The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-26
Religious Discussion a Proper Sub.
ject for the Secular Press.

To the Editors Of the Intellipeneer:
Allow me to express my cordial appro.
baton OF your article in your issue Of the
Oath inst, on the subject of "Ecclesiasti-
cal Literature"
II there was any drawback in your ar.
ticle II was in Its somewhat apologetic
tone, for which think there was no ne
cessity in the world. -
You are pleased TO use this language:
"All questions that interest newspaper
readers are, within certain bounds, proper
subjects Of newspaper publication" So
l have thought for years, and so have
acted, and so think every one mustlook
upon it who gives the subject the least
degree Of sober thought.
Indeed, l have often wondered why II
was that our secular press was wont to
touch religious questions so giDgerly.
You further remark:
"Neuly all live newspapers contain more OF
lees Of treeh ecclesiastical discussions. They
fnd that 1t 10 subject that interests their read
ers quite 90 much as certain lines OF Temporal
topics. And why should It notI The Rreai
problemB OF life and death, the here and the
hereafter, can never fail to awaken frequent and
deep reflection In Intelligent minds"
Never was q truer paragraph written;
and In all Of which l heartily concur, and
would add, moreover, that the course in
dlcated by you as proper TO be pursued
by secular Journalists is precisely that
which has been followed by the English
press. The great journals Of England,
such as the Times, Eraminer, Spectator,
&C., discuss with the utmost freedom all
the religious and ecclesiastical topics; and
as a consequence, no doubt, greatly i'd
vance the intellectual, moral and religious
culture OF tho British Empire. The fact
that Church and State are united In Great
Britain does not necessarily affect the
question one way or the other, only to
render It more imperative on the Ameri.
can press 10 inculcate sound religious
principles, in order to restrain the people
from those exCesses which naturally grow
out Of our free institutions.
Its impossibleto divorce the ordinary
questions Of tho day, such as finance,
commerce, politics, and morals, from the
subject Of religion. They not only run
into each other, but they are part and
parcel of one great system Of truth; so
that the editor who would pretend to
superior sagacity by excluding religious
and ecclesiastical discussions from his
columns only proves the narrowness Of
his own views and his utter unfitness for
the post ho occupies. Besides, he de-
tracts from the real intrinsic interest Of
his paper in the minds of the great ma
jority oi. his readers, Party politics and
blood and murder stories, as topics OF
general interest, especially to the more
highly cultivated classes, are pretty well
played out; and happy the editor who
has the spirit Of wisdom to discern the
times.
The idea that the press is to be oousid-
cred merely as the exponent Of pub
lie opinion, land that often "a very
depraved opinion, it seems to me is false
both in theory and fact. In theory, Its
absurdity has already been shown. In
fact, It Is not true; because notwithstand-
Ing his protestation 10 the contrary, the
editor does often assume TO lead public
opinion on all questions; and very often, ]
regret to say, in q way not at all creditable
70 me press, or conducive to the public in
lerest; Only look at the history Of the
press ior the last few years. What has
peen Ine character Of It's publications! ]
regret 70 say, In many instances, such as
TO render 1t utterly unfit 10 enter the
houses OF respectable families. and anv Al.
tempt to rebuke such course was al.
most the certain way to procure insnIt
without redress. And yet, in many
cases, these same editors affect 4
degree Of superior wisdom which
prompts them to exclude religious
discussions from their columns, while
they do not hesitate 10 publish ad
tlaaSedm the most demoralizing articles
relating to rapes, robberies, murders and
ministerial downfalls. Over this latter
topic they would seem 10 gloat with pc
cullar satisfaction. alT ? .
Now why may 1t not be understood,
once for oil, that the religious public;
except the more commonplace iew-do
not desire the press to eschew either
religious or ecclesiastical discussions from
their columns, but all rightminded men
rejoice when they see It manilesting It's
independence In this direction. And
can assure you, Messts. Editors, that they
do and will rejoice in all such articles as
the one which furnishes the text OF this
Communication. = n -.
The religious public have come to re.
gard the general course pursed by the
press Of this country as Indicates mi