PULPIT OR PRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 88

PULPIT OR PRESS.

WHICH EXERTS THE GREATER

INFLUENCE FOR GOOD?

An open conference was the order of the day a,t tho meeting of the Central Brotherhood, held in the Garrison Hall on Sunday afternoon. Mr H. H. Driver occupied the chair, and after the usual preliminaries called upon Mr J. W. Blackwood to open the debate for the pulpit. Newspapers, said the speaker, were only commenced with a view to money-making. There were no other considerations when a paper was started. The newspaper did not lead the way in any great campaign against evil, such as the no-license campaign. The whole issue had been raised in the pulpit, and ho would assort that the pulpit was the greater influence for goad because of the superior nature of the subjects dealt with. In the second place, greater good came from the work of the pulpit because of the peculiar personal power attaching to the spoken word. One need only refer to letter-writing, where a common experience was to the effect that in the case of an important matter the writer would much rather tell than write his message because of possible misapprehension. Something might be 6aid of the effect of personal magnetism in a speaker. The work of the pulpit was steady. Ho knew of a certain paper the politics of which seven years ago was hardly to be gathered, and the teaching of the pulpit at least could not be called to account in thi6 same way. Mr R. N. Adams spoke for tho press. He differed from the previous speaker, and said that the press was certainly the greater influence for good because the pulpit spoke only a few minutes on on© day out of seven. He showed, too, what an infliction even this period was to many, and made several observations on the general lack of sympathy on the part of the general public to pulpit work. There was everywhere a want of popular sympathy between the pulpit and tho people, which he himself regretted very much. The pulpit did not reach the masses, and certainly did not svvav the classes. It was the discovery of the art of printing that made the reformation possible. In the case of Martin Luther it was not the power of his preaching so much as the power of his writing that wrought so much good. It was the power of the press that enabled Tyndal to print and publish the Bible. Then take C. H. Spurgeon'e sermons. Whilst there were many who had heaid Spurgcon preach, there had been millions who had been enabled to read his sermon', to their etoinal Rood. thiough tho medium of tlie press. He then epoke of tho educational value of the press, and how the whole scholastic system would not bo po-isiblc without the aid of the press. The pre-s provided, the common people with the result of scientific research. Tho missionary oft-times had to set up his printing press beforo his pulpit. The speaker closed bis address by a reference to tho work of the colporteurs, who were really agents of tho press. The Chairman, in speaking, thought that the subject had been broadened, and the matter for discussion lost sight of. The press in that instance, he thought, referred to the dail.y newspaper, and with that in view further discussion was impracticable. Mr Blackwood replied to clear himself, and wished to say that he was with Mr Adams all tho time. After ono or two had spoken it was felt that the discussion should be continued later on. The men present very heartily onplauded the speakers for their efforts, and at the wish of those preFcnt Mr Adams was requested to put his paper into print for further us©.