The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-27


Usually such expressions. are quite as
fair, considerato and intelligent as the
remarks that the press not infrequently
takes occasion to make on the pulpit.
1t seems to us that no subject Of pulpit
presentation could have much more of
contemporaneous interest for the ave age
auditor than that of the press, and the
latter may well esteem the good will OF
the pulpit and appreciate any booming
the parson may be disposed to. give it.
Surely, the press begrudges no space that
may be OF aid and comfort TO the pulpit,
although as Rev. WALLACE NUTTINo OF
Union Congregational Church pointed
out in his recent address on News
papers," the press is oitimes better
equipped to "handle" other subjects.
Which reminds us that the assistant
rector OF st. Stephens asked us once upon
a time why it was that the local news
papers did not employ on their staff
editors and reporters who were as well
trained, in church matters as in other
subjects. lie referred specifically to
church technique or nonclature. lie
had noted that the baseball reporter with
his vocabulary of "rooters" and "three
baggers, the horse track reporter with
his glib dictionary OF "quarter stretch"
"distanced, n'at ihe pole" and such; the
court reporter familiar with all the correct
expressions of legal procedure, the fnan-
cial man, the dramatic reviewer, the art
critic, the fashion writer, seem to have
no associate who can write OF church mat
ters with the same intelligence and accu-
racy OF diction. Our critic thought that
church interests were quite as important
to newspaper as many others that
were better cared for and he took us to
task for a report of ceremony in his own
church, wherein it was writ that certain
distinguished divines "sat upon the al
tar'-an eminently absurd thing, not to
cay sacrilege, to contemplate in an
Episcopal Church, although this descrip
tion of where the distinguished persons
sat, would have fitted exactly meeting
in Methodist house OF worship. Very
likely the reporter was more familiar
with the architectural possibilities of the
Methodist church than of the Episcopal
ian We ourselves recall the inquiry OF
young reporter VINO was writing the de-
scription of q church decoration, as to
"what that sheep was for" and was en-
lightened in way that served him for
many subsequent inspections of similar
fsasts that "that shesp" was raschal
lamb. tft{ft
Mr.. NUTrINo, taking cognizance of this
situation, was disposed to regard it char
itably, and indeed, in no depart
ment of the work to which no
Is called is the average reporter en-
titled to more consideration than
when he Is ordered to "do" q "church
assignment" whether 1t be big religious
convention or only strawberry festival.
This Is not because such detail has no
tfru< a Ion fnp In kA
the average OF fellows in the newspaper
profession who like to Ego TO church,
is probably as large as 1t is in any other
business trade or profession. But church
reporting has seriousness for him that
IS not equalled in the demands for the
chronicling Of even so imposing mat
ter as a big "murder case'' and this,
despite the fact that it's presence is
rarely more cordially welcomed than
IN the church body, whether it be
engaged In devotions, theological dis
berries and cream. lie realizes that
here, of all places, his imaginative
faculties and his prancing pencil must
be kept in restraint, that he cannot
color or conjecture or in snywise indulge
his amiable freedom o: fancy beyond
what is likely to appear to him q close.
communion limit. The duty devolving
upon him does not exactly oppress him,
but he recognizes the seriousness OF his
mission to get in perfect touch with the
occasion and then to produce picture
that shall not alone satisfy the super
fetal demands OF his average reader
but shall stand passably well the critical
Analysis OF the folk most concerned, for
whose good opinion for bis newspaper he
is especially solicitous. The trained re-
porter OF church occasions is particu-
larly valued member OF the newsnaner