The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-25

uuietest sabbaths on the continent and the
best order and the highest tone Of morals OF
any city that T know OF. is now having
brought into as near neighborhood as Coney
Island carnivals of pugilism as debasing as
any of the gladiatorial interests Of Pompeii.
| What a precious crew that Coney Island Ath-
| etic Club is, under whose auspices these
| orgies are enacted What degradation to
the adjective ''athletic," which ordinarily
suggests health and muscle developed for
useful purpose2 Instead Of calling it an
thletic club they might better style 1t THE
Ruflan Club For Smashing the Human
Visage."
Vile men are turning that Coney Island,
which Is one Of the finest watering places on
all the Atlantic coast, into place for the
Isoffscouring Of the earth to congregate, the
low horse jockeys and gamblers, and the
pugilists and the pickpockets, and the bloats
regurgitated from the depths OF the worst
wards of thes cities. They invite delegates
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 q
barrel down 30 hard that 1t breaks. I will
not believe that the international prize fight
will take place on Long Island or in the State
Of New York until I see the rowdy rabble
rolling drunk of the cars at Flatbush avenue
and with faces banged and cut and bleeding
from the imbruting scene. Against this in
traction of the laws Of the State of New York
lift solemn protest. The curse of Almighty
God will rest upon any community that con-
sents to such an outrage. Does any one
think 1t cannot be stopped, and that the con-
stsbulary 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
have perished for their rufisntsm, 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 malodor. For what politics
will do refer you to the eight weeks OF
qualification enacted at Washington by our
American senate.
American politics will become a reforma-
tory power on the same day that pandemoni-
um becomes a church. But there are. am
glad to say, benign and salutary and gra-
cious influences organized In oil our cities
which will yet take them for God and right
eousness. Let US ply the gospel machinery
to 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 sancttfied heart and good digestion
to put In long line the statistics Of natures
transformed, 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
complaint and despondency with 'Te
Deums" aud "Jubilates of moral and re-
Hgious victory" Show that the day Is COM
ing when great tidal wave OF salvation will
roll over all our cities. Show how Pompeu
buried will become Pompeh resurrected.
Demonstrate the fact that there are mhnons
OF good men and women VINO VIII give
themselves no rest day nor night until cities
that are now of the type OF the buried cities
OF Italy shall take type from the New
Jerusalem coming down from God out OF
heaven. hal the advancing morn.
make the same proclamation to-day that
Gideon made to the shivering towards OF his
army. "Whosoever is fearful and afraid. let
him return and depart early from Mount
Gilead" Close up the ranks. Lift tho Sos-
pei standard. Forward into this Armaged.
don that is now opening and let the word
run all along the line Brooklyn for God !
All our cities for Godl America for God
The world for God! The most Of us here
gathered, though born in the country, will
die In town.
Shall our last walk be through streets
where sobriety and good order dominate, or
grogshops stencil the air2 Shall our last
look be upon city halls where justice reigns,
or demagogues plot for the stufang OF ballot
boxes2 Shall We sit for the last time In some
church where God Is worshiped with the
contrite heart, or where cold Journalism goes
through unmeaning genuhexions2 God save
the cities Righteousness Is life, iniquity ts
death. Remember picturesque, terraced,
tempted. sculptured, boastful, God defying
and entombed Pompei