Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-12-28

clergy of Tie cssy. recently, y the sun.
day morning Newspaper. This interest
WAS 80 great that il came to the surface
in the pAstors' regular Monday after
noon conference some wesks sincs, and
tie intervening sessions Of the caafes-
enSe have discussed the matter accord
ing TO the lights possesse4 BY the vari-
Gus dlsputznis. The contention hss
been sharp between members OF the
conference, but with the details of this
the public viii be generous enough nct
70 inquire very c.osely. LassNonday. .
few hours before the meeting of the
conference, = representative Of tie
TELEaRsM-HERALD received word from
the conference that that body would be
glad TO listen " any address on the
Sunday subject which the Representa-
tive might feel moved 80 make that
afternoon. The newspap per man was ON
hand 1t the appointed hour, and al
dressed the conference n substance as
follows:
81 respond to thus invitation on my
own account solely. have not re-
ceived this invitation IN time ~ consult
with my superIors, and regret that
can not represent anybody but myself.
Yet, inasmuch a. may. IN some parts
OF what shall say, seem TO speak for
the entire newspaper fraternity, trust
may not misrepresent anybody.
1.-The first thing | desire to impress
upon your minds is fact-one OF the
best known facts of modern life. The
Sunday morning newspaper is here TO
stay. II is as much fact of our pres
ent civilization as any inshtution, ana
il 10 wasted breath 10 speak OF il in any
other way. With the Sunday morning
newspaper IL is not question OF going
or remaining, because there is no
chance for question or debate, except
by those who love 70 talk after the &C.
casion for talk has passed away. The
Sunday morning newspaper Is here TO
stay. Ii the time permitted, j could
convince you of this fact by the pre-
sentaton of certain irrefraCable rea-
sons, but trust there 10 no occasion
for IT. -
81 hold il TO be the wisdom of the
church, as of all other institutions, to
| adapt itself to the life about 1t. If the
Sunday morning paper has come TO
root itself perrnanent In our IN Tern
life, you and that which you represent,
can do no better than to adapt your
self and your influence to the fact
itself. Moral heroism does not lie in
warning upon the inevitable, but in
| making out of it what is the very best
that c&n be made of 1t. If this confer
ence have anything, whatever, of infiu-
ence to exert upon the Sunday morning
paper, that influence must lie in the
direction of its publication and enlarge
ment, and not of Its humiliation.
This leads me to remark my belief
| that the grandcst power OF the world is
when it is in the right. When it is not
not enjoyed by others who are IN error.
The church, when right, is omnipotent;
when wrong, 1T 10 Samson shOrn of his
locks. Right, in the abstract, lie omnipo-
| tent, and when it is backed by an Or
ganization divine like the church, one
| might almost say that il is more than
omnipotent. The pastors are the heads
Of the churches, and rs such their
united power must be Incslculable. If
this conference would adopt the maxim
of Davy Crockett, and make sure of
being right, it could go ahead TO al
most any achievement.
"Now, In connection with this sub
| ject before us. let me ask you to join
me in matter of Right concerning
which there are no differences of opin-
ION among civilized men. l hold IL TO
be the right of all men. vouchsafed
| them by nature and the God IF nature,
to enjoy one day out of every seven for
| rest, for mental and religious culture
and tor worship. Surely! if were TO
stand before this conference begging
your helpful Offices to aid me to reglin
a lost liberty of this kind. not one of
| your hands would be withheld from my
assistance. But that is exactly what
am here to do. My love for the church
and for the offices of public worship is
not less than yours; yet my work of
seven days forbIds me to satisfy these
thirsts. And / am not alone in
my captivity. There is . whole
class of tired, jaded persons
| like me, who are the victims
| of circumstances of which no one man
has any control. Would you care 10
| know what that obstacle is which
stands between us journalists and our
day of restg Be sure you are right and
then 90 ahead. / am not now dwelling
upon theory, but come TO you with
my testimony of fact, that the jour.
nslists obstacle in the way of spiritual
life is the Monday paper. Whoever
| will find = way 10 the removal CT that,
| will perform service for mankind OF
some value. IL there be heavenly
influence tor good TO be sent out from
| this conference. the Sunday paper ID
not the true object OF 1t, for the sun
day paper is fixture.
is the Monday paper 80 fixed, Has
that, also, come TO siay7 Ii is the Mon
dsy paper, not the sunday paper, which
robs the printer of his Sabbath.
But If the Monday paper is ~ firmly
fixed as the sunday paper, IL would be
folly TO try 10 dislodge it. So far from
1t, have reason to think that its tenure
| in the world is very weak. | can not
now tarry TO give you all my reasons
for this belief. One only viii now
suffice. A wise, iudicious. affectionate
effort 70 have the Monday paper dis
| continued would begin with snuae hope
of success, because YOU would he met
by friendly feeling within the
| journalistic profession. While there -
not Newspaper man IN the State Of
/ Michigan VINO would listen for 9 mo-
tnent 10 . suggestion Of surprising the
Sunday paper, there are bit few who
/ have mol feelings more or Iess friendly
+ 70 any movement against the Monday
aape7. | believe there IA 10 love for q
wlfain the profession. | believe IL
death would find few II any real
.s,r.-.r~n~s M rs~xrf-s< / ~xss~.sxt "a = A.