New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-07
| Hill, who has been invited to be present The sale OF
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MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS
ITS POWER AND IT'S FAULTs-LECrCRE BIZ THE
REV. DIR. BAKER.

ITS POWER AND ITS FAULTS-LECrCRE BIZ THE
REV. DIR. BAKER.
The last lecture in the course given on the
last six Sunday evenings In the Church Of the Messiah
In Brooklyn, was delivered last evening by
the rector, the Rev. Charles r. Baker.
Tho audience completely filed the church
Mr. Bakers subject was "The Moral RESPONSE
bllty Of the Press" In Of it words OF the
highest praise given to Horace Greeley, who was
called the first great hero OF the press
In the lecture. Mr.. Baker said that the history
OF showed progress from sens
ualism TO tho degree OF intellectual and moral
vigor that characterized the nineteenth century The
advance had been made in unbroken line but by
after another. showing an organic lie. Tho
Greek gave TO the world the OF beauty the Latin
the lesson OF order. and tho Teuton the
lesson OF justice Each Of these periods
had supreme agency to which the age looked for
spirits OF the epoch spoke In the first was the drama
In the Latin the pulpit and In the Germarc the press
OF the latter the lecturer sad THE great agent which
God has appointed to guido our Gcrmanic life IL the
pres9 In that term Include not only the newspapeT
also ali the current literature which the press strikes OIL
by the thousand and which, entering into our houses
informs and educates the age No agent OF
any former epoch was a;,n,. 0mhl 4Sc
rs sR' OF great STa is more real and more bsO
lutte than that OF President or bishop. IL you know
arguments which he will use and the line OF his Ire.
dominance II had few men who spoke out the truth
as God gave II TO them, and that most shield.
ed themselves behind the institution and to-nlght
the average spirituality only. II is grave charge But
are the hanGs of who govern tho press clean
Do they all seek elevate Do none stoop to only
average virus Sometimes the Christian IL offended al
the way religion Is psronized by the press at the
confusion Of ecclesiastical questions and questions OF
criticism OF what is vital; and the !eer ana the
walls OF tho press when man OF reputation
among folks. much ms to say that Their" very
little real difference between lives and those ot the
world and that the great distinction between the fallen
ones and tho Ia that one Is found ont and the Othe
is not Yet II you search out the writer OF this article
you may find him Of Christian conviction. who
does not believe word OF what his article
has conveyed to others. lie has stopped TO average
virtue, or even below II, for greed. and because
he could hide his personality behind the institution
But institutions have souls. He himself must
account for the degeneration OF religion in thu minds OF
sImnle ones who have read and believed.
"The age OF the drama had Sophocles, .Eschylus Eur
pdcs andArstOpauos Tho OF the pulpit had isJohn
ChrysostOm Peter the Hermit, and BERNARD OF Cnr
vaux, and Francis, Of Assisun. It's Luther and Calvin
md ZwipCle Lhtimer and Bradford ana
Knox its Wesley and Whitfield, and Jonathan
Edwards The age of the press has begun It's roll win
Horace Greeley. When you ask what II was In him
which entitled him Lv common consent to this singular
emincncc the will be- thatit was the possession
with greatness OF pure and lofty character.