davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

Dor and are alike working for the gen
eral uplift of humanity. The editor
|joyfuly heralds the news of your ar
delighted to chronicle your happy mar
rage and bows his head in sorrow as
he publishes half column obituary
ut Your untimely demise.
While the minister's chief function is
to point the way toward God and spir.
paragingly of his high calling to note
the fact that much of his labor deals
with the practical everyday problems
OF human life. The church has found
it necessary to give attention to Social.
economic and even political questions
upon which to build permanent
Christian citizenship.
The functions of the public press are
more varied than those of any other
profession. First of all our newspa-
pers are the mirrors from which are
day and season and Of every people,
state and nation.
The public press is also charged with
the responsibility of eNerting whole
some editorial influence. 1t goes into
practically every home in the land. is
read by every fireside. by people of ev-
cry sect and creed, by people of every
trade and profession. by people of ev-
cry station in life and of every taste.
1t is not always popular for the editor
to stand ont firmly for the right side of
these great moral questions. In fact
in many instances he has done so at
the hazard of his business. his property
and even of his life. But rs Il rule the
public press stands for the highest
ideals of life. for purity in public and
private affairs and for the betterment
of all mankind
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

OF men. Wnen
god appeals only to the mind, to the
memory, to the intellectual and physi-
cal side of man, the god is dead Now
1t so happens that in the civilized part
of this world of ours today all the
gods are dead-save one-"Christ and
him cruciied." The story of Christ
still appeals to the hearts of men,
still moves their wills, still influences
their conduct. So wonderful a God is
this Jesus, the NaZarene carpenter,
that he is more surely alive today than
ever he was before in the world.
The growth of the idea of Christ in
the world parallels the growth of man
kind in fellowship, self respect, benevo-
lence and justice. The Christ that
men knew in the crusades is only
small part Of the Christ of today. The
Christ of today will be only a small
part of the Christ that men shall know
tomorrow. Yet the ultimate Christ of
some distant age. the Christ who shall
lead men to whatever undreamed truth
shall make them finally free was in
deed and in truth the God who left us
1900 years ago-he and none other.
How he came into this world is i'm
material. Whether he came with a
physical miracle or not is of little con-
/. sequence compared with the greatest
spiritual miracle in the world that oc-
Cured when such Il vast food of di-
vinity flowed into the world through
the Nazarene carpenter. The miracle
of virgin birth must be accepted upon
faith: the miracle of the influx of di-
vine truth through Jesus Christ finds
its indisputable proof in the slow but
resistless upward struggle of men to-
ward the ideal which Jesus taught.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

pipes on his golden reed, and. hearing
he needs must follow to the pipers
merry tune. And once again, and per-
haps many times. Jehovah calls all
men-an insistent call that comes
through the sunlight of Gods sweet
day or in the still watches of the
night, demanding of him service-de
handing of him that he he. and do
good; demanding that he serve his fel
low men according to his talent: that
he help and make his little world, the
community or city in which he lives.
the better for his having been in it.
The life of the preacher who is call.
ed of God is a life of service. He has
little time for business. except that
of his heavenly Father. He is an &c.
tor in all parts of the drama of life.
He christens the infant, joins men
and maids i'll wedlock, visits the old.
prays with the sick and afflicted
gives spiritual advice and consolation.
and when man returns to the dust
from whence he came teaches the
great comforting fact that it is posi-
Bile for the grave to be swallowed up
in victory.
And what about the editor who has
heard and needed the call-the call to
service? | know the popular but
apocryphM type of country editor-the
man who takes cabbage and cordwood
on subscriptions whose ready print
comes c. o. D.; who sells his paper in
| politic;, campaigns to the highest bid
der Like Sa!ry Camps esteemed
friend, Miss Harris. There amt no
such person
The typical country editor of this
part of the west Is another personality
His columns are the annals of coun-
try folk, the history of neighborhoods
| and families, the heartbeat Of the COM
munity. He is with his people through
the fat and the lean years. His paper
is the diary of their civilization. And
by the fireside in the home it's pages
are gone over column by column and
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

