THE PRESS AS A RELIGIOUS AGENCY 349 



ism," derived from a series of ninety pamphlets known as the 

 Oxford Tracts, or Tracts for the Times, published at Oxford be- 

 tween 1833 and 1841. These tracts, written by Newman, Fronde, 

 Pusey, and Isaac Williams, " actually checked the liberalizing 

 tendency in ecclesiasticism and theology, and finally developed a 

 system of religious opinion and practice that to this day divides 

 the Church of England," 



On one of those tracts, the last of the series, No. 90, an issue 

 arose. The tract, which was written by Newman and taught that 

 " the Articles of the Church of England could be so interpreted as 

 not to collide with the doctrines of the Council of Trent, was con- 

 demned by a number of bishops and heads of colleges; where- 

 upon Newman and others entered the Church of Rome, leaving the 

 followers of Dr. Pusey to propagate the views held by them all 

 up to that point in the Church of England." It cannot be doubted 

 that the issuing of those ideas in tracts or pamphlets exerted a 

 far greater influence than could have been attained by the issue 

 of books. But after the leaven had worked, the tracts were 

 collected in volumes and continue to this day to exert what may 

 be called a posthumous influence. 



The Pamphlet 



Pamphlets have been the short swords in political, social, and 

 religious duels. Two hundred years ago almost all the battles in 

 England were fought with pamphlets, and Isaac Disraeli says of 

 England: " Wherever pamphlets abound, there is freedom; and, 

 therefore, have we been a nation of pamphleteers." It has been 

 affirmed that the first French Revolution was promoted more by 

 pamphleteers than by orators. In all times of unrest sentiment- 

 making has been more by pamphlets than by books of large size. 

 Monographs in science usually contain the latest results; tomes 

 comes later. Decisions of great judges appear first in this 

 form. 



The after influence of speeches and sermons is magnified a 

 thousandfold by the use of the pamphlet. By its very nature it 

 can be thrust into the pocket; it can be left here and there; and 

 it would not be extravagant to say that in all critical periods of 

 development since printing became general, pamphlets have been 

 among the powers behind the throne. 



McMaster's History of the United States includes many side- 

 lights that never could have been discovered except by his pains- 

 taking investigation of pamphlets. Thomas Paine's Common 

 Sense Pamphlets, prior to and in the Revolutionary War, were 

 almost worth a brigade to the American cause. For these and 



