The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1901-03-08

for a warm friendship between those
who preach the Gospel and those who
make newspapers, the spoken word
and the printed word to 90 side by
side: text. Luke l6-S; The children
of this world are in their generation
wiser than the children of light
Sacred stupidity and solemn incom-
potency and sanctiiicd laziness are
here rcbuked by Christ. lie says
worldlings are wider awake for OPP
portunitics than are Christians. Men
of the world grab occasions. while
Christian people let the most Valu-
able occasions drift by uuimproyed.
That is the meaning Of our Lord
when lie SAYS: THE children of this
world are in their generation WISER
than the children OF light"
\ marked Illustration of the truth
of that maxim IS i'm the slownesS OF
the Christian religion 10 take pos
session of the secular printing press.
The opportunity is open and has
been for some time open, but the
ecclesiastical courts. and the
churches. .and the ministers OF re-
ligion are for the most part allow
ing the golden opportunity 10 pass
unimprovcd. That the opportunity
is open ] declare from the fact that
all the secular newspapers are glad
of any religions facts or statistics
that YOU present them. Any animal
ed and stirring article relating to re-
ligious themes they would gladly
print. They thank YOU for any JIM
formation in regard 10 churches. Ii
a wrong has been done 10 any Chris
tian church or Christian institution
you could go into any newspaper of
fee of the land and have the real
truth stated. Dedication services,
ministerial Ordinations and pastoral
installations. cornerstone laying Oi
a church. anniversary of a charitable
society, viii have reasonable space i'm
any secular journal if il have preyi-
Gus notice given. If l had some
great injustice done me. there Is not
an editorial or a reportorinl room
in tine United States into which /
could not go and get myself set
right, and that is true of any we'll
known Christian man. Why, then,
does not our glorious Christianity
embrace these magnificent opportuni-
ties / have before me a subject of
first and last Importance: How shall
we secure the secular press as a
mighty reinforcement TO religion and
the pulpit?
The first thing toward this result
is cessation of indiscriminate hos
tility against newspaperdom. You
might Is well denounce the legal pro
feSSion because of the shySters. OF
the medical profession because of the
quackS, or merchandise because Of
the swindling bargain makers, as 10
slambdng newspapers because there
are Tecreant editors and unfair re
porterS and unclean columns. Guten-
berg. The inventor of the art Of print
ing. was about to destroy his types
and extinguish the art because il was
suggested to him that printing might
be sui,orned into the service of The
devil. nut afteTward he bethought
himself that the right use or the art
might more than overcome the evil
use of it. and so he spared The type
and the intelligence of all following
ages. but there are many to-day in
the depressed mood of Gutenberg.
with uplifted hammer, wanting "a
pound to pieces the type. who have
not reached his better mood. in
l.. To. .
be the rising sun of the world :
illumina7 ion.
If. instead Of fighting newspapers
we spend the same length Of time and
the same vehemence in marshaline
their help in religious directions w
would be as much wiser as the man
who gets consent of the railroad super
intendent to fasten ear 10 the end
Of rail train shows better sense than
he who runs his wheelbarrow up the
track to meet and drive back he Chi
cago limited express. The SillieSt thing
that man ever does is 10 fight a news
paper. for you may have the floor for
utterance perhaps for one Cay in the
week, while the newspaper has the
floor every Gay in the week Napoleon.
though a mighty man. had many weak
sesses, and one Of the weakest things
he ever cid was 70 threaten that If the
English newspapers did not stop their
adverse criticism of himself he would
with 100000 bayonets. cross the chan
mel for their chastisement. Don't
fight newspapers. Attack provokes at
tack. Better wait until the excite
ment blows over md then go in and get
justice. for get il you viii if YOU have
patience and common sense and equi-
poise Nf disposition. 1t ought to be a
mighty seGative that there is an euor-
nous amount of common sense in the
world. aEd you will eventually be ken
for what sou are really worth. and YOU
cannot be puffed up. and you cannot
be written down. and If you are the
enemy Of good society. that fact Will
come out. ard if you are the friend of
coed society that fact will be estab-
lished.
| know what | am talking about. for
| can draw on my own experience All
the respectable newspapers. as far as
know are my friends now But mans
of you remember the time when was
the most continuously ard meanly at
tackled man in this country. God gave
me grace not 10 answer back. and I
kept silence for ten Years. and much
grace was required. What said was
perverted and twisted into lust the