Recent history textbooks have conspicuously removed references to religion and religious publications, providing a distorted view of American and world history. One such neglected publication, the Boston "Recorder," was founded by Nathaniel Willis in 1816. A Christian newspaper, it was based on three principles: (1) to show theological truth; (2) to put out a concise newspaper, including "the earliest information of all such events as mankind usually deem important;" and (3) to build a circulation among churchgoers and nonchurchgoers alike. The editor's interest in secular and religious information, peculiar for its day, was characterized by specific detail and sensationalist headlines that emphasized human sinfulness and dependence upon God for salvation. It reported natural disasters as retribution from heaven, and tended to focus on God's power rather than that of humans. Despite the newspaper's rapid growth, it was undercut by the development of the Transcendentalist movement, Christian social pessimism, and denominational in-fighting. Under a succession of new editors, the paper focused less on divine intervention in human affairs and the need for salvation, and more often reported people's ability to help themselves. The advent of the penny press and steam driven printing presses finally forced the "Recorder" to merge with the "Puritan" and go out of business. Despite the paper's obscurity, the "Recorder" and religious newspapers like it should be represented fairly in textbooks if they are to provide an accurate understanding of history. (Seventy-three notes are included.) (JC)