The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-23
ATTEND
UNIQUE SERVICE
ComposingRoom Force at The
Times-Dispatch Hears Ser
mon by DIR. Freeman.
TO PREACH EVERY SUNDAY
First Time on Record That
Newspaper Plant Is Used for
Devotional Exercises.

For half an hour last night the com
posing room OF The Times Dispatch
stflled the clatter of it's linotype ma
chimes and became n silent house OF
worship. The force-tWo-score of limo
typo men. typesetters. makeup men,
proofreaders and devils--rangcd itself
in two parallel rows between q battery
OF Mergenthalcrs on one side and Il
row OF form tables on the other, and
gave ear TO Il Sunday night sermon that
was as informal and as intimate as the
surroundings were unusual.
AS far as can be learned. It was tho
first time newspaper composing room
did duty as a church in the city of
Rtchmond--pcrhaps the first time In
the South or in America. OF all imag-
Unable places. the steel-clad room in
which shlrt-sleeved men labor through
the night hours to put into type tho
happenings of the world, would appear
to be least adapted for thoughtful com
munion with God. The battle-ground OF
the temporal became tho temple OF the
eternal. and the reverence that is mis-
takcnly assumed to be indigenous TO
cathedral half-lights dwelt at home in
the midst of type cases and imposing
stones.
Strictly n Family Affair.
1t was strictly family affair Tho
congregation was made up exclusively
OF the men and youths employed in that
department which receives the written
news and reduces it to tho serried lead
which In the early hours of the morn
ing Is sent to the presses that print tho
morning edition. Tho lone exception
was & reporter. sent down from the
city room to attend the services at the
family shrine. The preacher was DIR.
Douglas S. Freeman. known to the
typesettlng force as the writer OF daily
editorials.
The sermon carried simple. work
rs the newspaper atmosphere is catho-
lie. 1t denlt with the worl1aday quail
ity of perseverance,. without which no
linotype man can attain mastery OF his
delicate machine, and without which no
man in any profession or calling can
gain complete control over either his
occupation or his soul.
To the composing room force, pro-
Tossing As many creeds ms there are
sects in the Christian Church, DIR. Free
man spoke OF the power of prayer and
of that integral doctrine of the Catholic
rcligion-the cleansing of the body and
mind through penance. There was not
controversial note In the whole half
hour talk. 1t was n nonsectarian SER
mon, and not the less effective because
OF the absence OF ritual or form.
To Enlarge Its Scope.
The service concluded with brief
prayer. and the composing room force
came silently up to shake hands with
the family preacher Five minutes
later the big room was alive with the
babel of linotypcs and the clatter of
steel against stone, and tho house Of
worship became again tho pagan temple
of the news god.
The success OF the first church ser
vice has led to plans for n weekly SER
mon at Z o'clock every Sunday night.
1t Is proposed to enlarge the scope Of
the meeting TO include all men employ
ed by tho paper In every department.
Every member OF the newspaper family
whose duties find him at work at the
hour OF worship Will be welcomed at
the sermon in tho composing room.