Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

position. Its tendency is certainly in theright direction, for the Sunday press containsnew matter suitable for the reading of those ofmoral and religious inclination." We areeorry to read these words from a professedpreacher of righteousness. The Sunday papersin general do not come anywhere near " religiousand moral truth." If the news of theturf, page after page of secular advertisements,book and prize coupons to induce the unwaryto contribute to the circulation, if such as• these contribute to religious instruction, thentruly the press is a power, not for reformation,but tending towards degradation of characterand morals. The Sunday newspaper is, andwe are thankful for it, not professedly religiousin its inclinations and ambitions. We regretthat its apologists profess to be moral andreligious, and at the same time try to clasp intheir bosoms infidelity and open profanity.Horace Greeley once said, "Six daily newspapersrequire six days of work, but seven dailyT h e Ghristian Icationpapers require seven days of work." It istrue. It is often said in excuse that to issueA Journal of Christian Civilization. Monday's morning paper the pressmen mustbreak the Sabbath day. In Greeley's timeWEDNESDAY, MARCH 29,1893.New Yobk.this fallacy was proved to be such. It was thecustom in the Tribune office "in those days towork till midnight on Saturday and to resumeTerms: 5 cents a copy; $ 1 50 a year, m advanceJohn W. Pritchard,Editob awd Managbb.Associate Editors:Rev. W. J. Coleman,Eev. 0. D. Trumbull, D. D.,Prof. J. M. Coleman.Department Editors :Departmentof Missions, Hev. F. M. Foster.Sabbath School Lesson, Rev. T. P. Robb.Primary S. S. Lesson, Grace Hamilton George.Prayermeeting Topic, Rev. T. H. Acheson.Christian Endeavor, Rev. T. Holmes Walker.The Week in Review, Prof. J. M. Littlejohn.JAterary, Educational, Harriet S. Pritchard.Helpful Corner, Rev. Wm. Littlejohn.Children's Corner:Hrs. Eev. E. J. George, Mrs. M. S. Gibson,Beaver Falls, Pa.New Castle, Pa.THE SUNDAY PRESS.Charies A. Briggs in the Commercial Advertiser,writes as follows: "I have been especiallyinterested in the development of theSunday press, which is comparatively recent.At first I was prejudiced against it, and wouldnot permit any reading of th< se Sunday newspapers.Whether it is regrettable or not, Inow realize that the Sunday press is a permanentinstitution; that thousands of religiouspeople recognize and approve it, and that itcan be made a power for vast good. My hopeand belief is that in the next century it will becultivated by persons of high character and bemade one of the engines for the dissemination.of religious and moral truths and information,•BO that persons of such inclination can rely"Upon it for those things which they desire, and.meanwhile its influence will reach in this•direction others who are not of religious dis­CHRISIIAN NATION. Volume 18.at midnight on Sabbath, and thus tho Lord'sday was kept and as fine a paper produced asis produced to-day by a Sabbath-breakingpress. Conspicuous among the band of lawlessbreakers of God's coinmand is the pressof this country. What an example to thealready multitudinous numbers of liquor sellers,gamblers, thieves, and social pests who hateeverything moral and religious? It is thepress that encourages these other evils, forthey break down the line that separates themoral from the immoral, they denounce theSabbath as an antiquated institution of puritanicdays. They are constantly censuringthe over strictness of Sabbatarians, quibblingover a demand for lil erty, and protesting thatthe sons are not like the fathers needing such.restrictive piety. It is this that is demoralizingthe moral sense of the people. For over ahundred years the people of this land haveenjoyed peace and prosperity under a Sabbathlaw, though it has been persistently violatedby men of regardless disposition. To-dsy theonly classes who are dissatisfied with theSabbath law "are the vicious and criminalclasses, together with an irreligious crowd whodesire to pass the day in dissipation andamusement, and those who want to makemoney on that day as on other days of theweek." In the list of such we class " theSatanic Press " that does more to encouragethe spirit of irreligion and lawlessness than.auy other organization in