St. Landry democrat., 1885-05-16
THE CLUBHOUSE.
Alluring and Dangerous Dissipa-
lions Found Within It.
Neglected Homes and Cold and Cherries
Firesides-The Only Rescue-A Ser
mon by Rev. T. De Witt
TaImage, ID. d.

TaImage in Brooklyn tabernacle, was:
g What is the Influence of Club Houses in
American Cities?" The text was Luke
vi, "A: every tree is known by its own
fruit" DR.. Talmage said:
Fall pippins do not grow on crab-ap-
pie tree. Choke pears are not found in an
orchard of Bartletts. Christ laid down
this principle, and it is always and every
where applicable. If you want to find
whether an institution is good or bad you
have only to examine the kind of charac-
ter it produces. remember in my faith
er's orchard there was a large apple tree
that yieldedluxuriant fruit, but it had a
hollow trunk, so that we boys could hide
in it. Which was the best position from
which to examine the fruit of that tree, in
the trunk where we sometimes used to
hide or standing outside looking up at the
fruit? "Well," you say, standing on the
outside looking at it." And so / really
believe that those inside any institution
are less competent to judge of its tenden-
Giles than those who are standing outside
and watching the products perpetually
shaken down.
l am asked what is the influence of the
club houses of this country? To the an
swering of this question L give this dis
course. Men are gregarious. Cattle in
herds. Fish in schools. Birds in focks.
Men in social circles. You may by the
discharge of gun scatter flock of quail,
or by the plunge of the anchor send apart
the denizens of the sea; but they will gath
er themselves together again. If you, by
some new power, could break the associ-
ations in which men now stand they would
again adhere. God meant it so. In con-
sequence Of this tendency we find men
coming together in tribes, in communities,
in churches, in societies. Some gather to-
gether to cultivate the arts; some to plan
for the welfare of the State; some to dis
cuss religious themes; some to kindle their
mirth; some to advance their craft. So
every activB community. is divided into
associations of artists, of merchants, of
book binders, of carpenters, of masons, of
plasterers, of shipwrights, of plumbers.
Do you cry out against it? Then you cry
out against tendency divinely implanted.
Your TRADES will accomplish no more than
If you should preach to busy ant-hiIl or
beehive a long sermon against secret So
ceties.
A BRIGHT PICTURE.
What an imperial hallway! See! here
are parlors on this side with the upholstery
of the Kremlin and the Tuileries, and here
are dining halls that challenge you to mem
ton any luxury that they can not afford;
and here are galleries with sculpture and
paintings and Autographs and drawings
from the best of artists ropsey and Bier
stadt and Church and Hart and Clifford
pictures for every mood, whether you are
nmpassioned or placid; shipwreck or sun
light over the sea, Sheridan's ride or the
monday party of the farmers under the
the tree; foaming deer pursued by the
hounds in the Adirondacks or the sheep on
the lawn. On this side there are reading
rooms, where you find all newspapers and
magazines. On that side there is Ii
brary, where you find all books from
hermeneutics to the fairy tale. Coming in
and out there are gentlemen, some of whom
stay ten minutes, others stay many hours.
Some Of these are from luxuriant homes,
and have excused themselves for awhile
from the domestic circle that they may
enjoy the larger sociabiIity of the club
house. There are some from dismembered
households, and they have plain lodging
somewhere, utthey come to this club-room
to have their chief enjoyment. One black
ball amid ten votes will defeat mans be-
coming a member. For rowdyism, for
drunkenness, for gambling, for any kind
of misdemeanor member is dropped out.
Brilliant clubhouse from top to bottom.
The chandeliers, the plate, the furniture,
the companionship, the literature, the So
cial prestige complete enchantment.
DARK PICTURE.
Another Club house: Opening the door,
we find the fumes of strong drink and to-
bacco something almost intolerable These
young men at this tablet is easy to un-
derstand what they are at from the
flushed cheek, the intent look, the almost
angry way of tossing the dice or of NOV
ing the ''chips." They are gambling. At
another table are men who are telling vile
stories. They are three fourths intoxi-
Gated, and between twelve and one o'clock
they viii go staggering, hooting, swear
ing, shouting, on their way home. That is
an only son. On him all kindness, all
care, all culture, have been bestowed. He
is paying his parents in this way for their
kindness. That is young married man
who only a few months ago at the altar
made promises of kindness and fidelity,
every one Of which he has broken. Walk
through and see for yourself Here are
all the implements of dissipation and
of quick death. As the hours Of night go
away the conversation becomes i'm
beetle and more debasing. Now il is
time to shut up. Those who are
able to stand viii get out on the
pavement and balance themselves against
She lamp-post or against the ratings
Of the fence. The young man who is not
able to stand viii have bed improvised
for him in the clubhouse, or two not quite