lie opinion, and in a government like
ours the supreme power is public
opinion. Thomas Jefferson said that
he would prefer newspapers without
government to government without
newspapers. The editor shapes the
mind of the reader. Sometimes the
editor knows the way he leads; some
times he doesn't. If the editor is
wrong his power is limited. his energy
wasted Yet much that he has print
ed has cleared the way by revealing
the right as far as it can be seen. for
the publicity given is the safeguard of
free thought. The editor tells what
he thinks he knows. and, being hui
man. he may tell more than he
knows, vet his opportunity for public
service is boundless.
The newspaper can be the teacher.
the leader of the people The preacher
IN his pulpit can speak to a few hun
ured people each Sabbath day. tell them
the gospel truth The editor can speak
TO thousands of people each day that
which he believes is the truth, but Of
course it isn't always the gospel truth
being subject to the change and cor
rection of embodiment and develop
ment. The editor can scatter the seed
which springs up on the hillside and by
the stream. He can be man member
and a man maker. He can SOW seeds
of discord and undermine his useful
ness.
He can more wisely keep in mind his
own failiAgs and have charity for the
failings OF others. He can have faith
in his fellow men and his Countrywide
faith that moves mountains of doubt.
He can hear the "call of human hopes
and fears. the Macedonian cry to
Paul" He can love his neighbors. He
can be fighter for good report. So
long as the weak are mafchgd against
tie strong he can be the best defender
of the oppressed. He can build UP
what needs building up and tear down
that which should fall.
When the newspapers of our country
denounce injustice, justice rules again.
A line OF two suggest action, and. 10,
readers are stirred to deeds. The in
considerate few. called to account, get
in step. The newspaper can scorn bad.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

icy, is a moral question.
The church must not only be inter
ested in having a man inherit eternal
life, but also interested in having him
inherit from his progenitors a clean
body and sound mind and from So
ciety a decent environment and a fair
show in the game of life.
The church will always need to be
something more than Il mere humani
tartan institution. but it cannot fail to
include the humanities in its program
This new vision which the church is
getting does not mean less theology
but it means more vital theology
The theology which will be lost be.
cause the church is putting into prac
tice seven days in the week the teach
ings of Jesus is not worth the saving.
The church and the press meet on
the great common field of social serv
ice. They are to be friends and not
foes, colaborers and not competitors.
The editor without vision of social
service needs to have his soul exam
ined. And the preacher who doesn't
mix with his fellow men and translate
theology into terms of everyday life
should be sent to the same hospital for
heroic treatment.
The country newspaper may not say
much, but it talks to far more people
every week than all the preachers in
the town. And | can name a lot of edi-
tors in little country towns who have
been doing nightly wholesome preach
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21


ture of commercial system, depend
ent upon its revenue for secular serv-
ices rendered in competition with other
mediums of publicity for its very ex.
1stence. Necessarily it must first es-
tablish itself on a paying basis before
1t can become interested in the ques-
tons with which it is the pulpits mis-
sion to deal.
But the newspaper should not be ex-
pected to become more closely allied
with the pulpit than to encourage in a.
general way the work of TIE church.
1t cannot become the newspapers bust
ness primarily to preach the gospel.
The newspaper, as a matter of fact.
differs none from any other private
business in tho respect that 1t must
supply carnal demand: While 1t may
In measure educate its constituents
to a taste for less Objectionable news
1t rests primarily with the pulpit to do
that or at least to lead in the effort
The experiment of publishing daily
paper according to the ideals of the
pulpit number of years ago resulted
In such severe censorship of the
news as to make the paper dull and
uninteresting to the average reader
True, it does not necessarily follow
that the public taste for news cannot
be modified. The gospel which the
pulpit proelaims is effective in altering
tastes. Through the medium of this
gospel the pulpit, supported by quick
ened press, may some day make 1t pos
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