our midst.DEFECTS OF A LITURGY.The Archbishop of Canterbury in replyingto a member of Parliament, who asked him toorder a special day of prayer in connectionwith the Home Rule Crisis, writes, "Thereare difficulties as you are aware, in the way ofenacting a new form of prayer such as yousuggest should now be put for use at the presentcrisis." Perhaps never was the weaknessof a set form of prayer exposed with greaterforce than in theee words of Dr. Benson. Itis a serious matter and yet one cannot helptreating it as almost a joke. It seems strangethat when in an emergency a preacher is askedto pray, he should have to say: " I cannot pray,as there is no suitable prayer in my book."It reminds us of the story told of the Chicagofire. During the progress of the confiagrationsome liturgical Christians met for prayer, andbeing unable to find a suitable form in thebook betook themselves to the form prescribedfor a service at sea when the steamer is in theperils ot a terrific storm. It is a slander upona Christianity that was gifted with an AlmightySpirit to make intercessions within and forhis people, that individuals, congregations,preachers cannot'present to God their desireswithout consulting a book that contains the setphraseology of a church council. Surelyifanything is free and individual in a person'srelation with God it is his prayer, which is" the offering up of our desires to God."TheV^eek.Ex-President Harrison is to be offered the Presidencyof the Indiana 8 tate University at Bloomington,bythe Trustees. He will be asked to give only alimited amount of his personal attention to the Institution.—A national crisis seems impending in Germany.The refusal of Chancellor Caprivi to abate his demandson the Army Bill is a surprise to many. TheArmy Bill has been defeated in Oommittee, and thisis an indication of its defeat inthe Reichstag. Anearly dissolution is to take plaoe. It will be seenwhether the people are-to be coerced by an Emperorand his imperial chancellor into the acceptance of anypolicy they desire to initiate.—The Socialists at Roubaix, France, stormed a hallin which CathoKos were holding a v^i'^'ate meeting,.and rushed into the building breaking np the congregationand destroying their crucifixes. Seveialmen and women were severely injured.—The United States Courts have enjoined the societiesof engineers and flremen, not only to prohibitthe ordering of a strike and boycott on the Ann Arborfreighters, but also .forbidding them to quit workwithout giving notice individually. Judge Ricks haacommanded the labor chiefs to bring the vital part ofthe laws of their secret organizations into court for itspersonal investigation and poseiMe action lhereupon|-^ppeLeo listened tothe voice.of the dead Car^dinal Manning through a phonograph, and was bomuch aflfected that he granted a request made to himand has promised to send a message to the UnitedStates by means of that most wonderful instrumenton the occasion of the opening of the World's Fair.It will be the first instance of a Pope speaking onAmerican soil.— A bill has been introdnc d in the PennsylvaniaLegislature providing that persons addicted to intoxi"eating drink should not be eligible to any office createdby statutory law. It is based on the idea that habitualintemperance is a species of insanity. A person whohas been seen drunk in public within a year prior tohis appointment or election comes under the pro-.scription of the Bill. Singularly enough members oflegislatures are exempt from its provisions. It isdifficult to see how law-makers are exempt from thepernicious effects of strong drink while others suffer,—News has come from Bremen that the steamerCoventry passed two life-boats bearing the name N»-ronic on March 4th, near Sable Island. Judging fromtbis the steamship must have been lost in the storm.There is no news of any of the crew being saved.—A cyclone swept over Mississippi and Teiineaseelast week, the town of Tunica being blown away, andseveral people killed and inj ired. Suveral smallvillages have suflfered severely. From' the north-west,advices indicate that a severe storm has been raginffor some days, chiefly in Minn., Wisconsin, Illinoisand Nebraska.—The Court of Arbitration in the Behring 6e»question met in Paris and was welcomed by M.Deville, the French Foreign Minister. Baron Gal