Putnam patriot., 1908-10-02
The Byron .. Bugbee Corp.

historical, educational and religious ei- ements in the journalist field, were un- der the general direction of the Chris tian denomination In whose interests the "Herald Of Gospel Liberty is pub lished, it's headquarters now being at Dayton, Ohio.
 Other religious journals were invited to partieipa in this celebration, thus making il broader than the commence ration of the century's fife of this one paper, and causing il to mark the be ginning of that field ot religious effort which makes a specialty in it's eonSe- erated ase Df printer $ Ink.
 Among the papers invited 10 join the celebration were "The Congregational isl, . "rhe Christian Register, ? 4rhe Watchman. eZionls Herald, a tThe New York Observer" and the "Sun. day School Times, and several other oi the older religious newspapers in the country.
 The growth of the influence of the press, in all its departments, has been so great in modern times that the part held by the religious weekly in this advancement deserves every re-enforce- ment of emphasis which this eeiebra- ton has given IL,
 Col George Harvey, president of the Harper Publishing Company, once said: "There are not enough journal ists and too many newspaper men;' and the evidence drawn from this cen tennial of religious journalism in Anne rica, shows that the religious press has had a remarkable number of highly gifted men and women at work in all its departments. It will not do to begin to enumerate them, but what is far bet ter than their number Is the fact that they are growing better and broader all the time.
 Religious journalism of the present century is q mighty power; il flows like broad river of blessing through. out the land and to the ends of the earth. In the autumn of lsos one little olio sh eel, with 274 subscribers to sus- tain it, WAS launched upon the tickle waters of public opinion. Its editor, Elias Smith, an humble elder in a small denomination, had a vision of great things to come. He would not accept his editorship backed by the financial support of . few friends, among whom was a member of Con- gress from Rhode Island. He feared that thus his own liberty of thought and statement would become molested. He must be wholly independent. The Truth only WAS to be his master and his guide. He entered, therefore. upon his work in the most private manner. He chose as his motto, placing it under the heading ot his paper:
 "From rsdiass far distunt, and from
 cfipies ssaEs.osca,
 We make the knosetedge of our Kiag
 your ota."
 In his first editorial, humble in form, but great in it's prophecy of the edito- riais of later time, he disclosed his noble purpose hy saying: .The design Of this paper is to show the liberty which belongs to men as II respects their duty 10 God and each other"
 There are thousand fruits of rare value, which the religious press Of our country has produced: 1t adapts itself 10 The young and the mature mind: it hlesses the home and puriiies the State; II bfoadens and qaiekens all the chan nels of church seFSices and to crown all, as the best and as the latest fruit of it's holy enterprise, t advocates the spirit of Christian unity, and makes the Fla. therhood of God and the Brotherhood of man it's golden motto. Perhaps no more felieiious and pertinent allasion was made 10 the century now past, and