, 1874-12-19

E;aElncy OF tho Arguments ACninat
such PubIicntto,-'Eae Goott That ~
bono by Giving 1vislc UircsslntioM to
NODfG ThOlElltS-Vorb1atlm Reports
VIZ. SYM0rscs.
10 The Edtor Of Yhs Chicago Tribune:
SIR: Tho question las been mootad Of print
ing sermons in "ecculnr nowspapera." The New
York Erening Pos! takcs ground against 1t. nj
1oging that tho prevalence Of the practice indi-
catos degenerate piety and n rtiatod taste. a
souaitvo spirit cannot but bo shocked at this
sandwicliug" Of tho most SOLEMN md sacred
subjects Of consideration between the reports OF
scaula,-auita and po!ce-newa. Moreover, tho
effect on sermons is bad. Thoy deal loss with
doctrines thnn formerly. moro with moral and
social 1uostionB,-nro Lectures rather than ser
mons.
S1lcl, is tho argument, fairly stated. Whether,
it regarded aB conclusive. it would havo we,ght
with tLe average editor Of secular newspapers"
mood not DO considered.
WHAT Is IT WORTH
as IN argument ? Try 1t III another form:
poetry-tho tauiorcst most impauHionol utter
ance Of exalted soulH-a sandwirhod into tho
catalogue Of crime and chcanery. Alongside
tho Bocchcr-Tilton scandal aud tho boy -murdor-
or trial. We read tie Parting Of llootor and An
|. dromacho," OF
4 sIuaple child that lightly draws It's lrcatt,
And feels ifo In every A1nb' what ean 1t know Of
rs old Homer degraded, Mr.. Bryant'a chaBto
English sullied, the author OF " No Arc seron "
put to tho blush, because each has boon invoked
to thrust in upon tho Gisoorlanoc or tho mono-
tono of mortal misery strain. stray no:e, Of
the immortal harmouios Again do 3lr. Emer-
son, Lowell. .-evou tho gentlo Quaker bard, or tho
! most retiring woman-poot,- t,-unito loss soultully
| loss loyalty to tho 'hoavenly muse bccauso
| thcir worla arc destined to como out from the
dainty, fair-typcd, gilt-cdged yolluna-bound page.
into the ill-smolling, dirt-thumbod. news-hawkod
daily paper? Would poets tho world over bo
| glad if stop woro put to tho practice, anti
| loncoforth their nnnaes md verses were to be
found ouly under tho aeal ot publishers having
"excl,sivo right to print"? Would it oven bo
a ulatter OF mutual congratulation OF publisher
aud poet from business point Of view, and
soryo to RIM up tho editions to tho tonth thou.
sand2 Or would tho spirit OF poetry in tho
world gain, IN Intensity a''tl topt!, ~ proper
tion TO tho diminished diffusion Of tho poetic
words ?
So also, bcliovo,
| IT Is NOT TRUE
tlat tho standard OF sermons Ia lowered by thelI
inscrtion IN secular ,towBpnporH. Il minister
duoH not write Il ''poorer" "serlnou-poorer III nj
tho clements that aro yital to human Bouls--be
cAuhe ho believes his setiUn 10 dcstiuot
to make its appeal to- 10000 iuseat
Of loo souls. It is no indsauco to care
ful aud candid thinking, and jud!cious. well-con
Bidered speech. tliat a1lch speech aud though
aro to 20, for what they arc worth, to whom tho,
may coucorn, OH tho winga Of the morning nows
paper, instead Of being shut up within tic nar
row limits Of sectarinn aud paroehlul prejudice
submitted only to tho tests OF partial aud biasot
criticism.
But this printing for tho public oyo destroy
tho HenHe OF privacy, OF familiar mud intilnat
conyosBo, which ought TO exist botwoon paste,
: and poople, aud prevents those direct, personal
mud practical appsa!s Which aro 10 oroctlvo M
valuable. Such reasoning loHes torco in thiB In
OF rullwaya, aud atoauhoats, aud orooa-rnrol.t
: tiona, whon pastors chahGo continents with til
, years.. aud people churches with tho Sundays
haald0s, tho pulpit ts not uow, aud uoSer Wnh
tho pacc fur sllppors and undross or for eur Cur
tAnloctllrcD. Tho sermons that nro too iamtlfaf
! aud di,cut, atsd poysoual,' for ,rsnt, would
HITTER NEVER HAVE nEEH siVKEH. !,
Bornona, property no called, aro Designed u
meet wants common to humanity, md afo u u
Worldwide implication, though growing ous ~ =
aNtl Ausesstod, ierhgpB, by the writer's Aoo". w.
: olgn OF Individual 1loullH. The Hprlnuu OH ~
Mount, or at tho grayo of Lazarus, or tho paaa
O bio Of tho lrutltgal Son. wore propnpy nos ns a
!. ,lsoful aud helpful to tlloir jewish hGaroA ~
~ cauyo Of thuir ADAPTATION to universal humanity
a.lll Paul oil Mars liill would doliptless !iaS
Q pyeac!,e4 Just ~ boldly II ho could have loseSoe
Q that la words wero to pound doWn tIo asef
IL Why thon, should q ClApln, co'lyof, q low
~ ORR. y bwlnE, be In tianBtr u! Aetaslol@sou Atot
u thAn fact ot widenlug aadlouoobf
;, They will bo temptod, HAYs Iao upJgotot;
yio!d to tho popular tlo.ta,1a for so1Hatlonalan
q Or uIuro rhetorical display, or to dlsuuns sro'