PULPIT-AND PRESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10131, 7 June 1924, Page 5

PULPIT-AND PRESS.

VIEWS ON MODERN JOURNALISM.

' Speaking on “The Pulpit and the Press” at St. Margaret Pattens, Eastcheap, during March, the Rev. B. L. Macassey, vicar of St. Peter’s, Hammersmith, said the Press could teach the-pulpit- much—clarity of thought, direct narrative, and simplicity of style, reports the “Manchester Guardian.” Journalism to-day was a scientic profession, demanding gifts of intellect and character of the first order. One would, moreover, meet in Fleet street a purer brand of the milk of human kindness than that obtainable in “The High” at Oxford. Even deans became more human after a course of the waters of the Fleet. One day a newspaper proprietor would make a fortune by starting a church newspaper, wherein the religions topics would be handled by Fleet street experts in human nature, instead of by experts in church embroidery or internationalism. Such a newspaper would bring to bear bn the Church the thing it most needed' to-day, the force of public opinion. All reforms were brought about by-public opinion, which it was the function of the Press to create and 1 reflect. For example, we badly needed a time-limit for both prelate and parson in the Church of England. No man ought to be allowed to run a big diocese for more than ten years. Would England tolerate a life tenure of the Premiership? Why should the souls of men be less important than their taxes? “The power of the Press to-day is what it is because it is no longer possible for anyone to ‘rig’ the Press he concluded. “Fleet street to-day fears no man, on oven woman, on this earth, whether they live in Downing street or Clydeside. Inflexible fairness always wins a hearing. That is the very first the parson learns in the pulpit.”