Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-28
DIR. TALMAGE ON ROLLERS.


The Tabernacle Pastor Eavors TheR
when There Are suitable ERewtRic-
tfons-HHe wenounces KHfrtnti0ns
The Rev. DR.. Talmage preached be-
fore q very large audience on The
Good and Evil Of Roller Skating" 1.-THE
noise Of the wheels over against them,
and 1.-The noise Of the rafting Of tia
wheels. ? were two texts which DR.. Tai
mage selected from the Old Testament.
Elm one home, " be said, 'sare the wheels
Of help and In the other are tho wheels
Of destruction. The good Or the bad
wheels Of this world viii determine Its
destiny; wheels Of railway trains, Of
printing presses, Of sewing machinea
balance wheels, belt wheels, driving
wheels And now the wheel has been
applied 20 amusements. Are the roller
skates wheels Of help or wheels Of de-
structiOnl Never in my time has there
been 50 much discussion OF the subject
Of amusements as now. For the last
twenty-five years have been looking for
some healthfnl amusement for the rescue
Of this nation. OF honest, healthful
amusement there has been an awful
scarcity. There is no lack of gambling
saloons. There are plenty of grog-shops
where the owner. by the expendi-
ture of Sl2 for alcohol, can make mix
turc that he can sell for $500. Plenty
Of gates OF hell, and all Of them open;
but of honest, healthful amusement there
Is q scarcity Seven o'clock in the even
ing finds thousands of men at home, at
boarding house or at hotel. How shall
they spend the evenings Go to prayer
meeting, says one. Well, that will do
for two evenings of the week and for
Sunday evening. but what of the four
evenings left for secular puposesg Go
to lecture on astronomy, you say. but
the young man is tired out with adding
up long rows OF figures, and trying to
make people buy what they don't want.
He doesn't want to know anything
about other worlds, for he has hard
enough time in this.
ssWhat our people want is some recre-
alton that will help body and mind, and
will enable them to 60 to sleep at IL Pm.
and awake refreshed at z A. N. That will
make them not merely splinters Of human
ity; not masculine and feminine apollo
gfes. People are asking if the skating
Kinks are providing this kind of amuse-
ment. You ask me If favor them.
answer. yes, with restrictions; without
restrictions, no. Some of them have exhil-
arated the body and mind, given health
and strength, and afforded innocent
amusement. But there is as much diff
ference between skating Kinks as between
heaven and hell. Skating rink exercise,
with proper precautions, seems to me to
be the most healthy OF all amusements.
II eclipscs bat and ball, croquet and
lawn tennis. It is good for the nerves,
for the muscles, and for the spirits 1t
has all the advantages of the gymnasium
and the old-time skating on ice ponds,
without the dangers. It would be well
If all our young men took one hour day
of this exercise. 1t would be we'll if our
American women who decline to adopt
the English habit of the constitutional
walk would turn their back on their
housekeeping and try for an hour . day
this exhilarating sport. The great de-
mand of this country is for some honest
amusement for its women. who are dy-
ing for the need of it.
There are possibilities for good in
roller skating which can see in no other
amusement. But now come to the re-
stricti0ns. Let there be an end to young
ladies' going alone to any place Of amuse-
ment. And If man tips his hat to q
lady whom he does not know At
skating rink let the pro-
prietor conduct him to the door and aa
Sist him down stairs with eli the momen-
tum necessary. Let not the bright lights
and tho music tempt you to q senseless
prolongation Of the amusement Let
che department Of the parsor be the de-
pertinent q the skating rink. It Is time
that the people understood that Irritation
ID damnation. When on Broadway or
Fulton street, when the world Of BUSH
ness men are returning home, see the
daughters Of respectable families with
giQgling and unseemly conduct trying
TO attract masculine attention. remem-
Der that the vast majority Of those who
make everlasting shipwreck carry that
kind Of sail
Nothing pleases me SO much IS to
see young people having good time.
that il, an innocent good time People
are apt to forget that they were once
once boys and girls GO back forty
years and think what was best for Won
then. Rheumatism is incompetent to
give advice 60 8 sound ankle. But
amusement Is not fit for anything that
does not it Us for usefulness. Alas for
the man WHO makes amusement deples
ton instead of n augmentation.
Artistic Paintings.