The morning call., 1893-03-20

as erery MANS door to be barred ?"
when THE CALL takes the stand it has
against immOralljIes l feel very great
pleasure in making a public reference and
Endorsement of efforts oil that kind on the
page Of the public press.
81 have a very important subject tonight.
think the interest in the subject is mani
tested by The number that have come this
nclement night; and yet, after all, l think
II the eyes Of the people IF San Francisco
were open to some facts there is not room
large enOrgh in this city to hold the people
hat would crowd for consultation against
the inroads Of the tigers of vice.
I'll anybody should come expecting to
have their morbid curiosity gratfied by
some of the pictures | shall draw they will
ne very sadly disappointed. | propose, by
Gods help, in square, honest way, to
grapple with these questions, getting down
by your side as we strike hands for our
homes and our sons and our daughters, and
this grand empire State.
You will find my text in the fiitieth verse
VI the seventh chapter of Luke: And
Jesus said, woman, 60 in peace, thy faith
hath saved thee; sin no more
DR.. Hirst then proceeded 10 draw a vivid
and beautiful picture Of the scene of the
text and of the characters there repi eSente ed.
HIS description of Mary MaPdaIeD was
especially touching and tender, and so
graphic was his portrayal of her history, her
situation and her attitude toward Christ
that the congregation was deeply moved.
By a few swift sBillful touches he
brought out the dark background of the
picture In the form Of Judas lscarInt, and
applied the principles involved in the group
thus assembled in Magdalen to existing cir
eumstances In San Francisco.
Simon, the pharls aical host, was also
Nptly described.
Nothing was more dispicable than a re-
'igion which began and eliminated IN self.
Time and patience and chIistly sympathy
would bring back many a shattered man
and woman to lives of purity and nobility
and usefulness. Many we're the allure
ments of this wicked world but much in
consistency was often manifested in the
treatment of the theme under discussion,
and while the erTing woman was branded
with nfamy the vile seducer was received
by society, its doors were open TO him and
he could again place his guilty hands upon
girihOOd in the giddy dance. This was
cruel and heartless. Tie sOiled, battered
and broken flower was not as much TO be
abhorred as he who had trampled her under
his feet
Tie Ilaces Of SIN In San Francisco were
recruited from the towns about US and the
lines were out now TO catch victims for lust
There are those who must make their choice
between street beggary and sn-women
who can get no work of any kind. They
have sold the plano; they have sold the
library; they have sold the pictures; they
have sold some of their carpets: there is
only one thing left to sell-that is their
immortal nature. AT that moment garing,
cunning, crafty solicitation comes, and with
one awful fling away goes tile soul into the
depths.
"Oh," but you say, "God is loye and lie
will forgive" Yes, he will forgive, AMI this
beautiful picture tells US OF that fact, but
man will not, women will not, society Will
not. The church says she will, but she
won't, if we judge by her actions to the lost
and to the outcast And what is our duty
today? Ii is more prevention than cure.
Il have seen some start out in this path
way" said the preacher. "but l have
known but rare cases ever TO return,
believe that 1 am making a safe PROPOSE
ton and in proper way when | say that
nine-teEths of the inmates of the houses of
nfamy in the city of San Francisco are
there as the result OF mans prof gacy. So
clety fT0wus on them, and | dare not saw
that that is wrong. but is every door of
escape to be barred? Is there no way TO be
open for any Mary MaGdalen who wants to
come back, the way Of penilence and con-
teSsion %
DR.. Hirst at this point described the vile
wretches who stood at street corners and
sought to invegle women and girls, and
said that giTihOod and womanhood would
not be safe in San Francisco until these de-
graded creatures were in San Quentin.
be then spoke feelingly of the private
rooms IN restaurants and saloons, where
scenes Of awful and indiscribable lieentious-
ness we're enacted. He illustrated his
thought by relating an incident which had
come within his knowledge Of beautiful
and accomplished young girl in Cincinnati,
who became the victim Of a seducer and fell
until at last she died in a hospital from
sickness brought on by dissipation. Just
before she died size wrote her experience in
the form an exquisiiely beautiful poem,
which had been published. DIR. Hirst re-
cited these touchingly pathetic lines in q
manner that thrilled his audience and
brought tears TO almost every eve
He pointed his thought by an allegorical
description of a ship in distress in a terrific
storm and an old captain commanding a
crew to man the llfeOoats. Most of the
crew needed not his words. At last the old
captain and faithful few manned the life
boat aud came ba wet and bleeding with
several rescued sailors. Then the law.
eowardly crew stood polishing their buttons
and praised him for his bravery. The
speaker closed as follows:
II wonder If any such sailors are here.
wonder if when Jesus, our captain, goes out
and comes back with his bleeding hands
and bleeding side, and his raiment tern and
ms feet bleedlng-I wonder If we stand on
the deck and dress our uniforms, straighten
our plumes ana polish our buttons while
women and girls are going down to death
and our boys are being gathered in the great
vortex. How is it? YOu do not have to
answer TO me. but you will have to answer
at that Judgment"
AFTER an earnest prayer by the eloquent
preacher Tor the women ana girls who had
taken the downward course and those who