The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-05-18
Church Literature.
An Essay Bead Before the Newberr. Circuit
Convention.


tauce l regret that one more competent
than should not have beer chosen for this
occasion, but having been appointed, and
desiring TO perform every duty required to
the best Of my ability, I shall epdeavor
briefly to present the subject, cherishing
the hope that some good may result there
from.
ANY enterprise that has for its object the
dissemination Of good should command the
sympathy and support Of those for whose
bene6. i, is prosecuted
Now the publication of our church litera.
ture, and no: of ours only but that of every
Christian Church, commands the attention
and consumes the time of our bes. men,
men who have devoted themselves, their
time, their strength, their energies, their
talents. and oftentimes their means, TO the
PRONUNCIATION Of those grand Chr ristisn
truths and principles which tend to make
people happy to promote civilization, 10
lit man above the level of the sordid cares,
ve1ations and trials incident to the pilgrim
age through this wilderness. Therefore
these good men and true deserve, as I said
before. the hearty support of the church.
should be glad to see our church paper,
the Southern Christian Advocate, the Off.
cial organ of the South Carolina Confer
ence, in the home OF every Methodist with
in the bounds Of the Conference, and when
we remember that the publishers of this
paper pay what might term royalty to
the Annual Conference on every copy for
which we subscribe, then it seems to me
our duty is doubled, aye trebled, and we
should give it our support, because, in the
first place, we are aiding in the replenish-
ment Of our Conference treasury. In the
second place, We are aiding a meritorious
firm; and last, but by no means least, we
are placing in our childrens' hands pure
literature, the reading Of which will print
impressions for good upon their hearts and
minds that will last them all through the
journey of life; and not only so, but we
will there find the best and purest thoughts
of our spiritual leaders. And venture to
say, that there has DO, been single issue
Of this paper, since its foundation to the
present time, but has contained articles
worth more than the price of the whole
years subscription. even if such things
could be measured BY a price or mad q
money value. And it may be, aye it ID
more than probable, that many Christian
father and mother, when the great day
shall come, and all things be made known.
that this very paper has been the means of
bringing precious soul to Christ. Then
will they thank God that they had the priv
ilege of taking their church paper, and
thereby aiding in the spread of Christian
influence and principles in the world And
what say of ours, say of all other church
papers and it does nv heart good 10 see
great rolls OF the Visitor being distributed
among Lutheran families, and Of Couriers
among Baptists, and Southern Presbyte.
riana among that denomination, and a. R.
Presbyterians among that denomination.
And say to al who hear my voice, take
your church paper. Lutherans, take the
Visitor; Baptists, take the Courier Meth
| odists, take the Advocate, and 80 on and
so on. Help to give them large circula-
tioE, and thereby make The Editors hear.
glad, and bis little ones rejolce in the know.
ledge that his labors are appreciated, and
do your own souls and the souls of your
loved ones good and gloriiy God By speed.
| ing his cause in the earth. And / will here
add word for the Neighbor-s live Meth.
odist paper-whose Editor has grown old
| II. the service of the Master, aud with his
venerable locks whitened by the frosts oi
many winters, has placed his paper upon
The exalted Christian principle, PEACE, UNI
vERsAL PEACE. Who would have the whole
world to join 10 the peun, Glory to God
in the highest, on earth peace, good will to
men," On tina. be may succeed beyond his
| foudest anIicipations. l would also add q
word for the Nashville Christian Advocate
THIS is grand periodical, full of good
things, edited by noble men, I wish ]
| could take them all. And this brings me
to our Sunday School literature, and am
| glad to know that the Publishing House is
receiving the hearty support Of South Caro-.
lima Methodism. II is e grand thing to aid
| in doing good-to use our means and our
influence 10 build " and promote virtue
| and holiness among the children Of men.
In our Suud,y School We use their publica
| tions-the International Lesson seties-
and confess that when we first began their
| use, when We organized our Sunday School
in July, 1880, I had serious misgivings al
to their adaptability aud usefulness but
with acquaintance they have improved, and
to-day look upon them as the very best
We can use, and l thank God that we have
used them during the whole time We have
been in operation. Now ! do not advocate
the sole use of these to the exclusion of
catechisms and other of our Sunday School
literature. for think these last are good
and very necessary; but would make
them the prime feature in all our Sunday
Schools, and certainly their low price, and
the care that is taken by the Editor 10 pre-.
pairing them, commend these publications
to the favorable consideration Of all, And
right here let me say something In refer
ence to other publications of the Book Con-
cern. Any book within the range of onr
church literature may be bad there for as
little money as can be had at any Publish.
ing House in the land. Examine their
catalogues and you will find that these facts
are true. Anything that may be wanted
within the whole range of denominational
literature may be found there.
Brothers and sisters, let US do what We
can to aid the Publishing House by getting
our Sunday School supplies and church lit
erature direct ;herefrom.
Well, ar. President, think have said
all can. ! wish could say more in re-
ferepce 10 o4r immediate church literature.
and when use the tsEm immediate, I mean
that which pertains specially to the church
in South Carolina. But pardon me if say
a word in reference to this subject general
ly. In THU day of cheap sensational litera-
ture-should l deuomiuate it literature
nay, rather, stuff, libel on literature
when Is stories can be bough, for FIVE Sc.
postage stamps, it becomes the bounden
duty of the church to counteract this bane-
ful influence by nll the means in her power.
Therefore it is necessary that we, as the
professed followers Of Jesus Christ, do our
utmost to educate Our people to taste tor
beal,hy aud pure literature. Now I think
there are some works Of fiction that may
be read With perhaps no evil results, such
as Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, &C., and
Shakspeare's works are profitable in more
ways than one; but it is not of this class
we speak. Yes even they are not to be
compared With religious iitersture-that
which brings out the good in men and no
men, that leads them to higher aspirations
ond pohlnr io,r thot tprn, thoIr oroo f-o,,