The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-12-19
Religious Newspapers.

color or past or present condition, can fail
to realize that religion, whether it's object
be mythical or real, has been and is yet a.
great boon to the material world. 1t is the
forerunner of civilization, the fountainhead
of all social reforms, and the revered cOun-
sellOr and hope of millions of the truest and
best people in our land. A person who is a.
true follower of any religious belief is GER
tain to be made the better by being SUCH
There is undoubtedly number of hypocrit--
ical sheep in the various religious beliefs;
and we do not question but that there are
many preachers in the religious arena for
''revenue only" But. taken all in all, no.
fair minded person. atheist or otherwise.
can refrain from giving due credit to our
religious bodies for the great good they are.
accomplishing.
Still it would seem that one of the recent
methods adopted on large scale to further
the cause of religion. will, in many instances
prove backset rather than an aid. We.
speak now of the RABID religious news
paper. At present nearly every sect has an
organ published in the small as we'll as the
larger cities. These publications can and
may yet be the means of doing great
SOous IL CLCy Will UuU COutIOl tuclT DcIUy
Seetarian quarrels and cOnfine themselves
to their original object. 1t is matter Of
business with the writer to read from fif-
teen to twenty religious and semi religious
papers weekly. and some of these are the
metropolitan organs of the principal beliefs
Catholic and Protestant. In reading:
them from week to week we see denunci--
atiOns of one sect by another, the lngauage>
in which would be considered too discOur-
teOus for usage by beer-hall political
writer in times of national campaign. If
one sect holds convention, the organ of an
opposing belief will dish up a column or so.
of very uncharitable language to show it's
readers what foolish things persons not of
their way of thinking can do. If one
church becomes more popular than another,
some religious papers will attribute it to un-
fair or worldly" means used by the pastor
or some of the members of his flock. And
thus they wage war against each other from
week to week. In late number of a
prominent religious journal the editor
throws off a large accumulation OF bile to.
appeaSe his grief at hearing that religious
sect not in harmony with his own had taken
steps to cOlOnize part of the country that
is being deserted by its present and former
inhabitants: According to him. that part
of our fair land will be forever accursed if
the sect at which he makes his fling
becomes dominant there.
What are unbeieverS and half and
halfs' to think when they read matter of
this description in papers whose editors and
publishers are supposed to lead their f1ocks
in the paths of love. charity and good will
to men" laid out by their omniscient
Master?
If we must have such discussions why
can they not be carried on in the good
natured. brotherly manner that is cOntin-
ually taught to us orally? There is some
excuse for politicians using strong lam
guage in discussing questions that relate to-
Their parties. but there is no excuse for it in
the realm of religion. The politician has
an Object-a very worldly one, no doubt
he wants his party to win in the elections.
There are different ways of governing
country. according to the politician. and
each party believes that his way is THE.
way. Aside from this. that which is
affected by politics is an entity. is visible.
and the people are capable of judging what
is the best for them In religion it is differ
ent. All the sects believe in the same
GOd and they all aver that whoever be-
lieves in this God shall be saved In this
broad decree they make no distinction as to
what methods we shall be governed by I'M
our belief. so long as we are sincere and do
our best. This far all the sects agree
they do not claim that it is necessary to be.
long to any special church i'm order to gain
the end they all have i'm view. and still they
must seemingly keep in hot water. Relig-
ion is turned into huge circus. and each
sect gets up its own little side show for the
apparent purpose Of ridiculng fellow
believers not of an exactly similar way of
thinking.
Would it not be sensible policy for re-
ligiOus editors. and preachers. also to stop
this petty snarling, and carry on sectarian
such is necessary-on the
broad plane of brotherly love that they es-
pOuSed in becoming Christians? If the re-
lgious papers hope to accomplish any good