The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-16
LYRIC HALL


Rev. O. b. Frothingham We cna,es HIS
Views ON Vice-AttemPts0 Violent Sup
preston OF Vice Rtdic' leus--The New
Temper.nee Movsmsn'1'o-t West and
the Social EVIL.
The subject OF Mr.. Frot Aupbam,s discourse yes
terday morning was =" <ns Suppression OF Vice."
society IN this CITY, ,Aaving for its special object
the suppression OF ace had suggested, he said, his
theme, although me did not intend to speak at
length on the /ebjects and aims OF the society.
Their object seemed to be to pat down vice by
violent me- ms and far as possible, TO eradicate
II from fAciety The pelcy ana prtncipie Oh lts
suppre, sion were the prevailing policy and prln-
cipie. 4 Intemperance was an evil that meant the
waS1e OF muscle and nerve, the breaking down OF
an moral and noble purposes and ruin to families
At was an evil that threatened the very existence
OF republican institutions. Drunken voters must
elect tipsy rulers Therefore, say these reformers
we must put It down. We must call IN public
/ oninlon and the police. II the tempted person is
! too weak to save himself we must save him. The
NEW TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT IN THE WEST
comes under the same designation. II has, how
ever some new features AT Its meetings are
prayer and song, argument and entreaty. But,
underlying all this is determination that the
vice OF intemperance shall be put down. Unwe-
come champions present themselves in public
liquor saloons and do not vacate the premises
until the proprietor Is obliged TO shut up shop.
The same methods apply to the suppression OF
houses OF immoral resort. They think to put down
wee that has its root in human nature. They
think that nothing but absolute suppression can
be tolerated. We speak Of the suppression Of vice.
What is vicep To hear many speak one would
think that it is like garment, which can be put
on and or at will something which the weak
practise because II is pleasant, and which the base
practise because 1t is profitable Many vices are
ephemeral but not all OF them. Some, indeed are
habits, bur TOO strong and inveterate to be imme-
aa aa s any naD or p
propensity After while the vice IL in our blood
rs a part OF our nature. Is this not true OF the
great vices that curse the wordS The Church, from
Its view OF vice, evolved the doctrine Of total de-
pravity. 1t is said 1t is useless TO try and
LIFT YOURSELVES BY YOUR WRISTBANDS.
You must have q new leverage. There is no
power to eradicate vice but the power that
comes from above The Church Kept always
people 0utgrewit; and SO 1t adopted the practice
OF crushing out nature instead OF guiding 1t. They
took some OF the very marrow Of the country and
incarcerated them IN monasteries ana nunneries.
The success OF this plan is shown In the writings
OF Cbaucer, BoccacclO and Others. The Church
even went so far as to try to Danish all unbelief,
and even thought itself. They tried to stlne the
gnawng, craving desire alter truth. The hereto
was burned books were suppressed. teachers
banished; the Inquisition was always ready,
the axe was ever busy and the prison cells
were dark and deep. These terrible scourges
And what was the resuIts The hum6est
people were proud to be unbelievers. When Luther
scattered his seed it did not fall on used up soil;
but the moment his seed touched the ground the
ground became alive. You can cut of the head OF
a thinker, but not the head of thought Now in
all this there If lesson, one expressed by the old
proverD-f. You drive nature out Of the door she
Will come in at the window. A
DEVASTATED, HEREDITARY PROPENSITY
is not to be cunningly conjured away on the spot.
There one thing certain, and that is that every
attempt to suppress vice Is followed by reaction.
The world goes ON at about the same
average rate. and If you make it go a
slower alter awhile. Progress marches and
does not leap Although Father Matthew's
temperance movement IN Ireland was followed at
first by enormous results. after while il was only
regarded with indifference and apathy. Vice has
many guises. Suppress intemperance and alco-
hOl and 1t comes out in opium. Take the terrific
vice,
THE SOCIAL EVIL.
1t is an outrage upon decency, the corrupter OF
youth and yet the moment you raise your hand to
strike IL to the ground the philosopher says Stopn
the outlets OF the volcanoes that would
otherwise reno the planetS Are you sure
that these persons are not saviours after their
1ashlon-poor victims OF vice OF which they were
made living sacrifices Low things must keep
low. Ii is by the fire down in the hold that the
great steamer, with It's passengers, Is propelled
put down by suppression. but by discipline. which
means thought, consideration and loyalty to noble
purposes. BY this means nothing Will be sup
pressed, but all subordinated to a worthy end
Discipline means the building up OF "a character The
Purltans though austere, were not suppressve;
they were the best type OF manhood and woman
hood We nave seen to this time. Passion must be
guided, but not quenched. You must give the
thirsty man water or he viii take something else.
BEEKMAN BILL METHODIST CHURCH.
woman's whiskey War-A Call for the