The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1893-10-14

luietest Sabbaths on the continent and the
1est order and the highest tone of morals Of
my city that know of, Is now having
| brought into as near neighborhood as Coney
Island 9arntyais Of pugilism es debssing as
my OF the gladiatorial interests Of Pompeii.
What precious crew that Coney Island Ath-
etie Club is, under whose auspices these
orgies ere enacted What = degradation TO
! he adjective ''ath!etic," which ordinarily
| suggests health and muscle developed for
Useful purpose? Instesd of calling il an
! athletic club they might better style 1t ''The
Ruffan Club For Smashing the Human
yisage."
Vile men are turning that Coney Island,
| which is one OF the finest watering places on
! al the Atlantic coast, into place for the
offscouring OF the earth to copgregate, the
ow horse jockeys and gamblers, and the
pugilists and the pickpockets, and the bloats
| ;egurgitated from the depths OF the worst
| wards of these cities, They invite delegates
from universal loaferdom to como TO their
carnival of knuckles. But I do not believe
hat the pngilism contracted for and sdyer-
ised for next December will take place in
our neighborhood. ... ..r.. ..
Evil Sometimes defeats itself by going one
step too far. You may drive the hoop Of q
barrel down so hard that il breaks. will
aot believe that the international prize fight
yill take place on Long Island or in the State
of New York until ! SEQ the row6y rabble
rolling drunk of the cars at Flatbush avenue
and with faces banged and cut and bleeding
from the imbruting scenC. Against this in
caction 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
thirk it cannot be stopped, nnd that the con-
stabulary would be ovcrUOrne2 Then let
Governor Flower send down there O regiment
| Of State militia, and they will clean cut the
| uuisance in one hour.
| Warned by the doom OF other cities that
| have perishsd for their rufaanism, or their
| cruelty, or their idolatry, or their dissoiute-
| ness, let all ourAmerican 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 city, and you send
| smallpox TO heal leprosy or carcass 10 re-
| lieve the air of malodOr. For what politics
will do refer you to the eight weeks Of
| qualification enacted at Washington Oy our
| American senate.
American politics will become reiorma-
| tory power on the same day that pandenoni-
| um becomes church. But there are, I am
| glad TO say, benign and salutary and gra-
oious influences organized in all our cities
which will yet take them for God and right
eousness. Let US ply the gospel machinery
| 10 It's utmost speed and power City evan
gelizetion is the thought. Accustomed as
| are religious pessimists 10 dwell upon Stats
| tics of evil and dolCrOuS facts, we want sOne
| one with sanctifed heart and good digestion
! 10 put in long limo the statistics Of natures
transformed and prohtgaClcS baked, and
| souls ransomed. and cities redeemed.
| Give us pictures Of churches, Of schools
| of reiormatory associations, OF asylums Of
| mercy. Break In upon the "MiserereS' Of
| complaint and dependency with tie
| Deums" and "Jubiates OF moral and re-
| ligious victory" Show that the day is com
| ing when great ii lal wave OF salvation will
| roll over all our cties Show how Pompeii
| buried viii become Pompen 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
| Jerusalem coming down from God out Of
| heaven. ] hal the advancing morn.
l make the same proclamation today that
| Gideon made 10 the shivcrinE towards Of his
army "Whcsoever is fearful and afraid. let
him return and depart early from Mount
| Gilead.' Close up the ranks. Lift the Gos
| don that IS now opening and let the word
| run all along the line Brooklyn for God
| All our cities for God America for God
| The world for God Tho most Of US hero
| gathered, though born in the country. Will
die in town.
Shall our last walk be through streets
where sobriety and good order dominate, or
| ~-sl,n n-- ~t~'-.h 'ha uiry S'ol last
look be upon city halls where justice reigns,
or demagogues plot for the stuffing Of ballot
boxes? Shall we sit for the last time in some
church where God IS wcFshiped with tho
contrite heart or where cold Journalism goes
through unmeaninC genuil God save
the cities Righteousness ~ life iniquty y
death. Remember picturesque. tcrraccd,
tempted, sculptured, boastiul, GOl dciyiIg
and entombed Pompcn