A PULPIT REFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14055, 29 May 1911, Page 7

A PULPIT REFERENCE.

In St. Paul's Church last evening, tho Rev. Thos. Tait, M.A., made complimentary reference to tho jubilee of "Tho Press." His subject was '"Tlio Spirit of Discontent." He remarked that there was hardly an issue of a modern newspaper which did not in somo way yoico tho spirit of discontent. He distinguished between that noble discontent which lay at the foundation of all true progress, and tho ignoble discontent which indulged in the sneering caricature of men and movements,' institutions and Ministries, which, in spite of acknowledged defects, aimed at the uplifting of humanity. There were two corresponding types of journalism: One was for ever sniffing about for somo cause of offence to feed a.morbid appetite for tales of baseness or hypocrisy or vice; tho other type was diametrically opposed to this in policy and tone, and ho was pleased to saY in this connection a word in commendation of the Christchurch "Press," wluch had been receiving well deserved praise on the occasion of its jubilee. Tho management and leadership of this journal exercised a wise discrimination in what it refused to insert in.its columns, and it was evident that it sought to maintain the desirable ideal of guiding public opinion in tho direction of righteousness. It refused to minister to low tastes, and it manifested a generous sympathy with what was best in moral and religious institutions ands movements, and it seemed to endeavour to stir up only that noble kind of discontent which" was inseparable from a desire to help on the weal and betterment of the community. (