Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-12-29
giterary a1utts.
Newspapers.

week TO notes on the newspapers, perhaps one
thing contributes more TO the formation Of character
than the papers taken and read by family and IN
fow things parents carooss or ignorant than
respecting the moral tono Of the papers they provide
for their children. Is painful truth that the seou-
lar press of the land is under the control largely Of
men who have no sympathy with tho best moral and
religious instincts and purposes of those who give tone
and character to the community No one asks that a
secular paper be religious that would defeat It's end
but every good man. every mother who loves her chill
drens best good demands, she has the right 10 do
that IL shall not poison the hearts and spread the
blight aAd mildow the moral nature OF tho chill
dren. All such people ask is that tho secular papers
discussions of moral and social questions shall do no
violence to what they know are the fundamental prn.
ciples Of Christian morality. For religious instruc
tion they go TO the religious papers but they demand
honesty, virtue, and morality high toned pure and
true Of the secular pross We rejoice to that the
great secular papers Of the day recognize this de-
mand, and are trying to provide for II. And II s on
this ground that claim the support of good people
for the FARMER not that II is religious paper for it
Is not, but that its moral tone is high its position
specting the social problems of the day is correct
tosted by the standards Of Christian morality, its
inf uence is pure 1t bo wisely and safely used as
valuable aid in the family in these respects
"About this time" as the almanaos say, "look out
for newspapers at loast for canyassng agents Every
family should have good papers, magazines and books
but what TO take is the proben for tho sake of such
oor the following suggestions, First of ALL don't
be humhugged into taking anything you do not need !!
papers, magazines and books not charitable insttu
tions they legitimate business enterprises just
farming or manufacturing s and deserve support just
according to their real WORTH not because they are
true to the party" nor because they represent the
"denomnation at great cost of money and self deny
ing labor. Moreover, If agent says anything about
those wonderful "Uhromos," show him the door; the
publishers Of these papers, mostly religious papers,
pay average fifteen twenty cents each ior those
"chOice, beautiful and costly" premium chromos. You
can't get first class picture and first class paper
both for what the paper is worthi there Is a cheat
somewhere and the safer way to have nothing to do
with such things Also take first class periodicals
they arc the best in the end they cost more and
always give the best satisfaction bearing in mind that
you and your family will be largely what your read ng
makes you.
Religious Papers.
Ifyou Christans-as you are or ought to be, not
bigots or hypocrites, but Christians-you will want
a religious paper in the family. To go without good
religious paper in the family is like a farmer going
without grain for his horses and stock he get along
but his team and herds will get poor and unsorvcabe,
in fact II is the poorest economy all round II you are
nOminationalism about it, try the Christian Union
not because 1t is Mr.. Beecher's paper for on that
ground we would not recommend it, Mr. Beech er is
great man, trust he is good man. but in many re-
soecs he shoroughy unsafe he has great weaknesses
which in one occupying such position as he holds
constitutes for the public great pors Lyman Abbott
late Of the Illustrated Christian Weekly holds the helm
Of the Union writes its leaders, etc. and gives It shape
and tone. lie is safe Christian leader, born jour
nalst thoroughly devoted TO his work. and ever wide
awake. Tho Golden Rule we ha ve already mentioned;
it snacks little more of worldly things and is de-
cidedly "Murrayishn If you are a Baptist, and so
think Roger Williams deserved more and less than he
got of old Massachusetts, and historical writer's gen-
orally, you will take the "Watchman" of Boston. It
begins this year with new man at the head-a nan #
ability, culture and spts aud genius for his work.
Its position has been the ontrank of ate year
the Examiner and Chronicle ofNew York was ahead of
it in ability, enterprise courage and denominational-
ism. If Dr. Smith be given his full liberty on the
Waterman he will make grand paper.
Being, as you may, Congregationalist, you have
the Chronicle of this state, the Congregationalst of
Boston, tho Advance Of Chicago and the Observer of
New York. As to the Chronicle 1t is an able and emf
nenty wise and safe paper under Dr. Lords cont rol,
and we hope prospenng but wo question the wi lsdom
of state religious paper of and kind especially the
Congregationasts who have the mauag cement of such
papers as the Montpelier Watehman, Burlington Free
Press, Rutland Herald and others.
We regard the noble outspoken courage of DR.. Lord
in condemnng as it deserved Mr.. Beechers desecra-
ton of the Sabbath in his summering amoung the
White Mountains as not the least of the Chronicle
good qualities and let his corelgioniss not forget that
a brave true man shonld not be deserted Our notion
however, would be to make the Congregationalist a
great New England paper, whose power for good and
influence to mould the public sentiment should be al
most omnipotent THIS scattering of moral forces is
practical annihilation we need in such
fields as journalism if power is to be created which
shall he felt all through the land We always liked
the Advance undor Dr. Patton's control it caught the
western spirit and had tho eastern sodty and 50 was
u t t o O,O"r'v hopU r ro,iaon. ournnsm % W.. ~.
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