The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-09-12
POWER OF THE PRESS
Good Advice From a Missionary Priest
Great Need of a Catholic Paper.

st. Paul advises all to be thoroughly versed in
the faith they profess so as be able to account
for its reasonabeness. To do this it is necessary
to be able to meet the new objections that
stantly coming to light Old objections etfete.
Those raised by the reformers in the sixteenth CEN
tury are dead issues. The enlightened man of the
twentieth century does not take time to think of old
objections. 1t is simply question of the truth of
religion Supreme Being, and immortality. Our
age is progressive and eager to read The press
spares nothing to pander to the taste and reading
proclivties of the young and old What is read
has tendency to shape and model the future man.
10 neutrallze the evil effects of an rrelglous press
parents should be on the alert, and guard faith
fully the precious gift of faith for their offspring
10 do this and counterfeit the evil influence of
what their children may hear and read nothing is
more needed than good Catholic literature and
Catholic paper in the home.
SO Catholics want ~CathOic paper! Some
times doubt it. And it is not without reason we
look around us and see the welcome accorded the
secular press. Passing over the matter contained
therein, cannot help but notice how eagerly
Catholic people purchase it. But when it comes to
subscribing for Catholic paper, how slow those
erstwhile eager hands are. 1t is for the part
dry reading; it has of the exaggerated fla
vor; it does not fatter with silly praise pander to
seflove, foolishly dismiss all responsibility and
open the door to lust pleasure, to wilfuness to
sin. 1t tells of things sweet and pure; 1T teaches
beauty of self represson speaks of holy doctrines
with becoming gravity. 1t dares tell the truth; it
protests against wild opinions and false principles
that men eagerly drink in because they excuse or
palliate human wickedness. But under present
ditions i'll country, is it not simply duty for
Catholic to have in his home Catholic paper!
A Catholic paper is Whit of the pure, fresh air
of heaven. 1t brings with it life and health. What
better missionary labor may any Catholic do than
spread Catholic papers! They are the most prac-
teal antdote to the poison of the present day.
The danger to Cathlic faith and morals is not
from sectarian pulpits. That day is past. The
biggest pulpit of our time is the press; the danger
is from the press.
1t has been said that were St. Paul living in
our day he would be a newspaper man. This is
tribute to the power of the press Indeed, one
of the modern apostolates is the printing press.
For good and evil, for moral elevation and degra
dation it works with all the zeal of spirits and all
the success of giants. Nothing is much at our
free choice reading, and this applies particu-
larry to the newspaper. In days everyone reads
great many persons spend their lives in read
ing. If there be one luxury which rich and poor
alike enjoy it is the luxury of reading. Now, II
this were a mere amusement, which pleased for the
moment, but left serious effects behind, one
might pass it by lightly without comment. But
it is not an amusement but serions work. and
it is not only luxury but necessity for the moral
and intellectual formation of mems souls. 1t can
not be denied that the press has most powerful
influence upon character for good or evil Nothing
builds up a character easily and yet so perma-
nently as a course of reading. If the world OF
today is full of frivolous and women, it is
because their minds have been fed uponNvain and
frivolous reading and if the world is full of women
and men who are forever misconceiving, misinter-
preting misunderstanding the eternal truths of
God it is because they have been trained into that
obliquity of intellect by those bookmakers pamph-
letters and newspapers who conceal falsehOod and
error under pleasing style or show of sincerity.
On the other hand. if we find among ourselves those
who evidently realize that they the brethren of
the saints of God in heaven, those who striv-
ing however imperfecty, to live up to their vOca-
ions as Christians, who, childish simplicity and
obedience are trying to follow the precepts OF him
who left the world little children models of Him
self. it is because they have found these sublime
principles in pious books they have read, and have
had from heaven the grace to practice them. 1t is
not difficult to understand this God has given us
minds to know Him; are bound, therefore to
educate our minds into such knowledge of God
! as His wisdom allows and faculties reach.
| This is duty, but duty inspired by God IN such
way that we call it a natural aspiration We hope
the day is not far distant when shall find good
! Catholic newspaper in every Christian home. Then
shall we look for increased fervor in faith and
| increased love in devotion perfect knowl-
edge of God, and therefore, more perfect love of
! God Who can doubt the absolute necessity of the
! Catholic press? What home is secure without a
! Catholic paper? We must meet pulpit with pull
pit-paper with paper. We must sow truth with
out ceasing for the missions of error are loveess
A MISSIONER.
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