The New York herald., 1871-09-18
RELIGIOUS.
The Sermons Yesterday in The MetrOpO-
Lis and Elsewhere.
CIVIL CORRUPTION CEWSURED.
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The Moral Reformation Of New York City TO
Come from tbe Young Men.
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NEW YORK WORSE THAN PARIS.
Spiritual Orations from the Vari-
GUS Christian Pulpits.
THE sPIRITUALIsTS IN COUNCIL.
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Discourses by the Rev. Drs. Thompson and
0gilvie, Rev. Messrs Hspworth, Giles
and Hall, and Rev Fathers
Cazaau and McCrsady.
Spiritual OratiOns from the Vari-
GUS Christian Pulpits.
TIE sPIRIIUALIsrs IN COUNCIL.
CITY CORRUPTION.

V1kI VDhNtE l.VNs
Tho Cnuses and tie Observation-Disclosures by
Rev. DIR. Thompson in the Broadway Tnber-
nacle.
The Broadway Tabernacle was thronged last
night with multitude drawn together to hear
the Rev. Dr. Thompson talk to Young men on the
causes of social corruption and the cure therefor.
He took rather lengthy text but one so truly
descriptive OF city affairs to need very little
further comment or illustraton-Isaiah liX.-''Your
mlquities have separated between you and your
God and your sins have hid His face from you that
He VIII not hear. For your hands are deHled with
blood and your fingers with iniqulty; your lips
spoken lies, your tongue hath mutiered perverse-
ness none cale,h for justice any plead
eth for truth There is no
judgment in their gongs; they have made them
crooked paths. For our transgressons are
multiplied before thee and our SINS testify against
us: for our ransgressions are with us and we know
them; IN transgressing and lying against the Lord
and departing away from our God, speaking op-
preston and revolt, conceivng ana uttcring from
the heart words Of 1alsehooanand Isaiah l.,
to 9, inclusive, ana %. which describes the
rottenness of Jerusalem whose ''whole head is SICK
and tie whole heart ialnt, ana from the crown OF
the head unto the soles OF the leet
THERE Is NO soUNDNESs IN II,
but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores,' sc.
Is never pleasant, the Doctor said, stir up d
corrupt pool; hut, surrounded as we are with such
prodlgous evll, it Is time 10 bring out the disn-
fectaDts. and We must endure the temporary stir.
ring up of the pool for the sake OF lis permanent
cleansing. What mass OF corruption do we ind
cnging to public offices and public men Isaiah
was right in declaring that the whole head is sick
and the whole heart faint and there is soundness
In our city government. And he (1hompson) was
not al all taken by surprise Ivy the events of the
present hour, for In 1861 AT the close OF the war; he
sdli IN has pulpit that the republic when had
proved nseli so strong IN war was liable to be
undermined by wealth and luxury, Sampson
would vet be shorn OF his strength on the lap OF
Dellah. But men thought there was such
danger, and that such language was uncalled for.
But II these words were not then prophetic ney are
now facts. aud woe unto US II, forgetting The
righteous judgment OF the Lord, we give ourselves
over 10 corruption and dsin,egraton. II six
months ago Paris spectacle TO tae nations OF
,he earh, much more so Is New orS to-day spec
taGie az winch the Christian world looks with dis
gust and terror Worse than the devastation OF war
is the devastation of New lorE to-day.
CORRUPTION TO THE CORE lREvATLS
In this Christian commonwealth, win its free press.
free schools and free suffrage, and what nope is
as tins exists here? We must &c; rid OF this mon
srous evi lor the sake OF religion, Tor The sake OF
Of Of our countfy The poison is in the the bood
OF the body polite The parties who are
now arTaigned before Ioe public cannot
fer our snare oil IL to corrupt city officials. We
may write the case down IN our conrts as ''The |
People versus the City Oiclas:'' bUi, IN the higher
court Of Heaven the indictment VIII be against"We,
the people" We have busied ourselves about our !
own interests, ana have elt the government TO ne.
come what II Is. sod has given US the ballot but we
have sacrificed virtue in pubic TO the victory of
party. lie gave Us free schools III wni5h TO teach
our children honesty integrity, truth and uprlgnt-
ness; but have allowed them tO.become the tools
OF ignorance and sectarlanlsln. lie mas gwen Us a
Tree press, that
MIGHTY POWER OF MODERN CIVILIZATION
but we have allowed IL TO run into licentousness
and to become the advertiser and promoter OF vice.
He has gwen Tree religious worship
but we have allowed our churches TO be shut up
or used Tor nercenary purposes, and the poor have
been neglected The Church has failed 10 carry the
Gospel to the masses, and personal prosperity and
sell-advancement have occupied our thoughts and
our time What man here can say that he has used
his money as God would have him use II? There is
neavy Indictment against us-the peopie-for
these sad results.
the causes OF this state of corruption are found in
society itself and III the Church of Christ And this
corruption Is not confined to any set of men or To
any city party, but Is breaking out simultaneously
iii New York ana Washington, In the Post ONCE and
III the Paymaster's Office alike II young men would
grow up vlrtuous and honest they mus begin right.
II they would preserve Their physical health they
must lake care OF II. How much greater
then, is required 10 preserve moral soundness? The
redemption OF the city must proceed manly nom
young men, and their 1ght now Is for their homes
and lor success IN business IN lhe future. Chief
the prevailing tendency toward luxury IN social
OF luxurI-not confined alone TO the rich-in
which men indulge, and declared that corruption
Is always III the hnancla direction. Power IS so ught
as means OF procuring wealth, aud wealth as the
means OF retaining that power. Tie story OF delal-
cation is Uniform. Men in public trusts are usually
sworn TO steal as much as they can-not,
indeed, that they Iake your pocketbook or
case, but they take lnllllons and thousands When
ever they have a chance. And the story Is all
the same, whether they steal from bank, post
once OF tue city treasury Pleasure and luxury are
obtained by MONEY! ana beyond these lies the super
nulty OF pleasure, NC. Everything procured above
our income Is luxury. The historic
CORRUPTION OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
was citeu by the Doctor as an illustration OF the end
10 which we are fastening, and by the same road.
one OF the best historians saws that "money and
nOthng.but money mad bec Jme the watchword OF the
Roman people from the highest 10 tie iowest.n And
everything tnat they could obtain was designed TO
impress their guests with the money value OF the
articles. one OF their rulers spent $780, 900 ON one
banquet And who mas not remarked In New YORK
this tendency TO ostentatious display Money is a
power, Out we make it the sole measure OF social
standing. We magnify the accident OF wealth
without inqunng how 1t has been obtained.
And this fact has been aggravated OF late by
the ease and suddenness with which fortunes
nave been made, and young men are led TO dsdaln
all handlcrats and 10 seek fortunes through pubic
Offices. Tie readiness with which society condones
this getting Of money was declared 10 De absolutely
destructive OF social morality. The notorietI gwen
90 men without character SIMPLY because OF their
wealth was deprecated. The glowing pictures OF
and stables and carriages. ana the other adluncls
OF magnificent iesidDilshmeDts ny the press
was denounced. And 30 II comes TO pass
mat man needs only a little more
audaclty in his rascallty 10 be paraded
in ibe pubic prints OF the country and TO have his
portrait hung IN country stores as an evidence 10
iunes car be MADE here. Gambling horse racing,
adultery and kindred evils are abominable IN men
OF moderate means; VI when wealthy men do
these things they are Jolly good fellows. Tie Doc
,nr closed w h some excellent advice to Young
IN regard 10 honesty integrity, lVmg WITHIN iher
Income and illustrated these points rom personal
observation aud experience.
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