New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-22

rINF,ss' OF THE WOMEN or THE
CHURCH TOO. RESPONSIBLE.
Tho Rev Dr. Charles II. Parkhurst preached in
lain English yesterday against that tendency of
soc,e,v which refuses a helping hand 10 ex-
orv,ct and sends reformed woman OF the street
.oos 70 the mire from which she might be at
,ounting 10 escape The intensity OF the sermon,
80 devered was great even for DIR. Parkhurst.
60 NJ the sentences fairly burst from his mouth
sod II was plain that the preacher had been in
,,d 10 the excoration OF fashionable vice
.rd hypocrisy by concrete happenings. Every
ord indicated purpose that came from
M mere desire 10 present abstract theory,
~ facts simply as facts 1t was evident to the
CONGREGATION that the great reformer' might
cv strred up about something.
The Madison Square Church crowded to the
aoors All the pews. steps and window seats In the
Galleries the pulpit steps and all available stand
ing-room were filled.
mr. Parkhurst's text was Verify verify. I say
unto YOU that the publicans and the harlots go
INTO the Kingdom Of God before you" Matthew.
xxi 81
The sermon was as follows
This is one OF those expressions of I.o.d. be
come so familiar 10 us by frequent reading that
have Ms to %eTe possDa Its to Rnes
sSect that these quoted words would produce upon
s.SSes that had not been made callous by their
esonstant repetition away back from the time when
az children we began first to hear them. The cir
S1mstanoe which lends special meaning TO these
startling words OF our Lord is the fact that they
wers spoken in the hearing Of and. indeed. that
tbey were addressed to. the most eminently re-
snectable element in the community; that Is 10
saw He was talking 10 the chief priests and the
elders When we hear Him saying 10 the ethical
srlstocrats OF the people and to the religious no.
Silty that they had a longer road 10 travel be
fore they could be entered into the Kingdom of God
than the publcans and the prostitutes. We no
longer wonder that they crucihed Him; our only
Arrangement is that they were so long about IT.
The more cordially and unreservedly we give
ourselves up 10 our Lords meanings and intention.
tho more thorouehly we become convinced OF His
intense radcallsm. Radicalsm is not a word tnat
probably would find a great deal of favor with the
majority Of congregation made up as TINS con
creation is but radcalism is the only word that
W, VIII Se nnderstand hy radicalism always not
hsadstrong ana insane abandonment OF the ground
proper be covered by Intelligence ana reason.
be rather the pushing of intelligence ana reason
10 the very utmost OF their posslbihues ana Set.
ting clear down to the roots OF the matter ina!
Is what radcalism means roots II Is in that
sense that Jesus Christ was the most nconsiderate
end aggressive radical that ever stirred society
into irre2ressbe revolution
HIS TREATMENT OF SOCIAL OUTCAsTs.
Verify say unto you. that the publicans and
the harlots go into the Kingdom OF God before
YOU For John came unto you in the way OF
righteousness and We believed him not. but the
nubrcans and the harlots believed him: and ye.
when ye had seen it. repGnted not after"ard tnnt
ye might believe him II Is necessary 10 com ON
plete our text by this addition OF the verse fol-
lowing in order ;hat no one may pe I'tt SuH
pecting that what are known as social outGasts
were dealt with by Christ In such tender considera
iulness OF the life which they had been LEADING
He does not say that ne class mere sp4ken OF Wln
cause there is nothing inherently criminal in their
habits and pursuits. but because they submitted
nrenrbeS bv John the Baptst They entered the
Heavenly Kingdom easily because they renounced
the unheavenlness OF her OWE so Wa" Sa % We rea,ed
the aduterous woman whose story Is toe a, IN me
e sss S Tor9 upon OF her but tets her
that her sin has got to stop; and the necessary
sneaks those gracious words Neither do con-
denim thee" He means TO say that the reason lie
does not condemn her is that He expects that her
sin is going to stop The story OF all our Lords
dealings with sinners leaves upon the mind the
sympatheucaliy and earnestly that He always
felt kindly toward the transgressor but could have
no tenderness OF regard toward the tTansgression.
There is no safe and successful dealing with sin
OF any kind save as that distinction is appreciated
and made continual factor in our feelings ana
efforts
HOW SOCIETY WEIGHS CRIME.
Now society has a way OF scaling crime and
sins that II Is pretty difficult TO find any warrant
for in the Holy Word; and a great deal OF 1t
comes from the difficulty which men experience In
keeping distinct things which are essentially df-
ferent and from confusing things which are es-
sent!ally distinct. One reason why regard GER
tain crimes as more wicked than others is because
the state Furnishes them more severely; but that
Is safe criterion OF their wickednehs ihasn!u ,
as what the State Furnishes "A crime for Is not rs
sinfuness. but its harmfulness TO society; ana II
grades its punishments according to ne deS S 0
that harmfulness. That is why II puhlshes loiSrIS
and CONTRIBUTING. for instance. WIN HoIg eAuti'
penalties than IL does petty larceny. The cIIn-
nality OF a crime is according TO the decree IN
which that crime is liable TO inJur" society ne
which that sin is an expression OF ne sinner r.
difference antagOnism TO the VIII OF Pou -
man in 1ail are not necessarily the acts which Will
be most likely TO lard him IN nell ,.ro,o. oo,,os
Another unwarran:ed class OF estimates comes
also from the fact that put our weight o. est
mate upon the sins that we commit ana totany
10 not commit but that others commit u man
Is thief he Will always nave an IhduIsrn III ~,
\, other thieves If he is an aduterer. ne will be
disposed TO have the sin of adultery hahdlea Win
You can very often reach a pretty accurate con
clusion as TO a mans life and habits by observing
the laxty or strenuousness of his feehnSs ana
opinions touching any matter OF sn that may
rhance 70 come uD for discussion or treatment Ana
II his sentiments ana judgments are lax, II IS not
because he wants 10 shelter himself but
sin that the corresponding set OF moral sensioiltTs
has become duled and deadened. We Zee! keeniy
the wickedness Of sins that IL is neither our habit
nor disposition 10 commit. our rectitude IS con,
centrated at particular points along the ethicai
punches are separated by, long and numerous n
eryas Of indference and sef-aGowance ConT 80
home makes Itself very powerfully felt IN this way
We never recover from the impressions maj IN tns
Influence. Opinions and tendencies win a set in
the days Of our childhood that is not likely 70 be
and overcome by influences that operate
upon later.
MEANNEsS" OF THE MALE
SEX.
There likewise drifts OF sentiment current IN
Society that tell upon individual judgments with the
power OF almost Irresistible tyranny. one IA
grant instance Of that will only suggest by re-
minding you OF what you know we'll that there
are certain offences which II committed by
rex are tolerated. but which II committed by the
o'her sex sOciai ostracism. That particular