The New York herald., 1877-01-08
Fellowship in ChriSt-HiS Priesthood
Old in Doing Good.
TALMAGE ON JOURNALISTS.
A Hard Lot in This World, Nobody Caring
Where They Go in the Next.
A HARD ROAD TO JORDAN.

BROOKLYN TABERNACLE.
1t may bc well TO that there is snow upon the
root OF this building, solemnly SAID the Rev. Mr.
Talmage to his congregation in the Brooklyn Taber-
nacle yesterday just before mis- sermon The eyes OF
all building swept the rescoed ceiling in startled
and inquring glances Some OF 1t may slide off dur.
ing the service. added the preacher, and warn
you not to be frightened The congregation drew
long breath, and the pastor announced the hymn,
"Stand up for jesus" during the singing OF which
large portion OF them remained seated. The pastor
then that he about 10 preach the first OF
series sermons TO the professions. This morn
ing said he, am going to preach to the theatre
cal-every eye was at once turned upon Mr. Tamage
himself No, mean to the newspaper profession.
The looks shifted to the reporters who were en-
gagged in taking notes With the exception OF these
ubiquitous individuals there noticed only one gen.
.leman connected with the daily press in the house,
yet Mr. Talmagc throughout his discourse continually
addressed his cxhortatons to ye men of the press"
much alter the fashion OF the aspiring editor in Pick
wick who in his political speech, addresses two boys
and girl with u baby, as ''yc men OF EatenswiL"
NO MEAN NEWSPAPERS
The text of the sermon was the description OF the
two baskets of figs seen by the Prophet Jeremiah
in his vision the gs In tho being very good and
those.n the other very bad. How like this is, said
the preacher 10 the periodicals aud newspapers OF
,he day. about which am going to speak. There arc
sny two kinds OF newspapers, the one good and very
good and the other bad and very bad. newspaper
may start with undecided characters but alter IL
has been going many years everybody finds out just
what It is ana IT is very good or very bad The ono
paper is the embodiment news OF light, OF virtue;
The foe crime the deecaton OF elevated taste, the
mightest agency on earth tor making the world bet
.er Tho other paper is brigand amid moral forces;
Is beslimer OF reputation; 1t Is the right
rm of death and hell is the mghtiest agency the
inverse for making the world worse and battling the
auso of God. The one angel of intelligence and
virtue the other a hend OF darkness. Between the
lrchange the fury to be fought the great battle
which is to decide the fate of the world II you have
any doubt as to which Is to be the victor, ask the
prophecies ask God. This battle IS to be fought Mr..
ralmage said not with swords, but steel pens; not
with bullets but with types; not with cannon, but with
Hoes en.cy Under presses; and the Sumters and
Moultres and Puaskis and Gbraltars Of the conflict
TO be the editorial and reportorai rooms oil our
great newspaper establishments.
Men OF the press, he ADDED under God you are
to decide whether the human race shall be saved or
lost God has put more stupendous responsibility
upon you upon any other class or persons ana Is
there any doubt about my beng right this morning in
addressing myself especially 10 your MI Talmage
dwelt Tor minutes upon tho long strides "your
profession" had taken since the day when Peter
Schaeer invented cast metal types, and the fact OF
The press and the telegraph, he SAID, have gone
down into the great harvest field to reap; and the
telegraph says TO the newspaper, II VIII reap whicyou
BIND and teeth oil the telegraph are set down
end Of the harvest Held and sweep clear across
and the journalist gathers up the sheavos and sets
down sneai tho breakfast table IN the shape or
4 morning new spaper another the tea table IN
The shape OF an afternoon newspaper. And that man
who neither reads nor takes newspaper would ut the
great Centennial Exhibition have been greater curl
oslty tnan the big engine. (laugbter.)
EDITORS AND REPORTERS
Notwithstanding all this which you have gained In
position anu influence, men of the press, how many
words oil sympathy 40 you get during the course OF
year? Not ten. How many sermons ol practical
hclp uness Tor your profession are preached during
the twelve monthsY Not one How many words OF
excoriation and denunciatipn and hypercritcism do
you get that same length OF time? About TO- QUO.
