The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-12
THE EPISCOPAL CONGRESS.
SUNDAY QUESTION AND NEWSPAPKRs
DISCUSSED YEgTERDAT.

The Rev. Dr. w. s. Rainsford Prominent
In tho Debate on the Former Question
and the Rev. DIR. David II. Greer the
Chief Speaker on the Latter Topic.
ST. PAUL. Oct. 11.-There were numerous
arrivals OF Episcopalian leaders last night and
to-day aud this mornings session OF the
Church Congress drew out q good audience.
despite the threatened rain and an hour which
precluded the attendance OF business men.
The debate was on the Sunday question. and
here, us was to be expected In a church per-
hitting o wide range OF individual opinion. the
doctors were not agreed. The Very Rev. Camp
bell Fair dean OF tho cathedral at Omaha
opened the discussion with paper extollinR
the sacredness OF the Sabbath and the strict
obligation to keep 1t holy. The Rev. Henry
Tntlock OF Ann Arbor. Mich. was the second
speaker He said
1T Is patent to all that within the last half
century our Amer lean Sunday has generally
been losing its character. and there 10 little
doubt that II the forces now undermining and
assaulting 1t are allowed to maintain their
operations without resistance in another half
century 1t will he transformed into a
Continental Sunday The Sunday problem
is largely tho workingman's problem.
and IL we are to have a real Sunday in this
country We must take up the workingman's
cause and save him from the influences which
are converting him into mere machine for the
production OF wealth and the purveyance OF
pleasure. Those who are conversant with the
condition OF the wage-earners OF this country
demand for thousands Of these toilers shorter
hours OF labor, and they ask for all the satur-
day half-holiday."
The Rev DR.. W. 8. Rainsford. rector Of st.
Georges Church. New York. said the disregard
OF law was to his mind tho serious question OF
the hour. The lady Of fashion lodged the Gus
toms. the child slipped by the policeman to
buy beer in the saloon. the capitalist studied
to avoid the antitrust law. This. he said was
m anxious time. and Of all influences tho
Church OF God alone reared standard around
which men might rally.
The methods Of willing men were often mis-
taken methods. There was the ancient taber-
nacle. a picture OF divine authority. there were
the fire and the cloud which gave the tabor.
nacle meaning. We were always tearing down
the tabernacles. we were always grinding to
dust the brazen serpents. 1t was the fire. the
pillar OF God that was the inspiration OF each
age and the Church was here to act as inter-
prefer.
We were always appealing to authority. but
the mere assertion OF outward authority was
not going to help us. wise. liberal policy
followed by tho clergy would spIritualize tho
times.
il was the sneakers opinion that the Church
needed guides Their than mel who wore always
scrutinznG the historical past Not long ago
Court in q city OF hal million people, and the
Judge had said TO him as the talk turned on
is not Sta a man among the clergy Of tho etv who
Is capable OF guiding them. We want guides
rather than voices from swathinR clouds OF
The subject this evening. The Bearing Of
the Newspaper. on Intellectual and Moral Life"
fIhe Key cameron Mann Fl Kansas civ. read
journalism. he urged that great good hud been
done by newspapers in the aggregate. In var:
the 2na sm% o WASH.
The Rev DR.. David H. Greer of New York
said in part:
Newspapers are necessarily sensational
and yet while that is tho trut h. that, is not
and nobIsr and better side. for are there not
uncommon things. unusual. un familar, new
things which are wholesome and ediiyinE and
G GSah Il sodi TO tell and By aR the
telling Of which we are made wiser and better
tasks? Useful informant ion in arts in science
life the Industrial life. the political life Of the
people these are news
Tho great and significant events which in
this age OF accelerated activity are so rapidly
taking place in the line OF moral progress and
enlightenment. in personal achievement. in
national development. al these are news. and
good news which the newspaper tells and
publishes TO the world.
looking. then. at the newspaper as it sx;
lists to-day in our american society. we find
that il is a power which is both bad and good:
IL is q sword that cuts both ways: it has it's
noble qualities and the ignoble defects Of it's
qualities, which are at times exceedingly lR-
noble. whose influences upon the moral and in
telleCtuGl life are altogether bad.
1T is not only mixed diet that it gives u.s.
but n highly seasoned diet q highly stimulat-
ing dict, or perhaps II would he more con-
ventiOnal use OF the adjective to say. "A highly
stimulating potion. And stimuIants are good:
they have heir place in use; but it is not good
to live on them.
The newspaper habit seems to have so fxed
itself upon some people to-day. that while
there is literature OF the best and purest sort
around them on every hand, within their easy
reach. it Ia not sufficiently stimulating for them
10 take and read. Water. water everywhere
hut pot drop for them and all they want and
ask IL to have their daily dram.
1T is not the newspapers. but he newspaper
habit that does the hurt. and not only docs it
we'll the moral and relig ous life.
And yet. however bad the sensational habit
Of a newspaper may be- one thing is worse. and
that is the sensational! methods OF the pulpit IN
trying to overcome sluggish moral sense by
adopting that same sensational method which
would be to exnggernte tho very thing wbchit
deprecates and in irving thus to remove the
then sum up what have said-take the best
newspapers. and take them In moderation"
BY courtesy OF the Twin City Rapid Transit
Company; members OF tho Congress had
trolley ride this afternoon to places OF interest
in tho Twin Cities
Al the urgent request of many persons Or.
Ransford will remain in ST. Paul over Sunday
and speak in several churches.
int tn M he