The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-15
cLERoYMEN AND TIE PRESS

Tuesday nights session OF TIE American
Congress of Churches, at Hartford, Conn.,,
was devoted to discussion of 'sThe attitude
of the secular press in America toward re-
lieion." The opening address was By Rev.
Washington GLADDEN., of Columbus, o.. and
Its opening sentence read: 1.-THE attitude OF
the average American editor toward religion
is one OF calm superiority" And then. con-
tinuirg, the speaker said: He he Q litor
has no more doubt of what should be said
about the views of great diyines than of
what he should say about those of Carl
ScauIz or Governor g.. John. and. in short,
he has no more respect for ecclesiastical than
political ce'ebrities.'
With deftrence to the views of this great
divine we submit that his criticism is not
sustained by the facts in the case. Our OBJ
servation is that the average American
editor is almost reverently respectful to reli-
gion. To our readlng the averge newspaper
draws wide margin between its respective
utterances concerning preachers and
politicians. The former, IN his pulpit, is, as
rule, as safe from editorial structure as is a
bride at the altar of bis church, whereas the
politician of any note would esteem 1t a mil
lernium occasion when he could declaim in
any city without having his expressions
hacked by the reviewing pen o! the opposi.
ton party editor. Both Mr.. Schurz and Mr..
st. John delivered political addresses in In
dianapolis during the late campaign, and
both were handled without gloves by the
local press. But no minister in this city has
been criticised, even IN q view of "calm gu
periority," for any religious utterance. One
clergy oman, for having introduced politics in
violation of civil service reform, and in an
Extensively partisan" manner into his SER
mon, was reprimanded in these columns
but only in christianity, charitable way,
den,ned certain politicians, as. for instance,
one Mr.. James G. Blaine.
The average American editor we hold TO
be deferential to religion aud to religious
teachers. No profession is accorded the rever-
ence the clergy receives from the press. They
are held in fully rs delicate respect as ia the
weaker sex. They are sustained by the secu-
lar papers in their worthy works. Unbe.
coming utterancss by ministers are passed
ticians they would receive round criticism.
The 81 ntiment of the average editor toward
the minister is TO
BE to his faults little blind;
Be to his virtues very kind"
The truth, when spoken of the average
American editor, will represent him ~ the
friend of religion, and therefore OF the
clergy. But your average American sditor
is superior to infection of superstition; is
not hide.bound sectarisn; Is competent to
discriminate between some things and some
other things. He very readily understands
that religious persuasion IN this day is not
accomplished by practicing the cant de-
scribed in the lines:
Say three-mile prayers and half mile graces,
With Widespread looks and long. wry faces;
Grunt UP solemn, heightened groan
And damn all parties but your own.
The average editor comprehends that the
duty OF the clergy is to teach the broad
charity while walking the goodly paths sut.
lined by the Savior whom they are the ex-
emplars and meuthpieces of. And az long
as they are within these bounds, they will
receive the upholding arm of the average
American editor