The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-02

The Richmond (va-) Central Presby-
terrain, has in its a issue an editor
ial on this very subject ard says this
and it is true:
Some of the larger papers of the
large American cities, that have been
called religious, and have represented
the various denominations, have be-
come s~ecularized, and are largely fill
I'd with secular matter. In the lines
in which they are now working, they
are of high class, and are made at
tractive by all that art can TO. But
they are no longer religious and de-
nominational papers"
Our own opinion is, worth but little
we dare say, that a real religious paper
will devote but little time TO political
questions. When we go to church it
is to hear the pure Gospel of the Son
Of God preached-Jesus Christ and
Him Crucifed. We would not patti
emily sit and listen to a political har-
angue from the pulpit. The musings
furnish quite enough of this. So when
We take up a professedly religious pa
per ii is not to try to feed the immor-
tai 20 upon such topics as abound in
the political secular papers. We do
not stop to consider the editors poll
tics, and if he has 10 better papulum
OF a religious kind to offer us we drop
the sheet and seek religious instruc-
ton and interest elsewhere. We like
a religious paper that is religious, and
that is edited by a man of unquestion-
ed religious life and character.
Tho church CON not u-afI Oa- alnno
without strong, faithful, sound relig-
ious journals. They educate both mind
and heart, and bring joy and hope to
many a longing, seeking SHINE n
honest inquirer after God. The Central
Presbyterian, wisely edited and a
model of typographical excellence and
taste, says:
1T is not the secular and pictorial
weekly that the churches need, but the
paper, thoroughly religious. instruct
ing the people, sustaining the pulpit
and preparing the people for it, inform
ing the people of h progress of Chris
tian missions at home and abroad, and
faithfully representing the denomina-
ton whose name it bears. If
there is a for the existence of the
Christian denominations, if there is
reason for the continued life and work
of the church of Christ of which they
are parts, so far is there evident and
urgent reason for the existence of these
papers They are not secular and pic
torial, they are not political, nor broad
church. nor universalist, but religious
papers, fitted to instruct and guide
the people. and must be of enormous
influence in sustaining the life and
efficiency of all the churches"
Mark, the religious weeklies that are
needed are religious and lot polit-
zeal 1t is stated by the Springfield
Republican that all of the northern
religious weeklies ARE solid for Nc
Kinley." If it be true that all the re-
ligious organs in the great north are
enthralled by McKinleyism, n not
one opposes that tickle, extreme, bitter
advocate of high tax robbery and the
despoiling, depressing trusts and cor
porations that ruin n grab, and for
the preservation intact of free insti-
tutions such as come down to this gen.
Grafton from the wise and illuStriouS
founders and Union builders, hen God
in his great mercy n love take COM
passion upon the<northern Christians
and send them better light and wiser
teachers.