Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-09

ture, out Nney dlee ettu hhu puNleu never
to rise.
But the cemetery of dead cities is not
vet filed, and If the present cities of the
world forget God and with their indie
cencies shock the heavens let them
know that the God who on the Gath of
August, 10, dropped on a city of Italy q
superincumbrance that staid there II
centuries is still alive and hates sin now
rs much as he did then and has at his
command all the armament of destruc-
ton with which he whelmed their in
iquitous predecessors.
II was only few summers ago that
BROOKLYN and New York felt an earth
quake throb that sent the people af-
frighted into the streets, and that sug-
gested that there are forces of nature
now suppressed or held in check which
easier than a child in nursery knocks
down row of block houses could pros
trate city or engulf continent deep
er than Pompeii was engulfed. Our hope
is in the mercy Of the Lord continued to
our American cities.
1t amazes me that this city, which
has the quietest Sabbaths on the conti-
nent and the best order and the highest
tone of morals of any city that know
of, is now having brought into as near
neighborhood as Coney Island carnivals
of pugilism as debasing as any of the
gladiatorial contests of Pompeii. What
precious crew that Coney Island Ath-
letic club is, under whose auspices
these orgies are enacted What degra-
dation to the adjective athletic" which
ordinarily suggests health and muscle
developed for useful purposei Instead
of calling 1t an athletic club they might
better style it "The Ruffiap 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 off8couring of the earth to congre-
gate, the low horse jockeys and gamblers,
and the pugilists, and the pickpockets,
and the bloats regurgitated from the
depths of the worst wards of these cities.
They invite delegates from universal
loaferdom to come to their carnival of
knuckles. But do not believe that the
pugilism contracted for and advertised
for next December will take place in our
neighborhood.
A STEP TOO FAR.
Evil sometimes defeats itself by going
one step too far. You may drive the
hoop of barrel down 80 hard that it
breaks. l will not believe that the inter
national 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 bleed
ing from the imbruting scene. Against
this infraction of the laws of the state of
New York l lift solemn protest. The
curse of Almighty God will rest upon
any community that consents to such an
outrage. Does any one think it cannot
be stopped, and that the constabulary
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 ruffianism,
or their cruelty, OF their idolatry, or their
dissoluteness, let all our American cities
lead the right way. Our only dependence
is on God and Christian influences. Poll
tics will do nothing but make things
worse. Send politics to moralize and
save city, and you send smallpox to
heal leprosy or carcass to relieve the
air Of malodor. For what politics will
do refer you to the eight weeks of stul-
tification enacted at Washington by our
American senate,
American politics will become a re-
formatory power on the same day that
pandemonium becomes a church. But
there are, am glad to say, benign and
salutary and gracious influences organ
lied in all our cities which will yet take
them for God and righteousness. Let
us ply the gospel machinery to its ut
most speed and power. City evangeliza-
ton is tho thought. Accustomed as are
religious pessimists to dwell upon statis-
tics of evil and dolorous facts, we want
some one with sanctifed heart and good
digestion TO put in long line the statis-
tics of natures transformed, and profit
eacies 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
"Misereyes" Of complaint and despond-
ency with "Te Deums" and "Jubilates OF
moral and religious victory. Show that
the day is coming when great tidal wave
of salvation viii roll over all our cities.
Show hCv Pompeii buried will become
Pompeh resurrected. Demonstrate the
fact that there are millions Of good men
and women who will 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 Jeru-
salem coming down from God out Of
heaven. hail the advancing morn.
make the same proclamation today
that Gideon made 10 the shivering cow
ards of his army. "WhosOeyer is fear.
full and afraid, let him return and depart
early from Mount Gilesd." Close up the
ranks. Lift the gospel standard. For
ward into this Annageddon that is now
opening and let the word run all along
the line: brooklyn for GOdl All our
cities for Godi America for Godi The
world for Godl The most Of us here