The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1892-05-28
IN THE MIDST.
ESSAY READ BY Mas. 5. II. PARKse, or JAcKsoN,
BEFORE rHE MISSISSIPPI Pass AssocIArioN At
pass CHRISTIAN.


classes-'.artist, teacher, taught"
OF the first division, there are only
few whose souls have been fired
by a spark from that divine flame,
that lit creations morning with
the mandate: ssLet there light"
But, of what use to the world
would be the artist bearing aloft
the insignia of his creative genius to
the multitude who live in the low
lands of thought, without the in
terpretation of the teacher, who
dwelling Sin the midst,' link the
two EXTREMIST The press, as a pro-
fession, occupy this useful, middle
ground. More than many OF you
realize, you stand between men
and their destinies. 70 no other
vocation does the world extend
such a ready, universal welcome
not even the minister with his
glad message of salvation. Every
community recognizes in the editor
and his paper, that he comes to
erect a platform of the broadcast
democratic principles that the
world knows. All classes and con-
ditions meet and mingle there. For
commerce, your columns, like vast
mirrors, reflect to the world the
products of your soil, and the in
dustries OF your people.
Responsive to your call, home
less emigrants from the world be-
yoni the sea come in hOrdes, to
"meke the solitary places glad"
by converting the wilderness into
homes. Here the producer and
consumer meet to determine
rates of barter and exchange. Be
tween capital ana labor you stand
to abritrate the terms. From the
promonitory Of your position, with
a far-reaching sweep of vision,
YOU see the grand craft of political
economy that needs safe, sure pilot
ing. You look around and find a
man in the obscurity of private life
whose brain and Drawn cOmblne the
elements of leadership. BY your
pen he is introduced to the world
beyond him. The press echo the
call until the people hear and be-
gin to clamOr for his services, and
thus, at every election Of the pub
lie officer you stand between men
and their destinIes.
There is no factor in the home so
potent in the education of the
youth of the land as the news
paper; it is the mothers best ally
in character building.
The heart strings of the business
man may contract and harden, 50
as to become as metallic as the coin
be handles, but no pressure on his
time can exclude the welcome
always waiting for the daily paper,
whose columns are the vibrating
medium between him and his
latest venture in stocks and bonds.
Thus, on and on. through every
vocation, home and community,
YOU stand sin the midst,p aud
through the majesty aud magni-
tude of your position You are IN
touch with the throbbing life
around you. Ills yours to lend the
uplifting hand for the betttrment
OF your kind. How have You IN,
this demand9 Let the fl es of your
paper answer.
Have you helped to make mau
leader who was unworthy OF thr
peoples trust?
NJ 49, i..,ira 70 anuaasa tn.
mental craving of the age for ex-
citement tempted you to give start
ling news before knowing both
sides of the question:
Have you a purer standard for
yonr own fire-sides han appears IN
Your columns for your neighbor>'
honest Haye you invaded the
sacred precinct OF the family circle
and dragged the skeleton from the
closet there, and exposed it to thf
cold, cruel glare of the public gaze 7
Did yon stop to think that per-
baps you lent your aid in m king
that same skeleton by the kind of
reading you furnished for that
homeg Has consideration Of your
own interest betrayed you into
silence when issues of grea est
moment, plead in pathetic ton 5
that you voice protest and speak
out boldly for the rights
Let memory do honest, earnest
work, as you review the file, and
see If anght appears on record TO
awaken he following lament that
stirred Martin Luther's soul: "'Tis
a thing terrible and full of danger
to raise ones voice aud speak in tile
midst of those whom We have for
judges; when | think on it. | feel
that / could heartily wish TO bury
all in silence, and pass a sponge
over what I've written" Your
subscribers know your papers. You
go sin the miistv Of their homes,
and they are as well arquaint, Il
with the nature of their daily,
weekly aud monthly visitors as
with The SUI face of the earth on
which they live. They have learn
ed where 10 find the mountain
heights of pure, elevating thought,