The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-08
SUNDAY NEw.PAPERs.

One OF the resolutions adopted 10y the
East Hanover Presbytery at iis recent
meeting in Hampton. was rs follows inc
sabbath newspapers arc eminent influences
ofcvil, and only evil. They employ their
operatives on Gods day, thus allowing no
rest on the sabbath; they flood the lauo
with promiscuous literature; they send u
forth on the sabbath. and for sabbath re"o'
ing"
This charge is so general and indiscrilmi'
nate, that any newspaper which Is pun
lished on SUNDAY morning is included IN the
condemnation. and must either acknowl
edge the justice Of the charge, or protest
against the Injustice II tits wrong to read
n newspaper Of any Kind on the sabDaul
day, then all those papers published IN the
interest and with the approval OF the va
rious denominations as specially religious
papers, must De included, and all reading
not found in the Bible or in some book mol q
newspaper, must be condemned. II seems
plain. then, that 90 sustain the prevailing
custom OF reading any paper on sunday a
wise and proper discrimination must De
exercised in the character Of the
paper TO DE read. For some secular papers.
published daily, including sunday we think
il not improper that in their columns is
found substantially for Sunday reading the
same kind Of material that is embodied in
the specially religious papers, as in these
latter appear not merely religious articles
hut political, financial, and general news
collected by clippings from the secular
papers through the previous week, while
the advertisements are substantially the
SANE. There would then seem TO be No
difference in the character Of some OF these
religious papers, and the sunday issue OF
the daily paper, except in the extent OF the
religious articles, and the freshness Of the
news.
That the daily Sunday papers "allow nc
rest on the Sabbath day, and employ then
operatives on Gods day" is in substance
mistake. The arrangement, long estab
lished, for issuing papers early in the morn
ing. necessarily involves some work IN the
early hours Of sunday morning, but Tho
work of the editor, the reporter the com
posltor, the printer and the distributor, j;
terminated substantially between l.
O'Clock on Saturday night anC
o'clock sunday morning, leaving the
rest Of the day for such employment
religious or otherwise, as the individual
may see proper. To avoid any work what
ever between those hours called sunday
say from II O'Clock saturday night until /.
O'Clock sunday nght-would iphibit th'
publication Of any newspaper on Sunda!
or Monday, rs indeed there is more sunday
work necessary for a Monday paper thar
for Sunday paper. II is the rule, how
ever. for papers that make an issue on boil
Sunday and Monday to provide 80 as Il
give proper rest TO all.
1t is not necessary to defend a practise
which like many others is right or wrong
according TO the way il ia carried out, fur
ther than TO say that as far rs this paper d
concerned, though not exclusively, II claims
TO be distinctly religious, and would MOI
continue the publication of sunday oi
Monday paper, if by 80 doing II woull
throw embarrassment. in the moral life o
anyone. We believe, moreover, that q
properly edited sunday paper brings great
truths to the attention Of many who woul
otherwise be entirely deprived Of them, thos'
who cannot, and those who will not 90 L
church. and to whom the outside of re-
ligious book is sufficient to make them let il
alone. The true principle ia to advocate
and inculcate good: the character of tho
sunday papers should be made TO have moi
an influence for evil, but a positive and
most effective influence for good