The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-30
DR.. Dix's View.

The Rev. DR.. DIX. the rector OF Trinity. is
another preacher who thinks our society Is
growing worse and not better. In sermon
delivered before the Sons Of the Revolution
he compares it with the society Of the period
Of the Revolution. and the contrast saddens
him. More than century has passed since
that time. and meanwhile the Church and
all the influences Of an advancing civiliza-
ton have been at work. yet New York seems
to him to have gone backward and not for
ward in morals and religion.
II that Is the case. our present situation
must be deplorable. At the time Of the out
break Of the Revolution. during the contin-
uance Of the struggle. and in the earlier
days Of the present century, foreign travel
lers in this country united in describing
the people as remarkably Incorporate in
the use OF alcoholic stimulants. CoBBETT
called drinking tho national disease. saying
that even little boys. at or under IL years OF
age. 20 into stores and tip or their drains"
Mr.. HENRY ADAMS in his recent history
suggests that the earliest temperance
movement was attributable to the scandal
caused by the drunkenness OF ministers at
their regular meetings. Almost every
American family. he says. could show some
victim to intemperance.
Have we grown worse in that matter OF
vicious self-indulgence
After the hardships of the early days Of
the Colonies. luxury and extravaganza Of
living showed themselves conspicuously to
travellers, and by their side appeared
among the less fortunate degradation OF
manners oftentimes running into liccntious-
ness, which astonished WHITEHEAD and
provoked his most violent rebukes. At the
beginning OF this century coarseness Of
language prevailed in even polite society.
Ladies laughed at indecent illusions and i'm
moral innuendoes such as are now uttered
only in the company OF the most depraved.
Drinking to excess prevailed and was toler-
ated as a matter Of course. and license of
speech was permitted. encouraged. and APP
plauded.
In those particulars have we gone back
ward?
At the time Of the Revolution and during
the generation Immediately succeeding it
religious indifference was common among
the leading men in politics. Nearly all
the greatest Of them were affected by the
current French skepticism. as DR.. DIX will
find by reading their lives. Religious faith
and earnestness were at low ebb. Many
OF the people at remove from tho centres
OF population were illiterate pagans. and
the religious REVEALS OF the early days OF
this century found them in that condition.
The Episcopal Church. to which DR.. DIX
belongs. was small in numbers, out Of SYM
pathy with tho great mass Of the public.
stagnant. cold. and formal. Its religious
spr!. was dull. and Its clergy were often
times merely perfunctory In the perform
ance OF their duties, and careless in their
lives. The Church was not aggressive.
How does the situation now as to religious
interest compare with this
In the early days OF this century. and up
to the period when DR.. DIX was young
man in New York. tho town was always
liable to riotous disorder. The coarsest
and vilest OF political intrigues prevailed.
The ballot was insecure. Elections were
disturbed by mob violence. Fires were
made the occasion for riotous demonstra-
lions. Pigs roamed in the streets. The
death rate was high. owing to unsanitary
conditions. and every few years yellow
fever swept away multitudes.
President DWIGHT. visiting New York
at the beginning OF this century. was
ny GIc CoHttaoO pCL"Cch ~ anu
New England in order. decency. and clean
illness. though he confessed that he could
not extol New England as an examplar
in those respects. Here. he said. liquor
licenses were granted without discrimi-
nation to every one who would pay
for them. The result was the baleful
multiplication of dram shops and the gath
ering about each OF a crowd Of loaf
ers and tipplers. whose rude appearance.
clownish manners. drunkenness. swearing.
and obscenity" made him doubtful as to the
moral influences Of democracy. New York
was held up as an object lesson of what an
urban community should not be. In
New York." says Mr.. ADAMS. wisdom
and virtue. as understood In New
England, were but lightly esteemed"
All the Mugwumps of tho period Joined in
attacking the town. Against the depravity
OF New York In particular and Of society as
q whole the preachers preached with far
more severity than DR.. DIX now expresses.