The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-10
RELIGIOUS.

H FUTURE OF TAMMANY-sHALL n
WORST ELEMENTS ULE OUR CITIES2
Pulpit Review of Current Events by Rev. Thos.
Dixon, Jr., for Sunday, February Y, 1891.
CReported for The PROGRESSIVE FARMERl
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., pastor of
Twenty-third Street Baptist Church,
addressed his audience this morning, at
Association Hall, on the subject of
"Dead Churches" it being the con
tinuation of a series of sermons on
"The Churchless Millions" It was
preceded by the following review of
Current Events.
The city is the key to the civilization
of the twentieth century. All that is
best and all that is nearest in humanity
is coming to town. There is power N
association. Power for good. Power
for evil. Municipal government is the
government of the future. 1t is destined
to be of far more Importance than ma
tional government. National govern
ment will become more and more an
aggregation of this municipal unit. ST.
John describes heaven asa holy city,
the new Jerusalem" ~ Jerusalem was
the persOnificatiOn of the Hebrew ma
ton. The new heaven and the new
earth will be composed of these two
governmental units-a redeemed city,
q redeemed natiOn-and the redeemed
city the basis of the new nation. All
forms of government intermediate be-
tween the city and nation seem to be
rapidly fading away: The city is swal-
lowing the country. The nation is de-
vouring the State. 1t is fate. It is
the drift of the world-age. Whether
we like it or not does not affect the fact.
The road to power used to be found
only through the gymnastics of, State
legislatures. 1t is no longer so. The
way to power and fame seems rather
now to be municipal Office. Grover
York and President of the United
States on his record as Mayorof Buffalo.
William E. Russell, the brilliant young
man who is the present Governor of
Massachusetts,, was elected Governor
on his record as Mayor of Cambridge.
These are not accidents. They are the
index fingers that point to a new order.
Their explanation is found in solid fact
and sound philosophy. Municipal gov
eminent is fast becoming of vastly
more Importance than State govern
ment. In the city's government are
directly wrapped up the security of
home and of life, the great questions of
the health, wealth and happiness of
the individual, as well as the problems
of socialism, sound economics and taxa
ton. In short, the whole life of the
race seems to be forming it's govern
ing center in the city. The city is the
focus of the parabolic mirror in which
the light of the world is centered and
reflected along the track of human pro-
gress. From the city towers, the
prophets of the present and future must
oAVI1 4h0Tn VTnrrO How tho DhIInn-
thropist must solve the ultimate prob
lem of humanity.
The question is, shall the forces of
good or the forces of evil master the
strategic point in the battle of the ages?
Temporarily this question seems an
swered in nearly every great city of the
New World. The devil is master. His
guns are planted on the heights. His
m~ercenaries are deeply intrenched be-
hind those guns. Can the Christian
manhood of this city allow the enemy
to remain master? Are we contents
Are we Indifferent? What say you,
sons of the living Code Are the people
of New York satisfied with Tammany
as their master? Are they satisfied
with the administration Tammany has
been and is giving? We cannot believe
1T and hold faith in humanity. Such
a conclusion would be preposterous.
Iammany promised to do great
things if again intrusted with power.
The administration is yet young, but
1T has not fulfilled this promise. It has
done great things. Hugh J. Grant has
given us the Honorable P. Diver,
Esq. Diver, the unique! Diver,
the incompatible! Diver who smites
his immaculate judicial breast and in
broken accents declares that he is not
much of a criminal after all-that he
only keeps his saloons open q little over
legal hours! Diver, who runs his gin
mills and manufactures crime and
criminals, and then solemnly ascends
the seat of Judgment and reviews his
handiwOrk! | challenge the world to
lind a parallel to that scene in the his
tory OF Christian civilization! Yes, the
Mayor has done great things. He ap-
pointed a man after his own style and
heart, a criminal saloon keeper. to the
high and solemn office of Judge. at a
salary Oh $4,000. Magnificent fact that!
He capped the climax of the municipal
degradation Of the nineteenth century
Fol- daring mpudence, for brazen pros
tltutlon OF a public trust, this perform
ance stands matchless amid the cata-
logue of ~villainies committed in the
name of law and the peoplel
AshOrt time ago Police Justice Wolde
was accused of being the owner of a
saloon A storm of indignant, protest
ing EXPLANATIONS went up from the
press and people. Mr.. Wolde hastily
and emphatically denied the vile &C.