The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-13
PRESS AND PULPIT
An Interesting Discussion in the
Methodist Council.
THE RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPER
Its Influence is not Equal to that Of the secu>
lar Daily-A Tilt over Politics IN
Religious Journals.

dist Episcopal Zion church of Fayette n
c.. in the chair. The opening services OF
the great council were conducted by three
colored meE. The topic for the morning
session was 1.-THE Church and Her Ageu-
cles," and Bishop L. ). Foster Of Massa-
| chusetts proceeded to address the council
| on THE Responsibilities and Quslifca-
tions of the Preacher"
| Bishop Foster said the preacher needed
/ the high qualities OF mind and the proper
qualities of body. He should know that
about which he spoke; he should be a man
| OF experience; he must consider his envi-
ronments and the people he addressed;
must be able to recognize distractions that
stood iu the way of his mission. Preachers
became at times imbecile in their efforts,
because of lack Of knowledge of the way to
go ABOUT their mission. No man could
| think of God understandIngly who did not
understand His power as manifested in
/ His works, so when those 10 whom he
| preached came to the teacher with doubt
| he should be able to grapple with these
doubts, overcome them, and show them the
way to the truth of the gospel.
Rev. John Bond, of London, followed
Bishop Foster in a brief address in the
same strain.
Rev. Frank Ballard, OF London, and Rev.
G.. w. Clinton, of Pittsburg, also spoke,
and Rev. DR.. Leonard, of New York,
closed the morniBg session with few re-
invited doubt by delivering sermons on
D8rwiuism and Huxley
During recess the delegates were sre-
ceived at the White House by the Presi-
deht and Mrs. Harrison.
At the afternoon session the topic for
discussion was The Religious Press and
Religious uses of the Secular Press" Rev.
Hugh Price Hughes, of London, being the
essayist. at was strange" said DIR.
Hughes, that this great agency-the press
has rarely received the consideration of
the churches. 1t was now the fourth estate,
the greatest engine of the world and be-
came so without the aid Of the church or
its blessings. Christian churches must
face the TACT that this great power was
in the hands of meu who were, in
some cases, Indifferent to the churches and
in others absolutely full of hatred for it.
For the creation of public opinion in these
swift days, the press was supreme If dis
posed, the editors of the daily papers could
render incalculable service to the cause OF
= God. The religious press should never be
used for political purposes, hear, hear,
and it should do its work in learning and
recording the progress of Gods work on
earth. The preacher had learned from the
journalist said Mr.. Hughes in conclusion,
and God grant that they may now learn a
, little from US, Tor united we and the
. journalists can hasten the creation Of that
state which Christ is bringing to ali lands
, sign of misery"
! Rev. F.. II. Dewart, editor of the Chris
tan Guardian of Toronto, held the church
had notyeJ formed a sufficiently high esti-
mate OF the influence of the religious press
ana had not used it to do its full CAPACITY
: for good The religious press should not
= be regarded as the rival to the pulpit. 1t
supplemented and backed up the teachings
of the preacher. He disliked 10 hear a re-
! ligious paper called an ''organ" of the
: church as if its main bu siness was to voice
= the authoritative utterances of denomina-
tons like papal syllabus or as if it was an
instrument on which certain tunes were to
be played in order. IN times of moral de-
, generacy when the public conscience is
o paralyzed by selfish views of duty, the re-
: ligious press should fearlessly rebuke the
:, prevailing sins whether it brings popu-
. larity or opposition and reproach. The
a church paper should be liberal in spirit,
= but loyal to Christian truth.
> Rev. DR.. Ferguson, president of the
Primitive Methodist church of England
could not say amen to Or. Hugh es' assertion
L that the religious papers should not take
! coguiZance Of politics. In England there
s were thousands of people that received
/. their politics not from daily papers, but
from weekly religious journals, and occas-
! ionly 1t became nee ssary that religio-
: political questions should be treated by
] them. Murmurs of disappointment He
IS because he saw it troubled his Wesleyan
:, friends. Cries of "Oh, noml
He bad been told that many parts of this
u great country were Influenced strongly by
1t the Roman Catholic power. 1t might be be-
20 cause that power was concentrated but il
N might also be because of their use of the
is press. The churches should ely themselves
IS with the daily press; give the press their
sympathy. Very few of the men who stood
n at the head of the great Gailies would reject
81 that alliance. The great questions of the
'e day were questions of science Morality
y and religion should be dealt with, not in
lie the pulpit, but in the press
IL Rev. o. Hoss, of Nashville, Tenn, said
). the religious newspapers had not kept pace
at with the secular press in development
g. though the improvement had been great
re Religious papers should have an expert
OF corps or assistants to chief editor; atCen
IN ton should be given to the advertising
e columns; there had been much SHINING but
at there was not so much now, although hC
IN did see an advertisement Of quack medi-
&c cine-consumption cure-Oppcsite an unc-
ne tious article on help TO the higher life.
er TGreat laughter.
g. Rev. DR.. Buckley, editor of the Christian
ne AdUocdte. believed the weekly religious
ne paper rad greater influence in manufact
10 urIDg public opinion than the daily. H,
was severe IN his criticisms upon the sec
ular press for its treatment of serious top
les. laughing al SUlClOSS anu puDllS0luI
of detailed reports of scandalous divorce
of cases.
- John H. Lyle of London, said laymeI
should be heard on this subject; he hat
Gu gone into many store in New York, Boston
D. and Washington and rdied in vain TO buy
10 religious paper. The English religion
3. press also needed Improvement and h
Is hoped a religious daily paper would b.
u brought forth; the London sporting paper
H. had a larger circulation than all the re
~ ~ ligious papers.
IL Mr.. Atkinson, an English member o
N, parliament, thought religious paper
ie- should take no account of political matters
ut He was proud Of DR.. Hughes as preacher
al but was not and never should be proud o
ed him as an editor. When DR.. Hughes wa
OF invited to come down from his place a
no preacher to aid decrepit party, he sal
'er when he got down there he delivered him
self of a sentence almost as near bias
phemy as a religious man could have come
The gavel fell at this point, but Atkinso
ed called out, 1T was merely question IS I
led how Jesus Christ would speak on the Iris
question"
Rev. DR.. Balmer, of England, arouse
DR. Atkinson by expressing gratitude I
,Ie- DR. Hughes and adding that coudemnatio
- of some speakers was equivalent to prais
'ne of others, whereupOn Mr.. Atkinson wit
ted some spirit demanded to know, '1f ths
md sort of insinuatioE Is to be brought TO;
Of ward On another brother"
by The chairman restored order and d
the Balmer withdrew his remark, but 500
,ne aroused Atkinson again by referring to
ad- remark made by Mr.. Shape TO the effe
that one of the English political parti'