The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-29
The Devil Not Ahead.

According to the sermon Of tho Rev. DIR.
RYLANCE last Sunday, 1--WE are passing
through period of widespread demorall-
cation rs community. revelations OF dis
honorable doings in all spheres of life being
Of portentous frequency and magnitude.
To this prevalent popular corruption DR..
RYLANCE nscribcs the corruption or the
Government He charges that the respor>
sibility for the evil result rests on the COM
munity and not on tho politicians.
DIR. DE COSTA took the same view. =" Ii
centiousness and false dealing he said III
his sermon, "are destroying moral consid-
erations and sapping the foundation OF per-
sonal and political integrity" This dcprnv-
ity. he explained. is in tho community
Tho trouble is with tho people," AS
JEREMIAH declared OF tho wickedness OF
Jerusalem, it exists because my people
love to have it so.''
II the popular decentralization is so ter.
rible rs described by these preachers. OF
course the Government is correspondingly
corrupt. It could not be otherwise in a
State where the law is the popular will.
Tho only possible remedy lies in the moral
elevation OF the community. The rcforma-
ton cannot be brought about by politics
1t must be accomplished by religion. Inc
fountain of power must DO purified. The
hearts Of the people must be turned. 80 that
instead OF Flowing evil they shall love good
The responsibility rests on the clergy and
not tho politicians. The Church must stir
itself to save the community.
We do not agree with these two preach
ers. however. in their implication that re-
ligion has SO far fuied in its mission in New
York that the forces Of evil have tri-
umphed over the forces Of good in this
great community. We do not observe the
Indications of widespread decentralization.
We have not discovered any loss OF sense
OF honor among the people. We do not
find that tho devil Is ahead by any means.
According to our survey of the field OF bat
tie. he is falling behind steadily. and his
host is diminishing rather than increasing.
A very hopeful indication Of the sensitive
ness OF the public honor has been furnished
by two conspicuous occurrences OF late.
The general revolt OF the public conscience
against the dishonorable detective methods
pursued by DR.. PARKHuRsT is an encourag-
ing sign; and we are glad to see that both
DR.. RYLANcE and DR.. De COSTA share in the
healthy sentiment. II the Church and the
public had defended such course Of con-
duct in professed minister Of CHRIST or
even II they had left it unrebuked. we should
have had a deplorable proof OF demoraliza-
ton. When they are outraged by it as I'M
christian and utterly dishonorable. the in
dication OF a sound moral sense in the COM
munity Is unmistakable.
The other case was where the public visit
ed with its contempt dishonorable method
of evading a duel by betraying confidence
and blackening the character Of woman
for the purpose Of shielding man from
Just condemnation. Therein public senti-
ment was shown to be sound. The spirit Of
fair play prevailed. The great majority OF
the men of New York got on the right side
instinctively and Immediately. They proved
court of honor whose judgments are true
and just.
These are only two Instances and indlca-
tions: but always when the people, senti-
ment is tested and revealed it is found to
be thus sound and healthy.
The Church has no reason to despair. The
devil is fighting losing battle Good and
not evil predominates in New York. even
against humbug and hypocrisy.