Editorial Responsibility.
By Editor
A GENTLEMAN who announces himself as a free-thinker, sends us a communication devoted to a criticism of the matter contained in the SIGNS, which he classes among the literature of the insane. In a note he says, “If the article appears, please send me a copy, and I’ll subscribe, believing you to be strong enough in the faith to give all a fair hearing—a rare quality in religious editors.” We notice this merely on account of an idea which is too prevalent. It is that a journal, in order to be fair, must publish everything—give as much space to the opposite as it does to those views which it especially advocates. Many editors seem to favor this idea and publish the opinion of everybody, thinking to relieve themselves of all responsibility by saying that “the editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions of correspondents.” We do not believe a man can shirk responsibility in that way. A journal is a teacher, and the managers are as responsible for what it teaches as though they spoke orally from the pulpit. If a teacher has convictions on any great question, he should speak them boldly and unequivocally; if he has none of his own, let him hold his peace, and not be a mere mouth-piece for others. There are thousands of papers devoted to politics, sensational literature, and infidelity. People who wish reading matter on a special subject, know where to find it. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is just what its name implies, and is devoted to the spread of Bible truth, especially that which most concerns the present time. There are many journals that are trying to tear down what we are trying to build up; we do not propose to give any aid or comfort to the enemy. We do not mean that any one shall say that we have given an uncertain sound in our warning. While we cannot give even a synopsis of the entire truth in any one issue, we mean to see that no error is printed. When we are requested to publish error, except it be for the express purpose of pointing out that error, so that people may shun it, we will reply as did Nehemiah, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”