Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-23
sIISDAY.... DECEMBER %, 1894
R.,,o,ous Secular Dailies.


=, ,be Central Presbyterian. edited IN
,or, nv the Rev. W. y. Richardson, ID.
II who had a letter in Tuesdays Dis
match. we find the following paragraph
.some Of our best daily papers are
nlreaay conducted by Christian men VINO
M. IN full sympathy with Christian en-
,e,nyises and work. and who are certainly
tcadv TO deal Just as fairly with all re-
llgious news and ecclesiastical events as
they are with political questions ana
secular Affairs. But whether much more
decided and larger use could not be mace
OF the daily press in the cause or evan
relcal Christianity is certainly worthy OF
the most earnest consideration Inc
Church has too much neglected this
mighty agency. hesitatlns. hopeless. per-
haps. OF using II for her great work.
II our memory Is not at fault, the
New York World was started as reli-
gious daily. After spending much money
upon IT, the owners came TO the conclu-
sion that the experiment had been fall
ure, and thereupon sold the paper.
We fear that the religious daily would
"fan from grace before II had long been
IN existence. We can read the speeches
made by distinguished religious evan
celists. and imagine what sort Of news
paper controversies would result from
having so-called religious daily papers
discussing all the questions which are
now discussed by the secular dailies.
At present we have clergymen who
confne themselves 10 their clerical duties.
Under the new arrangement, we should
have preachers who would discuss all
sorts Of propositions In the religious
dailies, and. necessarily, get into all
sorts Of difficulties. The preachers thus
engaged in Improbable quarrels and
endless disputes would soon lose their
influence If they should ever secure any.
The hypocritical. conscienceless money
seeker might be the first 20 set up a
religious daily. Who is TO decide what
paper protesting to be religious is entitled
20 the confidence OF the religious commu-
nifty?
If there ought to be religious papers
10 discuss all secular questions. the edl-
tors of these papers must either neglect
their duties or else must discuss what
they will necessarily have TO concede to
be more important questions-namely,
their denominational pcculiarities. So
there would be Methodist religious dailies.
Presbyterian religious dallies. Baptist re-
ugiOus dailies. Roman Catholic religious
dailies. Protestant Episcopal religious dali
lies. Lutheran religious dailies, and so
On 10 the end OF the chapter. II We
could use the word Church" and thus
describe all the denominations of Chris
tIans the establishment of daily papers
by the Church" would be easy work
The Church has neglected another
mighty agency-to-wit the bar II rell-
gious secular papers ought TO be included
among the mighty agencies" OF the
Church. ii seems TO US that the lawyers
should not be overlooked. They are. as
rule more eloquent speakers than cler-
gymen. People listen to them for two
or three hours at time who cannot be
induced 10 hear with patience a one-hour
lermon
There Is nothing. we think. that can
supersede the Church. as It IS. There is
nothing that can be substituted for II.
lust as We ind IT,