Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-01-18
Extract from a Sermon of Talmagc,

Talmage is giving graphic descriptions OF
New York CITY life In bis Sunday discourses at
The Tabernacle Here is az extract from one
Of them:
WALL STREET AND THE PRINTING OFFICER.
Onl As the solitary clatter OF our horses
hoois rang out on the night air, we passed
Wall street, and looking down, two rows OF
lights had revealed to us that not A foot was
stirring. But we could imagine that there
came up on the night air the cachianation OF
men on whose hands the stocks had gone mp,
and the sigh Of the iobbers on whose hands the
stocks had gone down Only half mile long
that street, vet the avenues Of fabulous ac-
cumuatiou and appalling bankruptcy aud
wild swiudle aud suicide aud catastr0phy and
death On the sough Of the wind that swept
from the street toward old Trinity there seemed
To whisper the questions, Where Is SwarhouU
Where is Kctcham Where is Gay? Where Is
Fisk? Where is Commodore Vanderbilt, the
bull. and Daniel Drew, the bear? Where Is
Black Friday? Then the clock AZ the heal Of
the street tolled nine, three foF the bankrupt,
three for tie swindled, three i0r the dead
Hurry on, George | said 20 the driver, for
though bad no belief in ghosts ! wanted TO
get past the solemn. iorsakeu and all-sugsestive
scene of Wall street by night, where by the
/ flicker Of The gas-light there was something
/ that might be taken tor the wandering spirits
of 10 600 fortunes dead aud damned.
fastening on up few blocks, what are
these majestic buildings, all ablaze from f0uu-
dation 10 capstone? The printing houses Of
( New York daily newspapers. We get ont aud
90 iu and 20 up from editorial rooms b. type
settlers and proof readers loft. These are the
FORCES where the thuuderb0lts Of public opiu-
ION are forged great torrents Of opinions OF
accidents, of crimes Of political wrath, OF
ruined regulations aud # avenged character.
Who can tell the mightiness Tor good or evil
Of a daily newspaper Fingers OF steel pick
ing off the end Of the telegraph wire the facts
of religion, and philosophy, aud arr aud inior-
/ nation from the four winds OF heaven. The
/ Associated Press began in 1855 10 pay 5000
/ 600 tor news, some u the newspapers paying
/ $4,000 extra for special dispatches, aud
others, independent OF the Associated Pfess,
With their own wire rake, gathering up The
! sbeaves Of news from all the world. It's high
tine that good men understood that the press
/ is the migh,iest engine Of all the cenluries.-
| By the high water mark Oh the type care you
can tell tie ebb or flow Of the great tides ol
civilization aud Christianity. The combined
circulation Of the New York daily newspapers
in 1885 was only 10000 a day. Now it ia
500 600, and at the estimate that persons
poruse each paper, they have two and Oue-hali
! millions Of readers day. Il used 10 be d
mystery how according 20 the Bible statement
nations were to be born in day. ll seems 10
me easy now. Get the telegraph operators
aud the editors converted, aud 10 tweniy-fouI
hours al nstions will see the salvation OF God
In midnight New York there is nothing more
fall of solemn import than the midnight print
ing press. But with what aching eyes aud
exhaustion Of health the work goes on
noticed that night that not more than one oul
Of the ten seemed to have bTawny health.-
mal-oders Of ink. however complete the yenti-
lation aud the necessity Of toll at hours when
God has drawn The curtains Of the world iUI
natural sleep the pressure OF publishing
every morning or evening. whatever break,
down the temptation o. intoxicating stImu-
lants 10 order % keep mp the nervous system
through hours Of uutimely occupatipn-temp
tatiuus which only the strongest can resist
make the lives Of newspaper men something
/ TO be sympathized with. Don't begfudge the
/ three or five cents sou pay iur the newspaper
for 10 addition % the knowledge gained you
are paying for sleepless nights, aud smaFting
eye-balls, aud fsigues Of brain and early
senucae-.