Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-24
CHATS And CAMELS.

rebuke of the evil conduct of those around
him. A mild reproof generally suficsd.
But there were occasions when the hypo-.
crisy and deceit of the Scribes and Phar-
isees provoked him to the use of the keenest
denunciation and invective. The stress
forms of the divine law, while they trans
crossed its spirit in their every act, taxed his
| forbearance to the utmost, and he poured
forth such torrent of grand satire and keen
reproof that has no equal in magnifcence in
literature. We fancy that the sentence we
have quoted above might have an applica-
ton to-day to some of those who profess to
follow his teachings, for every day we wit
ness examples of churches and church
people visiting with the utmost rigor some
trivial violation of eoclesiastic law, while
they not only endure but foster some griev-
GUS fault of camel-ike proportions.
case in point has just been made pub
by the trial, before an ecclesiastical court at
Chicago, Of a widow named Anderson and
her daughter for renting plot of ground to
be used for beer-garden. The property
comprised the entire possessions of the two
ladies, and on the income derived from it
they depended for support. The elder lady
was approached. by the man who afterwards
became the lessee, who stated the purpose for
which he desired to rent the property. She
hesitated, and in her dilemma consulted her
pastor. That gentleman expostulated
with her. ard finally they agreed
to lay the matter before the
church. The lady stated her case plainly,
showing that herself and her daughter were
in absolute want for lack of an income from
the property. She offered to delay the con-
summation of the lease, and if any member
of the church wanted the property, or would
procure tenant for her, she would lease it
to them at less rental than that offered
The church members took no action, and in
order to provide means of livelihood she
was obliged to accept the offer made her.
She and her daughter were arrsigned before
the church of which they were members,
found guilty of violating its discipline, and
expelled from membership.
We have no disposition to find fault with
this action. The church has right to make
what rules it chooses and to enforce obedi-
ence to them. But the church should be
impartial in It's action. In this instance, the
widow was the gnat. The camel appeared at
the trial in the person of rich and inf1uen-
tlal member of the same church, who acted
as prosecuting attorney. He pursued the
ladies with a vindictiveness that was worthy
better cause, charging upon the horrible
enormity of the offense committed. One
would think from his conduct that he, at
least, was blameless; yet it has for years been
notorious, both in and out of the church that
he owns number of houses in disreputa-
bic part of the city, and has rented them all,
at exorbltant rates, to women of the town for
purposes of prostitution. A few months ago,
when the grand jury was investigating the
subject with view to the Indictment of per-
sons who rented their houses for improper
purposes, this pink of propriety was a daily
promenader of the corridors of the court
house, and used all his influence to have the
prosecution stayed. fortunately for him he
succeeded, and is to-day member in good
standing in the church, while the widow and
her daughter, for doing the only thing posi-.
bic for livelihood, are outcasts.
The city of Chicago contains many SINH
lar cases. Entire business blocks owned by
prominent members of the several churches
are rented exclusively to brazen women of
Ill repute, yet the church takes no action.
One person, an ex-judge, whose name figures
prominently in every church council, and
who occupies front pew in fashionable
church with never-failing regularity, owns
two large buildings in the business part
OF the town, into the upper portions of
which no man or woman who values reputa-
ton will dare to enter. The rooms are occu-
pied by the most notorious and degraded
street-walkers in the city. It is well known
to the authorities that nearly two-thirds of
the houses used for immoral purposes are
owned by church members, and are rented to
their occupants with IL full KNOWLEDGE of
their character.
These instances are not cited in iustifca.
ton of the practice of overlooking slight Of
lenses, but rather to call attention to more
glarlng ones that are committed by Pharisaic
church members. The moral cowardice that
induces the church in some instances to hnr
Dor men guilty of immoral practices be-
cause they are rich and influential, and to
prosecute poor men and women guilty of
slight indiscretions with all their vigor, is
decidedly reprehensible, and calculated to
bring the cause of religion into disrspute.
1t is with view to reform in this direction
to induce drawer and more consistent
course among those who ought to be blame
less-that the SUNDAY GNoBE speaks thus
plainly. If wrong-doing is not denounced.
it will never be obliterated. In it's zeal for
the welfare of the church, not in any spirit
OF captious fault-fnding, the SUNDAY GLOBE
declares that these things exist and must bs
reformed.
Base Ball Decision.
CHICAGO, Nov. 2s.-Judge LOOMS, in the
county court this morning, decided against
Ross q. Barnes in his suit to recover from the
Chicago base ball club 81 500. the full arnonnt