Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-30
WS@.@V@NSV@93 31VS1V@@@@@y
:, FOR SUNDAY READING.
All Sorts of Information on SUM
day Subjects.
SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS AND SEN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS AND SEN
SATIONAL PULP1TS.
Again the. Sunday newspaper has
been condemned. This time by the
National Reform Association. Illustrat-
ing the curious position of secular
journalism the New York Sunday Sun,
which Is strictly orthodox (rnuch more
SO than many of the religious weekiies), |
under the headline of THE True Place
for Religious Reform" takes up the ac-
ton of the convention in the following
mild article:
A National Reform Association
held Its convention in New York last
week. 1T seems to be a movement of
recent organization and it's aim, as de-
fined by one ofsour correspondents, rep
resenting 1t. is ITO preserve the Chris
tan features of the institutions OF our
country the Bible in the schools, the
sacred rsst of the Sabbath and the de-
Tense of the family from the wrecling
system of loose marriage and easy di-
vorce.'
Now, as to the Bible: would it not be
more appropriate to undertake spe-
| scific reform in the theological seminal
ries and among the clergy VINO teach
that 1t IS human, fallible. literature
only? OF course, if that view of the
scriptures is accepted the obligation of
keeping Sunday as a Sabbath has no
4 divine or supernatural foundation. If
1.-the Bible is the faulty and more or less
\ spurious book made up OF documents
LOT unknown authorship. which DR..
/ Briggs, of the Episcopal church,
teaches It to be in the Presbyterian
Union Theological Seminary. for exam
4 PIE, why should it be read in the public
schools mere than any other book Of
Irel.gicus literature If, as the Rev. Mr..
schernerhorn, another Episcopal cler-
gyman, contends, portions of the Bible
|are indecent, inhunan and false" unfit
to be read in churches, are they suita-
BILE for reading To childreno Moreover
these expressions of opinion come from
4 clergymen Who continue in good stand
ling the church, in spite of them.
fought not, then. the work OF reforma-
4 ton to begin in the church itself. for
4 upon the divine authority of the Bible
i depend all the arguments used by this
1 asscciation? IL it falls the Sabbath
must fan with it ard its observance be-
4 man institution of the Jews; and mar
4 rage and divorce must be relegated to
i the category OF purely human conven-
4 tons.
1t seems to US. therefore, that the
s.National Reform Association ran
taway from the tru. source of the trou-
ole when, on Thursday, it went outside
4 of the church to search for 1T and in
tribrting the cause to the publication
Of newspapers on Sunday. The sunday
newspaper. asserted one of the speak
ers, is the foe Of the church. the Sab
bath school and religious services. :
charge upon the Sunday newspaper,
said another, "the crime of being one
of the greatest agencies in overcoming
the fear of the living God. Now, all
this might be true of a newspaper OF
evil purpose and influence, but. surely
,i.thc harm done by such q journal is moi
{ confined to the seventh day only
Every unprircipled paper is the foe O
ITS readers on all days, It's lies. its per
DIVERSIONS, its vulgarity. its low morality
are constantly harmful. and the mis-
j chief it does, the degradation it encour.
ages. is in cuitlyating during the weel
(. taste for the dehased which crave:
more of its stuff on Sunday
our own correspondents ard man,
|other ministers and lay students of so
: ciety have discussed lately the cause o
the decline in church attendance at tn,
present time; but how can there be an,
= doubt on the subjecte No coinciden
g decline in the intellectual ability of tn
t ministry is discoverable and there is NJ
: decrease in the attractions offered b.
!. the churches in the way of music an
!. their services generally. Rather ha
Itiere Oeen an unexampled effort to in
y crease their popularity by the inven
. ton ana adoption Of many devices
l. some Of them repuisiye to good tast
= ard grossly offensive to genuine relig
tots sentiment. Sermons are made a
distinctly secular and sensational a
tho most catch-penny newspapers are
and not less offensive and inischievou
!. by reason of loose and superficial an
!. fa,iacious reasoning. Now, the cenlpct
tor OF such pulpits is not the sell
Prospecting newspaper. which appeals
:. the intelligent people, but the dehase
(. newspaper Of Kindred cheap and taM
dry and sensational methods
Naturally, such devices fail as a pei
!, manent attraction of church attent
a. ance: they simply lower popular re
spect for the church. Nothing can ii
i. duce men TO go to divine service as a
a. Imperative religious duty except
y hearty and profound faith in God.
- Itheir need of salvation and in tt
teaching of the church as an author
!, sativc exposition of divine. truth.
h they regard the services and sermon
n. simply as they look on the theater ,
2 I. the opera, or as inviting only so far {
n. they appeal to their fancy. they ~
n likely to seek other means of enter
4. tainment, for. apart from faith in it.,
Ii. church is a dull place for the run
., people Men who will sit out pla
n. for two or three hours or tire then
II. selves out with days goliing or bicy'
u. ling are wearied beyond endurance !
Ian hour In church, unless they enter
In a worshipful spirit and with III
questioning faith that in 1t alone u
way to salvation can be pointed OF
n. to them. Bat if they are told by eve
n their own ministers and theologia.
u, u. that the Bible is only fallible hums
literature, how can they be expects
= t. go on believing in church whi'
breaches 1t is guide to salvation?
That, reverend reformers, Is 7!