ARTHUR CARTER newspaper is al
most always misunderstood by the pull
pit, and this misunderstanding arises
from what | think is misconception of
the provinces and functions of the
newspaper.
And yet if you take the newspaper
at its face value and accept it for what
it claims to be the miSconception Is
hardly possible.
All newspaper criticism is based to
a large extent upon the personal atti-
tude of the critic. 1t seems difficult
sometimes for a man outside the news
paper profession to remember that
newspaper is made for all people, not
for any one set nor class nor clique.
The newspaper is not Il preacher; it
is not a jeremiah nor a John the Bap-
fist. The world has need of both Of
these. but the world provides for them
that place is not in the editorial chair
The newspaper is a chronicle of the
times, a reflection of the life of the
day. 1t makes no pretension to he Il
complete guide. philosopher and friend
1t is only one factor in modern life
The editor does not seek to take the
place of the public schools or the high
er institutions of learning. He does
not seek to supplant the clergy. He
leaves them their work and expects
them to do it. He is willing to aid but
he cannot take their work and their re-
sponsibiity off their shoulders.
Newspapers, | fear, like clergymen
are likely sometimes to be judged not
by their best specimens or by their
best efforts. but by their worst speci-
mems and by their delinquencies. The
average publisher or editor is not wan
tonly giving the people poorer quail
ity of newspaper than they ought to
have. Experience has taught him that
the public does not demand anything
better; that, in fact, it will not have
anything better and might be pleased
with something worse. The news stand
ard is improving constantly. and every
inch of encroachment on the part of
the morbid. the morally wholesome and
poisonous has been fought by the men
who make the papers. not the people
who patroniZe the newspaper
While possibly not living up to their
opportunities. newspapers are; never
theless in my Judgment doing at least
as much as any other infuencefto pro.
mote such interests as political hon
esty. the promotion of international
peace, the abolition of poverty. the ad-
yancement of the brotherhood of man.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

OF going to listen to him. We dis
cuss enthusiastically the problems of
sanitation, commission form of govern.
ment and the prospects of the baseball
club, but let somebody mention the
fact that we have souls and might con-
slider them, and we pussy foot away,
close up our ideas and endeayor TO look
unconcerned
One of the great problems is to break
down this apparent eXclusiveness OF
the church, to make it more than
Sunday suit of clothes and to put every
member into the fight to force religion
upon the attention of every man and
urge him to definite decision on the
question which is in every heart.
NO other factor is to be as great in
TINS work as the newspaper. and YOU
nave only to look around you to see the
evidence. In spite of the clog and the
. cloud of tales of crime and schemes OF
ambition. the press of America is to-
day pointing to the everlasting truth
of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The pulpit is not to suffer loss of i'm
por4HYte, But dt is not to be so lone
SOME The men and women in the
pHWs-are getting the idea that part of
TN 5pb is up to them. The legislator
EfEs that he must consider questions
witch are deeper than tariffs and more
Vital than currencies. The newspaper
is finding it's place of leadership, not
only in proclaiming the gospel as
preached by others, but by pounding it
into the people with its own good right
arm. The editor is to be preacher,
not with book and text, but with
thought and word and everlasting prac-
tice. to break through the unnatural
pail which has covered over religious
activity.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

o@nlZe that it is good thing to own
for the purpose of making money and
having something to do in life with
which to keep busy.
The newspaper breaches daily to
many thousands, and in the audience
are Preshyt rians. Methodists. Unita-
rians, Chris, ian Scientists, Catholics
and MormonS and representatives of
every shading of creed and belief.
The preacher breaches twice week
to some hundreds, and he must also
visit them in sickness and in death
and mingle with their social life and
live on terms of close brotherly and
sympathetic interest. When he preach
es he breaches to Presbyterians or
MethodiStS or Baptists or whatever
creed his church represents There is
| no problem in his mind as to what his
orthodox duty really is. He has few
err temptations than the editor has to
preach at class or build himself
special following.
His clear call is to serve Christ, and
the ages have builded him dicipline
of service. His marching orders are
rather clear.
The editor had to begin without any
program. No martyrs had ever gone to
the stake for his cause. His business
was not even dignified as profession.
The newspaper began in political chaos
with no established standards. and it
soon caught all of the faults of the age.
Newspapers that ten years ago did
not seek to introduce moral scrutiny
into their responsibility for their adj
vertising columns are now cleaning up.
cutting out liquor advertisements, filthy
medical advertisements and seeking to
make their advertising columns, their
news columns and their editorial col
umns coordinate in an effort at clean
journalism.
The future benefit of this effort can
not be weighed. A clean press and a
clean pulpit are travelling in the same
direction, but the field of the press is
naturally much the larger. Its obliga
ton to serve high civilization is just as
sacred as the obligation of the pulpit.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21


