The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-01-22
Religion Inc Press.

From the New YORK OnserHer.
The fact that many Of the daily papers
are engaged in discussing the doctrines
Of the churches, is not to be looked upon
fayorably. It is novel field for them TO
enter upon, and the result can be beneficial
neither to morality nor religion. The
subjects brought under review are grave,
reconcile, and solemn. They relate TO
immortality, to . life Of happiness or
misery beyond the grave, and they fall
within that line OF investigation which ia
best pursued within the privacy OF a mans
own heart, home and conscience. The
nippancy and coarse wit which often char
a~cterize their treatment in the daily pa
pers, bring down the most momentous
questions 10 the level Of the news OF the
day, OF broken banks and defaulting bro.
kers, Of the markets and police reports,
and they tend TO promote carelessness In
investigation and Indifference 10 the truth.
Il is NOT q paramount question whether
the common ideas OF heaven or hell are
correct, whether Mr.. Bsecher is, or is not
consistent with his teachings, but II Is Of
very great Importance that Christianity,
OF whatever class or color, shall not be
brought into contempt and derision. It
IA moi the province OF the newspaper to
discuss theological dogma.. The mind
Of the ordinary writer OF the press Is not
trained 10 the consideration Of such sub
iects, and while in doing so he can by no
possibility do good he a veiy easily
work a great deal Of mischief.
And this tendency to evil Is increased
BY the marked advances towards open
infdelity, and 3 speculative wandering
which has largely impinged upon old
fashioned convictions and the steady,
simple faith OF our ancestors. Every
preacher Is setting up a standard for him.
self, and the churches a hardly tell
what they believe without the assistance
OF a convention or n conference. Theo-
dore Parker, with his impetuous brain
and eloquent persuasive tongue, has de-
parted, but he has been succeeded by n
legion Of men far more speculative, and
even less logical. Such men a. Spencer,
Huxley, Darwin and rockingham give
the world the jingle aud brillianey Of
pure metal, but without its weight OF
value. Ingenious theories and ine.spun
speculAtions dazzle the intellect, but dc
not feed the heart, and much as We admire
intellectual progress and liberty Of
thought and investigation, We cannot very
heartily admire the process which takes
a man of his feet yet gives him nothing
to stand upon, which tears down his house
as worthless, and leaves him without &
shelter. The drifting Of the public press
In It's general discussions is even worse
than this, Tor Il not only unsettles faith II
one doctrine, but tends TO throw the shad'
ow Of ridicule upon all. Iteertainly can
settle nothing. The doctrines which make
up our religious faith are not To be meas.
ured by an ordinary line and plummet
they are founded primarily IN revelation
and, secondly, upon the interior, spiritua
consciousness Of man and the harmoniel
Of nature. II is doubtless wise that theJ
are somewhat involved in mystery, tina
thereby all phases Of the human hear
and intellect may be suited. Exact har
mony in faith Is less desirable than tha
there lhall be q living faith Of some kind