Plenty OF abuse, but no sympathy
The hardshps vi the type setter, the foreman, the
proo-reader. the publisher, the edhor and the re-
porter were severay described by the preacher,
said hc had been positions where he could see these
thugs from year to year, and so had determ TO
preach IA sermon upon them. One OF the great trials
Di the newspaper profession, he said, was that IT'S
members were compelled To see more OF the shams oil
tie world than any other profession Through every
newspaper ONCE, day after day, said he 20 all the
weaknesses OF the worId-aIl the vanities that
want be pulled, all the revenges that want to be
realed all the mistakes that want to be cor
rccled, all tho dull speakers who want TO bo
thought eloquent all the meanness that wants 10
ret s wares noticed gratis in the editorial column in
order to save the tax OF the advertising column all
the who want 10 be set right whe never were
right all the crack braned philosophers Win stories
nails in mourning because bere OF soap-tiaughterI
ali the boes who come TO stay i've minutes, but tax
i've hours Through the editorial and reportormi
rooms all the iollies and shams oil the world are seen
day alter day, and the temptation IS to believe neither
N God woman. 1t is no surprise to me
hat yorr profession there are some scepca men-
only wonder tnat you believe any Thing"
ALL EVIL
Another trial OF the newspaper profession, the rev.
rend gentleman said, was inadequate compensation
here were no harder worked people upon the earth
han the newspaper men oi this country. The public
,ad no idea OF the toll and exhaustion OF the news
paper press. They grumbled at paying five cents Tor
paper instead oil three or, paying three thnk they
ought only To pay one. WINE lew newspaper Pro-
prictors had become rich the vast majority OF news
paper people tn.s day had TO struggle Tor hveli
hood, and II amid their hardshps aud exasperations
Lhey sometimes wrote things they should not write
heir circumstances should mitigate the offence An
great rIa OF the profession was the diseased APP
petite OF the public Tor unhealthy intelligence You
blame the spaper press sad Mr. amsge, or giving
such prominence murders and scandals DO you sup
pose hat many papers would give prominence 10
these thinls u the people did not demand ity People
take nod the newspapers ana There are no runaway
matches divorces, no corruption OF men IN hieh po-
sitlon, they say, "Ihe paper IS shoeklnsly du 10.
ntnntiu 4 believe one OF the trias o newspaper
men ia this country tnat the people demand moral
slusn instead OF intellectual lood.
Now you are intelligent man, continued thc
preacher, addressing an abstract member Oh ms
church, and when a paper comes INTO your hands
ana you open II aud there are three columns OF spieh
tlldly written editorials recommending some moral
sentiment or evolving some sclenlhc theory ana ih
the next column there 10 miserable c0ntenpti9e di-
WHICH 40 you Tcau nf5tf lLa"4n'Si,l ~"
am in TO he editorial long enough 10 say well that is
aoy writcn" but you read the divorce case from the
great primer type at It's Top TO the nohpare AZ tue
bottom and then you ask your vile II she mas rcad ~
fI.aughter) IL is only case OF supply ana demand
Newspaper men are not fools; they Know what you
want and they give It TO you So long ns mere is an
iplaaltous demand there will be an inquitous supply
am no apoogist for q debauched newspaper; but
want divide The responsibility between those VINO
print and those who read
WASTE NERVOUS foRcE.
The temptation to drink acohohc stmuiants was
act down as another tria OF the profession rms was
caused by the great drafts made upon the nervous
force OF its members making the speeches oil oiun-
derlnu politicians read right in print although every
scntence as spoken was catastrophe TO Inc Ehglsh
language In dong killing midnight worN IN Sitting
IN crowded audience rooms or IN POISONOUS court
rooms Horace Greeley had told the speaker, IN .he
house OF the latter, that the reason be was sucn
e,ronr temperance advocate because he had seen
30 many oil his CON panions 20 down under the Temp
tation. My brothers OF the press, SAID hr. iaI,
,,,ayc what you cannot do without stimulant Goa
does not want you 10 do. There is no hanway
Ground Tor literary people between teetotaism ahu
x.f.s nal