The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-29
POWER OF RELIGIOUS PRESS
pALMAGE ON THE MISSION OF THE
CHURCH PAPERS.

Plenty of Room For a Religious
Paper Charged With ola Fashion
eel Evangelism.
Washington. Nov. 2S.-In a previous dis
course Dr Telrnage, having shown the
opportunities OF the secular press. IN his
discourse speaks Of the mission of reiig-
ious newspapers. His text is: Then l
turned and lifted mp mine eyes. and look
ed. aud behold, a hyug roll (Zecnariah,
SID
In a dream the prophet saw something
rolled up advancing through tne heavens.
IT contained a divine message. It moved
swiftly. as on wings. 1t had much to
do with the destiny of nations. But If
YOU Will look up you viii see many fy-
ing rolls. They come with great speed,
and have messages for all the earth. The
Aying rolls Of this century are the news
papers They carry messages, human and
divine. They will decide the destiny OF
the hemispheres.
There are in the United States about
twenty thousand newspapers The relig-
ious newspaper of which I am the editor
was born nineteen years ago, but born
again seven years ago In this brief time
It has grown to about two hundred thou
sand circulation, and, 10y the ordinary
rule OF calculating the readers Of pa
per. it has about one million readers. our
country was blest with many religious
Journals, edited by cousecrated men, whsle
their contributors were the abest and best
of all professions and occupations. Some
of those journals for half a century had
been dropping their benedictions upon the
nation. and they live on. and will con-
1inue to live on until there will be no
more use for their mission, the world it
SELF having become a flying roll on the
tempests Of the last day, going out OF ex-
istence. There will be no more use for
such agencies when the world ceases, be
cause. in the spiritual state, we shall
have such velocity that we can gather
for ourselves all the news of heaven, or
seeing some world in confiagration, may
go ourselves in an instant to examine
personally the scene of disaster.
Was there room for another religious
journal in this land, already favored with
The highest style of religious journalism?
On yes, if undenominational, plenty OF
room Nothing can ever take the place
of the denominatiOnal newspaper. Wheh
the millennium comes in, II Wiz ,nnd as
many denominations as there are now.
People, according TO their temperaments
will always prefer this or that form OF
church government, this or thar style OF
worship You might as well ask US all
10 live in one house as 10 ask US all 70
worship in one denomination or 10 abol-
Ash the regiments of an army in order TO
make them one great host.
Each denomination must have its own
journal. set apart especially to present the
charities, explain the work, and forward
the interests of that particular sect The
death Of one UNCONVENTIONAL journal Is a
ca.auitv to all the other denominations.
] would almost feel that great misfor-
tune had happened me If the Christian
Intelligencer, of the Reformed Church
Inv mother church, did not come to my
house every week, for 1 was brought up
on il, and 1t has become a household ne
cessity. Such a UNCONVENTIONAL journal
had better be edited by some one who,
rocked in the cradle of that church and or
dained at her affairs, having become Vener-
able in her service, sits specialized and
wise, and with heart full of sacred mem
cries, addresses the living of to-day. In
the most sacred crypt of our memory
stands the statue of the religious editors,
Abel Stevens and Joshua Leavitt, and the
royal family of the Primes-Irenaeus and
Eusebius-While others linger' on the
banks OF the Jordan where they viii not
have long to wait for Ehjah's chariot;
and when they go up, if we still be sitting
q our editorial desks, we viii cry out In
the memorable words: MY father, my
fatherl the chariot of Israel and the
horsemen thereof"
But, then, there are great movements In
which all denominations wish to join. and
4. s,,e, oil r,tax u-rAa.
pers to marshal, and advance, and inspire
such movements. Yet such journals have
a difficult task, because all Christian men,
If they have behaved well In their demon
Snations, for some reason prefer the one
of their natural and spiritual nativity, and
even looking off upon the general held
and attempting wider work, will be apt to
look at things through denominations
preference and to treat them with a de-
nominational twist. In the issuing of the
religious journal whose seventh anniVer-
eary / preach, that difficulty has been met
and overcome by the fact that its publish
er is a Methodist and in its editorial rooms
there are a Presbyterian, an Epscopalian
and Congregationalist, and line of de-
nominational prejudice in editorial or re-
portofial column would run against imme-
diate protest. Against John Wesley's Free
Grace,or CaVin's Eternal DEGREES, or Ssh
op McIlvaine's Canonicals, or DR. Dow
1ings Baptistery, from year END t0
years end not word is written or print
ed. on all these subjects we have convic-
tons, but undenominational journalism is
not the place to state them. He who tells
all he knows and expresses all he thinks
on all occasions and in all places, without
reference to the proprieties, is boor OF
a crank, and of no practical service, either
40 church or state.
Undenominational journalism is abso-
1utely necessary TO demonstrate the unity
of the Christian world. Wide and desperate
attempt is made to show that the religion
oftJesus Christ is only battle-ground OF
sects; and the cry has been, IF you want
us to accept your religion, agree, gentle
men, as to what the Christian religion
really is. This denomination says a few
drops of water dripping from the end OF
the fingers is baptism, and another de-
mands The suhmergence of the entire body
This one prays with book, and that one
makes extempOraneous utterance. The
rector of one delivers his sermon in a
gown, while the backwoods' preacher OF
anothee sect addresses the people in his
ehirt-sleeves. Some of your denominations
have the majestic dominant in the ser
vice and others spontaneity Some of you
think that from all eternity some were
pfedestinated to be saved. and that from
all eternity others were doomed Nrovty A.