The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-01-09
RELIGIOUS READING.

CIub-HOuses."-A New York
special 70 the Chicago tribune gives the
following synopsis of one of the Rev.
Dewitt Talmage's recent sermons on
"The Night Side of City Life"
"Club Life" was Mr.. Talmage's sub
ject this morning, and his text was,
Let the young men now arise and play
before us'"-II. Samuel, lila. He said
he had discovered that there was
legitimate as well as an illegitimate use
for the club house. In one case it might
become source of healthful recreation
in the other a massacre of body, mind
and soul. He rapidly sketched the
origin and rise clubs, and said, if he
were to write an honest history of those
institutions in England, Ireland, Scot
land, France and the United States dur
ing the past 100 years, he would write
history of the world. It was the gamb-
ling~club and the wine-club he was after.
There were clubs Of all sizes and all
sorts of morals. During the day they
were comparatively lazy places. Here
might be seen an aged man reading the
newspapers; there servant busting the
furniture, and, at the desk, clerk writ
ing up accounts. Night hoisted the
curtain. Then the club-houses were all
ablaze. On one side were parlors uphol-
stored like the Kremlin or the Tuileries.
The art-gallery was filed with pictures
to suit every mood. The reading-room
was provided with all the newspapers
and magazines Of the day, and the library
stocked with all kinds of books. Coming
in and out were gentlemen-some remain.
ing ten minutes, Others hours. Some
had left luxurisnt homes to enjoy the
larger sociability of club>life. One black
ball in ten votes would keep man out.
From top to bottom was complete en-
chantment.
The speaker fastened to another kind
Ofclub, where, on opening the door, the
fumes of strong drink and tobacco smoke
were almost intolersble. Young men
were seated at tables. From their flushed
faces and the angry manner in which
they threw the dice, it was easy to see
they we're gambling. At another table
were other young men telling vile
stories. They were three-guaIters drunk,
and between twelve and one a. m, would
be staggering home shouting. One was
an only son; another a young married
man, who had broken every vow made at
the altar only few weeks previously.
All around were the implements of
death. As night went by. the young
men became more imbecile and disgust
ing. The time came to shut up. Those
able to stand went out upon the sidewalk
and balanced themselves against the
lamp posts. Those unable TO stand had
beds improvised for them in the club
house, or were conducted to their fathers
homes by tive imbecile escorts-the
ghastliest and NEST hellish spectacle that
ever enters q front doOr-a drunken son
If club-houses should make a contract
with the inferno to furnish 10, 900 souls
year for ten years, it would be good
thing compared with what they are &C.
tually doing. 81 make vast difference
in clubs" said the speaker. 81 have be-
longed to four myself-a theological
club, call club and two literary clubs
/ get physical rejuvenation and moral
health from them"
There were three tests by which a
person could judge whether his club is
legitimate or not. One was its influence
on his home. The speaker had been told
that three>qusrters OF ne club members
are married men. A wife who would be
Jealous of her husbands devotion to
charity, art and public veal would break
her own scepter. Still, no man should
sacrifice home to his club. There were
men who we're angels at the club but in
fernal at home NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. il
the matter of wine and horses, but stlngy
when their wives wanted new dress
and such men committed moral bigamy.
Thousands of houses in Brooklyn and
New York were being dubbed to death
IlaughterI. The man who gave four
nights out of six to home, one to charity,
and one to his club, was to be congratu-
lated. The speaker trembled for the
man who gave three nights to his club,
and for the man who devoted FIVE nights
to his club and one to. his home, his
obituary was written. His health was
sure to fail from long hours and too much
stimulus. He contracted erysipelas and
rheumatism of the heart, and the clergy
man on the funeral day spoke over him
only religious generalities. Give the
speaker q rnalIet and chisel, and he would