The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-06-09
The Great Newspaper.

In an address before the Brooklyn
Presbytery Rev. j. M. Sherwood said:
''It is well to bear in mind that the
religious weekly is no longer the sole
or chief paper that is read by ministers
and church members. The daily secu-
lar press has invaded the field, and is
already omnipresent, and almost su-
preme as an educational power. not on
ly in the State, but in the Church. and,
for the most part, it is characterized by
greater enterprise and Independence,
greater breadth of uiew aud freedom of
criticism in every department of thought
and life, than we find in our church
journals. Hence, the religious weekly of
to-day-as every man of discernment and
broad observation knows-is not the
power it once was; its opinions have
little weight; its policy and principles
scarcely affect the religious thought and
life of to-day, while the daily secular
press is fast taking its place, and gain
ing the ears and hearts Of the people,
and making its way into every house
hold every day of the week, not except
ing even the Sabbath; full of informa-
ton, ready in discussion; fearless. a.
most unbridled in criticism, reviewing
every current question and phase Of
life, secular. social, political and religi-
Gus, thereby educating and controlling
the great world by its potent forces. and
imperiling the very existence of our
comparatively feeble and shackled re-
igious weeklies. The change is as mar
velOus as it is sudden. 1t was easy to
philosophize upon the causes which
have produced it, but it is impossible to
forecast the effects of it ON the religious
sentiments and character of the next
gests tremendous possibilities"
Nearly all the great dailies in this
country now publish Sunday editions,
containing not only the current news.
but original and selected matters bear
ing upon all the leading topics of the
time. These topics, sacred or secular,
are discussed from the journalistic or
popular standpoint. The discussion is
not always profound. and necessarily
cannot be exhaustive; but it is intended
to be, and generally is. bright. forcible.
intelligible and impartial 1t is not for the
highly educated few, but the moderate
lv educated many; and its brevity and
clearness commend it to them as mere
length and learning would utterly fail
% do. The consequence is that nine
tenths of what the people know con-
corning the most interesting and inl-
portant questions of the day is derived
from this source. A great newspaper
nowadays represents great capital. Its
proprietors, setting principle aside al
together. cannot afford to weaken any
of the healthy restraints which wisdom
and experience have imposed upon So
ciety. They have their all at stake up
on the public peace and prosperity. and
those cannot exist when the restraints
are removed. i,s-= ,.s. fsst
On the other hand. as history proves
that the gravcst danger to society lies
in the ignorance of the many-making
them the willing tools of the few the
popular education which modern jour-
nalism provides is q protection to the
social structure. 1t strengthens its
weakest point, the foundation, by rend-
ering perilous popular delusions, if not
impossible, at least short-lived. 1t
teaches the people not only to do their
own thinking, but to stand guard over
themselves. 1t is at once guide, phil
osopher and friend;" and may be safely
trusted in the most critical emergency.
Modern journalism is not faultless by
any means. but its faults are of the
head rather the heart. and seldom very
serious. II the fault-finder would only
search for and point out the merits they
might help to cure much Of which they
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