The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-04-21
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING, APRIL 81, 1873.

|
- The Press. c
Ets Power, its Faults n nd its Opportunity.
| SERMON OF REV. E. Y. HINcKs Of the State
| Street Church on Fast Day.
Prov. riu. 81. righteousness exalteth a nation;
but sin Is reproach to any people" -f.
| Our commonwealth has asked us, through
its chief magistrate, to make this day of re-
| ligious observance, and therefore we are here.
| In making this request of us, the State has
virtually said that our religion is founded on
realities and teaches truth; that che hopes it
inspires are OF priceless value, and that the
practical influence which it exerts is a power
which God uses for the preservation of the
nation. ''
| We rejoice that the State has said this. 1t
is . tribute paid to our King, the sound of
which is very grateful to our ears. Our
| thoughts 60 back to the hour when He stood,
an obscure prisoner before the representative
OF the greatest of human governments, and
| the prophetic words which he spake then,
come to us: ''Thousayest that am a King.'
Weiejoice in beholding a partial fulfilment
OF his prophecy, and take a firmer hold upon
| our faith that he will stretch his sceptre over
lords. b"
We are very glad, too, of this word which
our commonwealth has spoken in recognition
of Christianity for another reason. We hear
in it the voice OF our earthly sovereign, pay
ing homage to our Heavenly King. The
State, whose loyal subjects we are, reminds
us that we owe deeper loyalty to nobler
government. And so we perceive and rejoice
in sublime harmony between the voice of
anfbnritU whtph enoaEst on aar nd fba
greater voice which speaks from heaven.
Our earthly citizenship joins itself naturally
and beautifully to-day to our citizenship IN
that kingdom which is not of this world
But in issuing the proclamation which has
brought us to this place of Christian worship
to-day, our commonwealth has not merely
given testimony to the truth anu the value of
our faith: 1t has paid it higher homage than
this. 1t has lifted its voice in its behalf. It
has urged its followers to perform one of its
duties. The state is turned preacher to-day,
and is urging us to pray. 1t recognizes the
value of Christians prayer to himself and
to the land in which he lives, and therefore
urges our people to make supplication to God
Surely this request should come to us as
Christians and as citizens with moving power.
VIC are no Journalists to make spurious virtue
out of an outward and mechanical observance
ofdays. But we are Christian men and women
who have firm belief in the efficacy of
prayer as power with God; and when our
beloved commonwealth, paying homage to our
more beloved religion, bids us use this, its
glorious privilege, by praying together on
certain day, we cannot but feel stirred pow
erfully stirred to genuine and hearty COM
pliance with the request.
We honor the day, therefore, not as day
of observance but as a day of prayer. 1t
comes to us sacred with historic association,
reminding us of the faith of those the frait
of whose toll and suffering we are enjoying
to-day; it comes to us dignified by the selec-
tion of our commonwealth, to give us a noble
opportunity of bringing our citizenship and
our Christian faith into closer connection. and
at the same time making ourselves better
Christians and better citizens. We may de-
spise it, we may pervert it, we may sneer at
it, but if we do so, it will be at the expense of
our consistency, and TO the reproach Of our
Christian name.
The fact that we meet here as Christian
citizens, at the request of Christian COM
monwealth, naturally Graws our thoughts
away from ourselves. 1t reminds US that we
have country to be anxious about and to
pray for. 1t reminds us that our Christian
character is incomplete unless it include pat
riotiSm, which shall make us identify our coun-
try's highest interests with our own, and
shall make us long for her welfare with an ar
dor only second in intensity to that which we
feel for the advancement of the kingdom
of God. Remembering this, we naturally
look away over the nation to-day. We look
at it with affectionate Enthusiastically
| sorry for all the evil we see in it, heartily
ashamed of certain recent and very conspicu-
| Gus bad deeds which have disgraced it, and
| watching with anxious interest every infu-
| ence at work in it which is likely to make it
| better or worse in years to come. r. n39
| So looking, our attention must be arrested
| by one agency which is at work in the land
with power which is very great and every
\ day increasing; which exerts upon the people
an influence, which, though often exaggerated
| is yet widespread aud forcefu enough to make
the moral condition of this country in years
to come dependent to no small degree upon
the manner in which it is used This is our
newspaper press. If we are interested in
whatever is to make this land better or
worse place to live in, we cannot fail to take
deep interest in the moral influence which
it exerts. Think how extensive its influence
is In 1870 there were published in this coun-
try 5,S71 newspapers, with total circulation
of 20, ,S42,475 the aggregate number of copies
which they issued was 1,508, ,548, ,250. What
other formative agency spreads its influence
so widely over society? The church? Alas
everybody knows that while nearly all men
who go to church read newspapers, but
fraction OF those who read newspapers go to
church. The school? 1t comes to US at
once that that does its work up in the Fl st
few years of life, while the work of the news
paper upon man is not finished so long as
he has eyes to read with and brain with
which to understand. No, there is no agency
which touches society at so many points and
exerts on it a force so even and constant as
the newspaper. Social barriers divide us, re-
ligious distinctions separate us, differences in
taste and in culture shut us off from each
other; but one influence we feelin common
an influence almost as universal as that of the
sunlight; and thai is that of the press.
And it is an influence of no incOnsderable
power. Doubtless, as l have intimated, the
immediate influence which the newspaper has
over its readers, that is, its power to make them
do any specific thing, has been much exagger-
ated. The editor is not potentate who rules
the nation, overturning parties at his pleas
ure and making or unmaking the fortunes of
public men in day. The issue of last falps
campaign showed very plainly, that when even
powerful newspaper undertakes to make
men .cnange at once their deliberately formed
political convictions, it makes yery little head
way IN the undertaking. Very few men are
SO WeaK-mlnded as to go squarely about at
the bidding of an editor. ~
ous Wnlle the immediate power of the
newspaper is less than it is often sunnosetl to
pe, ts zeal influence on the Community is
notnS Sfeater than IS usually believed. It Is
poseut educator. 1t exerts great formative
influence upon society. 1t has much nower
| "a making its readers the sort of men
msy,na Iney are, lit, 1t has much more power i'm in
anahing e. them the sort of citizens tbev
are through this formative influence Az
the press is a most important element in onr ,nr
soclal ana political life. For what is a news
paper2 Is it mere collection Of bits of adsTo in-
wnre ,oatIom tban M patchwork of items? No, it is
handle and two blades. A newspaner span s1ih IL . !
soas oi person. 1t comes to our holses eyery
morning or evening. to give us an account Of y
VIVA wnat mas taken place in the world during the
past twenty-iour hours. 1t tells us of anv
important things which have taken place IN
| our clty-it informs us of all that has trans
pred IN the nation which we are likely to
care 70 know, and it ihstructs us as to any
thing which has happened across the sea. Of
consequence enough to interest us. With
these events it gives comments upon them.