The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09
THE THIRD WATCH.
DR.. Talmage Staying Out
Very Late Indeed.
ASLEEP AND SLEEPLESS.
Gambling, Drunkenness and Crime in
Full Blast

DR.. Talmage preached yesterday morning. as usual.
In the Brooklyn Tabernacle the night side OF city
life this time expatating the Third Watch of the
Night. which he described IS by far the most horri
BILE. He chose his text from Genesis. l.. 5"And the
time said Mr.. Talmage-one Of sunlight the other OF
shadow. have spoken to you OF the first and second
watches of the night. Ispeak of the third-that
is from twelve to three o'clock The thunder Of the
city has rolled from the air. Slight sounds now cut the
night with distnctness that exctes your attention
Solemn and supendous Is the third watch! There are
respectable abroad. The city missionary ia going
up that to take scutle of coal to poor family
Men who forced to toll into the midnight are
fastening to their pillow But the great multitudes
are asleep. The lights out in the dwellings. The
street lamps. standing in long line. reveal the
silence and the slumber of the town. Stupendous
thought! great city at rest! Let the great host
sleep; Gods slumberless eye will watch.
THOSE WHO WON'T SLEEP.
But there thousands who will not sleep tonight.
Go up that dark court. Be careful You will fall
over the PROSTATE form Of drunkard lying on his
own doorstep. Look about. lest you feel the gar
roters hug Look in through that broken pane.
No bread no light no fire, no cover. They SILVER in
darkness. They begged. but got nothing. They had
rather die than 60 to the almshouse You say these
vicious poor. So much the more to be pitied.
Their last light has gone out. They in hell now.
Where have ten prayers for the innocent have
twenty for the guilty The vicious poor have had two
shipwrecks-that Of the body and that Of the soul
wreck for time and wreck for eternity. Pass
through that alley. Open the door. 1t is not locked.
They have nothing to lose. Strike match and look
beastlincss and ragsl From the corner wild face
starts out Of the straw and toward you just
your light goes out. Strike another match Here is
little babe. Not like those beautiful children pre-
scented this morning for baptism. 1t never smiled
it never will SMILE Strike another match. The face
of that young woman is bruised and gashed now. No
hope has dawned that soul for years; hope never
will dawn on it. The match has gone out. Light
it not again. for it would seem to be mockery.
Pass ont and on. There are thousands Of such
abodes in our cities. An awful gloomy and
whelming picture is the city in the third watch.
After midnight crime does its chief work. During
the daytime the villains lounge about. part of the
time asleep part awake. but when the third watch
arrives they will up with eye KEEN mind acute.
of them have been brought up to the work. They
began by picking boys pockets, and now they
preparing to blast the gold vault of bank SO long
the children of the street neglected there will
be no lack OF desperadoes.
GAMBLING.
In the third watch the gambling houses are in full
blast Stir up the fires! Bring the drinks Put
up the stakes! Many till will spring aleak. Gam
ing is making efforts to become respectable. men,
Der Of Congress played with member elect and won
slow! Come let's toss up TO see who shall have i'll
And so it goes from the wheeling wretchcs pitch
ing pennies TO the miiionnaire gamblers IN the stock
spite in breaking them. Officers Of the court while
away the time while the jury is out There is
lost in New York ut the gaming table. The agents Of
these gaming tables around hotels.
the city and show him what they call the lions"
and the elephants uaughter.) II . young man
through morbid curiosity has seen the ''lions' and
the elephants he will never heaven Look out
for those men who move around hotels with sleek
hats and patronizng air and are 80 unaccountably
anxious about your entertainment All they want il
your money Yon are fool II you can't see through
it. Q4aughterl
In the third watch, also, drunkenness docs its
worst. The drinking man will be respectable ut
eight o'clock at nine he ID talkatve ut ten his tongue
is thick at eleven he blasphemes at twelve his hat
falls off, at he falls to the floor asking for
drink. Drunkenness makes men mad One of its
victims came home one night and found his wife had
died during his absence. He went into the room
where she had been for the grave shook her
from the shroud and tossed the body out of the win
dow.
The land is soaked with sin. Something radical
must be done. You do not see the worst. II Chris
tian men and women would go forth among the wan
derng and the destitute they might make the darkest
alley of the city kindle with the gadness Of heaven.
Do not think pious counses will stop the gnawing Of
empty stomachs or warm stockingless feet Take
bread, raiment, medicine, az well prayer. We
want such inapt work that Of the man who
went into an hospital during the and gave to a
soldier who hal had both his legs amputaed tract
the sin of dancing uaughter) Generous, help
full work would bring back thousands. ! them
coming now. Cry up the news to heaven! Set all the
bells a-ringing! Spread the banquet and keep the
jubilee!
THE INcoRm0rBLE.
But there is a man who won't reform. Well, then.
how many acts in y tragedy? believe Ave.
Act the Frst-Young man starting from home.
Parents and sisters crying Wagon passes the
hills. Farewell kiss thrown buck. Ring the bell and
let the curtain drop
Act Second-Marriagc altar. Bright lights. Full
organ. Long white veil trailing through the aisle.
Prayer and congratulation and ordinations Of How
well she looks!" Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop.
Act Third-Midnight. Woman waiting for stagger-
ing steps Old garments stuck into the broken win
dow pane. Many marks of hardship the face.
Biting the nails OF boodless fingers. Neglect and
cruelty and disgrace Ring the bell and let the
tain drop.
act Fourd-Three graves in dark place-grave Of
the child that died from lack of medicine; grave of
the wife who died Of broken heart: grave OF the
husband who died of dissipation. Oh. what u blasted
heath with three graves plenty of weeds fowers
Anguish coiling its serpents coil around the crushed
heart. Blackness Of darkness forever.
Woe! woci woe l cannot bear longer to look
Come, Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.