The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
On Circulating Religious Newspapers.

In previous paper We sought to show
that it is for the interest of pastors to keep
themselves well informed, through religious
journals, of the progress of Christ's king
dom; We would now strongly urge upon
them that they should also use their influence
to introduce such journals into the families
OF their congregations. As almost all great
enterprises ofthe day have their newspaper
to support them, so every denomination of
Christians and every important Christian un-
dertaking has its journal There are papers
adapted to every class of minds and every
drift of religious thought This subject the
minister should look into, and endeavor to
have bis people benefited by the rich stores
of instruction which are flowing out from the
religious press
He may draw much important aid in his
work from this source. The periodical reli-
giOus press, when habtually perused, will un-
doubtedly make the people more intelligent,
and consequently more interested in the
kingdom Of Christ; it will supplement the
teachings Of the pastor, which must necessa-
rily be limited in extent; it will enforce, by
adding additional authority, the truths which
are uttered from the pulpit. Its assistance
will make the work of the pastor easier. 1t
will give the people fuller information than
the pulpit possibly can about the great en-
terprises Of benevolence which the Church is
carrying on, and 80 will interest them in
those enterprises and make them more liberal
in their support. If religious journals did
no more than take the place of, and so
crowd out, the pernicious literature that is
issuing from SO many other presses, it would
be an unspeakable blessing to the Church
and the world. That pastor is neglecting q
splendid auxiliary to his work who is not
using every effort to induce his people to
take and read papers, which are devoted to
the spread of the Righteousness of Christ in
the salvation of souls and purifying the lives
of believers.
We need to give continued thought to the
subject in order to appreciate the value of
good religious newspaper coming regularly
into family and being read by its various
members. Weekly it breaches its timely SER
mons to the household. Some of the most
able and pious ministers and other writers
that are to be found in the land are those
who may be heard through its pages. And
they send forth in this way the very best of
their thoughts. The religious newspaper
keeps the people informed of what is going
on in the Church and the whole kingdom of
Christ. 1t says many things plainly to them
which the pastor, from delicacy or other
causes, could not say. Many of the people
will scarcely read anything else than news
papers; how deeply important it is that those
papers be of the right kind ! That family
which babitually reads good religious jour
nal will undoubtedly have higher and more
intelligent tope of piety than that which ne
elects this method for growth in knowledge.
They will have wider views and more gene
rous impulses toward the truth, whether it is
to be supported at home or extended abroad.
On every account, then, it would be we'll
for the minister to strive to have religious
newspaper introduced into each family of his
church. He should make this recommends
tion, and urge it strongly from the pulpit
He should enter into the matter more par
ticularly as he goes from house to house. 1t
will not require great outlay to secure one
of the very best of these journals, which
would come into the house weekly, freighted
with intellectual treasure that would enter
tain, instruct, and purify. No pastor ought
to neglect the aid which he might receive
from this source. In former times it was q
help unknown, for religious journalism is Of
modern date, and hence it is not alluded to
in older works on Pastoral Theology. But
now ministers cannot be too strongly urged
to use this help; they cannot be too deter.
mined in the purpose to have the best reli-
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