The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-09
TALMAGE'S WESTERN RIVAL.


fur four years?'
TALMAGE'S WESTERN RIVAL.
THE REV. Mr.. YANCEY's TOUR OF THE LOUIS
VILE (KY.) BEER oARDENs-wHAT HE SAW
AND HEARD--MoRAL REFLECTIONS THEREON.
DR.. Talmage has had the vantage and honor long
enough OF having explored tho dens and slums Of
New York and Brooklyn ut midnight. and presented
the results to the world in Sunday sermons; but
now rival has appeared in Louisville KY. in the
person of Rev. G. W. Yancey. pastor of the 'Chris-
tian" Church of that city. Mr. Yancey has made a
tour Of the beer gardens Of Louisville but he does
not tell how many glasses Of lager he drank.
or now many 'treats" he ''stood" while
making his explorations. It night when he
like his Brooklyn prototype. with police officer and
Church elder went on his rounds The artificial
lights Of green and red and purple. he tells us,
swung high into the sky and enchanting music
Aoated on the midnight air. He describes his
thoughts as he approached the frat garden, which
pattern Of the lot, and adds that chooses
the night over the day for the performance OF his
deeds He does this because his contemplated deeds
evil, and therefore disgraceful This is the rule
and has but few EXCEPTIONS any. This throws
great doubt ON parties, social gatherings, hops
balls &C.. which extend into the late hours Of the
night They fraught with evil though many
such gatherings may not De 30 intended.
BEER SCENES AND REFLECTIONS.
Having entered the garden Mr. Yancey's ears We're
greeted with the rattle OF wine and beer glasses on
q multitude of tables. He the flow OF souls.
both Of men and women. as they sat and drank. All
classes were represented in the gathering OF 400,
about equally divided to sex. whom he saw
seated around the tables. They were all young,
with but few exceptions-from sixteen to twenty
five. What was the character of these women? he
asked. Let the wine cup answer. Let the dens from
which many of them went answer. Let the hour
OF midnight answer. Let the wag answer, who that
night said:-"There goes a girl VINO once loved
and honored III this city. but her evil hour came
and what il true of her is true Of ALL" Let his
friend answer, who said:-"Sce that girl?
This Is her hrst night here. She hangs her head
and bushes" She one OF group who had
just taken seats about table waiting for
beer. Go ask that poor orphan girl. whose name
churches. who that night and in that garden was
dead with intoxication. Ask that woman. unknown
arm, led him out and home. And the men were we'll
dressed in apparently good circumstances in life
evidently been there before. They not foundry
or factory hands, coachmen or bootbacks, tar as
this Western explorer judge but popular clerks
or rich mems sons. And. as he looked
them. Mr.. Yancey Thought of their, parents
He knew some Of them were there without
their parents consent because he heard y young lad
say his companion:-"What would my parents do
il they knew I WAS herer' The other said:-"I
know what mine would do; they would give me
-" please think Of the rich man in hell and you
finish the sentence). Then they explained where
thsy had 9 t .ns nights and laid their
ginning IN vice. butt alas! not their end; for they
are on the path that leads to ruin. moral bank
ruptcy. What II their parents had known where
they were? They would not have slept that night.
And our Louisville Talmage thought of the mex
pressibe grief that such knowledge would bring to
the hearts OF mothers If they knew where their
were.
But having looked at the throng of nice young
men Mr.. Yancey thought also of their sisters who
not with them. The young were dancing
with the daughters OF broken hearted mothers and
the sisters OF disgraced brothers, while their
perhaps that very moment were dreaming bright
dreams of them. IL at that time their sisters had
entered and seated themselves about the tables
companions who called for beer, taken q stand
OIL the floor for . voluptuous dance, they would
have felt disgrsccd and inceused. As lie looked ON
those bright young men he that many of
them wore engagement rings. and he thought OF
their sweethearts. from whose presence just few
hours previous they mad departed. Some or those
young women could not sleep. Of course One hsd
just answered question OF all questions the most
important to young lady She felt the ring on her
finger and thought of the ring she put on his. An
other thinking about the wedding day not far
away which two hours previous had been agreed
upon. Another wondering IL tho man to whom
she gave her heart would prove to be what no
pledged he would be. Each OF these niaidens said,
'Can he be thinking Of me am thinking Of hiruy'
But suppose the veil were drawn aside and they
could see what the preacher saw-what then? He
would not try to complete the picture. This he left
to tho young men. 1t is good to throw young
man upon his own resources time. As
he stood gazing the picture before him
he wins convinced that tho would never shine on
such a scene because bolore the morning hit IL
would vansh--the crowd would dispense. And then
he thought how unequal and unjust the ways OF
life. Men and women meet in the beer garden n
common level as equals, but their path will side
In opposite directions. Tho young men get to
their homes in time to rumple their beds tho
breakfast bell rings They go to the tables planning
that they do not fccl well. and receive the
OF the whole family. Are they clerks! They go to
their work half prepared for business yet checred
by the happy faces OF tho multitude with whom
they meet and miEge. But tho girls. or many
OF them. retire to obscurity and shame. oat-
casts they dare not sock parental homes Their
bodies may be racked with pain, and their brows
burning with fever. and their hearts sinking into
despair. but no word of comfort is spoken aud
hand to help Is nigh. Why are they not permitted
to walk the streets and sit in yening circle with
the young men in whose arms they danced at mid.
night? You say such L. tho verdict OF society But
why does the verdict stop so short? Tho good OF
society, the happiness of our homes, the pleading
voice OF justice. demand that every one shall pay
the penalty annexed to his misdceds, and that no
ono shall suffer for another.
DANCING AND DRINKING CHURCH MEMBERS.
From what Mr. Yanccy saw in his rounds no was
the dance will stand the test of truth. He there
fore condemns IL unsparingly. He believes il to DO
evil and only evil continually and that in this couu
try aud for many years young person has retired
from the dance with ono single moral or religious
trait strenethe
Like his brooklyn brother Mr.. Yanccy saw pcoplc
In the beer garden whom no did not expect to
see. But while nominal Church members
ana usually found in the assembly OF tho saints on
the Lords Day was present. Between these mid
night haunts and the Church there III no kinship.
This Louisville Tamago condemns In aiElos. un-
every night into bacchanaan feasts injurc the body
and SOW the seeds OF disease and death, encourage
lust and are detrimental to the moral and spiritual
welfare Of men and are the enemies Of education.