The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-09
The VICE QUESTION.
What the Rev. {. G. Wesley Said of
II in His Sermon.
A BAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
He Says There Are $4,000 Fallen Men I'm
the City OF Providence. and That $780,
900 is the Sum Annually Spent In
Evil Doing.

Church last evening the Rev. Ernest
Wesley spoke OH "The Morals of Provi'
dence." His text was from Eph v: ll-12.
Mr. Wesley spoke as follows:
mo apology is needed for presenting
this subject publicly. In common with
all decent citizens rejoice that the city
is at last waking up TO the actual condi-
tion of things. / also rejoice that the
pulpit is invited to boldly and plainly
condemn the immortality which too gen
orally prevails in the city. The move
ment is late, but it is TO be hoped not 100
late. for hundreds OF our young men and
dozens of our young women are forming
habits aud opinions upon moral ques
tions. from which, IL warned by friendly
voice they would turn with loathing aad
hatred.
what is the actual condition of
affairsi Briefly this: All the gambling,
all the illegal liquor selling and all the
vice which people so disposed see iit TO
carry on. / never wish to be too hard
upon officials. but it Is very hard to be-
lieve the authorities of Providence ignor-
ant with regard to the existing condition
of things.
Because believe immortality a far
and TO generations unborn than either of
the other two. call attention TO the
social evil to the exclusion OF others.
This evil may be secretly carried on, It's
effects on offspring cannot be named, its
shame is universally admitted, its effec
(physicaD on the transgressor are fearful,
too generally, ignorance prevails regard
ing the sin and its consequences and
though the sin is SO degrading 1t is not
condemned In the man as it ought to be.
In Regard TO Statistics.
81 tiotics ,onst ha larOalv Quaeg
work upon this question; but. as the
number of fallen women in city aver
ages from to per cent OF the popula.
tion it is safe to estimate the nu nber OF
fallen women in Providence az little short
of 5000. and 10 support these there must
be at least 10000 (probably $4,000 fallen
men. Prominent physicians do not hesi-
tate to assert that 40 per cent of our
young men live impure lives. The money,
worse than wasted, given TO support
these lost ones cannot be much less tnan
$500, 900 n year, low estimate rather
than high one. The larger portion of
this $S00,000 come from the, SO consid-
cred, respectable part of our manhood (D
from those whom society chat part
(which patronizes theatres, balls, cards,
etc. calls the upper classes; from the
very men who are welcomed as escorts
to ball. theatre, opera, etc, from the very
men who stand high in political, business
and social life. fhe men society wefcomes
courts. smiles upon. honors with ofhce IN
the city and State, but the poor women,
who these very men betray are cast ont.
loathed, stunned. OF the two fallen
woman Is much more worthy or respect
than the fallen man. Could many wives,
mothers and sisters see the actual condi-
tion of things they would see many well
known men of this city in lodges" OF a
peculiar kind when supposed TO be at
tending to the business OF the order.
.To combat this evil we must know
something of the cause Among the
causes, though my statement will be dis
puted by those who have not given the
matter many years of study, intemper-
ance is not the chief; it is one cause. but
not the cause OF over l5 per cent.
Selling Young Women.
poverty: All over our land are to be
found agents Offering young women $50
to $50 a week; when women Of this age
(16 to 21 the most dangerous age, Le-
cause the period in which the immense
majority fall, can earn in stores, facto-
ries, ETC., but from SO to s. "A week in
hundreds of cases. wages which cannot
keep soul aud body together, it is not TO
be wondered at IL the temptation proves
too strong. Every employer OF labor in
this city who pays women no higher
wages is guilty OF their ruin If they fall.
Small. indeed, is the number OF those who
choose life OF shame; large the number
OF those whom actual poverty drives 10
il. Low priced goods mean low wages
aud low wages means temptation to bar
ter virtue for gold.
"The theatre. ball room, burlesque
shows, ETC., are wide-open gateways to
ruin. Those who have fallen are not
slow to state their first wayward steps
were taken at such places, through the
unnatural excitement, the indelicate
proximities aud semi-nude dress of these
amusements. The very fact that SO
many respectable people are SO blinded
as not to he able To see all this is self
evident proof of the danger.
"Pernicious Literal ature in the columns
of almost any daily or weekly period ical,
except the few who are too high priuci-
pied to admit them, may be seen adver-
tisements- of books, etc, which SOW the
seeds of death broadcast More than one
store in Providence publicly aivertises
the dishonor OF its proprietor; more than
one newspaper aud book-stand declares
the immoral character of its owner. The
M oral shipwrecks caused by such read
ing are beyond number.
Not n Natural Necessity.
"a Wrong Moral Standard There are
men in Providence of high political, busi-
ness anu SOCidl pOSlblOu NuO uO uOs neSl-
tate TO declare vice To be natural neces-
sity. There are men and women in this
city OF social standing who unhesitatingly
echo the cry: "Stone the woman, but
welcome the man" Where IN Providence
society can be found Que man OF wealth ex-
pelled from social circles because of i'm
moralityl But by this same society
woman with one-tenth as unsavory n
moral reputation would be shut out OF
every home! Until public opinion holds
the man more guilty, more dlsreputable,
more disho lored, more blameworthy than
the poor victim OF his baseness. cruelty
aud lust. the social evil will fild recruits
10 abound.
Manhood Must be Purified: The far
greater part OF the blame should be
placed a the door of the men OF Provi-
dence. God and nature have placed the
virtue OF woman in his hands to be
guarded and defended "a "A sacred trust.
Manhood must be taught TO believe, aud
TO act upon the belief, that the be-
trayal OF woman is the darkest aud mo ST
devilish crime, aud it is little less crime
10 aid in keeping woman debased."
Employment. good wages, bet er sur
roundings. decent homes, etc, must be
provided for all whom the committee Of
one hundred may find willing To forsake
fal. -. al.