The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-19

Rev Edward l. Watson. pastor OF Grace
". e. Church. Ninth and 5 Streets north
west. delivered a sermon from his pulpit
last evening. taking for his subject the
famous Topeka newspaper experiment. He
took for his text. Therefore. whether ye
cat or drink do an TO the glory Of God, 90
Corinthians x:3l
You have doubtless heard. said Mr.
Watson. in opening his address. " how the
Topeka Capital was placed in charge Of
Rev. Charles NJ. Sheldon, from the print
ers devil. through all its departments. to
the managing editor SunGry things, as
you know. have been said about his man
agemcnt Of the paper. the press from
New York to the Golden Gate having been
fierce in its criticism Of the results
achieved. The local papers looked upon it
as the prize fake of the century. and
Mr.. Watson said that he had read num-
Der Of comments which. being interpreted
meant. Preacher. stick to your text"
The speaker remarked that Mr.. Sheldon
had won literary fame through several
very popular books, one Of which was en-
titled In His Steps or What Jesus Would
Do" This book he said, had been even
more widely sold than Uncle Tom 5
Cabin" the distribution running into mii-
lions Of copies. In his first book Mr.. Shell
don set forth his conception of a Chris
tian journal. and it was TO carry this idea
into execution that he was given charge OF
the Topeka Capital"
It was remarked that two great princi-
pies were recognized in this idea OF Mr..
Sheldon's the untold importance and
power OF the newspaper in modern society.
and the fact that the journalism OF the
present time is not run on a high level.
Concerning the frsi OF these principles
there is no difference OF opinion, thought
the speaker and the place for controversy
centred only in the second.
is the press" Mr.. Watson asked, in
any true sense Of the word maker or
mClder of public opinion? II Is a fact.
he thought that the average journal is in
the market to make money, and that is its
only purpose" II the average newspaper
Of the present day has any moral purpose
beyond catering to the notions and pet
theories Of the greatest number, Mr.. Wat
son intimated that he was not aware of it.
He thought that the motives Of editors and
proprietors OF newspapers alike were TO
please ever! body SO far as that ideal is
possible Of accomplishment. The modern
paper. he believed, no longer expresses the
convictions CT talented, fearless, and sim
Cere men in the editorial chair. On the
contrary. in his view. the newspaper seeks
first TO find out. and then TO express what
the greatest number Of is readers think.
at is the reader" said Mr.. Watson, who
is catered to as much as possible
The speaker told his audience that il
often happened that it was necessary to
rr-ffh N cd aud business
sger. or perhaps two or three Of them, in
getting even the most ordinary notices and
news items into the paper. He claimed
thar whisky md patent medicine advertise
meuts were the things that appealed TO the
business managers. because there was more
money in them. The newspapers" he
held do not guarantee that all the nos
trums that are set forth in their columns
viii cure the diseases which il is claimed
they viii. nor do the papers care whether
they win or not. II the sdyef tisemeut is
paying one. that is as far as the newspaper
cares. There was a time not long ago. he
said, when utterauces were publicly made
IN this city. reports OF which appeared in
he daily press. but when the pulpit rep led
tC them not a word was published. and
when the church went 10 the papers and
eudeaTored TO secure admission to their
columns they found that il would BE- neces-
sary TO expend something in the neighb,r-
hood OF sixty dollars for the notice They
naturally declined.
On these lines the speaker who was in-'
tense in his convictions. spoke of The
pusianimity Of the press and Of its greed
for money 10 the expungement if neces-
sary OF all that was good for the world to
know. He held that Or Sheldon was lot
an editor that editors could not be ap-
pointed. but that TO make one il was
necessary TO drill and train him from the
bottom up. like Horace Greeley and Henry
W. Grady. and q host OF Others were
trained. Dr. Sheldon, he said. made d
good story writer. but as an editor ne was
a magnificent failure. for he had filed the
paper mp with material that the great
mass OF the people did not want and
which il repeated would ruin the paper
upon which he had experimental. He
said that the advertising would be taken
out and that when the fall came il
would be mighty and final. for the reason
that DT. Sheldon did not understand the
principle upon which the modern news
paper Is conducted.
The result Of the experiment Dr. Wat
son held was the acme Of Sheldonism
for the preacher-editor had not succeeded
in the enterprise. Mr.. Watson asked what
was the sphere Of the pulpit. what the
sphere q religion. Whai the function of
the preacher? Was Il editing. he wished
&c learn. or was the true function TO be
found in The earnest endeavor 10 put down
crime snd stamp out vice? He e0ntended
that il was foolish to cry seDsstioG8lism
when the pulpit was used for these pur-
poses, for it was The business Of the
preacher TO be outspoken on great moral
truths, be the speaking done IN the shop
or In the Office. at the fireside or in the
pulpit. II was his business to visit hos
pitfalls. 10 tend the sick. and the weary
hearted to comfort the afflicted. but to
attempt 10 edit "A paper and especially a
paper on such a theme. was secular
thing beyond his province. and the Rev
Dr. Sheldon had made a mistake. and "a
failure in the experiment II is the plan
Of God, Dr. Watson held, for the universe
all to love each his neighb0r and that
until thar plan has been fulfilled the mis-
sion OF Christ viii be for naught.
Man he argued lis going to be saved
not by a union OF church and state but by
ssBctifcstion. A kindergarten was al one
time a part OF the Church's work but now
the schools have taken up that idea. at
one time the churches fed the poor and
The State said, Let the poor perish but
the Church kept on feeding them and the
State awoke TO the fact that it had a duty.
and il took IL up" He said that the Gov
eminent would become more and more re-
igiOus and Christhke; that editors we're
not necessary OF creation by the Church.
but that the time was coming when they
would come IN out Of the soil Of religion
like The roses that blossomed at the com
msnd Of God. that that day would not re-
quire Sheldonism. but that out OF the bo-
som Of Cod would come the inspiration