job the power of publicity was rec
ognized, and the recognition of that
power has increased every day.
Presidents kings and potentates bow
under the power of publicity; rulers
are dethroned and governments are
changed by the influence of the press.
Equipped with this great power does
the editor carefully weigh and consid-
er his responsibility? Is he fully alert
to the possibilities that lie before him?
1t will not be disputed that the news
paper standard in this country is high
er today than it ever was before. This
does not mean that there is no room
for Improvement. 1t should be borne
in mind that newspaper is not exclu-S
sively a public utility. moral agency
or vehicle alone for the "uplift''
incidentally it is a business institu-
ton. with business problems to solve,
with financial obligations and payrolls
to meet. 1t is subjected to the COM
mercial atmosphere of the day and to
the environment of the counting room,
though it may be said that few, if any.
business institutions stand as far above,
this environment as does the press.
We hear great deal in this age
about giving the people what they
want" 1t is palpably erroneous idea.
NO properly constituted newspaper will
any more think of giving it's readers
in the broad sense what they want
than would fond mother think of Civ.
ing her child mirror and hammer
because the child cared for it,
To make this concession to the public
would be to let the momentary
thoughts prevail. to let the temporary
passions run riot, to cater to the low
est rather than to the highest ideals in
life. 1t should not be forgotten that
the opportunity or temptation to do
wrong is stronger than the tendency or
influence to do right.
There are certain ethical principles
of right. certain standards of Justice
and equity. that are as immovable as
the rock of Gibraltar that both press
and pulpit must take a determined
stand for if they would live up to their
fullest opportunities and duties
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

ing to thousands OF people every week
through the years. wet and dry. fat aniS
lean.
Evil loves darkness. and the best
way to fight sin is to turn ON the light
Aud mighty good way to press the
button is to unbutton the press.
The man who fosters artificial con-
flicts between the ministry and the
aity, between the church and the of
ice. between religion and business. is
81 foe of the kingdom.
If folks didn't forgive the editor for
his sins lie would be a goner. And if
the editor published all he knows about
chtreh members there would be Il hot
time in the cid town.
AS the story books say, The moral
is. Let's all cultivate q little charity
and Try to do better next time
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

ness, but it needs the support of good
ness-old fashioned goodness, sym
pathy and companionship-to take par
in the affairs Of highway and byway
Neglected children. the idle and aim
less. the toiling men and women, tht
weak and distressed, the wearers o.
pearls. fife linen and purple, all neeG
help. And over all there should be NOR,
silence as TO defect and more notice, OF
merit. The gospel of a good newspaper
should he the gospel of the biggest anG
greatest human life.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

