Article February 2, 1918 Issue

The pastor of Stockton's largest evangelical church intimated...

Stockton (Cal.) Mail

The pastor of Stockton's largest evangelical church intimated from the pulpit last Sunday that the press of Stockton was discriminatory in this: it published pages for a church devoted to the gospel of health and little for other churches.

The reverend gentleman needs to be set right. The lectures to which he refers are published because the organization behind them makes business arrangements to have them published as information. Just as the committee pays for a hall or any other adjunct of publicity, so it recognizes the value of printer's ink in reaching the masses. But this is only one point in the matter. If the critic of the press will read those lectures closely, he will find that they are devoted to an affirmation of what the denomination believes,—that there is no mention, much less any ridicule or abuse, of the faith of any dissenter. Moreover, the Mail always is glad to publish, generously, news for any and all churches, without question or charge.

The practice of bringing lecturers into a city to attack the faith of other people is intolerance of the worst kind. One is tempted to say that it is unchristian. Where men and women have benefited in mind and body and heart by some particular interpretation of Scripture, it is utterly unkind to wound and antagonize them. The world is full of trouble and affliction. Anything that lightens a burden or soothes a troubled mind is worthy of a place among the helpful forces of humanity. It is unfortunate that so many of our evangelical brethren go around belaboring other sects, instead of touching the daily needs of men by practical helpfulness.

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