New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-26
MKANE AND BRECKINRIDGE.
A POWERFUL SERMON BY THE REV j..
F. CARSON. OF BROOKLYN.
RINGING WORDS IN FAVOR OF SOCIAL PURITY
AND IN CONDEMNATION OF HYPoc-
RISY AND FRAUD.

AND IN CONDEMNATION Of HliOO-
RISY AND FRAUD.
In his sermon at the Central Presbyterian Church
at Tompkins and Wloughby aves' last evening"
the Rev j. Y. Carson said. in part:
It IS not my purpose to try and answer the yexins
question way the Lord perrnlttcn a JuudS ~
be one of the apostolic college. Neither Is II my
purpose spend time and force IN dsnouns.ns ,ns
base treachery 81 the arch traitor 100 often we
allow indignation against deeeptt.l anu ma II! :
pocri.y and sn 10 voice iisei IN dehCut!Cns ' ,ne
JuIases OF the past In order - find subjects OF
which to spend moral Indignation we nave
them to-day The attention OF our country mas ossn
centred recently two criminal trials one mas
closed. and the criminal Is serving ms seil's'.Iv
country tnd whatever be the result OF that tridi
the crlminaiity Of the defendant mas been HGis s
found sympathy that the community heard OF the
conviction OF John y McAane dn1 ;vss.iI La 7, is
have head Of the fan OF the idol Of Kentucky
Both these men are guilty OF heinous SINS. But
while the crime Of Mckane mas Dcfn deiounC'u
from ore end OF the land to the otner. that Oh
denunciation; only a few OF great Journals nave
se9 these 5e e% Is Th s Trbnne
Gear. ringing. unequivcca editoria!s nav, ri,,
These editorials have been on the side OF the home
and OF honor, and Of al! that is sacred IN human
The crime of breckenridge compared with that
of Mckane is infinitely more gross more neliou'
more far-reaching In lis ev resu.s9, i'm 1,, The
cannot conceive of Breckenridge co!ninl'uns ne el.e
Nickname,
the pardon Of the criminal John Y Mckane for
naming MN in the same sentence with me nom" s
able w c. T. Breckenridge. How pltiab'e 70 So
yonder grayhared Congressman. ieader IN N, i hi
councils of his country. the foremost orator OF MS
the Church defending himself against the fou'est
accusation that could be brought asainst a lndn
and In his defence practically admitting ms SulI'
II makes the blood OF an honest run cod to
hear but the echo OF the rehearsal or me SOY
of thos. nine years of deception and falsehood anu
crime This IS not the place for that story to be
retod. Your papers have done that f9r you aca an
ill ntfch NOT ilfntp details
And do NOT make the attempt because my vocabu
iary does not contain words Of sufficient indg
nant emphasis to describe one VINO. WIN silver
ner wins his way into confidence OF young
woman. bewllders her moral sensiblity. sets false
Low like innocence and then accomplisnes his hS-
lish purpose The heart OF every virtuous man
The Two men whose audacious crimes have
appalled, the country are prominent In the Church
/ have only one hypothesis on which to explain
their Church reationship-they are hypocrteS' ryo
better serve he devil. The Church membership
is only one NOR Item ~ thr ves OF b Rre aiu
inriiges are prominent representatives OF other
men in the Church who are false to their VOWS
lives But they are the vast minority. The great
bulk OF the Church are true. honest. pure ana up
the church are living IN direct antason:Sn, 10 1ne
Gear teaching or the Church. the essence or whose
member whose heart is Impure and who's hands
unc,ean is not in line with his church. ani
not t. b. he'd responsible or Is not 10 be con
dcmned because Of Their nconsist encles The ocean
noa:s the pratlcal vessels. the sea breeze Ms the
sails Of the pirate ship. bu; you never think OF
blaming the the sea bret ~ for the llfdccS
No rrtsonine * more absurd than That wni'n says
Church because there some
hypocrtcs in It, You never know OF a check being
forged on bankrupt firm. There are no counter
fets on broken banks. The McKancs aaI the
Breckiarlges OF the Church testify to the essen
tia integrity and moral power Of the Caurch, .
The Church must insist upon a high standard or
moral conduct. That standard Is hXcd by the
sermon the Mount. ana II must nor b" Iower.,i.
II IL the SAM s:anilTd for man and " MN. The
Church rcs!sts the lcprous theory which mods IN
many circles today that lS not - be judged
by the same high standard by which the woman
Is judged That creeping worm Of Ncenions doc
irine which has crawled Into our social In" must
BE- stamped out. The Church must not excuse
cOndone or ual.ilte the crimes 81 its Nckan~s
and rrecklnridges. They may be men OF wealth.
OF social power. Of political Influence but all the
more must the Church be rigorous IN conforming
their offences. The Church that has power IN
the word is the Church that has not lost the
Masters whip OF small cords.