editor is no Superman; he works with
the equipment of the average citizen,
Essentially he is business man his
merchandise the news and comment of
the time, his purpose so to dispose of it
that he may gain Il livelihood and like
wise maintain Il place of influence and
respect among his fellows. | have lit
tie patience with the view that the
press is venal. that it sells its birth
right, and degrades its station because
of the lure of gold. Sometimes in the
Standardization of the profession
enter injustice and error, but the great
mass of newspaper men, like the great
mass of ministers, today works for the
betterment of society, higher stand
ard of living and nobler ideals for man
kind
AS high measure of ethics. as
earnest efforts toward helpfulness, as
sincere devotion to right exist in the
newspaper Office as in the pulpit But
the approach TO the task differs in the
two professions. To the preacher the
message is supreme; to the editor the
message is ineXtricably intwiped with
Il thousand business, social and poiti-
cal influences, but nevertheless it rings
with truth. The preacher is often
man apart-not in every instance nor
of necessity. The EDITORS seven days
are spent with the hopes. the failures
and the accomplishments of humanity
rather than in the cloister of the souls
communing. The editor should be. and
is, equipped to teach in clear objective,
and if there be those who fret impa-
tiently that he savors his preaching
with the salt of the material struggle
of life it is because they fail to take
a sane and generous view of his po
sition.
Hand in hand should toll the pull
pit and the press. The institutional
church and the clean newspaper are
today the mightiest factors in the
worlds progress. Each possesses its
own field. and neither priest nor editor
can enter fully into the others sanctu-
airy. Neither is perfect. The editor
claims no conservation. He assumes
no guidance than his own brain and
heart, but the press is doing it's full
share to bring that contamination to
which all good men and all good wo-
men aspire-the reign of righteousness
among the children of earth.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
WORLDS NlGRTIEsT FACTORS
BY Charles Moreau Harser, Editor of
the Abilene Reflector.

IT HE purve.yor
j of puh!ici-
ty ever has
been and ever
will be subje' t
to criticism. His
motives will be
nlisrepre sented.
his j u d g NJ e n t
questioned, large
~ because his
critics fail to I'M
derstand the con
d j t i o n S under
which he does his
,,s
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
paragraph by paragraph. And thsa is

paragraph by paragraph. And thsa Is
service.
And the PAPER prints the news worth
printing = the clean news. He has
convictions on moral questions. and
when vice threatens the boys and girls
of his little town he takes his sab
scription list and advertising columns
in hand and stands shoulder to shoul
der with the preacher in fighting the
good fight. For the true editor heark
ems to his call
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
NEED VISION OF SERVICE.
Henry J. Allen of Wichita Beacon Says
Papers Are Improving.

is one
Il respect in
w hich edi-
tors and preachers
may be compared,
and that is in this.
There are two
kinds. Some have
a broader vision
of service than
others. Some edi-
tors recognize that
a newspaper has
a glorious oppor-
tunity for doing
o,
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21

sIpie for newspapers to practice mose
drastic censorship. Possibly the eff
forts of the pulpit to bring the press
would be more readily accomplished
through an appreciation by the pulpit
of the perplexing problems of the press
and its cooperation rather than by ex-
travagant condemnation.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
THE TEACHER AND LEADER.
BY Ewing Herbert, Editor of the Hia-
watha World.

LIVERY news
L paper is re
spons ible
to those W b o
support it, so
there is no such
thing as an ire
sponsible press.
T h ere is at
times a nistak-
en- a II d selfish
p + e S S. b u t
t b r o u g b tn e
years the liberal
press is the melt
ing NOT of nl,b.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
THE CHRIST OF TODAY.
William Allen White of the Emporia
Gazette Discusses Social Progress.

THE W orld' $
i gods at any
time will be
found to be made
from the heart of
the world; from the
worlds emotions
its hopes and fears
and loves and ha-
treds and aspira-
tons. A god is a
living god, only so
long as the god
lives in the emo
tons and the will
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
THE DETERMINED STAND.
BY A. @. Miller of the BeIleviIle Tele-
SCOPE.

II L will be con.
il coded t hat
b o t h t h e
press and tbs
pulpit have an
important work
to perform.
| find in JOB
xix, %, the fol-
lowing text, "Oh,
that my words
We're now writ
ten that they
were printed in
a book.
So we see. even
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-05-21
BREAKING INTO RELIGION.
BY w. Y. Morgan, Editor of the Hutch
inson News.

THE theory Is
i too general.
ly held that
religion is a thing,
apart from the
life of the ordi-
nary man and
woman. The usu-
al treatment of
questions which
so intimately con-
Germ this life and
the next is to
leave them to the
preacher for a
short sermon on
Sunday and Of
ten not even to
nay the trihuta