St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-09

the nation. Murders, executions, drownings,
burnings suicides, felonious assaults. all
kinds of horrible accidents, burglaries. bank
robbers, great and little stealings, gambling
tournaments, horse racings. pugilistic con-
tests walking matches, cockhghts, drunken
sprees, are chronicled often in all attainable
miuuteness of disgusting detail. In short,
whatever is foolish, vicious, scandalous. pro
fame. Internal which anywhere bubbles 10 the
surface of the worldwide cauldrou of human
depravity, seems often TO be held legitimate
matter 70 be ladled out in record, IL not in
comment on the pages CT newspapers which
all housekeepers are expected TO take in for
domestic perusal." This complaint lies
against all the issues of the larger part Of the
secular press; but IL should be borne in mind
that these are given in more extended detail
ii possible, in the issue of the Lords day,
when the house Of God would furnish a cor
receive for the influence of secular days.
These examples furnish an argument
against the publication of the details ofcrime
which are made especially conspicuous by
the SUNDAY press.
The seculariZing tendency OF the Sunday
newspaper is apparent. Ii eXalis every form
OF material industry and worldly enterprise.
Inc greater part of its space is occupied with
secular advertisements. Ii gives stimul1u
10 that materialism which threatens our ma
tlonal life by impairing its foundations; be-
lief In God. responsibility of Him and future
retribution. 1t contributes 10 that love OF
money which is the root of all evil. II en-
courages Sunday travel, SUNDAY traffic. sun
day conferences in the interests OF public
Improvements. and keeps the world which
perishes before the minds of men who are on
the borders of eternity. A distinguished
clergyman has affirmed that there is no in
tuence to-day that is operating with greater
rapldity TO saturate the Sunday air with Secu-
larism, and wipe out the distinctions which
have hitherto obtained between the one day
and the six days, than our Sunday morning
! newspapers"
The Sunday newspaper asserts that il has
come 10 stay. There are other things that
Will stay. But the duty of the church Is 10
make every possible encroachment upon the
world and abate the evil that is in IL. If
! Christians had been true 10 Bible principles,
! the Sunday newspaper would not have had an
! existence. The earliest efforts TO introduce,
W lth perhaps a single exception, proved fall
ures. We have lost our vantage ground. but
| it is still possible for the Christian church TO
greatly diminish the circulation of the sun
| day newspaper, and so 10 circumscribe its IN
| huence. II may even be possible to diScon-
! tinue it,; thereby removing one of the chief
! barriers TO the peaceful conquests Of the
| church. Therefore, with a view 10 the ahate-
4 ment and. If possible. 10 the termination OF
| this great social wrong, we
MAKE THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS:
First-That pastors emphasize in their pull
| pits and by their example the value of the
]
/ tive furnished in the Word or God, and from
all our relations 10 this world and that which
| is 10 come. the sanct feation Of this day TO the
| purpose Tor which it has been divinely APP
| pointed.
! Second-That they withhold their indorse-
! ment of a Sunday newspaper and guard
! against the result of such approval, by with
! holding the notices of the Sabbath services;
furnishing these, if at all, 10 the issue on Sec
/ ular days.
Thrd-That they earnestly eXhort Chris
tian people, and all who would advance the
purity of our social life. to omit the Sunday
| newspaper and especially TO withhold from
all advertisements which are its chief sup
port
Fourth-That in event of failure 10 correct
this recognized evil. we recommend a con-
certed movement toward securing the estsb-
Hshment OF secular newspaper Of high
moral tone and literary merit which shall not
violate the Lords day, disregard Christian
sentiment and impose insupportaOle burdens
upon its employees, whilst impairing the high
est interests of our individual, social and
spiritual life.