North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1868-10-07
WHOLE No. 625.
"ShOcking Profanity"

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Under this caption the N. Y. Sunday
Times scores the modern infamy, known
as reformed Jagaios,'' or strumpet, gamb.
ling, filthy holes or helis of that city. The
idea Of preaching the gospel of purity one
hour in the day to a den-full of the most
abandoned Of earth and the use of the bal
lance of days and nights to rat-killing, dog.
fighting, gambling and all the other vices
known tc subterranean New York '::o-
ciety'' is step too low for palliation. The
Saviour of Man plead with publicans and
sinners but he didnot drop into such "helsr
as New York can show merely to amuse
blear-eyed brutes and raise collection of
the profits Of crimes:
1t pains us to state that, in our opinion,
the reverend gentlemen who are conductir Q
the Water street revivals are doing precise
ly what the reverend gentlemen do who
devote their pulrits to political haran cues
instead Of preaching the gospel-they are
bringing religion into disrepute among the
masses of the people. They are making il,
a subject of popular ridcule. They are fill
ing the mouths of the thoughtless multi
tude with impious burlesques and caricat.
ures of sacred things. They are robbing
the divine service of that air of sanctity
which inspires conscientious respect, and
de- grading it to solemR farce which the
natural humor of 'the million converts
into extravaganccs ofthe most prepostcrous
character. Is it any wonder that he In
| fidelity of the Age and the "Extraorlina
ry Increase of Atheism are the usual sub
jects of discussion whenever the clergy OF
any denomination assembled to take re-
view of the signs Of the times ?'' How
can atheism avoid making such advances
while so many of its opponents are engag
ed in holding sacred things up to the pop
ular contempt?
The Water street prayer meetings have
been completely ''run into the ground
to use IN expressive vulgarism. The pre-
tended success of John Allen as convert
has stimulated too much competition, and
the result is not flattcrng to those en- "a ged
in the enterprise. Tommy Haddon'' is
provoked that his conversion has not cx-
cited the necessary sensation, since his
dance house and den of lewdness is as vile
sink of iniquity as Water street can
SAuiDil. Anu now NiC DufnS mas en-
tered the list with his celebrated rat pit.
The Reverend Mr., Wark admits that he
has contracted with Allen and Burns ut SO
much month for the daily use of
their dens of iniquity. Allen, they say,
gets $3.50 and Burns $3.50 month, paid
in advance-Allen consenting to drop his
business of shame altogether, while Burns
only closes his bar for an hour per day,
resuming his dog and rat pit-the usual
| illegal performances-as. soon as divine
service is over. Allen, we observe, has
already commenced to travel, and, when
sober enough, gives religious lectures as
the "Wickedest man in New York. re-
formed. He thinks, possibly, that it will
be more remunerative than keeping a
dancehouse for the lewG or "sllancha-
ing beulddlcd sailors. Whether Mr.
ladden purposes, by and by, to follow his
example We have not heard. and Mr.
Burns remains equally reticent as to the
use he may make of his new moral atti-
tuda when it shall have been established.
We say all this with the highest respect
for true religion, and for all who really
labor under sincere religious convictions ;
but we have no respect for humbugs of
any kind, and TIE worst Of all humbugs is
the one who covers his selfish design with
a cloak of pretended piety.