The morning call., 1893-11-13
A BERKELEY CRITICISM.
Rev. E. B. Payne Treats the Sub.
jeCt Broadly.

Rev. E.. B. Payne Treats the Sub
ject Broadly.
Rev. E. B. Payne of the Unitarian
church was the only Berkeley minister
who answered the request of the women
by choosing "Press Publication" as the
specific subject of his yesterday morning
sermon.
Mr.. Payne didn't know but what the
movement would be all the stronger with
out the aid of the pastors. Ministers, he
admitted. are apt to have ideals and moral
qualms which others have not, and which
are not suited to the practical world of the
day.
For text he gave his hearers liberal
choice. In accord with the present pro-
test the answer of Job. Thy words are
filter words" might be taken, or the words
of Ezekiel, "And behold six men came from
the way of the higher gate and every man a
slaughter weapon in his hand and one man
among them clothed with linen with
| a writer's inkborn by bis side" presum-
ably to write down the deeds Of the men
with slaughter weapons. From the stand
point of the editor. Johns words, "What
thou seest WRITE" might be taken or in
| light of the power of the newspapers those
words spoken of the powers above would
! fit happily. Their lives is gone out Through
the earth and their words TO the ends of
| the world"
| He thought the overlooking of the news
! papers with accounts of crime of every
kind and hue, the brighter the more of il,
| an abnormal state-a disease which the
advancement of society would do away
with.
"There is a deal Of matter that it would
| be better for society to be left out. Yet
the newspaper should be mirror of the
! times, but true one-true 10 truth, true
| to society,""
He thought the style of reportorial writ
! ing should be changed, and that If it was
all complaint would vanish. If the facts
| of the great crimes and lapses from grace
were told in the dignified, concise. dis
crlmlnatlDg style I'D which they are when
used by the editorial writers of the great
dailies he thought nc fault would he
| found. 1t is the Haunting forth of crimes
| darkest sides so that he who runs must
read that the people object to. The speak
er thought the endowing of newspaper
would be a practical solution. and won
dered that no man Of wealth haG ever
| made trial Of it.
| AS long as society is as it is, Mr.. Payne
| thought, not great amount of criticism
could be made of the press. Along with
much that is evil, revolving, demoralizing,
it contains much that is noble, true and
| elevatlng. There is much that comes to
| the editors OF our great dailieS which is
| thrown aside as unfit TO appear in their
columns. They have to do with a world
full of sin of every sort, and while labor
| ing for the publication of the press this
larger. IN ore vital need, OF the publication
of the peoDle-than whom tine press is no
worse, ana with whose advancement the
press will adVance-must not be lost
sight of.
As to the charge of seusationalism Mr.
Payne thought it not in task for the pulpit
to make criticism. AS sensational as any
newspaper leader he recoun ted several
published announcements of ministers
subjects of discourse, such as THE DEVILS
Shoofy"' and "Who Is Your Batter" in
which latter sermon the minister treated
of the death of Absalom, caught by his
hair, with the obvious implication that had
Absalom worn hat he had not died as he
did.