The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-11

Having as his subject Tine sulpll,
the Press and Sensationalism,' Rev.
, David NJ Ramsay, D. d.. pastor OF the
Grace Street Baptist Church. last night
delivered one of the most striking ser
mons heard in Richmond In some time.
Despite the depressing condition of
| the atmosphere the attendance 81 the
service was large. the church being
comfortably filed.
| The pastor deplored the modern ten
dency of the press toward sensation
alism. At the same time he declared
that while 1T is true that there Is
| a yellow journalism, it is also true
| that there is a yellow pulpit. "Damna-
BILE business" Is the term applied 10
| prize lighting by DR.. Ramsay, when he
| referred to the affair at Reno on In
dependence Day. He stated the be-
lief that the time is coming when
there will not be a spot in the country
where prize-ights will be allowed The
entire discourse was interspersed with
striking utterances.
| Unselhsh Interest in Rnce.
DR.. Ramsay took for his text the
second verse OF the second chapter of
! Pauls first letter to the Corinthians:
For / determined not to know any
thing among you, save Jesus Christ
| and Him crucited."
The pastor opened his remarks by
(, explainins the lesson laid down by
Paul. The principle stated in this
text by the apostle is a very large
| one. When we pass from the words
to the principle we find it to be of
far-reaching import. The principle of
/ the cross is one of unselfish interest
| in az the highest veal of our race for
all worlds. Let US stand near the
cross to discuss popular subject.
Truly, there is nothing narrow in
II 4,
/ widest Of men. No man ever came so
near boxing the whole compass of
truth as did he. All races, OF all ages
for two good worlds was his motto.
Now the way which he decided to be
best was to adopt the principle of tho
cross, and here in my text he states
his conclusions III never to be forgot
ten language.
TastcIess and PerIshnble.
ct is an unworldly conclusion. Tho
present is put aside for the future
good: the temporal for the eternal. and
\ the visible reward for the invisible
But he thought the thing through and
took his stand. The great principle of
the cross shall dominate above ALL
Above the din of earthly voices he
heard the eternal call; higher than
all present success stood the claims of
the invisible world, far away from tho
present crowd he saw the beck oning
/ hands of the multitude clothed in
| white. The temptation to yield to
popular and temporary demands is Just
i as great to-day for EACH of us in
public life as 1T was for Paul at Cor
inth The sensational book. the SEN
| sational newspaper. the sensational
politician, the sensational pulpit have
their fruit grown on low limbs and
1t ripens early, but like all other forced
i fruit 1t is tasteless and perishable
! To-day in our America tens OF
thousands of men and women are
panied and distressed by the evident
i reversion to barbarism as exhibited in
our national disgrace. the recent prize
fight. We shall be reapins bitter fruit
/ from that sowing for years to come.
4 Suffering From Hot Box.
i Our trouble is that we are suffer-
y ing from scourge of mad sensa-
/ tionalism due to our overweight ner-
| yous condition. We must be moving;
\ we cannot ride fast enough or fly high
I enough. We are suffering from a hot
box as individuals and as nation.
i What is to be done to relieve the sit
I uation?
Business men should not go so
4 fast. Our homes should guard with a
sacred vigilance the life of the chill,
dren. and the colleges and schools
have no small part in the Herculean
4 task. But the main burden lies upon
the shoulders of two of our institu-
tions, namely, the pulpit and the press
i Hand in hand they are walking down
the centuries either as ninistering an
gels or else as demons whose breath
is blistering the soul of youth. Rather
let their influence be as a gentle
Z zephyr tanning the cheeks OF age and
youth"
DR.. Ramsay went on to define the
three great principles that must guide
in the great task of developing men
women and children of this age.
4 First" he said. "as teachers. the
press and public must be in close
sympathetic touch with the age il
which we live In writing and speak
ing they must deliver a message fol
own age.
Must Lead Public Opinion.
Second. the pulpit and the press al
public teachers must recognize theil
proper work We have been trying tt
show how we must Identify ourselve!
with the people with whom we live
and labor. Now comes the question o
our aim Is IT, merely to please ant
4 entertain? Shall public sentiment leat
us and make us the mere creatures O.
y the unreasoning public?
{ THE answer to this question is q
prime Importance, To those who llolt
high views OF the missions of TIL,
/, press and pulpit 1T seems to me tina
there lis but one answer; namely. tina
they must lead in shaping public, opin
ion and In creating public sentiment
J, Thata most effectually answers the pc
sition taken by newspaper men 70
giving us most Objectionable matter
They say they give what the publ
wants And here the reading publ
9 must take Its share Of the blame
1 Alas! how eagerly did the public arm
: Lin all that the newspapers gave us q
!. the recent prize tightsin that Wester
a Itown. 1t is said that in our own 'cl 7
Y u ha,.a On harad AT thas haSehall mark o