The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-11
DIR. DE COSTA'S REMEDY.
RELIGION ALONE CAN BRING AMOUR
REFORM IN THIS COMMUNITY.
Pebble Opinion. He Says. Does Not Support
an Enforcement Even Of Existing Laws,
aad the Amateur Retoru,crs Have Begun
at tho Wrong End In Their Efforts.

| sad the Amateur Retoru,crs Have Beguu
at tho Wrong End In Their Efforts.
The Rev. DR.. b. F. De Costa. preaching his
| Palm Sunday sermon in the church Of st. John
the Evangelist yesterday morning. discussed
| ut length the reform by means OF detectives
| and surreptitious visits to houses Of Ill repute
as inaugurdted by Dr. Parkhurst Before be-
ginning his sermon. DR.. De Costa said he had
the highest regard and respect for DR. Park
hurst, and that he agreed with his principles,
| but not with some OF his conclusions. Then
he proceed to FIRE hot shot at all the so-cal!ed
| municipal reformers. including the ministerial
witness Of the Circus
| The text was Numbers xxxii.. in the Goth.
21st 22d. and 23d verses. which include these
words: II ye will do this thing. II you will 90
armed before the Lord to war; then afterward
ye shall return and be guiltless before tho
Lord But IL you will not do so. behold. yc
have sinned against the Lord: and be sure
your sin will find you out" This. then"
said DR.. De Costa. lis the sum of tho text,
that men who want to make n successful cam
paign with lasting results must make 1t q
clean and righteous campaign; n campaign
into which they take tho sacred ark. u cam
pagn into which they carry tho Ten Com
mandments: n campaign in which they march
before the Lord: campaign In which they re-
fuse to touch idols. absolutely abhorring tho
idea that good end sanctiiles bad means
Talking Of the triumphal entry OF Jesus into
Jerusalem. DR.. De Costa discussed tho per-
sonnet OF the crowd that shouted "Hosanna!
and said that he found the worst elements. tho
licentious. the lewd tho dissolutc. composed
1t for the most part that this crowd wanted re-
form without any dcep moral foundation. and
thought it saw in Jesus leader. But in a fcw
days the same crowd was shouting Cruelty
i'm, nd fha ncbp
were to pat Christ-like man at the head of
our city affairs to-day. and he undertook
reformation and faithfully enforced the laws
all tho laws and tho Sunday laws-the
masses OF tho world would rise UP and
denounce him bitterly and cry Away
with him!' Away with the Puritan!
To-day the charge isl do not bring it-that
the police are not content with their wages.
and that they levy additional taxes. The pro-
stop levying such additional taxes. In this
the rcformer has with him every man and wo-
persons said to be paying illegal taxes do not
like it. and will be much Obliged TO you il you
will rise up and make an end of il: hut as for
which we know to exist. there is no prop
ositlon to make an end Of this. Indeed
cal men openly declare that vice ought to
be licensed, iou! search society in vain for
n mSra fsafm of nps to sop hSs
strange ideas about the Improvement, OF soci-
ETY.. and they concern themselves chiefly in
sins of the police and public officials. The
moral condition, have no hesitation In say
bring the ! wsek E 0 ouau nS Of
pollution eyer produced In this city, was sent
through thousand foul channels all over the
same. Next Monday this corruption will DO
orened and ventilated to public knowledge
a, Dr De Costa then entered into an ANALYSIS Of
you would find many professed Christians.
but YOU would be struck chiefly with the spec;
profane. men who tell us that the first thing
needed to improve ard purfy society t. get
Hno IL Ins ronS would OF be- tb
class who, do not trouble themselves at all
with any thought about God and Ms law and
HIS existence e, 20 In fact anythlns strong
secss faa aad
low y In the ya ndg Of TINS tn in
en- calf. would be found the objcc. of worship
Of al unregenerate minds.
Palm Sunday. when peop!e call to miad tho
triqmpha entry Of Christ into etusaem
ADMINISTRATIONS givon ike that at Jerusalem.
which had no moral bas SIS. but which was ami |
mated by mere political Zeal: for IL we march |
without God we may be ready when the disap- |
puintment comes to turn against tn" very one |
we have made an idol Of. and instead Of IIo- |
sanna. cry Cruelty Him
. This is a period when the people arc beset |
by peculiar temptations. a period when low |
standards arc held before our eyes No city |
ever stood before such grave issues or was |
ever In such danger of being befoolcd. II we |
drop to low standards. and fancy that We can |
save the city before we save ourselves. tho |
judgment will be visited upon us. And our |
sin will find us out.
The great demand OF our day is the de. |
mand for personal religion and higher moral |
standards OF thought and action We should. |
Of course. always strive to do our best and put |
the best men in Office. Rcmembor that tho |
good man in Office will DO pow"rless unless
supported by pure public opinion But tho |
pure public opinion does not now exist and |
the man who in the face of overwhelming |
RIGHTEOUSNESS und crtakes to administer the
laws OF the mum cipulty in accordance with |
righteous principles will be ovcrtaken by n |
storm Of Indignation. Public opinion must |
first be reclaimed thon purified. Only then
shall We be prepared to deal with this awful
wickedness that now successfully dciles tho
law. therefore present to you the religion Of |
Jesus Christ as the only element that can So
cure the reform. and tho living Christian
cleansed OF ali duplicity the only reformcr."
THE CLERGY AND SOCIiL MOHiLS