Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-05
"A SUDDEN SPASM.

Rev. e. r. Donehoo Does Not Expect Any
Result From the Present Crusade
Wants a Change of Municipal Officers
The Position of the Church.
Rev. E. R. Donehoo, of the Eighth Pres
byterian Church, in his sermon yesterday
spoke the recent move against the social
evil. He said: ''As to the sudden spssm
ofvirtue which has lately seizsd our public
officials, can only say that from past ex-
perience in the study of municipal methods
of dealing with this evil, I have little hope
of any permanent reform ever coming from
that quarter Until the moral and Chris
tian sentiment Of this city sweeps the entire
lot of city officials out of power. and places
in their stead men who will not require to
be spurred up to duty, and who will not
defenders OF the evil which has grown to
such gigantic proportions under their fos-
tering care, this iniquity will continue to
grow In strength and shamlessness.
"And what o: these fallen ones over whom
SO many crocodile tears are now being shed
by those who have never been distin-
guished for any great amount OF zeal in any
moral -.or social reform7 l believe that
every Christian worker in this city, lay and
clerical, stands ready and anxious to follow
the example of the Lord Jesus in dealing
with this question. His wont was to receive
the penitent, accept her confession of sor-
row for sin, and aid her in her resolves to
lead better lfe.F As to the case of the
woman taken in her,sin, OF which SO much
is made by those who quote it in opposition
to any coercive measures being used against
persistence in life of shame, have this
to saw that that story has seen its best days.
1t is wholly aDocryphal, an Interpolation
made by some meddler with Scriptures.
centuries after the writer of Johns gospel
had hfrnI1 fN fhn w II an 0a a
ognized authorities on Biblical criticism
now admit. Even ii it did belong properly
to Scripture it does not justify the condon-
ing of the sin, as many would now like US to
believe, but simply that Jesus did not ieel
called upon to assume the prerogatives OF u
magistrate and pass judicial sentence on
woman. His admonitlon TO her Is clear
that he regarded her past life as sin. which
would be punished in due time and that by
himself, as the sovereign Judge, unless she
sincerely repented and turned from it.
Jesus Christ received sinners, and coun-
seled and admonished all who afforded Him
the opportunity, and the Church of Christ
to-day is rot satisfied to doless. That He
ever fntruded himself into unwelcome
places nowhere read. He had too much
delicacy, and too much good sense to at
tempt any absurd and impracticable
method. The Church OF Christ is ready
and willing to aumonish and assist all who
a life of sin, but Christians are not prepared
to intrude into the abodes of vice ana force
their counsels upon those who pursue their
iniqufties with unDiushing etfrontry. Until
the maligners OF the Cnulch can cite u
single case of u sincerely penitent one being
scorned and cast out when seeking counsel
and help from G od'S people, they ought to
keep quiet, especially when it is remem-
bered that the bulk OF these criticisms
emanate from those who personally con-
tribute to the depredations of these fallen
ones, and. who deplore any measure looking
TO any curtaflment of the social evil. Until
these abandoned ones exhibit some desire
to quit their lives of shame we can only
declare unto them these sad and regretfuI
wofus OF the suffering Savior ana in His
naine 'Ye will not come unto Me, that ye
might have life.' I" e. -'- w.