The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-15
DARK AND BR14HT SIDE OF LON DON.

DARK AND BRI4HT SIDE OF LON DON,
The moral and religious interests of London
are as vast as its material interests. One is just
as much ast0nished at contrasts and extremes in
this respect as in the physical condition OF things.
As wealth and poverty stare at each other in Lon
don, SO do virtue and crime. Al first, one is inn
pressed with the bcggory and squalid wrctchcd-
ness which force themselves upon his attention;
and then, on the other hand, he is gradually find
ing out what measureess amount of Christian
charity and pity is all the time at work. It may
be that the vices of great cities are more easily
found out than their virtues. TO discover the
latter one mast find access TO the religious por-
tion Of society and enter the avenues Of Christian
labor, which he will find almost thronged with
those who wish well to their race.
AS TO the dark side of the picture l find on
my table n copy of the Ereai5g STANDARD of this
city, dated June IL, which discusses, in an cdi-
torial, the bill then pending in Parliament for
closing all taverns and refreshmeut rooms in
london from l until 4 o'clock in the morning.
It is Government measure introduced by Sir
George Grey. The Standard says -
"Attcmpts have been made to disparage
the scheme as an Imperial veto upon the gas
light evities Of the Haymarket
But they know little of London who fancy
that narrow region abuttng upon Leicester
which eats into our metropolitan midnight
Far and wide, in the heart and in the limbs of
our Babylon, the disease exists; IL is vile and
putrescent everywhere, and breaks forth in
the rocking dens of gin and blasphemy, in
the human wilderness beyond the Tower, no
less than in the plategass palaces and snug
mansions OF professional intamy at the West
End. The Haymarkct IS we say,
-zuS the streets contiguous to it are, after the
time indicated, puS'ic nui'anees, scandals, and
denominations. At particular nour, night is
made beautiful for few moments I'm the season
by the graceful throngs pouring through the por-
tails Of the Opera House. After that and until
dawn, the neighboring thoroughflres are hideous
with an insolent glitter of vice and turbulent with
the language of prohlgaey, at its highest pitch.
we do not think that even the typical
i--4~ 15pndon can affect to feel aggreyed because
ie Sosnnot gluttonize upon stcwed and broiled, or
ssent g himself with yilanous liquor between the
III o. and fourth hour of the day
As contraSted with all this ] might give you
pictures Of charming beauty. representing the
moral elevation and Christian devotion of other
portions OF this vast population Charity is a
thing much in vogue here, from the Queen and
the royal family through all classes. We have
all learned to love the virtues of the Queen. We
have heard of her personal visits in the dwellings
of the lowly. The Christian nobility interest
themselves in similar deeds Of kindness. Vast
sums of money are expended. Vast establish
ments are maintained TO comfort and protect and
elevate various classes Of society. 1t would be a
serious undertaking to give your readers any
Of the charities of London.
Isuppose there is no city in the world where the
like il found in equal degree. | was present at
the epening OF a free Tabernacle last evening at
Noting Hill in the West End, where l assisted
in the services, the sermon being preached by
Rev. DIR. Edmond, Of the United Presbyterian
church in this city. The curious thing about it
was that the editiCe, which cost some $1,000, was
erected at the expense of a single individual, as
sisted by his father.in-law. This generous per-
son is butcher, who carries on his business,
and besides that, is the acting minister Of the
Tabernacle.
Thus the struggle goes on in this great world of
London. Antsgonisms are busy in Church and
in State. In the Establishment, never hOmOge-
neous, we now find ritualism developing itself at
frightiul rate. IL would seem as II the great
blessings Of the Reformation are 10 be thrown
away as worse than useless, and the English
Church is 10 be dragged back to Popery as fast
as the thing can be decently done. On the other
hand, evangelical religion is struggling in high
places and in lower ones 70 stem this tide OF for
maism. Very happily, some Of the important
positions in the Church have recently been filled
by men of the right stamp. Meanwhile, Broad
Churchism is undermining the faith OF the nation
and doing what It can TO destroy the power of
evange ical religion. The curious combination OF
the PuseyiteS and the Evangelical party to oppose
the Broad Church movement seems thing desi-
rable in Que view, and yet it involves great dan
ger, viz. that the purity and courage OF the
Evangelical party will be damaged by this unna-
tural alliance.
The more one secs of London in its moral
aspects the more imposing seems the issue which
is Joined here between truth and error, light and
darkness. It is a thought intolerabe that formal
ism and infdeity should creep through the
Church, and pervade all its fountains OF inhu'
ence. Alas for England if this must be the case
On the other hand, the struggle of true men o
God against every form of evil in this metropo
is entitled TO the sympathies and prayers OF every
Christian the world over Speaking of the eX
tremes which London presents, calls to minC
some lines which will insert in my letter. They
are written by my friend and OLD schoolmastcr
Dir. John ID. Sherwood, of New York.
"On the Thames lity stands,
Crowded, rich, and gay
Almoner of many lands
The Centuries highway
Traffic crowds her busy streets;
Fashion greets the eye:
Wealth with Poverty there meets
Rags with Royalty.
Meath the Abbey towering spire
Rest the hOnored cad -
By that vast expiring ire,
Meath that squulid shed,
WretChed want
Famine gaunt
Lays It's restless head.
''In st. James-gold and lace
In ST. Giles want, disgrace!
High the noble--rCh the rich
Low the lOwly-dcep the ditch 90
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