The morning call., 1894-11-15
GOOD AND EVIL.
Mixed Power of Sunday
Newspapers.
DIVINES DO NOT AGREE.
Questions of the Expediency OF
Such Publications.
DANA THINKS ALL ARE BAD,
While Robert Holland Says the
Sunday Newspaper Is the Best
of Newspapers.

papers" was the topic which engaged the
attention of large attendance at the
session of ,he Episcopal Church congress
at Music Hall this evening. Bishop Law
renee presided.
The first sreaker introduced was Rev.
Robert A. Holland, DID,. of St. Louis.
He said in substance that Sunday news
papers were as diverse as their number
and no word that characterized one would
exactly describe another. In a mastery
manner he showed how the newspaper of
the present day was searchlight thrown
into every hiding-place.
sits condemnation turns crowns to
death caps. Many a rich scamp fears it
who does not fear the civil laws. He
knows no, the day nor the hour when
upon some liason, some orgie. some swim
ding, the newspaper will come as
thief in the night and strip off his false
reputation and wrap him In shame that
will burn the very flesh from his bones.
Virtue does feats, and whenever its deeds
are featly the newspaper notes them as
worthy of the worlds eye.
"WBat of the day in the seven called the
day OF rest? Shall the worlds conscious
ness sleep then or be more than ever
awake ? For myself, must hold in truth
TO its day-a day of sun, and more OBJ
servance of it to be holiest W hich is sunDy,
must alive with light. Because it is holy
day. ii is also holiday. 1t bids men
feast, not fast. The Sunday newspaper,
without OBTAINING the few who seek the
highest heaven. saves millions Of poor
souls from listless stupor or ignorant
pas,imes by drawing their interest in the
worlds daily life to an ampler reading
than work days permit. 1t is their one
book, tfeir museum, their art gallery"
Rev. George Curry. DID,, presented the
next paper. He said in part: "It goes
without saying that the secular newspa-
er is one of our most important institu-
tions. Ii is necessary to the present type
of civilization. 1t is thus indispensable to
free government. 1t is so much so that
you may safely say that it Is quas-divne
institution. Yet the Sunday paper occu-
pies us with our days Interest. 1t opens
the stores for US and puts us in the midst
of the markets and takes US frequently in
column after column through scenes of
sin and horror.
SIT is hard to see how people can justify
the imm ediate prefacing their prayers and
their holy communion by partaking an
hour before of the world. the flesh and the
devil through the columns of the Sunday
paper."
Rev. Alexander Mckay Smith of Wash
ington then spoke, and Richard II. Dana,
the next speaker, TO support his claim as
TO the needlessness of Sunday newspapers,
used the summary of particular news
paper showing the matter provided for the
edlfcation of its readers. He said:
For purposes of comparison. Mr.. Dana said
he bad obtained tweniyone papers from the
cities OF Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Bal
timore, Chicago, Cincinnati. st. Louis, Louis
vile and San Francisco. What first impressed
him was the size Of these journals. the average
OF them being In reading mntter alone equal 10
one and a half times The contents of the New
Testament.
The illustrations Of the papers were for the
most part crude and inartlstie. The moral
effect of f1ve or them was bad and Two very
doubtful. Many Of the comic pictures relied
on vulgarity for their wit. Only two papers
out OF the twenty.one had anything like a seri-
Gus bit OF church reading. One of these had
two columns and half headed Church Cir
cies," containing an original hymn, a short
prayer or collect, and an address. and very
good one. too. on bravery. This constituted
about one -thousandth part OF the paper.
The characteristic OF the Sunday papers Mr..
Dana had examined was a Delittling Of sub
jects treated as IL TO bring them down to the
intelligence Of Inferior minds. There were un-
doubtedly articles here and there on interest
ing topics OF the day and occasionally well
treated articles were seen, but in most papers
these were small part OF the whole and many
reader trying 10 confine his attention TO the
best articles alone would fnd himself led int o
reading many things to the loss Of his time,
brains and mental self-respect.
Then, too, the man who takes the Sunday
paper just for the purpose of glancing at few
items must remember that he is taking 1t into
his home, with the illustrations, headlines and
alluring stories. The weekday paper is usually
read on the way TO or from the office or store; |;
but the Sunday paper is read in the homo.
In concluding, Mr. Dana said:
So far 1 have spoken OF the SUNDAY paper
only as 1t Is al present AS 10 what IL might be
made In the future. II the millions OF papers
taken into millions Of families on Sundays
could give the news In q short and dignified
manner. with some well-thought.Out discussion
Of the interesting topics OF the day. stories of
good style and elevating tendency, adapted
to the general reader. helpful litera-
ture and suggestions for reading, good
poetry and fair variety Of what Is at least not
harmful ana altogether about one-third the
present length, then, though 1 believe most OF
us would be better without 1t, still 1t would be
a great improvement over the present state OF
affairs and perhaps In some families would pos
sibly be real benefit. The present condition
Of the papers Is lowering. not elevating. Every
foreigner coming to this country observes the
fact aud every true man, be he American or
foreign born, lamenfs il.
Rev. Harry p. Nichols of Minneapolis
championed the cause Of the Sunday news
papers in an able manner, and Rev. w.
Kirkus. DID,, of Jersey Ci.y.was the clos
ing speaker. and in a humorous manner
criticized the speakers who had spoken
against the Sunday newspaper.
Tomorrow mornings session will be de-
voted to discussion Of religious orders
in the Protestant Episcopal Church.