, 1892-07-02
DOWN ON DANCING.
Evangelist Says Something About
Popular AmuSements.

Gard Playing and bad Books De-
nOunced--SOmethIn About Ly-
Ing AN BED Late ON sunday
Morning.
Evangelist Bell preached sermon last
night that made quite number of Christ
ians see things in a different light than
heretofore.
He spoke about the various things in life
which seem right, but which end in sorrow
and misery. "Now it seemeth right that
man shall provide for his own. We have
scripture for it. He that provideth not for
his own, and especially those of his own
household, has denied the faith and is
worse than infdel. I.know how easy it is
to hide behind that verse, I know how 1
used to do it. But here is the point. A
man should not be so engrossed with
money getting and the allurements of this
world that he will neglect family worship,
if married and private prayer if single; for
get his weekly prayer meeting and come
to church on Sunday Indifferent that he
cannot enjoy the sermon. It seemeth right
to do these things but the end is spiritual
DEATH"
Passing from this point he spoke about
Christians laying abed and sleeping Sun
day mornings later than on week DAYS. He
condemned 1t as an Out-and-out sin against
God to indulge IN such a habit. ''And
then on Sunday afternoon he continued.
It's strange you will think how many people
you should have seen during the week.
You must see them now. You are dread
fully afraid something will happen to
them. It's so nice to 60 and see them,
provided you have a horse and buggy,
You need fresh air. No matter if YOU
have been working outdoor all week YOU
feel that you must go airing Sunday after
noon. This seemeth right, my brother.
but it leads to spiritual death and dearth d
Somebody left the tent at this iuncture.
whereupon Mr., Bell said:
That's right. If you can't stand it you
are at liberty to leave. Better get out now
if you can't stay through the sermon
Small pitchers are soon filed Some are
filled in five minutes"
Resuming the thread of his discourse he
related an incident in California in which
men let their private interests have a big
influence oyer their religious couduct. He
noticed that the ranchers came to church
IN town on Sundays in large numbers.
investigating the matter he found that the
postotice and grocery store were the real
attractions and that the church was a mere
incident. He brought the matter squarely
before them and large numberof the men
who had been doing this kind of business
announced their determination to quit buy
ing goods on Sunday.
christians should not patronize a man
who keeps open on Sunday. That's the
way to break up such business, " exclaimed
Mr.. Bell.
Speaking about amusements, he said that
In this upper coast country shows had such
an attraction for people that it was diff.
Gulf matter To pnt flhrigtione n cto W
from them. Men wanted to be amused and
preferred fun to anything of serious ma.
ture.
Mr.. Bell conceded that it appeared to be
perfectly right to let the young folks get
together in the double parlors of some
home and dance together. But step by
step he showed that private dancing paved
the way to public dancing led to debauch.
cry and decentralization Of morals. Surely
three-fOurths of the fallen women of Chi
cagO had strayed from the paths of virtue
by way of the public dance. This fact had
been tabhshed by a missionary who Wis
tied the houses of i'll fame for that purpose
Referring to card playing and gambling
Mr.. Bell said: Il am not one of these re
formed men whose chief claim to consider
alton is lot of deyiltry committed in
youth. My education at cards was sadly
neglected and have my first drink of liquol
to take" He then demonstrated that 8
A1i bO huiADIA VI BdAuDl6Is JOOk Jn6lf nrSl
step downward by becoming familiar with
cards in some home-tOO often in christian
homes. Innocent playing led to playing
stakes and so on. Gambling was passion
like drink and in many cases the tendency
to gamble if inherited the same as drunk
enness.
Impure literature, the books that seemed
to be right, were condemned without
equivocatiOn. Christians should carefully
examine every book that comes into the
hands of their children. Mr.. Bell CLOSED
his sermon with an earnest appeal for q
higher plane of Christian iving-for
vital Christianity that had something be
sides ceremonies and forms.
A deep impression was made by the
earnest words of the evangelist, and before
the meeting closed the altar was filled
with Christians consecrating themselYe.
entirely to God.
There will be services at the tent al
usual tonight. This ends the fifth week O
the special revival services. They will pro
bably continue another week. Mr. Bel
will preach at one of the city churohe,
Sunday morning but exactly which on,
will not be made public.