The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-03-17

An event took place i'll the city OF
Brooklyn last week which certainly
marks new era, and in the language OF
the Apostle, "Old things have passed
away and all things have become new
An entertainment was given at the Han
son Place Methodist Episcopal Church
on Tuesday last. 1t was in aid of an
aged teacher, who after years of service,
The Hanson Place Church is one of the
leading churches of Brooklyn. Its pulpit
has always been filled by the most elo-
ouent divlnes of that denomination, and
it has, as far as q single church can, di-
rected the religious sentiment of the
Methodists of the city. Its orthodoxy
has never been questioned; it has been
regarded as the straightest and strictest
in the performance of every church ordi-
nance. Tho entertainment of Tuesday
evening last was ostensibly concert,
but in the course of the performance q
May-pole dance was introduced by sew
eral young Misses, aud think / may
safely assert that it was the first time in
the history of the Methodist Episcopal
church that May pole dance was per
' formed in n Methodist sanctuary. The
dance itself was very beautiful, and was
heartily enjoyed by the audience, which
applauded to the echo, which applauds
again. Nobody was hurt. DR.. Peck, the
pastor, and the grave old deacons and
trustees clapped their hands in approval.
! 1t is new departure; the ice is broken !;
dancing by children, at least, is no longer
sin in the Methodist church, and while
the time is no doubt far distant when tho
Methodist Episcopal church will reeog
nize as u lawful amusement Strauss
waltz or the can-ca there is but little
doubt that modest cotillion or a reason
able Sir Roger de Coverly will receive
the most respectful consideration.
While / confess | can see no good rea-
son for it, there seems to be sense of an
impending crash in the stock market.
That there is disaster in the air, almost
everybody appears to feel, and danger
signals can be seen on every side without
the aid of telescope. 1t is possible that
few great capitalists are pooled to-
gether for the purpose of squeezing the
market. They can do it. We have five
men here in New York who control over
three hundred millions of capital. The
earth yields its abundance; the Spring
succeeds the Winter; the Summer tol-
lows the Spring, and the harvest comes !;
but their abundance profits hot the poor
man. 1t is no longer question with us
here what will the Almighty God do, but
what will Gould and Vanderbilt do 7
Though there has been nothing but a
bear market for over a. .year,@theawGrst
has not yet come. There is little doubt
but some time this Spring we will have
another Black Friday. It depends upon
four or five men to say whether we shall
or not. If they can shake the market,
it will be worth millions to them. Thou
sands will be ruined business firms will
be destroye but the four aces will come
into the same hand every time.
Spring came in with clouds and cold,
at which there was general grumble.
The Temperance legions are re-organz-
ing for the Spring campaign, aud prohi-
bition is going to be one of the features
in our coming political fights. 1t wonld
be funny thing to see New York with
| out its whiskey and its beer. If it is
true that three quarters of our crime is
caused by rum, we could afford to get
along with thousand less police and
save million Of dollars. We are set
| tlng down to the belief that rum is a
costly luxury-too costly for the poor
| and ignorant to afford it. We already
feel the groundswell of a great temper
| ance movement here, which may equal
the Washingtonian movement of 1S4O.
Yours truly, BROADBR1M.