The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-10-13
METHODISTS BELIEVE IN NEWSPAPERS
EcumenicaI Conference Discusses
the Power of the Press,
With a Lively Little Tilt over Politics
and Beer. Barrels.
The Sunday Question and the Great
Chicago Fair. =


menical Methodist Council today, Rev. M.
T. Myers of the United Methodist Church
of Rochdale, England, took the chair. The
topic for discussion was "The Religious
Press and the Religious Uses of the Secular
Press" Rev. Hugh Price Hughes of Lon
don, delivered the essay. DR.. Hughes began
with history of the birth of the journal,
the first daily appearing, be said. in 1709.
There were now 1000 daily papers,. Was 1t
not strange that this great agency rarely re-
ceived the consideration Of the churches?
Now the fourth estate is the greatest engine
of the world. 1t became so without the aid
of the church or its blessings. The Christ
ian churches must face the fact that this
great engine was in the hands of men who
were In some cases Indifferent to the church,
and in others absolutely full of hatred for 1t.
What were the true functions Of this engine?
First, to collect news. Enormous were the
expense and the results. Through the tele-
graph every man might know what trans
pired In the whole world. Christ condemned
religious men who did not know the signs Of
the times.
The great function Of the press was the de.
fnition OF public opinion. 1t was we'll to
known the prevailing opinion, no matter
what 1t was. Another function of the press
was to influence the public; to impress upon
1t the Views of the editor. The power Of
Journalism used on the right side was
ity even OF Christians, he said, were so pre-
occupied that they did not realize the evils
that existed under their eyes. For the
creation OF public opinion in these swift
days, the press was supreme. II SO dis
posed, the editors of daily papers could
render incalculable service to the cause of
God. Little was done by the church until
recently towards soliciting that aid. Ia
England, the Roman Catholics and Uni
tarians had made advances In that direction.
his own church had been backward. but
now all was changed and the reporter was
welcomed in the conference. The religious
press should never be used for political pur-
poses. Hear, hear.l 1t should extend its
work IN learning and recording the progress
UNITED, we and the journalists can hasten
the creation of that state which Christ is
bringing to all lands, In which there shall be
no room for. or sign Of, misery"
Rev. DIR. 4. I'll. Dewart, editor of the
Christian Guardian. of Toronto, Canada,
held that the church had not yet formed a
sufficiently high estimate of the influence Of
the religious press and had not used IL to its
full capacity for good. The press was
great educator OF public opinion, adapted to
mould the religious character of the people.
AS 1t was the chief means of propagating
heretical and skeptlcal teachings, 1t should
be used to repel and refute theories that un-
dermine the Christian faith. The religious
press should fearlessly rebuke the prevail
nasId Ing sins. 4, A time serving press was the
should bs liberal in spirit and loyal to Chris
tian truth.
Rev. DR.. Joseph F. Ferguson, president of
the Primitive Methodist Church of England.
could not say amen to all Dr. Hughes had
said, specially when he said that religious
papers should not take cognizance of poll
tics. [Cres of "Oh, No."l In England,
thousands of people received their politics
from their weekly religious journal. Ocea-
sionally 1t became necessary that religious
them. [Murmurs of dIsapproyal He re-
Joiced that the press was not subject to CEN
sorship. The churches should ally them
selves with the daily press and give the
press their sympathy. Very few Of the men
reject that alliance The great questions of
tbe day. the unestians Of seiapca. 4mnralitu
and religiop, should be dealt with, not In the
Rev. E. e. Hoss of Nashville, Tenn, said
that religious newspapers had not kept pace
with the secular press in development. Relt-
gious newspapers should be under the con-
troll of the church.
Rev. DR.. Buckley of New York, editor ef
the Christian Advocate, believed that the
weekly religious paper had a greater in-
tiuence In manufacturing public opinion
budu LD6 udllys S6CuldT PRESS COulQ uOL
be trusted in matters religious.
John ii. Lille Of London hoped the reli-
gions daily newspaper would be brought
forth.
Rev. Thomas Shape of Liverpool made
plea for closer relations between the church
and the secular press.
Mr.. Atkinson, an English member Of Par
lament, thought that as all political parties
had their organs, the religious press should
take no account OF political matters. Rsli.
gious papers had a higher mission than
politics.
Rev. DR.. Lloyd Jones of Wales, lamented
the existence OF so-called religious newspa-
pers whose mission seemed to be that of
personal, individual putfers.
Rev. Dr.. Balmer Of England, said the
religious newspapers should enunciate the
great Christian principles which should un-
derlie all parties. He referred to the Eng
lish party which had ridden into power on
the beer barrel, adding, I'VE have learned
that their party has been divorced from the
beer barrel.'
Mr.. Atkinson replied excitedly that the
party was meyer married to it.
Dr. Balmer declared that If the gentleman
was in the British Parliament he would be
expelled.
Dr. Morley of New Zealand raised the
point Of order that 1t was not competent to
discuss English politics in the conference.
DR.. Balmer said he hoped he would be al
lowed to occupy his full five minutes.
81 hope you WON'T" exclaimed Mr.. Atkin-
son.
DIR. Balmer was allowed to speak few
minutes longer on the proper functions of
the press.
The business committee reported back
memorial touching the close Of the Worlds
Columbian Exposition on Sunday, and rec
commended the appointment Of committee
to prepare an expression Of the judgment Of
the conference. The motion was carried.