San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-14
PRESS AND PULPIT COMPARED.
They Have Much in Common, And
Gould Best Serve Society By
Cooperation.


Cooperation.
A very able address, which W.
print in part, was given by Johr
Cameron, founder and manager o
the London (Canada) Advertiser
before the London Ministerial
Association. Among other things
he said:
"The preacher and journalist
have much in common. The
preacher, if a true shepherd, and
not a hireling, is anxious to
promote in individual hearts the
reign of the higher law, aud In
the state the righteousness that
exalteth a nation.
"The journalist who takes the
right view desires the same things.
/ have heard an occasional journa-
list speak of the function OF pub
Usher or editor as simply that OF
purveyor, with no option but to
serve up whatever a majority
might be likely to relish, irrespec-
tive of moral quality; and this on
the ground that ii he did not do
30 some one else would. Such doc.
trine Is the doctrine Of scoundrel.
Even the making Of pair Of boots
cannot be divorced from moral OBJ
legation. .
1.-THE pulpit is an august institu-
ton. Previous to the introduction
Of printing, it did much OF the
thinking for the people. 1t does so
still. / cannot say whether the
golden age of the pulpit is some
age Of the past, or whether its IN
fluence and its glory are to find a
climax in some day yet distant.
81 do not say that the influence
OF the pulpit has declined. only
saw that the influence of the news
paper, whether for good or for evil,
has advanced, and is advancing.
The newspaper is
READ EVERYWHERE.
at reaches those who listen to
preachers; it reaches also those
who do not. The pulpit finds its
special opportunity one day in the
week; the daily newspaper six
days out of seven. 1t has been
estimated that the annual issue Of
United States and Canadian news
papers and publications other than
books would be equal to over 1000
square miles Of white paper surface
every year. But, you inquire, l 900
square miles of what sort Of mat
ter? 1 reply unhesitatingly, the
larger portion Of the matter print
ed is wholesome.
"Take an ordinary issue OF the
average newspaper of England,
the United States or Canada take
an average issue of the Toronto
Globe and judge for yourself how
much is wholesome, how much
stimulative in right directions,
how much restful and recreative,
how little really Objectionable.
No doubt, were destructive critic
to go over the six issues of the best
daily newspaper ever issued, he
could cut out this bit and that
bit as something that "never
would be missed" But let the de-
structive critic apply the same
process to the preachers two SER
mons week.
OCULAR MINISTER'S.
81 have observation-disclosures handy
thoughtlessly from the pulpit such
jocularities as that you cannot be-
iieve everything you hear in the
newspapers. In like manner, one
might handy the POPULARITY that
one cannot believe everything one
hears from the pulpit. In either
case 1t Is a class Of POPULARITY that
might well be sent into Oblivion,
with the equally senseless and I'M
just POPULARITY about mothers.in
law.
"When one considers the pres
sure under which the daily news
paper is necessarily produced, it is
surprising how few the mistakes OF
fact, how great the average &C
curacy.
"In what way can pulpit and
press best cooperate to advance
the highest interests Of society in
our day and generation? A begin
ming Of cooperation might be found
in recognition by each OF what il
best in the other"