Here Chesterton takes a swipe at religious journalists. That is, secular journalists who write about religion. If you’ve ever read any of this stuff, even in your local paper, you’ll know what he’s talking about. I’ve heard that, to this day, Britain has a history of being especially bad at this.
…they will complain that a sermon cannot be interrupted, and call a pulpit a coward’s castle; though they do not call an editor’s office a coward’s castle. It would be unjust both to journalists and priests; but it would be much truer of journalists. The clergyman appears in person and could easily be kicked as he came out of church; the journalist conceals even his name so that nobody can kick him. They write wild and pointless articles and letters in the press about why the churches are empty, without even going there to find out if they are empty, or which of them are empty. Their suggestions are more vapid and vacant than the most insipid curate in a three-act farce…
-G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man, p.?