The Washington times., 1894-10-29
KNIGHTS OF THE WHITE CROSS
Dr. McKim's Successful Appeal TO the
Public at the Y. NJ. c. 4.

DIR. McKim's Successful Appeal TO the
Public at the Y. NJ. c. A.
The Rev. DR.. McKim preached sermon at
the Y. NJ. C. A. Hall yesterday afternoon
which stirred many hearts there as the sound
of the trumpet urges the soldier to arms and
incites him TO action. He was speaking pri
marily to the White Cross Army gathered
there and at the same time to the great num-
ber of the non-enlisted young men and gray
haired men who came to hear him speak on
the social evil. 1t was sermon to men
only" but there was nothing in it from begin
ming to end which would have offended any,
but the ultra-fastidious in matters OF ecclesi-
astical and secular history.
He began his address by stating that purity
was a Christian virtue, and showed the ab-
sence Of this virtue in the social relations of
even the highly-civllized Greeks about the
time of the Christian era. He illustrated this
fact by description OF the Temple OF Venus,
at Corinth, an instance which proved that So
cial impurity was not regarded as an infrac-
ton of any religious or moral law. He fur
ther elaborated this point by reading selec-
tions from the writings OF ST. Paul, in which
that great apostle described the domestic re-
lations and sins of the Greeks and other pa
gans.
he said that one of the great obstacles in the
way Of its suppression was that In the litera-
| ture of the day the enormlty of the vice was
CLOSED over and apologized for by men whose
adverse criticism would be potent factor in
| the reduction of the evil. Two other difficult
ties we're that these vices seldom come to the
/ surface and existed in places where they
would be least expected. The true remedy,
! he contended, was in a new standard Of purity;
! that there should be one law for men and
| women.
'sWe hear of fallen women" he said, 'but
| not OF fallen men. The woman Is branded by
the equally guilty man. He kicks her out on
| the streets; she seeks as a refuge the lowest
depths of infamy, and there she lies. She is
fallen Society henceforth will have none
of her. The wheels pass over her because she
has sinned against the law Of purity. And
| why? Because some scoundrel has taken ad-
! vantage of her faith in the honor of man, or
because some wretch has laid violent hands
upon her, or, again, some vile being in the
guise of man has promised TO marry her
and has led her astray before she knew what
she was doing. Then she is cast OF and
4 trampled under foot. She is regarded as the
| foulest blot on our civilization.
at is the law of society that the woman
| shall be scored and held as an infamous out
cast, while the man. the cause of all this goes
back into decent society, offers himself in
marriage TO the best and purest woman in
the land, having lost no standing by reason
OF his sin. Oh, my brothers. is that just? Is
that what you and l as righteous men regard
as truth and justice2 Yet that is what is go
ing on every day, and now what are you 60
ing to do about it?'
The speaker then appealed to the audience
to join hands with the White Cross Army to
stamp out the evil. All of the audience, and
the hall was filled, rose and repeated the
promises of the army to assist in the work
1t is expected that nearly all those who were
present yesterday will enlist in the White
| Cross Army.