Monday, October 06, 2003

One of the most famous editor’s of the New York Times was a man by the name of Louis Jennings. He was a pioneer of American Journalism. He was editor of the New York Times during the 1870’s. He was a committed Christian and became a staunch supporter of the pro-life movement. He decided to use the influence of the New York Times to change public opinion. He began his campaign on this day, 133 years ago. He knew the power of the printed page and he used it expertly.

He started his campaign with an editorial that was called “The Least of These Little Ones.” He said in this editorial that “the perpetration of infant murder . . . is rank and smells to heaven.” He had a young couple pose as an abortion minded couple and go into one of the abortion businesses in New York City. From the information that they picked up, they later wrote a hard-hitting feature which was entitled “The Evil of the Age.” It showed how thousands of human beings were murdered before they have seen the light of the world.”

Newspaper crusaders know that once the basic facts are laid out and readers become aware of a problem, a specific incident is still needed to galvanize the public. It was not long before such a story arose in New York. It was the story of a young woman who was found crammed inside a trunk in a railroad baggage room. The autopsy showed she had died while aborting her baby. The New York Times ran with story and showed the life-destroying arts of the abortionists in New York.

It was not long before the AMA (American Medical Association) joined in with the New York Times with a report that was widely circulated emphasizing, “the safety of the child” and denouncing “the perverted views of morality” underlying abortions.

It was the leadership and the national visibility of his paper that ultimately swayed both the legal and the medical establishment to publicly denounce abortion as murder. We can learn from this that the greatest weapon we have in life is truth. It takes the boldness of Christians who are willing to proclaim the truth against a world that does not want the truth and cannot handle the truth. If we are going to be salt and light in this world, it will only happen when we are willing to boldly proclaim the good news of the Lord Jesus! May the Lord again raise up men and women who have the boldness and conviction of Louis Jennings!

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