Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-10-20

quietest sabbaths on the continent and the
pest oroer and the highest tone Of morals of
any city that l know of, is now having
brought into as near neighborhood as Coney
lsland carnivals of pugilism as debasing as
any OIL the gladiatorial interests of Pompeii.
Wnat a precious crew that Coney Island Ath-
letlc Club is, under whose auspices these
orgies are enacted What degradation to
the adjective "athletic," which ordinarily
suggests health end muscle developed for
useful purpose2 Instead OF calling 1t an
a thletic club they might better style it 1.-THE
Ruffian. Club For Smashing the Human
Visage."
vie men are turning that Coney Island,
which is one of the finest watering places on
all the Atlantic coast, into place for the
ohscourlng OF the earth to congregate, the
low horse jockeys and gamblers, and the
pugllists and the pickpockess, and the bloats
regurgltated from the depths Of the worst
wards OF thes e cities. They invite delegates
from universal loaferiom to come to their
| carnival OF knuckles But do not believe
that the pugilism contracted for and adver-
tised for next December will take place in
our neighborhood
Evil sometimes defeats itself by going one
step too far. You may drive the hoop OF a
barrel down so hard that it breaks. 1 will
not believe that the international prize fight
will take place on Long Island or in the State
OF New York until l see the rowdy rabble
rolling drunk off the cars at Flatbush avenue
and with faces banged and cut and bleeding
from the imbruting scene. Against this in
fraction of the laws ofthe State OF New York
l lift solemn protest The curse of Almighty
God will rest upon any community that con-
sents to such an outrage. Does any one
thlrk 1t cannot be stopped, and that the con-
stabulary would be overborne? Then let
Governor Flower send down there regiment
OF State militia, and they will clean out the
nuisance in one hour.
Warned by the doom OF other cities that
nave persisted for their rufflanism, or their
cruelty or their idolatry or their dissolute-
ness, let all our American cities lead the right
way. Our only dependence is on God and |
Christrian influences. Politics will do moth
ing but make things worse. Send politics TO
moralize and save a city, and you send
smallpox to heal leprosy or carcass to re-
lieve the air of maloior For what politics
will do | refer you to the eight weeks OF
enacted at Washington by our
American senate.
American politics will become a reforma-
tory power on the same day that pandemoni-
UNI becomes church. But there are, am
glad to say, benign and salutary and gra-
cious influences organized in all our cities
which will yet take them for God and right
Let US ply the gospel machinery
10 its utmost speed and power City evan
gelization is the thought Accustomed as
are religious pessimists to dwell upon statis-
tics of evil and dolorous facts, we want some
one with sanctified heart and good digestion
10 put in long line the statistics of natures
and proaigacies baked, and
souls ransomed, and cities redeemed.
Give us pictures of churches, of schools,
of reformatory associations, Of asylums OF
mercy. Break in upon the "Misereres' Of
and dependency with "Te
Deums" and 'Jubilates of moral and re-
igious victory" Show that the day is COM
ng when great tidal wave of salvation will
oil over all our cities. Show how Pompeii
Demonstrate the fact that there are millions
t good men and women who will give
themselves no rest day nor night until cities
hat are now of the type OF the buried cities
t Italy shall take type from the New
erusaiem coming down from God out of
eaven. hal the advancing morn.
l make the same proclamation to-day that {
+ideon made TO the shivering towards of his r
rmy. "Whosoever is fearful and afraid let
i'm return and depart early from Mount
Head" Close up the ranks. Lift the gos- r
ell standard. Forward into this Arranged 7
on that is now opening and let the word :
IN all along the lines Brooklyn for God
IL our cities for Godl America for God c
he world for God The most of us here S
though born in the country, will Il
lie in town. n
Shall our last walk be through streets Il
here sobriety and good order dominate, or B
-ogshops stencil the air? Shall our last NJ
ok be upon city halls where justice reigns,
demagogues plot for the stuffing of ballot st
,xes? Shall we sit for the last time in some tt
lurch where God is worshiped with the
'ntrite heart, or where cold Journalism goes
rough unmeaning genufexions2 God save
g cities Righteousness IS life ; iniquity Is
,ath. Remember picturesque, terraced, te
implied, sculptured, boastful, God defylng O
ID entombed Pompeii