The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-05
AS he UNDERSTANDS IT
Revivalist Roberts Tells What
He Knows Of Race Tracks
and Doodle.

Thomas D. Roberts, an evangelist from
Boston, who has been holding religious SER
vices and revival meetings in this city, an
nounced in The JERSEY CITY News Satur-
day that his subject for discussion last night
at the Tabernacle would be, "The Governor
With a Weak Back Bone"
Naturally everybody saw the announce
ment, and those who attended the Taber-
nacle believed that Mr.. Roberts intended to
attack Governor Werts, but such was not
the case, and those who had expected it
were disappointed. The Tabernacle was
crowded when the pastor, Rev. John Z:
| Scudder. introduced Mr.. Roberts, who said
he would preach from Matthew, xviii ~
s'What shall | then do with Jesus?'
81 understand, :" he said, s'that the State OF
| New Jersey has been under the domination
of the race track. | understand that this
State is under their dominion still. New
Jersey is situated between two bells. Gutten-
berg on the north n Gloucester on the
| south. This is contrary to the will of the
people. but. apparently, you cannot help
| yourselves. Now, in the matter of horse
racing, no man can give me any points, be-
| cause I nave been there. | used to ride
horses in old England and at jerome Park.
l know what it is to have someone slap me
on the shoulder and say Tommy, our horse
ml1SJ UOG Will UOu1f, d1DuOuEA AO - OA1S At1oS
| est horse in the lot It is not always the
best horse that wins, nor the best man that
| gets into the Legislature or even the Gov
ernor's chair.
REARED ON THE RACE TRACKS.
81 was reared or the race track, and my
early life was spent among racing men, SO |
know what goes on behind the scenes. |
know exactly how a horse or a man is
| pulled, to use a racing phrase. L know the
| present disgraceful condition of things in
| New Jersey, and why, | ask, are they al
lowed to exists Doodle, / answer, is at the
| bottom of it all. 1t is on account OF Doodle
that the wishes of the people have not been
respected, and the politicians are not acting
as they should. Now, let me say that for
the morals of any community the race tracks
are very injurious, but they are not worse
than the laws that permit them: no worse
| than the politicians who made the law; no
worse than the people who elected the poll
ticians by their votes.
PLATE THE GOVERNOR.
"I suppose many of you think I have come
here tonight to speak about the governor of
New Jersey, but I a not come to speak OF
your Governor or any other Governor with
a weak backbone that is now living. L am
to speak of PLATE, the Roman Governor.
whose official position during a critical
period of history gave hin transcendent inn
portance, and ought to have made him a
a stand for the right and give him the courv
age of his convictions. He had as great
questions to decide as ever did a Governor in
New Jersey, New York or Massachusetts,. l
want to show you how he made a wrong de-
cision. How he was forced to decide for or
against Jesus, as every man will have to do
in this house tonight before the next
thirty minutes. Like PLAT every
man is responsible for his own acts and can
not shift his responsibility upon other mems
shoulders. Plate delivered Jesus to be
crucified, because the people shouted for His
~crucifxion, but he condemned an innocent
men to death to his own eternal shame. He
had a golden opportunity to show himself a
man and do his duty fearless of consequences,
but he lacked courage, like many men today
who feel they ought to be Christians, but are
afraid to take their stand with God.
PLAYED H COWARD.
sPilate might nav been one of the greatest
men of history, but he let his opportunity
slip and played the coward. He gave Jesus
up, because the rabble cried, Away with
him He is not the only governor that has
followed the rabble, when he ought to have
led in righteousness. What was it that made
PLATE such an coward? Politics. Thou art
not Caesars friendp This governor was
One was the good influence of home. He
had a good wife, who said with feminine
shrewdness and good sense See thou have
nothing to do with this good man. Oh, If
men in official position would only follow
their wives advice instead of trucking to
low down politicians!
'tThe other influence was a pernicious in
huence, namely, political corruption. Oh,
the corruption of politics, it is one of the
greatest evils in society. 1t was politics that
crucified Christ. PLATE would rather lose
his soul than lose his office or break with his
party. Like SO many men in official position,
he had no backbone. Oh, young men, who
come here in such crowds every Sunday
night, nave some moral backbone about you.
Stand up for Jesus. never be ashamed Of
Him."
After this powerful discourse many rose
for prayers, and added to the conversions
that were SO numerous last week. Mr..
Roberts will preach every night this week
except Saturday. He has crowded houses
every night.