The Portland daily press., 1888-02-06
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
THE INFIrENcE OF THE PRESS.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS.
Rev. Mr.. Daniels preached at Second Par
ish church yesterday from Acts II: p. For
all the Athenians and strangers which were
there, spent their time in nothing else, but
either to tell or to hear some new thing"
The text was used to illustrate the spirit OF
inquiry in man, and brought forth the use
and abuse of this gift. The Athenian spirit
of telling and hearing is rife today. The in
huence of the press for good or i'll was one
of the points of discourse which we print be-
low:
The correct moulding of public opinion
should be as large part of the work of the
press as satisfying public clamor for news.
There should be in the church much prayer
for the press, for publishers. editors and au-
thors. The secular press has its basis
in hearing and telling news, or in other
words to publish news and to show the rela-
ton of news to society. 1t gathers for the
people information from the world and by
discussion Classics it for the guidance of
public opinion. In the very nature, of the
case it is great agency for the education
and control of mankind. 1t Is not surprising
that the newspaper press is daily growing in
volume and power and excellence 1t has
reached place hardly predicted 90 years
ago. Very able men are in its employ. Some
of our leading journals present articles every
day, strong rich and elegant in style and
thought Many such articles have perma-
nent preservation. The Christian religion
owes a debt to the secular press which is not
enough considered. Religion is light, the
gospel. proclamation of glad tidings, sent
by God to shine; it needs medium Tor It's
shining and the secular press by recording
its progress, simply as news, confers great
benefit upon it and upon those whose mis-
sion it is to spread it. Whatever religion is
doing among men, in saving the lost, raising
the fallen. purifying the vicious. helping the
poor and converting the heather becomes
matter of daily record and what more does
true religion ask then that man shall know
what it is doing? Its fruits are It's proper
test If men can be brought to see its fruits
they will be brought to respect It, The wide
spread dissemination of the practical laoors
of Christianity is of infinite advantage In
teaching the masses the presence and power
of the divine word, the divine spirit, the di-
vine church-the grand agencies for the
temporal and eternal sal, ion of mankind.
If papers present our faults. we remember
that it is a prime doctrine that we have
faults. And if. as is true there is tendness
in printing bad news about professedly
Christian men and societies, it proves an
other dogma that there is sin left in those
who print and those who read. Whatever
other sin they may have they do not force
stale matter upon us which we will not
read
Not only does the press confer ADVANTAGE
by spreading aboad what the church is do
ing. but it also brings to us the condition of
the world Think of the cost of time, treas
ure and service which would be required to
collect and classify the facts which must be
known to Christians in order to work intel
costly kilograms from the ends OF the earth
are laid at the door of the church every
morning, and by which the plans of redemp-
ton can the better be unfolded. We do not
recognize prayerfully enough the wide spread
of religious news and the bringing of wide
reaching intelligence from all the world
through the secular press. While often
hurt comes through the press, yet the dead
liest hurt which the newspaper could give to
the religion of Christ in these days would be
to let it alone, to treat its sublime hopes
with cold indifference, as If of not enough
importa nee to claim a place. The gospel
does not shun agitation, it does not ask to &c
relieved of questions upon Its claims. III
does not fear the light. 1t asks for fair and
candid hearing at the hands OF the news
hearers and givers. We want to have dis
elimination between Christianity aud the
folles committed in its name. We would
pray that the Athenian spirit OF injury may
be ruled by higher wisdom q profounder
forth a sedate, just, simple dlgnl1ed tone
upon all subjects which beft the treatment
of the gravest problems of human destiny
We ask fair and just treatment in hearing
and telling the things of Christ and his king
dom.
GoLPEL MISSION.
Last evening long before the hour to COM
mence it was impossible to obtain standing
room at the Gospel Mission, and very large
crowd were turned away. The services were
of the usual interesting character beginning
with service of song led by large orches-
ira under the direction of Mr.. F. A. Bent.
service led by the many converts, and after
ward Rev. S. +. Pearson preached a very
practical ard impressive sermon from Matt.
XIV and at the close invited those who wish
ed to forsake sin and lead a Christian life o
stand This neutrality-suspicious. than scor
10 their feet, and it being 8 o'clock an after
meeting was held and a large number re-
NAMED and took part in the service.