The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-10
NEW YORKLSMS.
From Our OVn Correspondent.

WasnerW0man, who, next to sitting down 10
hot dish of tea with her sleeves rolled up to her
elbows, enjoyed nothing on earth 80 much as
conversation in respect to her own and her
neighbots' souls. Indeed, she used to speculate
upon the condition OF your soul as though It
was go much cheese, and whether you were
sound or unsound would not long remain
undiscovered by her, if you once came within
the sweep of the radius represented by Aunt
Pollys wash-brush handle. "Chile," she used
to say, pausing in her white.washing, with a
look of solemn adjuration, "Chile, your soul
was made for better tipgs than to go dancing
around in the Devils den forever and for
ever, through all eternity, like hen on hot
griddle." And truth to tell, Aunt Polly's words
had all the power due 10 rude and grotesque
picturesquepess.
l am led to these apparently disconnected
remarks by the fact that John Allen, who, like
another great man, awoke one morning and
found himself famous, is announced as CON
verted and on the road TO glory. The sobriquet
of the "W1ckedest," only continues to be be-
slowed upon him because 1t was by that he
achieved his greatness-just as the vouptuous
Felicita will always be known as Vestvali the
magnificent, and Edwin Forrest as the eminent
and Lucille Western as the young, the talented,
and the beautiful. And now one word about his
sincerity. Don't you, dear Philadelphia public.
in writing to whom always feel at home, be-
1ieve that this repentant dance-house keeper is
sincere. You know his history, kfrom first
to last, as well as l do. Copous ex-
tracts from the New York newspapers
have informed you WHO aud what he
is, and here you have the fact staring you in
the face, that he has abandoned his old business,
and is trying to act as though he heard "Eter.
nifty !" ringing perpetually in his ears. His late
dance house will be the nucleus of a revival
which, If managed rightly, and not pushed with
indiscreet ZEAL may embrace thousands of the
sin.soaked sinners of New York. If John Allen
sticks to his promise and his prayers, he might
go around among the infected human brutes OF
Water street, living bottle OF moral and reli.
gious carbolc acid the mouth unsupported
and the acid flowing forth like balm, to heal
and sweeten the dark places In questions OF
this delicate and dangerous nature, it is easy to
cay that such a line of conduct ought to be
pursued, but difficult to feel that what we say is
true. Many of tie religious and well-meaning
frequenters of these Water street prayer meet
ings, some of the most sweet and spotless ladies
and gentlemen in New York-fail from lack
of knowledge of that phase of religious life and
of the tact necessary for them to successfully
address Themselves to the men and women
there who have sunk so low, that to sink lower
would seem impossible. Yet even an imperfect
piety, low plane of religion are better than no
piety and religion at ALL To one who has OBJ
served much, and thought much upon
subjects akin 10 this, it will be |
apparent, that of all the multitudinous |
religions throughout the world, those in which |
sincerity predominates must be most acceptable
call God. do not expect the narrow ritualist
to find the smallest modcum of heavenly Joy
when be reads that John Allen is converted at
last. But thousands in this city, among the
Methodists and Baptsts, probably, more than
among the religious of other denominations,
will shed tears of sacred JOY on earth, aud so
keep time with the angels in heaven, who are
said to take interest in repentant reprobates.
These low levels of religion address themselves
to people whose minds and morals are on a low
level; and it is better that John Allen should
turn out 10 be officious in the pulpit, than that
he should lemain profane behind the bar.
And since l am on igon, permit me to |
observe that now that the watering-places have |
collapsed, the religious interests generally are |
cropping out again. The home missions are !
being contributed to the open air preachings |
have lately been largely attended, though / |
hope that hearts have not been warmed at tue |
expense of colds in the head; Catholic. Epijco |
pal, Congregational, and Reformed Churches |
are being opened subsequent to the lobbies being |
repalnted, the aisles rematted, and engagements |
effected lat an immense outlay y with frst.class |
solos and choristers. In fact, the outside of the |
cup and platter is beautiful to look upon, and IT,
inside, all is rottenness, why the temples of God
in this city are no worse than His temples else
where. |
That funny, wrinkled, whitehaired, witty, |
supplemented ventrlloquial prestdigitateur |
Signor Blitz is at Dodworth Hall here, enchant- |
ing youngsters as completely as his brilliant |
daughter, Madame Van Zandt, is enchanting |
more fastidious audiences In London, Paris, |
Stockholm, st. Petersburg-and where not?
Has he published his autobiography yet? /
thought perhaps he might have done so in
surreptitious manner $50 to speak) in Philadel |
phia, instead of appealing at once, through the
liberal.miuded Carleton Il can't say whether
the latter is as liberal pocketed), to the broad
and genial sympathies of Gotham. That
autobiography, which to my certain knowledge
has been under way for years, would certainly
find hundreds-perhaps / might say thou
sands of readers in Philadelphia; and
if the rhetorical grace with which they are
delivered is half as pleasant as the native grace
with which he tells them, am pretty certain he
will please young and ola alike.
How old Falsta6 Hackett is do not pretend
to say, but he is surely old enough TO have
grown out of his own memory. At any rate he
has made engagements 10 appear in New York
Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and finally in
London, after having finished a shooting eXped- |