Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-13

Goods Use of Mans EnterpriseD
I Sam, 3:19-21; Mark. Ills.
~ HE most powerful human agency
VI in the world today is the public
press II the pen is mightier
than the sword then be 1t said with
truth, The press alone may bear to
all the world the burning message
which the pen indites." How true this
is can best be proved by the eagerness
with which the representatives of any
} cause seize upon each opportunity to
advance their propaganda through the
printed page This is the worlds
} forum; here men drink in with eager
appetite the latest word of king or
ldemagogue: here, day by day or week
by week, the myriad message of the
great wide world is spread before the
teyes of men, and through the channel
of the eye enters the stream of thought
and taints the current Of the nations
life.
II this be true of the secular press,
with its limitations and extravagances,
how doubly true is it of the page whose
only purpose is to stir the soul, or
cheer the heart. or fix the character.
Indeed. one of the signs of the times
Is the Importance accorded to religious
news, the great dailies of the land, not
only reporting the important conven-
ttons and religious gatherings of the
} day, but setting aside special editors,
whose fitness enables them to grasp the
whole spiritual situation and provide
suitab bic literature for the ever-enlar"
ing circle that demands news cor the
, soul as well as for the mind.
Among the many causes of the pres
, ent nationwide spiritual AM, not
the least is the pass.n~ of the old
} fashioned county paper. whose clientele
looked far more eagerly for the SER
mo- n a alma orc q vyTyn
to be found there. than for the secular
item of politics or scandal. That which
} is best in the life of the nation today
is the fruitage of the village church
} land the sermon-bearing county ~aper.
With the passing of this moral agency,
} however. there have come two great
modern prophets" The first is the reli-
gious page and editorial of the secular
press. 1t is no light thing that has come
to pass. when financial journal and met
, ropolitan daily give more and more of
space to spread the gospel Of the Son of
} God. 1t is a mighty stride toward the
goal of a right civic conscience. when not
} policy, but right, is the standard by which
we gauge our pubic acts.
The second and greatest factor, how
ever in conserving that which is best in
the home the church and the educational
. life of the people is the denominational
church paper. When the Church of God.
, in her march of conquest. reached out and
laid hold upon the printing press. using
} mans keenest weapon in waging war
upon the hosts of sin. or laundering her
convictions concerning the great issues of
life she chose that which, next to the
cross. should be her mightiest agent in
convincing men of sin. 1t is in this de-
nominational church paper that the great
problem OF church unity is being worked
out. It is in the UNCONVENTIONAL church
paper that We find the great Christian
formula, I'm nom essentials liberty, in es-
sentials unity and in all things charity"
observed most strictly With many of
the secular publications of the day we
may find ground for criticism but with
the church paper there comes into the
Christian home friend for old and
young for wise and simple: comfort and
cheer: stimulating story and stern rebuke.
World review and local item vie with
each other to furnish old and young the
cleanest and most wholesome diet for
mind and heart.
I am thinking now of one of our lead
ing Methodist Episcopal papers. Used as
1t is by so many hundreds of thousands
of the youth of the land. 1t is one of the
best of its class. 1t is liberal education
to read its every line. No heart can feel
the thrill Of its exhortations without the
longing for a better life: no home but
what is richer where it is a constant
4 guest.
Like some great giant waking from his
sleep to view at his right hand g!eam-
ing blade all ready for his grasp. the
Church of God has Weakened to the fact
that the same enterprise and skill shown
by the world in using printers ink" If
so spread forth the message of the cross
that all the world may hear that mes
sage sweet, and, hearing. heed, and, heed
ing, come to God.