Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-03-23

i'Prhh MANS froJect-Nh hat New
io.I Preachers Think.
lio" several clergymen of the United
states RI gard the Rev. Charles VI. Shcl
d"n'S experiment can be seen 10y the
rollowin, collection OF their opinions:
New York clergymen who have been
giving much attention To the expert
ment have many different opinions on
the subject, agreeing only in the belief
that Mr.. Sheldon is sincere says the
New York Tribune. The Rev. Frank
NJ. Goodchlld of the Central Baptist
church, Forty-second street, west of
Seventh avenue, says:
'All people or right purpose are in
teresteu In securing an ideal newspa
per, for there Is no more potent factor
In the life OF community than the
character of the newspaper Its people
read. Good newspapers mean good
morals. Bad newspapers mean degcn
crate morals. MFR. Shedons expert
ment Is interesting to us, but it demon.
strates little. A paper can he support.
ed well for a week as a matter of curl
osity. while such an effort continued
needs an ideal population to make pos
siblc an ideal newspaper"
The Rev. ID. s. Mackay, pastor of the
Fifth Avenue Collegiate church. said:
Il DO not wish to impugn the motives
Of Mr.. Sheldon, for believe he is a
sincere man. but | do think. though
that the whole thing has too much of
the money making about it. 1t is Il
manner of advertising religion which
| abhOr. | regard II as not even an
eXperiment-simply an eccentricity. II
II had grown up naturally instead Of
bursting out suddenly to last only for
week. II might have some enduring
effect. But as ii IS, 1t will do nothing
for the purity of the press. And the
scheme TO make 1t entirely religious
paper Is not wise financially, | believe,
for those juornals which are all re-
iiglous have not won success"
The Rev. DR.. W. S. RainSford, rector
Of st. Georges church, said:
II know nothing about the fitness OF
Mr. Sheldon for his task, but | firmly
believe that there should be a paper
that would print the news in the best
Of English, and follow the truth, what
ever the cost in suits. Such II paper
would have to be backed 10y something
like $l0.O00,000, and it would probably
have to own its own cable service
breaking away from all other papers
but 1t would be great investment
Besides, 1t would attract many of our
university men who are eager TO go
into journalism, but are now afraid Of
becoming contaminated.
The Rev. c. NJ. Sheldon's endeaVor
In journalism does not meet with the
approval of all the editors of religious
papers in Chicago. The general tenor
Of their opinions Is that the undertak-
Ing is not dignitied. that 1t will be
practically useless as n demonstration
Of any theory and that it will be iniu-
rious to the prestige and dignity OF the
Christian church, says the Chicago
Tribune.
DR.. w. c. Gray, editor Of The lnte-
rtOr said:
"Dr. Sheldon tells us he would show
the world how Jesus Christ would con-
duct newspaper. A man who can
utter such a remark Is monumental
egotist. No man has the right to say
such thing. 1t is a degradation Of
the name of Jesus Christ. AS TO the
paper that Dr.. Sheldon brings out, il
does not rise to level that would JUS
tify criticism. 1t Is not newspaper
The effect Of the whole thing will be
simply to bring ridicule upon Chris
tlanity. The whole object of the thing
seems to be to give notoriety to the pa
per and to DR.. Sheldon himself at the
expense of the Christian church. True
Christianity means hard, energetic, lev
el headed and industrious work for the
elevation of our fellow men. aud DR..
Sheldon's undertaking is surely not a
step in that direction"
The Rev. J. S. Cantwell. editor of
The Cniversalst Leader, expressed
himself rs follows:
II do not think Jesus would have at
tempted TO edit paper for week eX-
pectug his conduct of the editorial col
umns would embrace any better teach
ings than he has given in gospels.
While c0nceding Mr.. SheldoD's excel
lent motives, think he has made Sc
rious mistake In the way he undertakes
to reform the newspaper world, ana |
cannot relieve myself from the impress
sion that the enterprise savors strongly
Of the sensational. Eliminating GER
tain features. such as the undue atten-
ton given to scandal, horrors and
sporting news. | cannot see that Mr.
Sheldon's paper is any improvement in
a moral way over many issues OF pa
pers of Chicago and other cities, which
are clean and decent and are admitted
freely into our houses"
Kansas City ministers, with scarcely
an exception, are disappointed with
and condemn the Rev Charles NJ. Shel
dOn's first issue of the Topeka Daily
Capital, says the st. Louis Globe-Dem
ocrat. Rev. Stephen A. Northrup, d.
d.. of the First Baptist church says:
Most decidedly the first issue Is not
a newspaper. 1t only gives the public
an opportunity to appreciate more fully
the value of our representative metro
politan daiies. The editorials are com
monplace. Placing prayer at the top
Of he first column is out of editorial
taste. People look for news on the
first page. Then. too, 1t is travesty
on prayer and sacrilege Of the naIT
Of Jesus Christ. am much dlsaP