The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
READY FOR A JUDGMENT 7,
Pastor Davis Says Some Very
Hard Things About Minis
ters and Churches.
Like Nineveh, Oakland Is Just Wicked
Enough to Merit Swift and
Total Destruction.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL, !
90S Broadway, Dec. 20. {

QUO Dioau"dy, LEU. 70.
Oakland is doc med to suffer nightly
from the wreath of the Almighty at an
early date, if the prophecies of Rev. Ed
ward Davis of the Central Christian
Church are correct. In his sermon to-day
on the destruction of Nineveh the rever-
end gentleman said:
1t is no less reasonable that special judg-
ment should be cast on Oakland than on Nine
veh. In the several cities on the east side of
the bay there are as in that ancient city, six
score thousand persons that cannot discern be-
tween their right hand and their left hand,
and also much cattle"
In this city, that with poetical license has
been called the Athens OF the West, there is
more poverty than wealth, more ignorance
than education, more iniouity than righteous
ness, more hypocrisy than sincerity, more
worse, our university, colleges and schools,
political lodges and literary societies and
splendid church buildings with towering
steeples deceive the uncritical with their
material semblence of culture, patriotism and
spirituality. Oakland is hotbed OF new
tangled ideas. The social unrest, commercial
distrust and religious selishness is due to the
destitution of sincerity, confidence and char
ity.
Before further taking bearings In our calm,
wish your credence as 10 my capability OF judg
ment and unprejudiced appreciation of the lit
tie salt that is i'll our fresh water sea. am not
drunk on sour grapes; indeed as prophet
have not been without honor in my own coun-
try. A residence of nearly two decades in this
city as a child, schoolboy and preacher must
presage my interest in Oakland's affairs. In
deed jealous desire for the increased virtue of
our social body inspires my admOnitiou. My
utterances are not unprecedented. My deci-
sions are not due to dreams. Since my younger
childhood l have been conscience-stricken at
our impoverished condition; we are religious
paupers without mama, raiment or mansions.
NV determinate return to this city, my refusas
OF invitations elsewhere are due to the convic-
tiOn that even my voice may be heard before
the din of the storm.
lam no prophet except that as by critical
perception and logical conclusion can foresee,
as any candid seer can, our future. False
prophets are crying along the shore, but as
messages cannot cross each other on the elee-
| trio line. but one true word can come from the
Operator OF heaven, and that shall be repeated
by our conviction OF its truth. am too con-
fident of my assertion TO fear but that they
shall be accepted by all but dreaming sleepers
who in their alterations OF somnambulism
need not be considered. This is called city
of churches. But is it a city OF God? Our
spires pierce the skies, but they tremble at the
jars of factions below We have religions
galore, but have we charity? How many
churches exchequers are overhOwing like our
hearts for the poor?
Nor is the denomination of which l am a
minister exempt although, much to the credit
of my congregation. one-tenth of its receipts
have been given to the poor. | have known
the history of the Christian church from its
organization here, climbed from one wreck.
walking on the very waters of faith. But such
is true of the various denominations. The
Baptists with but one large church, the South
Methodist Church hardly existing the Unita-
rian Church fioundering in debt, the Univer-
saIst and the First and Second Congregations
alist and the Second Presbyterian churches
pastorless, with but one crowded church in
city of 60,OOO-no wonder that Christian sci
ence, theosophy, spiritualism, churches of the
common people and OF universal brotherhood
are striving for religious spoils Nor is there
fra rrol CT n
regular ministerial association; its precarious
existence is its worst reproach.
Where are the scores. that joined the church
In the Martin meeting? What of the works of
Mills? The Tabernacle stanos like ancient
ark stranded on the shoals OF a dead sea. Are
we better prepared for the second coming since
the advent OF Varley? What OF Yatman's mir
istrations? Is there any more applied Chris
tianity of groceries, drugs ana dry goods since
Herron's prophecies? And yet these men, as
thousands that like Jonah have gone down
into the sides of the ship to sleep. o, ye min
isters. cry on, cry louder, awake, thou that
sleepest, and arise"
Why have not the walls of this modern Jer-
icho fallen? Because nearly all the companies
and their captains are footing their own horns
and in consequence producing only discordant
noises. There is no celestial hormOnies of fra
ternal voices echoing In chorus hallelujahs to
the chofrs of heaven. Comparable. to the
armies besiegement of Jericho let the min
listers of this city march around its
walls seven days and then blow the trumpets
"And it shall come to pass that when they
make a long blast with the rams horns, and
when We hear the sound of the trumpets, all
the people shall shout with great shout; and
the walls of the city shall fall down fat, and
the people shall ascend up, every man straight
before him." Sixty thousand souls of this City
have gone before the mast; the ebb-tide has
carried our churches into open seas; q calm
has come upon us; our sails are happing in the
stagnant air; there is no mutiny, no strife, no
warfare, for the stupor OF starvation has stul-
titled our senses; the vessels anchors are drag
ging from the rock of the ages-but finally,
the sound of the still, small voice will be heard
proclaiming the storm of Gods wrath to come.
The winds wall with woe, the waves are
stricken with terror, the ships are sunk in the
storm and their human cargoes are stranded
on the shores of time. But that by Gods
hands they might be borne away and in his
presence find resuscitation to live in the calm
beyond the storm--the peace of eternity.