The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-04-10

almost dead, some of them, when they they
the fresh air. But I have to tell you that
Il great many of the men who 60 on tne
work of eIpIora Of New Y6r life never
come out at Seine river where they can
wash off the pollution of the moral Sc, sewage.
commercial establishment proposes TO take
you and show you the sights OF the Town h;T,
and underground New York. say to nm:
please, sir, what part do you propose TO
show me?''
About sixteen years ago as minister
to explore the iniquites of our cities. l
did not ask counsel Of my session or ny my
asking the companionship of three proml-
nent police officials and two of the elders
ond my sS GhHrc Son Of " ma dig y the vail
and when I had dgged into the wall, be
hold a door: and he said, go in ana see
the wicked abomina tions that are done done
here; ard l went in, and saw and behold!
Brought UP in the country, and surrounded
that time seen the haunts of niquity. By
the grace Of God defendqd l had ne enn
f BEEN able is to tell from various sources
something about the iniquitieS of the great
cities, and to preach agains them; nut
of the people, that there must pc an m
fatuaton and a temptation that nag o. never ever
been spoken about and l sald DO, oo W5il
down. and if there had been a spiritual
percussion, answering to the physical per-
full of the rumble. and roar, and crack
and thunder of the demolition, and this mo-
ment. if we should pause in our service we
should hear the crash crash! Just as in
the Sickly season you sometimes hear the
bell at the gate of the cemetery ringing al
most necessarily 50 | found that the bell ut
the gate of the cemetery where ruined souls
arc buried was tolling by day and toIIng
by night ] said 81 will explore" | went
as Il physician goes into fever lazaretto,
to see what practical and useful information
| might get That would be a foolish doctor
who would stand outside the door OF an
invalid writing a Latin prescription. w hen
the lecturer in medical college is done
with his lecture. he takes the students into
the dssecting room and he shows them the
reality. | went and saw, and came forth TO
my pulpit to report a plague. and to tell
how sin dissects the body, and dissects the
mind. and dissects the soul. OH say you,
are you not afraid that in consequences of
such exploration of the iniquties of the city
other persons might make exploration ard
do themselves damage? / reply: IF, in
company with the commissioner OF police,
and the captain of police, and the company
of two Christian gentlemen, and not with
the spirit of curiosity, but that you may see
in order the better to combat it, then, i'll
the name of the eternal God, go! But, if
not, then stay away" Wellington, stand
ing in the battle of Waterloo, when the bull
let's We're buzzing around his head, saw
civilian the field He said to him: Sir,
replied the civilian there is no more dam
ger here for me than there is for you.
and my country demand that l be here"
Now /, as an officer in the army of Jesus
Christ, went on that exploration, and on
to that battlefield. If you bear like com
mission go; if not stay away. But you say
Don't you think that somehow the descrip
ton of those places induces people to go
ara for themSelVeS?' | answer, Yes;
just as much as the decription of yellow fe-
yer in some scourged city would induce peO
pie to 80 down there and get the pestilence.
But | may be addressing some stranger al
ready destroyed. Where is he, that | may
pointedly yet kindly address him? Come
back. and wash in the deep fountain of q
Savior's mercy. | do not give you cup or
a chal or pitcher with a limited supply
to Ell. your additions / point you to the
Atlantic and Pacific surGes of divine for
giveness might roll over your soul. AS the
glorious sun of Gods forgiveness rides
toward the mid-heaVens, ready to submerge
you in warmth, and light and love, | bid
you good morning! Morning of peace for
all your troubles. Morning of liberation for
all your incarCeratiOnS. Morning of reSUrreC-
ton for your soul buried in sin. Good morn
ing, Morning for the reSuscitated household
that has been waiting for your return.
Morning for the cradle and the crib already
disgraced with being that of a drunkard's
child. Morning for the daughter that has
trudged off to hard work because you
did not take care of home. Morn
ing for the wife who at forty or fifty t'arA
shoulder and the white hair. Morning for
one. Morning for all. Good morning. In
Gods name, good morningi
In our last dreadful war the fedcrals and
the COn1ederatcS were enCanpeU OpDO-
site sides OF the Rappahannock, and one
morning the brass band of the northern
troops played the national air. and all the
northern troops cheered and cheered. Then
the brass band of the confederates played
My Maryland' and "DiXie' and then all
the southern troops cheered and cheered.
But after awhile one of the bands struck up
Home, Sweet Home" and the band on
the opposite side of the river took up the
strain, and when the tune was done the
confederateS and the federals all together
united, as the tears rolled down their
cheeks, in one great huzza! huzza! Wen,
my friends, heaven comes very near today.
1t is only Il stream that divides up-the mar
row stream of death-and the voices there
and the voices here seem to commingle,
and we join trunpets and hosannahs, and
hallelujahs and the chorus of the united
song of earth and heaven is, Home, Sweet
Home. Home of bright domestic circle
on earth. Home Of forgiveness in the great
heart of God. Home of eternal rest in
heaven. Home! Home! Home!
But, suppose you are stanCing on n crag
OF the mountain, and on the edge of Il pre-
cipce, and all unguarded, and some one
either in joke or nate shall run up behind
you and push you off. 1t is easy enough
to push you off But who would do so das-
tardly a deed? Why, that is done every
hour OF every day and every hour of every
night. Men come to the verge of city life
and say. Now we will just look off. Come
young man, DO not be afraid. Come near,
lei US look Off He comes to the edge and
rocks, and looks until, after awhile, satan
sneaks up behind him. and puts a hand on
each of his shoulders, and pushes him off
Society says it is evil proclivty on the part
of that young man. Oh, mol He was sim
ply an explorer and sacrificed mis- life in
discovery. young man comes in from the
country Dragging that nothing can do him
any harm. He knows about all the tricks
of city life. Why" he says, did not /
receive a circular in the country telling me
that somehow they found out [ was a sharp
business man, and if | would only send a
certain amount of amoney by mail or en-
Dress, charges prepaid, they would send
package with which | could make a fortune
in two months; but / did not believe it. NV
neighbCrS did, but [ did not. Why, no man
couid tol<e my money. | carry it in Il pock-
ct inside my vest. No man could take it,
no man could cheat me at the faro table
Don't l know all about the 'cue-boX,' and
the dealers box, and the cards stuck to-
gether though they were one and when
to hand IL my checks? Oh, they can't cheat
me. | know what | am about" While at the
same time, that very moment, such men are
succumbing to the worst satanic Influences,
in the simple fact that they are going to OBJ
serve. Now. if a man or woman shall 20
down into haunt OF iniquty for the pur-
pose of reforming men and women, or for
the sake of being able intclicently to warn
people against such peris. if as did John
mers they go down among the abandoned
for the sake of saving them, then such ex-
plorers shall be God-protected and they
will come out better than when they
went in. But if you go on this work of
exploration merely for the purpose of sat
isfyng a morbid curiosity, | will take
20 per cent off your moral character.