Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-11-20

| prcscribcs q portion Of the New Testament
to be read daily for the cdiication AID in
slruciion for tic people II is called the
" Gospel for the day" When we take up
those " Common Scriptures the newspaper,
we find that the Gospel for the day - has
lrcary uniformity 1t is the same old story
treated ia a thousand forms a story without
an end Of oulragcs on person and property |
Of crime. Of every shade Of cruelty and
onormity Of passions running riot; Of wan
tonnes iustiiyue itself 10 the gbt of heaven
Of robberios murders, iocests, trans gressious
in high places, and wickedncs. in low places,
until the heart becomes sick in reading and
hearing, and irresisiibly prays that the Cos
pei for tomorrow may be unlike the Gosrel
for the day 1t is said that crime has not
increased in the country at large, bat only
the knowledge Of it has increased that there
were prororuonally as many oairagcs thirty
years ago as there are now but that the dill
fusion OF information surpasscs that OF any
former period, aal the apparent increase OF
crime is due 20 tae larger aud wider means
Of intercourse and communication, which ex-
i.i now more than at any former tine There
may be some truth ia this. The newspapers,
many Of them, have laid gutter. from their
offices into every mau's house aud that which
is done in secret they publish the next MORN
ing on the house.top The omnipresent Mem.
csis dogs the footsteps Of every man, and
there is no one so high or SO low as to escape
tho notice and criticism Of the press. The
- darkness aud the light are both alike to the
newspaper and he is fortunate man who
goes through life without iis fastening the
p ga2c Of thousands upon his conduct
e But wo imagine there has been positive
u aud also relative increase Of crime. The
j publicity that is given to the secret and open
f. sins Of meo encourages others in the com.
l- mission Of similar crimes. Crime seems &c
D. be contagious. 1t runs through the country
W like the cholera or the plague. Let a re.
e. markable case Of suicide be published in The
al papers, and it seems to set all persons with
Is suicidal tcnlcncic. itching to try the sam,
ey mode Of scIfmurier Let some eminent out
e- break Of passion occur aud the sensualism
he repeats itself in hundred localities. lie
To- some novel method Of burglary be devised
re and forthwith the houscbreakers, all over tn,
MT land, are melted 10 lew enterprises Of thei
nd skill. Thus the publication Of criminal an,
We sensual and vicious actions. spreads the evil
nd il aims to reveal and condemn The rag,
's for wrong doing spreads by means Of the col
N umns Of the newspaper, like the cholera it
Its oriental rags, and often the means taken Il
as create public sentiment against vice, arr
I'd the most effective means to foster sentiment
es. in the minds of many in favor Of IT, Thou
I'D sands Of men itch to do wrong who are oul
he restrained from it by ignorance how to do il
be Butvhen the Gospel for the day furnishes T.
I'D them the methods which more intelligen
ed scoundrels have taken to accomplish thei
re objects at once they put the model int
raj action and hasten to repeat wrong whicl
ST. they have Just learned how to commit
nd Take those papers which are in the habi
IL Of communicating to their readers all the de
tails of robberies murders, rapes, seductious
violations Of deceucy aud good morals, an,
they thus become tho very evangels of pillaae
is sensualism and vice. They are teachers
" of the people in the methods Of hatred. anc
cs lust and passion. They are circulated it
'y every village and hamlet Of the country
c. They arc retaied on the counters Of all news
10 paper depois They find their way into tn,
OF hands Of millions of our youth, corruptin,
lie their imaginations, pandering TO their pas
nc sions, and inviting them to highly soasone,
be bauquets Of deyilish vanties, which rpe
IS them for careers Of subsequent iuiamy an
ry shame.
or Then too, the current literature Of the d.
nc is responsible for the increase Of our crimi
ny nal statistics. There is literature, acsessi
al bic to all, which is not only not demoralizug
nu but refining and ennobling There is litera
Oh :ure which is the richest privilege, the worth
lc- est and most iucorupube FREUD we ca
.os possess, which always counsos the best thing.
10 fixes our desires for noblcr life, and teachc
WI what belongs to an immortal manhood
10. There is silent assembly Of uucrowued king
u on the shelves Of cur Libraries, that woul
so make US richer aud wiser for communion wit
nc them. But they call to the mass of the pee
~ pie in vain. For the most part our you'll
TOT quit them for the bald and staryeling mantle
, Of a sensational, fictitious literature for th
o'e outpourngs of not obscure yulgarity; 70
We tbs friyolity which turns the noblest thing
ny of human life into a mockcry or Jest
ia' When we think Of the literature that is cor
D., rup;ing the minds of youth romanccs of tn