The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-31
A Minister or a Detective.

The Rev DR.. PARKHURsT has addressed
IAN Appeal to the Citizens Of New York
City" for more money to enable him to con-
tective. detective work." as he explains
very truly. costs great deal OF money"
When he visited several vicious resorts
after midnight a few weeks ago. under the
pretence that he was an old reprobate from
the West. he was obliged to pay large
price to the wretched women who received
him in order to induce them to make a
shameful and shameless exposure OF them
selves in his presence. Nor has he denied
that he went to further expense to infiame
them with wine, 80 that they might be the
more unguarded in their disgraceful be-
havior. In one Of these places he remained
q whole hour as he himself acknowledged
in the sensational sermon wherein he de-
tailed his vicious experiences.
OF course. therefore. IL DIR. PARKHURsr Is
to keep up this sort Of detective work. visit
ing in turn all the disreputable haunts in
the town. it will cost "a great deal OF
money" as he says: but we do not see why
the citizens OF New York should be called
upon to pay for such a qualification OF his
morbid curiosity Decent people ought not
to be expected to contribute money for the
purpose Of melting depraved women to
shamelessness and sending them down into
deeper degradation. Too much OF the
money Of the vicious is already expended
for that vile purpose. and without such
provocation the evil against which DR..
PARKHURsT is expanding his detective ef-
forts would not exist in society.
a..
erty or OF constituencies men. tempted by
vanity or allured by appeals to their love OF
ease and luxury. have been ready to sell
themselves for money in all ages OF the
world. Proportionately to the whole num-
Der Of women they are few. and in the vast
majority Of cases they are of distnctively
and discoverably depraved Inheritance.
moral or physical. They have not the
average strength Of character to resist
temptation. though they may still possess
womanly qualities which command respect
even in their degradation. In small minor
ity their force OF will power is perverted
naturally: but usually to the great honor
OF womanhood be 1t said, they do not make
the moral descent resistlessly and without
self-contempt. The almost universal prev
alence OF intemperance among them Is an
indication OF the need they feel to overcome
their repugnance to course which does
violence to every wOmanly instinct. To
continue shameless they cannot keep sober;
and therefore the average duration Of life
Is extraordinarily short among these pitt
able social outcasts. So it has been in all
times past. and SO it is now in all parts OF
the world. civilized and uncivlized.
m oh m az " In wit vyra fah
creatures? CHRIST taught by both pre-
cept and example that tho good in them
should be cultivated rather than the evil
fostered by their condemnation and perse-
cution. Some OF them were His chosen as
sociates, and He rebuked the men who cast
on them reproaches as sharers in their sin.
DR.. PARKHURsTs way Is radically differ
ent. He encourages them in the I'M
womaniness against which they them
selves instinctively rebel. He provokes
them to it that he may betray them and
turn them over to the punishment OF men.
He goes as a spectator Of their shame
lessness. and he begs money to play the
spy upon them. SO that they may be pur-
sued and condemned by human law. He
does not seek to cultivate the good in them.
but to provoke the manifestation OF the
evil which is warning against the good In
their breasts. The most hardened repro
bate does no more. In order that he may
incite them to shamelessness. he Is no less
shameless himself. To discover their wick
edness he makes himself partner4n their
guilt: and thus. as CHRIST teaches US. he is
worse than they In the sight OF GOD.
This Presbyterian pastor. man, min
lister Of the Gospel and OF the perfect and
merciful justice OF GOD. starts out to be-
tray poor sinful women. SHINING against
themselves rather than against others. and
to give them over to the merciless justice
Of the imperfect human law II the
Word lie breaches were obeyed in truth by
himself and by all men. their sins would
not be committed. He processes to be
follower OF the Great Physician. and yet he
casts aside and spurns His divine remedy
toS the terrible disease. though the whole
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