St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-12
CHAPLAIN OF THE HOUSE.
Rev. William Wilkinson on the
Gospel and Newspapers.

GOSpeE ana newspapers.
Yesterday morning, in his sermon on
Christ being made known to the Cen
tiles, the rector of st. Andrews said:
"Whatever helps to make known the
Gospel as it is foretold in the old and
set forth in the new Testament, is a
means of good. 1t is the design of AL
mighty God that men shall hear the
plan of salvation. Whoever can, by any
means, tell it clearly and well, by deed
or by word, is doing Gods service, and
bringing blessing to men. In all the
past there has been no day equal to
this for facility in spreading the truth
as it is in Christ Jesus. The press null
tiplies many thousandfold the living
voice Of the preacher. That which
he speaks to devout congregation
in the quiet hour of prayer
and worship is the next day read in the
home, on the street, railway, in the
Office, and in all places where men
gather for business or for pleasure. 1t
is too much the style to revile the news
paper press. 1t is here, and here to
stay. Its power is mighty, and it is in
creaslng in volume and force. IT'S
most true that there are writers who do
not weigh their words as they ought
men who speak very lightly of dignities,
who appear to gloat over pain, shame
and scandal; who make jest at most Sc
rlous things. Such men give no grand
eur to their calling; they disgrace it.
And no one mourns the fact that they
have place in the profession more than
the best men in it. Yet it must be re-
membered that if it were not
for the facts of life as they
are, these vultures would have
no place; it is because they find carrion
that they grow. But look at the other
side! See what right band of strength
the press has been, and is, to all which
is pure, noble, uplifting and eternal.
The voices now huShed in death still
speak on to vast mnltitudes. Freedom
finds her bounds enlarged and her stakes
strengthened, because, like faithful
sentinel, the press gives warning of
danger, or shows the way to new vic
tories. With free pulpit, an open
platform, and public press, the church,
the liberties, and the destinles of the
people are safe. There is in this land
no man who can speak interestingly,
informingly, persuaslvelY on any sub
ject of value to the people; no man
in any domain of religion, art. science,
literature, invention OF commerce, who
cannot have his thoughts on printed
page set before the most enlightened
part of the people. Noman can speak a
word which will make the wisdom,
power and benefcence of God look
greater, or the life of Christ more charm
ing or useful, the work of the Holy
Spirit of the living God more needful,
the church in her origin and purpose
broader and more useful, who can make
devotion look more sweet and duty more
permanent, wise, beneticent and blest;
who can make life more solemn, invest
it with higher motives in all its many
relations to all other life and to all other
time, past or future: who can show life
to be capable of higher possibilities,
whether of pleasure, service or profit;
who can show it to he from the
eternal and TO tend to the eternal,
or who can show sin to be in its inception
wrong, in its practice criminal, and in
its results disastrous. in its penalties
fearful; who can show that it is not
God who will Stay the wicked, but that
sin will, and in it's nature must Stay
them. There is no man who can show
the advantage and the exquisite har-
mony of virtue, which is order in con-
duct. and leads to alf&weet accord. 1t
makes music in all moral things, and
leads to enjoyment in all things physl-
cal; which sings the songs Of love peren-
NAL, makes crooked things straight and
rough places plain. There is no man
who can do we'll any of these things,
but he will find ready means of telling
the world how they are done, and how
to do them. But the press is not alone a
photographer ofthe words of the world s
sons, gifted with words which are like
ornIQc 0f QnId in niQtnrnc nf citUQr
is a ehronicler of deeds. Whoever can
bless his fellows by disinterested serv-
ice, who will give his life to help the
| poor, needy, helpless, or set a heroic
example of self-sacrifce tor the good of