The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-12-17
SUNDAY AT
THE CHURCHES.
Rev. William POwick Talks on the
AlmShOuSe Affairs.
INVESTIGATION REQUIRED,
Interesting Discourse on the Subject The
Primitive Methodist Church Re-
opened Yesterday-Three Services.

The Methodist Episcopal church was
crowded last night, every seat being occu-
pied. The large attendance was due to
some extent to the announcement by Rev
William Powick, the past Or, that he would
preach sermon on the almshouse horrors
as unearthed by the Schuylkill County
Ministerial Association, aud he did.
Rev. Powick took the text for the ser
mon from John IL: Jesus said unto
her neither do l condemn thee: go and
sin no more" Also Matt. % 80: "Ye
serpants, ye generation of vipers, hos
can ye escape the damnation of hell 2n
During his discourse Rev. Powick said
The attitude of Jesus towards sinners
was determined by the attitude of sinners
towards Him. Tenderness to the peni-
tent and severity to the perverse. A
minister never more resembles his Master
than when he denounces wrong doing.
This is why the ministers have taken
note of the almshouse horrors which
have stirred the public during the week.
This is why they have demanded
an investigation and cannot be in
timidated by threats of prosecution,
They have not acted hastily. The meet
ing last week was not the first that was
held. Some of the newspapers, while
conceding The purity of their motives,
assume that they have been made politi
cal cats.paws, but their intelligence, AS
well as their characters, are a sufficient
guarantee that they would not act as
they have until carefully examining
the evidence and feeling assured that to
justify their course they have not acted
maliciously. They have no one to serve,
to fear, nor to punish. They have been
assured of the excellence of the christian
woman who is matron of the insti-
tuition and profoundly sympathize with
her in the sorrows of the situa-
tion, but they nevertheless would
be false to their trust did they not insist
upon an investigation of the charges,
which do not affect her personally. Nor
would they have it understood that these
charges affect all the inmates of
the institution. In the very nature
of the case they can affect but few.
Some of the papers have fearlessly and
properly published some of the charges,
and SUSPENDED Judgment pending inyes
tigation. Some cowardly sheets, whicl
can usually be relied upon to take the
wrong side, have made the vileness of the
case an excuse for evading the real issue,
and attacking the motives of the ac-
cusers. The legal maxim that man
must be assumed to be innocent till
proved guilty applies no less forcibly to
witnesses whom they accuse Of perjury.
Our newspapers should remember this,
and in defending public servants avoid
accusing their accusers. Public interest
has clustered about only one charge out
of several. 1t is not for me to defend nor
i'm peach the witnesses, but having ex-
amiued the evidence am prepared to say
that such a charge could be substantial d
only by witness who is thoroughly de-
praved. But to rule out such testimony
on the ground of depravity would forever
preclude conviction in any suoh case. Even
a depraved woman may tell the truth.
But what about the other charges If
any dependence is TO be placed upon the
testimony of reputable witnesses there
are other things connected with the
of the almshouse that show
it to be rotten. 1t is not for me to locate
the responsibility. 1t is for this purpose
that an investigation is demanded. There
is the charge of extravaganza, which is
the most infamous charge Of all. 1
would not refer 10 it, but for its bearing
upon the morals and discipline of the in
stitution. The amount appropriated for
inside relief last year was about S2S, 900.
Over ten per cent. of this amount was ex-
pended for whiskey and tobacco, about So
for each inmate; but more than half
of it was consumed in the Office.
Another charge concerns the birch of
children IN the insane department. An
other is the exhibition in all their native
nudeness of uncommonly deformities of
insane or idiotic INN stes for the sport of
the public servants and their friends,
while engaged in their drunken orgies
and the payment of the exhibitor in
copious draug ghts of whiskey. All
these things, and more besides, have
been openly charged to be true, and an
investigation Into their truth is impera-
lively demanded. And any newspaper
tnat can minify their seriousness and re-
fuse to join in the demand for searching
and impartial investigation of their truth
is "A public traitor. know we are asked
show do you know that there is not some
political scheme back of the whole move
ment ~ Why should we care The ques
tion is not concerning the motives of the
aecusers, but the truth of their accusa-
ton. II satan is divided against himself
why should ~ s5,N man care Should
we not rather rejoice and help to widen
the breach It is evident from the admis-
sions of its stoutest defenders that there