Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-27
What Is the influence of Club Houses
in America.
EVERY TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT.
A Powerful Sermon BY DR., Talmage---The
Bad Influences of Club
Houses.
AHABIT THAT RUINS OUR FINEST MEN
Special 10 he Resiar.


citiesT Before the sermon DR.. Talmagt
explained the 22nd chapter OF Proverbs, or
the value of good name which comes from
equipoise of temper and industry. The
hymn sung was:
"Before Jehovahs awful throne,
YeNations bow with sacred joy!
The text was Luke vi A: Every tree
is known by his own fruit" DR.. TaImage
said:
Fall pippins DO not grow on crab apple
tree. Choke pears are not found IN an
orchard of Bartletts. Christ laid down this
principle and it is always applicable, and
everywhere applicable. II you want to
find whether an institution is good or bad
you have only to examine the kind of char
acter it produces. l remember in my
fathers orchard there was a large apple
tree that Welded luxuriant 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?
We'll, you say, standing on the outside
looking at it" And so l really believe that
those inside any institution are less comPe-
tent to Judge Of its tendencies than those
wSo 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 answering
of that question give this discourse.
Man Are Greparfous,
Cattle in herds. Fish in schools. Birds
in focks. Men in social circles. You may
by the discharge Of gun scatter flock OF
uuails or by the plunge of the anchor send
apart the denizens OF the sea; but they will
gather themselves together again. If you
BY some new power could break the aSso
Citations in which men now stand, they
would again adhere. God meant it so. He
has gathered all the flowers and shrubs into
associations. You may plant enc forget
me-not' or heart sease" alone, away Oh
upon the hillside, but it will soon hunt up
some other "forget-me-not" or hearts ease.
Plants love company. You will find them
talking to each other in the dew. A galaxy
of stars is only q mutual lite insurance
company. You sometimes see man with
no out.brsnchings of sympathy His
nature is cold and hard ike shipS mast,
glazed, which the most agile sailor
could never climb. Others have thousand
roots and q thousand branches. Innumera-
bic tendrils climb their hearts and blossom
all the way up; and the fowls of heaven
sing in the branches. In consequence OF
this tendency we find men coming together
in tribes, in communities, in churches, In
societies Some gather together to cult
vate the arts; some to plan for the welfare
of the State; some to discuss religious
themes; some to kindle their mirth; some
to advance their craft. So every active
community is divided into
Associations
Of artists, of merchants, of bookbinders, oi
carpenters, of masons, of plaSterers, Of ship
wrights, of plumbers. DO you cry out
against it? Then you cry out against a
tendency divinely implanted. Your TRADES
will accomplish no more than if you should
preach to busy ant-hill or beehive long
sermon against secret societies.
all intelligent ages have had their gather
iugs characterized by the blunt old Anglo
| Saxon designation OF "club." If you have
read history you know that there was 6
Kings Head Club, Ben johnson Club, 6
Brothers Club, to which Swift and Boiling
broke belonged; a Literary Club which
Burke and Goldsmith and johnson and
| Bosu ell made immortal; Jacobin Club
and Benjamin Franklin Junto Club. Some
| of these to indicate Justice, some to favor
arts, some to promote good manners, some
10 despoil the habits, some to destroy tht
soul. So now we have club houses, anC
they are as different from each other as day
and night. Look at
Two Specimens:
Whist an imperial hallway See here are
psrlors on this side with the upholstery o
the Kremlin and the Tuileries, and here sre
dining halls that challenge you to mention
any luxury that they cannot afford; snC
here are galleries with sculpture aud paint
ings and Autographs and drawing from the
best of artists, Cropsey and Bierstsdt and
Church and Hart and Giford-pictures fol
every mood, whether you are impassionec
or placid; shipwreck or sunlight over the
sea; Sheridan's ride on the MONDAY party
of the farmers under the tree; foaming deer
pursued by the hounds in the Adiron
dacks or the sheep on the lawn. Or
this side there are reading rooms where
you find all newspapers and magazines. Or
that side there is library where you fnC
all books from hermenenties to the fairJ
tale. Coming in and out there are gentle
men, some Of whom stay ten minutes
others stay many hours. Some of these are
| from luxurisnt homes and they have ex
| cused themselves for awhile from the do
nestic circles that they may enjoy tbs
larger sociability of the club house These
are from dismembered households and they
have plain lodging somewhere, but tbey
come to this club room to have theil
chief enjoyment. One black ball amiC
ten votes will defeat mans
becoming a member. For rowdyism, fol-
drunkenness, for gambling, for any kind o
misdemeanor, a number is dropped out
Brilliant club house from top to bottom
| The chandeliers. the plate, the furniture
the companionship, the literature, the socia
prestige, q complete enehantment.
Another club house-opening the door
we find the fumes of strong drink and tobac
co, something almost intolersble. These
young men at this table, it is easy to under
stand what they are at. from the flushed
cheek, the intent look, the almost angry
way of tossing the dice or Of moving The
chips" They are gambling. At another
table are men who are telling vile stories
They are three-fourths intoxicated, AMI be
| tween twelve and one o'clock they will &c
staggering, hooting, swearing, shouting on
! their way home. Thatissn only son On him
all kindness, al care, all culture has beer
bestowed. BE is paying his parents in this
way for their kindness. That is young
married man who only a few months ago Al
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 aud Of
quick death. As the hours Of the night gC
away the conversation becomes imbscilt
and more debasing. Now il is time to shu
up. Those who are able TO stand viii ge
out on the pavement and balance them
selves against the lamppost or against thu
- sIsre>e IF fha far. - III. r-<.r.,.~ ,-,.x -