PULPIT AND THE PRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 24, 25 January 1901, Page 4

PULPIT AND THE PRESS.

At the Bapt'st Conference held recently in Christcbnrcb, a discussion tco's plrcb on " tbe misiio-i rf the Press." To the Rrv, Mr. Martin was al'etfced th* taek of opening a discission entitled generally "Christianity in Relation to the Press" The reverend gentleman deserves the congratulation »r.d th=in!ts of nil who conduct oar public journals for the aVe and essent'.al'y impa?ti*l manner in which he Ami with hi' interesting aud important sabj en. His frank and hrnest adoiissi m that the ttheldonian att« mpt to prod oca an ideal newspaper »ipr ally failed, waa fol owed by certtio remarks concerning "ideal journalism " which mir't tbe attention of nfct a few worthy, but ill-informeJ poplp, who »re everlastingly taking delight in lecturing newspaper editors on what tiey are pleased to consider the right and proptr way in which to conduct a public journal. Whilst jusirifiabl? b'&ming what has been called the "Yelbw Press" for its deiibarate cultivation of an ultra-sensational tone for sacrificing accaracy to the basest motives of monetary gain, Mr. Martin boldly alleged thab if ideal jouraa'i«mi meant ranoing the blue pencil through every incident ofhumin life th»t was " vice " it were better to be served by J3urna'fcts whose motto was truth. We should ha argued, be thankful for the agency that Tefle.'ttd public opinion and life it was, for then only could we arrive at a true understanding of the spirit of this age in which we liveJ, and the tone and temper cf the public mind which Christianity sought to im- 1 prove. It is pleasant to rotic 9 that the speaker at the Baptist Conference credited the colonial press with standing in the line with the Borne journals for purity and progress of social muncipal and national ,ife life." The prew he farther remarked, aidsd Christianity im dirrct'ng attent'on to social abuses that had their basis in Irreligion, and he made special mention of the fact that New Zealand papers had late'y done signal servico by drawing attention to the decline in the Colony's birth rate. A pointed criticism on such a matter from the editor's chair war, in the opinion of the gpeiktr, t«th easier and more effec ive than any utterance from the pulpit.