The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-05
The New York Press.

| Inc New York correspondent OF the ST.
Louis Globe Democrat gossips about the re-
iigious belief of the leading editors OF that
city as follows:
Bennett, of the Herald, Is what his father
was during the greater part of his ljfe-a
religious indifferefitist. Without his fathers
humor or sllrewdness, he is quite as skepti-
cal. and has not the bias of inheritance or
education. John Russell Young, of the ed-
torial staff, has no belief in any sect or dog
ma, so far as known, being liberal in reli-
sious, political, and social matters. Ivory
Chamberlain, formerly OF the IForld, is a
nationalist, and so is John d. Stockton.
Charles NOrdhoff, also on the staff. is re-
ported to be mildly orthodox, at least in
theory, though not sufficiently so to hurt
him. Conncry, managing editor, is a lbe-
raj Catholic; but most of the writers and
contributors to the Herald are OF decided
ly skeptical turn.
The Tribune of to-day more nearly repre-
sents orthodox sentiment than any secular
daily in the city. 1t is not true, as has been
T alleged, that this course is dictated by mere
policy. The course is dictated by it's editor
and controller, Whitelaw Reid, who, with
out being church-member, has decided
leaning to the old forms OF belief. MANY
member Of his guild think that he makes u
great mistake in setting his sails so directly
to the theological wind. They comment
tunfavorably on almost daily editorials OF so
extremely orthodox a SAVIOR that they read
, more like the Observer or the ErdngeliSt
than the "leading American newspaper"
This, however, is Reid's business, and mas
much as his convictions are orthodox it is
natural that they should give all orthodox
tone to the journal he directs. AS mere
policy it is doubtless remuncratiyc; for
there is no other daily in the metropolis
that can be justly accused of evangelical
tendencies. The clergy and the scctarian
press are very fond Of calling the secular
press of the metropolis essentially infdcl,
and, as they understand intidelity, their
charge is substantially true. Apart from
Reid, the Tribune writers generally arc not
of his persuasion. George Ripley, the
veteran literary editor, was once a
broad for Unitarianism, he now be-
} longs strictly to the philosophic. class.
Isaac IL. Bromley, the humorist and satirist
Of the fourth page, though a very good fell
low, belongs to the unregcncrate. TO him
!. Islamism, Buddhism, Brahmallism, Lanai
ism, and Christianity are all alike. He is
| altogether without theological bias, and pre-
serves a lofty indifference to Zoroaster, Mo-
lammcd, Swedenhorg, Colcnso, Beechcr,
aud Moody. John II. G. Hassartl, leader.
writer. and musical critic, is q rational and
enlightened Roman Catholic, being largely
governed, even in his creed, by fastldious
taste. Bayard Taylor, who has recently he
come a member of the staff. is Il pronounced
nationalist. William Winter. the dramatic
critic, an undiSglIised skcptic, has us little
love for priests us he has for the French ma
ton and French literature in general. w.
f. G. Shanks, city editor, is Il disciple OF
| Epicur,lS, and feels a chronic resentment
toward the modern world for as grossly
misunderstanding the principles of his mas
ter He is an ardent admirer of Lucretils.
He carries a copy Of "Dc Rerum Natura :"
in his pocket, and aboundS in quotations
from his favoritr poem. The same variety
OF theology, or non-thcology, marks the
| Tribune representatives, some OF whom will
he likely, on this account, to get To heaven,
and be enabled, perhaps, to furnish de-
scription thereof in advance Of all contem-
lporarics.
/ George Jones. of the Times has for car
dinaI article Of faith entire and absolute be-
lief in his own newspaper. The remaining
points of his theology are somewhat ncbu-
lolls and indefinite. The rtllnor that Jen-
Innings WIS requested to resign his position
as editor because he had Il remnant OF rcli-
siolls conviction--rcllyiOt conviction being
totally out of fashion in Manhattan-has no
basis in fact. Jennings's retirement had
nothing to 90 with his personal piety.
There have been SO many changes In the
editorial staff OF the Times recently that the
theological prcjudccs OF its writers cannot
be ascertained Alden, Brooks, and Carey,
who help to do the fourth page, are reputed
to be latitudinarians, as arc many of the sub
ordinates.
Mantun Marble is a man of the World in
double sense. Keeping pace, as he does,
with advanced thought and scientific inves-
, tigation, he is not likely to have any large
, degree OF biblical faith, or to regard
churches IA other than social organizations,
tempered with superstition. Montgomery
: Schuyler, managing editor, is understood
t to be conscientious dcist, who considers
; creed, of whatever sort, as an expression of
. temperament which no person can well help,
: and for which no one is responsible Will
liam Henry Hurlbcrt, one of the principal
writers of the staff, has the reputation of a
, literary Bohemian, who believes in couviyi-
ality, good fellowship, elaborate dinners,
clever persitlage, and dismisscs everything
kelse ms unworthy Of serious thought. Rcli-
fgion, in his opinion, depends on the condi-
5 ton OF the digestive organs. When man
khas dincd well he is skeptic; when he has
dined i'll he is orthodox: when he has dincd
!, tabominsbly he shows a leaning toward Cal
vinism. A. G. Wheeler Gym CrinkIe),
: dramatic critic, is spoken OF as hcterodoX,
! which he must be since he attends church
, only on the 30th of February.
: Charles A. Dana, OF the Sun, styles him
self a Swedenborgian, although he is charged
with congenital disposition to diaboliSm.
He is addicted to ridiculing all forms of
g faith and every variety of pulpitccr, SO that
he may be presumed to cherish an honest
prejudice against every religion except the
religion of egotism, of which he himself is
a high priest. w. o. Bartlett, Henry b.
Stanton, Fitz Henry Warren, and other
} Sun writers are credited with being no
, thingarians.
William Cullen Bryant, of the Euening
Post and his son-in-law and lieutenant,
: Parke Goodwin, are Unitarians, and there
fore intidels in the strict orthodox sense,
) since infidelity in that sense consists in de-
nying the divinity OF Jesus Christ, which
is the foundation OF Untaranism.
! Their associates on the paper are
talso without the evangelical pale,
. and are in consequence, according to Bro
Their Moody, doomed to perdition. Erastus
Brooks, OF the Ecening Express, and most
of his felow-workcrs, are, thcologically
speaking, nothing in particular, and not
very much OF that. The editors OF and
contributors to the Commercial advertiser
are secular-minded, and not infrequcntly
given to indulgency INF the profane. David
liz CroIv editor of the ErHDhic is n nos