The Osceola times., 1881-12-17
AN ENGINE OF PROGRESS
Parsop Tsimsge breaches Sermon ON the
Newspaper Worthy of the Reading.


Newspaper Worthy OF the Reading.
New York Times.
"What shall preacher do when he
has two texts, either Of which is equally
good?" asked Mr.. Talmage in mild tones
at the beginning Of bis discourse in
Brooklyn Tabernacle yesterday morn
ing. 1t had been announced that he
would discuss "The Character of Ameri-
can Newspapers" an my perplexity,"
continued Mr.. Talmage. answering his
own question, 81 will take them both
And the wheels were full of eyes,
Ezekiel, X, .l2 For all the Athenians
and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else but either 10
tell or hear some new thing.'-Acts,
xvii. 81" Resting his left elbow on his
right hand and shaking his index finger
at his audience, which filed every seat
in the edifice, he inquired: What but
the wheels of the printing machine can
see" The wheels of the labor saving
machinery, he said, ground bone and
sinew, and the sewing machine caused
aches sharper than the needle that it
piled. The eyes of the printing press
were both near and far-sighted, and saw
all things. Turning 20 the second text
Mr.. Talmage said, an Athens the great
question, as now, was. What's the
newsY" China first answered the ques-
ton. There was now issued in Pekin
paper which had been published weekly
1000 years, which first made its appear
ance printed on silk. In America Ben
iamin Harris began the publication OF
Weekly Occurrences in 1890. The first
daily was issued in Philadelphia in l7S4,
and bore the name the American Daily
Advertiser. "Just as soon as the news
paper began todemonstrate its purpose"
exclaimed Mr.. Talmage, as he strobe
across the rostrum and threw out his
right arm like an extension gas-6xture,
'the powers shackled ii. In Russia,
which ] regard as the most tyrannicsl
government on the face of the earth,
the newspapers are fettered. Austria
could not bear the pleadings for Hunga-
ry's freedom. Napoleon, who wanted to
keep his foot on the neck of nations, said
every editor ought TO be in prison.
Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Decla-
ration OF Independence. said: IF were
to choose between country without
newspaper or a newspaper without
country, should take the latter" Mr..
Talmage thanked God for the everlasting
blessings of the printing press, and said
that good newspaper was the greatest
temporal blessing given the people. One
paper, statistics showed, died every day,
and generally three or four fortunes
were spent in establishing paper on a
paying basis. 1t was usually the case
that the older papers absorbed the
younger ones, like one whale swallow
ing fifty minnows. The average life of a
newspaper was five years, and in the
United States and Canada only thirty
papers had reached the age of fifty years.
The newspaper made knowledge demo-
cratic. knowledge is the light of life"
shouted Mr.. Talmage, as he grasped at a
handful of air and threw the invisible
missile with all his force toward the
crowded gallery. He said that all the
great authors made their beginning in
the newspapers "The Bible, Websters
Dictionary and a good newspaper fit a
man for this life and the happiness of
the next" The newspaper that printed
the best and most beautiful side of life
was characterized as Misrepresentation
"Sin is loathsome-make it so; virtue is
beautiful-make it So Mr. Talmage
urged that impersonality should be
dropped, and spoke of the time when
leading editorial writers used to affx
their initials to their articles. If such an
idea were in vogue at this time the writ.
ers wouldRet the credit for all the good
things they wrote and would be held re-
sponsible for all the bad things. The
universities, Mr.. Talmage believed,
should have departments for the train
ing of editors and reporters. 81 declare
that the mightiest force for good is a
good newspaper, and for bad bad news
paper" Here the speaker advanced TO
the front of the platform, and, extending
his arms, exclaimed; The christian
newspaper will be the right wing of the
Apocalyptic angel, and the printing press
will be the front wheel of the Lords
| chariot"