Year: 1875

Common sense in the Pulpit.


Every now and then an impetuous clergy
man makes up his mind that it is his duty
to reform the press. He reads a newspaper,
and finds an editorial, or a news extract, or
letter from correspondent somewhere,
which does not suit him, and he walks into
the pulpit and denounces the press as vile
institution, and calls upon the faithful to dis
countenance the special newspaper which
has offended him. There is scarcely a month
in which some one of the newspapers is not
under discipline of this kind. Not long
since the HERALD was submitted to a severe
reprimand 10y Catholic and Protestant clergy
men alike. When we came to look into
the matter we found that we offended the
Catholics by publishing report of the open
ing Of the Masonic Temple on Twenty third
street, and by inserting among our reports Of
sermons those of Mr. rockingham and other
diyinos. When we looked into the COM
plants of the Protestants we discovered that
we had given prominence to a report Of the
imposing of the belTetta upon the American
Cardinal, and that our editorial staff was



of the Pope" and that nothing would give
the Herald more satisfaction than to see the
streets of New York running with the blood
of heretics massacred by the faithful.


The truth is that there is scarcely a news
paper published from one end of the year to
the other that will not, if critically con-
sidered, give offence to somebody in the COM
munity. The politician objects to the way
his speech is reported. The buyer of one set
of shares is offended because the money
column reports another set as going up or
going down. Gentlemen who find them
selves in the hands of the police are grieved
at the license of the press which reports their
arraignment and trial among the police
proceedings. The sympathizer with France
is offended at letters from Berlin and the
believer in German unity mourns over de-
spatches from Paris. The newspaper thus
offends some one, just as the weather, rainy
to-day and sunshiny tomorrow, is sure to
annoy somebody. The common sense view
is that the newspaper is the history of yes
terday written to-day that it is the mirror
of the time, and that those who conduct it
care nothing for religious denominations
except to do them justice. The purpose
animating not only the HERALD, but every
respectable journal, is to encourage and fos-
ter all religious beliefs, leaving to each clergy
man the defence of his particular creed. Into
the questions of doctrine it is not our province
to go. When clergymen comment upon
civil affairs, and we find morbid, impatient
officiousness on the part of fervent divines to
the church, it is then our duty to remon-
strate, not so much ON behalf of the State as
in the interest of true religion, which is al
ways injured by these efforts In a country
where there is perfect equality of faith and
absolute freedom of conscience the press and
the pulpit have a similar mission. We have
as much pride in the advancement of
America in the development of intelligence
and morality and the elevation of this people
to the highest standard among nations as any
clergyman, whether he serves the Pope or
General Assembly. And this we may say of
the press universally. The common sense
view of this question is that the press and
the pulpit have common aim. They assist
each other. They are among the pillars of
our civilization. Upon their freedom we
depend largely for our liberty.