The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-26
THE SHELDON EXPERIMENT


Speaking, n Disappointment-The
Reasons Why-some OF Mr.. sheI5ou,.
Mistakes-Not Fair to Judge OF All
Papers by the Yellow Kind.
AT Trinity Methodist church last eve-
nlng the pastor, Rev. Levi Gilbert, D.
D., preached sermon on the topic.
The Christian Daily Paper" discuss
Ing the recent experiment Of Rev. Mr..
Sheldon in Topeka, Kan DR.. Gilbert
said in part:
we all agree that the Rev. Charles
Sheldon is honest brave, conscientious
his motives all applaud. If his fellow
| clergymen criticise, 1T is not from envy.
but for the same reasons that affect
laymen. His books though without
great literary quality, have doubtless 4
wholesome influence. More Significant
IMAM anything he says is their sale
thousands are wanting to follow Jesus
ana lney Hook after anyone who prom.
lses 70 snow how. But all we can have
~ the general principle and spirit of
| Shrlsls Hfe-not specific directions.
Ihere IS no reason for contempt of
ms purpose to try to edit a paper al
Jesus would. The aim is right one.
EVERY editor ought to be inspired by
Chrlsts spirit of universal love. 1t III
10 pc hoped that others besides he are
really doing it in essence. A week III
TOO short time to prove much. The
paper was exploited by it's owners, rath-
er TOO sensationally, considering its
purpose. 1t reached circulation Of
35o,o0O. But 1t was the only one Of its
klnd-What II there We're ninety-nine
others? The entire interest was con-
centrated in one point. The general
interest was due more to the motive
than to the undertaking itself. The
curiosity once gratif1ed could hardly
nave been maintained permanently. III
visibly waned in a week. The out-of1
town advertisements would not be kept
up # the experiment is made 1t must
be In bigger town--in Chicago or New
York-and people must expect to pay u
high price for selected telegraphid
news.
The paper was, generally speaking.
disappointment. Even Mr. Sheldon,s
most ardent supporters could hardly
deny 1t There was great dearth Of
news. One could hardly have told what
was happening in Topeka Kansas, the
United States or the world. The editor-
ials were sensible, but not strong. But
one could hardly expect to become afS
great editor in a week. It is a prof
sion which demands long and seNGrd
training. An editor who tried to aiow'
ministers how to preach by delivering
six sermons would have had noS more
success. 1t is said there are two things
that every man thinks he can do-edit
a paper and poke fire. After several
years on the tripod Mr.. Sheldon could
doubtless write with originality and
cogency.
What was offered in the place of (
news? Accounts Of the famine in In
dia, moral essays on temperance, prohi-
bition, war, the Sabbath, social democ-
racy, divorce, Mormonism, tax dodg-
ing, trusts, prison reform, cost of crime,
municipal ownership, tenement houses,
women's leagues, charity conferences.
One issue was made up entirely of
verses from the Bible Now all Of this
was good and important. Other papers
give much attention too in right pro-
well give more replacing much ephe-
neral matters; but not to the exclu-
sion of important news-the latest sig
nificant unpublished occurrences
throughout the world. General intelli-
gence is not news There are journals
devoted to art, science, education, trade $s
and reform, but they are not distinctly
newspapers. We are all like the Athen- N
ipc at IN
some new thing" This eager curiosity i
is excusable, laudable. The newspaper
cannot become handbook on econo-
mics, treatise on ethics, preachers
sermon cabinet, volume Of reform
pamphlets 1t must not become week
ly religious paper published daily. The
Capital under Mr.. Sheldon was too
preachy. 1t moralized too much lal
Aesop.
"Mr. Sheldon mistakes in my judg-
ment the function of the editor in try
ing to select what the people should
have. the public is not a child. The pa
per should reflect the world while put
ting vice SO as to be odious, virtue 50 as
to be attractive We got little war news
because the editor thought war wrongs
But to decide that question is a big as
the Bible on peace; but the Beers read
their Bibles and fight all the harder.
The fighting blood of the Covenants
was nourished in the Old Testament.
Other Christian men as conscientious
think our war in the Philippines as JUS
tifiable as our civil or Spanish war.
1--WE must not have too narrow views
of the field of Christianity. All life 10
simply church services.
The division between the secular ana
religious is vicious. To study and re-
cord current events 10 to trace GOD IN
history and in His world. The strong
editor is he who can discern the signs
of the times-the divine purport--in the
DAYS drift and relate 1t 10 the eternal.
"There are many papers really Cnrls-
tian that are not formally so. Their
editors are conducting them with high
purpose and the general
tone is constantly improving. Neither
in journalism or business do we need
to constantly advertise ourselves as
Let, us try to be honorable
and do good and not talk too much
about it. Let our Christianity be seen