Newspaper Page Text
y '
4 THE PRESBYTERIAN
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RELIGIOUS PRESS.
The agencies of the Gospel arc manifold. God has arranged
so that all his people shall have a share in the
salvation of souls and in the joy of the great harvest day.
None will be excluded from such a share.
First come the parents. They do more than all others to
shape the character of their children and lead them to
Christ. Then comes the ministration of tlie preacher.
Along with this is the labor of the Sunday school, and
of the societies of the Church. They all co-operate in
promoting the honor of tlie Redeemer and saving souls.
In this co-operation, where does the religious press come
in? What share does it have in the work of the Lord?
fhe church paper is not a conspicuous factor. Its work
is done in the closet, where other eyes do not penetrate.
Because its work is not obvious some men fail to appreciate
its usefulness. But at the risk of an accusation of
ml t In urA t??!l 1 ?v?a1*a /I 4-^ ?? 1.4-4-1 ~ ^ ? *?
c?vii-iaiiviauuii, v. ? in iiuiim uuiu iu cl lllllC lib
usefulness.
We were present once when one of our foreign missionaries
expressed her estimate of its work. She was starting
for the far East. A man who occupied a place on the
editorial staff of a religious paper was talking to her of her
privilege and wishing that he could have the privilege for
himself of joining the mission band. Her reply was
pointed. "No, we do not want you to go with us to the
foreign mission work. You are doing more for the cause
here at home. We want you to remain at your desk
and week by week to keep our work before the people.''
It is even so. The press has an influence different from
that of the pulpit and this missionary worker had seen it.
The pastor must direct his preaching mainly to the one
subject of penitence and faith. He can not give a message
every week on the subject of missions; he can take it up
only occasionally. But the family journal can give a
column in each issue to this important work. We know
of journals that have done this, every week, for ten, twenty
i-LI-i- A _ ? .4 rr . .
kji win iv years, rrna tne enect has been to prepare the
ground for the recent forward movements in mission
work and to help make these movements successful
and effective.
Not in this sphere only, does the press have a strortf
influence. To a considerable extent it has secured success
to the college work of our land. The uneducated boor does
not want a college education. Only he who has a thirst
for knowledge will want it. This thirst comes through
a training in thinking Thp rtailw k..* i:?i
? O- J UUl HlUC
help in this direction. Even the monthly magazines concern
themselves so largely with fiction as not to develop
the powers of the mind. The family journal is the one
great instrumentality in laying before the child, and the
boy, and the young man, literature that will whet their
appetites for high mental culture.
It is true that the religious paper could not thrive were
it not for the preparation of the readers in the school-room,
to enjoy its columns. The school produces the demand
for the high-class journal; the journal produces the demand
for a college education.
Thp rpliainiic rvrocc ? ? -Ai * * r ' *
ovil<j uiicli me aitemion 01 tne
people to the localities where their help is needed. It
describes the vacancies and opportunities for work, and it
portrays the blessing that follows well directed effort in
these waste places. Thus does it greatly promote the
OF THE SOUTH. May 12, 1909.
x r _ i /~v ...
Piasters cause. CJur orphanages will all testily to the
value of the press in their sustenance.
Perhaps, above all, the greatest work of the religious
journal is in the promotion of Sabbath observance. The
family attend Sabbath school and church in the morning
and at night. Then there is the long afternoon, with no
specific occupation. The temptation to levity is great.
Without some helper many of our youth would not "turn
away the foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day."
tlfM f
w unoiu some provision ior sacred occupation, Satan
would find much mischief for Sunday afternoon. I lere
comes the regular visit of the weekly paper. It comes
with freshness, with something suited for every age, with
that which is not frivolous, and not dry. And through
its influence the Sabbath afternoon is made a season of
profit.
THE EMPTINESS OF SPIRITUALISM.
spiritual existence alter death and immortality
are among the confident and precious beliefs of all
Christians. "He brought life and immortality to light
in the Gospel." Our Church teaches that "The souls
of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness
and do immediately pass into glory." Of the spirit
life after dea^h, "it doth not yet appear what we shall
be." One day there is to be "a revelation of the sons
of God." But many have had a great desire for a .
present knowledge of the spirit world, and sought intercourse
with the spirits of the departed. With some
bereaved and sorrowing ones it is a longing for communion
with friends who have gone within the veil.
With some it is in hope of a confirmation of their
faith of immortality, and with some it is a vain curiosity
to look into things which are not now made manifest.
Xo doubt there will always be people of these
classes, and from them a following be found for the
promoters of various forms of so-called spiritualism.
\\7\.~4. _ ?-1-1 ' - ' - *
w uui it ncia is auoraea tor speculations and legends
and myths, and illusitins, and false claims. Promoters
will he found, some of whom are possessed with
a mania, some of whom are more or less self-deluded,
and some of whom are frauds of the basest and most
contemptible kind.
About fifty years ago, there was an exploitation
of spiritualism in this country beginning with the Fox
sisters and others in .Western New York, originating
a sect, quite widespread in New England and the
west. Communications with the spirit world was
claimed through table rappings and other sounds, and
through certain persons claiming to be mediums.
There were seances and manifestations of spirit-power.
Many times have these things been investigated. Com
mission* anu societies nave been tormed to collate the
facts and test the alleged experiences. Some had
no faith in any communications with spirits yet
thought they found things that, while not supernatural.
were mysterious and could not be brought to
human understanding. So we have had "the trans/vf
?-l-~ U* ?' 1 i-l -1 .
IV.V..W3 ami iciepainy ana mesmerism
and mind reading, a variety of theories and practices
embraced in Occultism. A Psychic Society in Eng- .
land has included in its membership some men of
scier-ej of medicine, of philosophy and psychology.