveros xxvil., 17-"lrol sharpeneth iron.
lie said tra The press IN these days was ayiny itself
with the pulpit. Several newspapers but more pro.
minently than any other the NEW YORK HERALD,
treated their readers on Monday mornings 20
syhopses OF many OF the sermons Of the previous
DAY. II was sucn new aud striking feature that
even the Sa.nFldy Recielo had au edltorial on It,
commelding the practice to the press OF Great Br-
tam. sone time ago u strong point was male by
one Robertson, IN Glasgow, VINO had been charged
by The session for breaking the Sabbath in that ne
had followed ms usuat avocation OF compositor on
that DAY. Robertson re.aated that some of tho
clergy cent their manuc clpG of Sermon on sun
day nights TO be noticed the following day. In this
ingiiy favored city Of New York the clergy did not
need TO resort to such practices. Reporters were
everywhere photographing our preachers. No one
can read these reports without ieenng that the
preachers occupation is not gone. IL ~ an acKnew
eu9 9inent on the par vi the press OF the power and
vaiue o puipiJ Instruction. ila preacher then traced
tile history VI the punt spoke Of the eXtraOrl
lazy power IL welded before the printing pres5
was nearu or. and npW, IL possible The press nad
Maue Cral Instruction more valuable than ever. He
referred 10 The press as rvai Vi the pulpit. Ii was
u vel meaning iVal. There was really no cause for
lea ousy betw cen them. Both theoretically had tue
aJyancement Oi trutn and civilization at nearJ botn
generally speiking were c0niucie1 by educated
anu thoughtful men. Ihey were bota highly appre-
Situations were tnronged. There was quite a rtsn
upon our newspapers and magazines Jeuuy Lind
mgnt as Wet be jealous OF a great COMPOSER the
Inventor oi q machine OF the skiiut artisan as tile
phpis OF tne press SO long as there were human
voices ana human cars and human passions 10 De
moved v0cai INSTRUCTION would maintain lts place,
EeSicsS tne spheres OL the pupt and press were
quite distinct. ine preacher dealt personally with
mans n.gner nature. ie was the living e.nbodimenC
oI his oW princip,es. Ii was the Word OF Gou he
mirror III which society Deneld Itself Our sIus and
sorrows, our vices and criules all political Qud
soclai questions were generally descri faItn.
idi manner The press had Its greatest influence
over our cominefciu aud political HE; the pulpit
over our Individual and domestic lie. The boundary
line between Tue pulpit anu tae press was not so
distinctly marked DuG tnat the one might merge It's
wolk WIN tnac Of Inc other Many OF our great
preachers were Oui best authors, such as Cnalners
huJ"fie card, Sputgeon, Beecuer Literature In
the past was even the handmaiden OF the pulpit.
NuO KNOWS but that many excellent reviews and
editorials are irom the peas OF the sons OF the
chufcb! Ine preacher eloquently described the Gay
when the pu pt aud the press would be lhOrOugny
one. Thea under their combneI influence soce,y
would rise 10 ngher platforms Of civilization and
religious HE.