anic evil--below
this lowest deep there is _not_ a lower still. There is no cure for
mortification of the flesh--there is no remedy for ossification of the
heart. Oh! that miserable state, when to the jaundiced eye all good
transforms itself into evil, and the very instruments of health
become the poison of disease. Beware of every approach of
this!--Beware of that spirit which controversy fosters, of watching
only for the evil in the character of an antagonist!--Beware of that
habit which becomes the slanderer's life, of magnifying every speck of
evil and closing the eye to goodness!--till at last men arrive at the
state in which generous, universal love (which is heaven) becomes
impossible, and a suspicious, universal hate takes possession of the
heart, and _that_ is hell!

There is one peculiar manifestation of this spirit to which I desire
specially to direct your attention.

The politics of the community are guided by the political press. The
religious views of a vast number are formed by that portion of the
press which is called religious; it becomes, therefore, a matter of
deepest interest to inquire what is the spirit of that "religious
press." I am not asking you what are the views maintained--whether
Evangelical, Anglican, or Romish--but what is the _spirit_ of that
fountain from which the religious life of so many is nourished?

Let any man cast his eye over the pages of this portion of the
press--it matters little to which party the newspaper or the journal
may belong--he will be startled to find the characters of those whom
he has most deeply reverenced, whose hearts he knows, whose integrity
and life are above suspicion, held up to scorn and hatred: the organ
of one party is established against the organ of another, and it is
the recognised office of each to point out with microscopic care the
names of those whose views are to be shunned; and in order that these
may be the more shrunk from, the characters of those who hold such
opinions are traduced and vilified. There is no personality too
mean--there is no insinuation too audacious or too false for the
recklessness of these daring slanderers. I do not like to use the
expression, lest it should appear to be merely one of theatrical
vehemence; but I say it in all seriousness, adopting the inspired
language of the Bible, and using it advisedly and with accurate
meaning, the spirit which guides the "religious press" of