The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-11
THE PUBLIC MORALITY OF sEw YORK.


THE PUBLIC MORALITY OF rEw YORK
The annual before the City Tract Society wa,
delis cred last evening in the Dutch Reformed Church.
lafayette place, by the Rev. DR.. Adams. There was
large attendance as usual this occasion After the
usual religious exercises DR.. Adams proceeded to deliver
his discourse, OF which We give abstract. He took
HIS text from portion Of the 127th Psalm
Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waket
but in vain"
propose to speak of duties said he citizens in
this great metropolis Public attention has been called
to evils which have raduced the fair name Of our city
but do not consider II my place to adjudcate upon
the subject. II is enough to know that in morals,
honesty and principles It has undergone many changes
OF late which have been most prejudicia TO its charac
ter The aid OF the pulpit has been invoked by OF
the conductors Of the public press who have been
hitherto considered nythng but particular in this re-
gard, just II this has not been the mission OF the
ministry and If 1t had been negectfu Of its duty
II is said that our municipal morality has reached very
low ebb and the pulpit called upon use its power
full influence in staying its downward course Alarmed
a the invasion Of his interests by excessive taxation
the hitherto torpid citizen has been aroused and his
energies called into activity but except the Lord
keepeth the city, the watchman's vigilance is in
vain. The true elements Of morality found
only in the law of God and the doctrines of his Son. The
only peril we have to fear is from the weakening
conscience from internal corruption which we should
fear more than the invasion Of common enemy. Let
see how we are to remedy this and by what means
to dis scbarge our public duty We are most in
danger from extreme poverty and excessive wealth.
The Rev. speaker here proceeded to draw distinction
between the TWO kinds OF poverty to be found in the
world, the first of which might be considered as the In
ctntve to vice. and the second the nursery Of manly
perosm. That poverty which is without INTEL qence
and educason brutalized the man-it made him the ami
NAL with craving wants knowing Law but appetite
and will regarding the rich his natural foes, while
n1np rvuaA cbt t,.r
the country the vicious poor scattered but in the
city they are collected in vast like smothered
volcanoes threatening at moment to burst forth aud
destroy society These were the same who in the
days of the revolution in Paris overturned tho avs
and plunged that city into all the mseres of the reign
Of terror In city the number is increased by
foreign emigration, which furnishes subjects for
prisons and amshouses This is the poverty that mocks
at justice and laughs at retrbution.
At one stride, he continued pass to the oppo-
site sde to show how vast wealth to vitiate pub
lie integrity. As thousands Of the poor struggle man.
thousands of the itch there that grow efemnate in
undue indulgence in luxuries Atheistc impatience of
control follows great wealth often the lowest forms
Of vice attend poverty There is greater vice,
more prolific of immortality, than extravaganza.
me The very essence : Of extray"sance Is injustice and
OF honor are killed Society is already corrupt when
cess Is considered the great aim Of fe-whie the
by which the prize is gained considered Thus
see the two extremes Of life joined, and thus
treme poverty and excessive wealth corrupt the
OF public morality.
IN regard to the poor Christian morality has long
suggested preventive measures. We compelled to
do whatever lies in power, Christians to employ
energies in remedying these evils The poor cannot
be discarded from consideration. We must for
them, for unless lift them up they will drag us
down. Those remedial measures the best which
kndle consciousness by restoring se0respect Educate
their children, and furnish them with the means of
work, for idleness is the Of many vices; and
poverty must be redeemed from idleness IL we would
render services effective. One half the sum
expended in the support of the police wisely laid out for
the physical comfort Of the poor would confer the
greatest benefits the public, and be the most
economical expenditure that could be made Honor
labor, abhor idleness distrust that who in the
absence Of honest livelihood expects to receive his
Of subsistence from the luck of chance. Count
greater than virtue not wealth
than the honest by which it has been acquired
hun extravaganza, turn away from the doatry of
lrde which excites vicious emulation in others. Edu-
cate the mind OF the people, and let the library take the
yace Of the theatre Seek the moral advancement and
religious instruction of whole people, and thus
arrer will be presented against the evils with which
society Is threatened
Another of the evils with which society is beset the
idea that there s something ncongruous in the
ton o. religion with politics. Yet these antago
nstc but the former should always brought TO bear
the latter. Select honest capable and vrtnous
for Office under a religious of your obiga-
tions to and God. Never perver your influence in
this regard. just so far devoid Of honesty
elevated vice s exalted Pray for the peace and pros
perty of our jerusalem pray for Gods blessing upon
arts and commerce; pray that He will give wise
and good rulers, Of truth and pray for wise,
prejudiced manly, religious action.