New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-05
NEED OF THE SPY SYSTEM.
A SERMON ILLUSTRATED BY POLICE
COURT EXPERIENCE.
THE REV JOHN b. DEvINs. OF HOPE CHAPEL.
EXPLAINS TO HIS PEOPLE THE PRESENT

THE REV. JOHN B. DEV1NS. OF HOPE CHAfhL
EXPLAINS TO HIS PEOPLE THE PRESENT
DUTY OF LAw-ABIDING CITIZENS
Among the signers of the commendatory letter
sent recently to the Police Commissioners by min
listers and laymen engaged In phianthropic work in
lower New-York the Rev John Is. Downs, OF
Hope Chapel in East Fourth-st.. near Avenue D.
This chapel is branch of the Fourth Avenue Pres
bvterian Church. 1t is in nearly the centre OF the
Thirteenth Precinct which contains more than two
hundred and fifty saloons, according to the state
ment of the police Within twelve hundred feet of
the chapel building, in which the pastors FANNY
lives, there 10 saloons.
Taking for his text asst evening the words OF one
of the two faithful men sent by Moses to spy out
the land of Canaan. The Lord is with US; fear
them not" Mr. Devins said in part:
Wherever virtue has been rewarded and vice pun
ished the spy system has been used. Men usually
think of 1t as means of finding out evil, why
out i'' sod? ca.eb and joshua. the Hebrew spies
sent 10 Canaan. We're manly men; Ihey ie.t tne
not" What If the multitude turned against them?
God with them. What if they lost good friends?
The Friend who sticketh Closer than brother had
not turned his back. What If their lives Were
threatened, of whom should they be afraid? There
were difficulties in their path. They were not rash
men. They counted the cost. They trusted in God
tory thirty eight years before the walls Of Jericho
| fe.l. They knew that they were making history.
he were e wSn hay SY h eer R he sae front
many dangers and who would not desert them then.
SPIES uo Of ali the adults who left Egypt entered the
| Land OF Promise.
Oh. how many glorious record
Had the angels Of me kept.
Had / instead OF doubted
Had | varied instead Of wept
your passive belief that right should triumph. Re
member. please. that though you may not be able
can do as though YOU were the most powerful poll
tcian on the East Side Remember also that now y"
| God is depending upon men who believe that the
day D' history 'G making now nv What IS done this
summer will have effect for good or Ill long after
passed away. What is done in New-York now will
have its effect in ever city in the land ,Ao
| part OF the police and aw-abiding citizens to
secure evidence that will lead to the conviction OF
izen who loves his city, who loves his family, who
owes his church who loves ms God would Object S
| enforcement Of the Excise law Of other law
will cry out sanst AMY yfe sbond bn ads dsah
| more closely those who stand for right and truth
some years ago I went through the Tombs and
talked with many of the prisoners; never saw so
There was one guilty man, according to his state
and he had stolen lea b pipe in broad gasn
| but every other prisoner with whom talked was
hs St ty had s s h spy and Ke those @ whom
| they held grudges. but In every case there was
| If il was not spy, it was the law which had been
unustly enforced. heard some pretty sharp things
|
wickedness Of breaking the law. And no wonder.
| You remember the couplet:
N0 rogue ever cn,D felt Of the IL! halter ns da"
! 1t is not natural that he should
Excise law. Some Of you have seen the decision
| given by the Magistrate sitting in the Essex Mar
tive tive 70 whom a boy of twelve had admitted that
| ne bought beer Sunday from a saloon In the
piainant but as a witness. for l saw the boy COM
Ing out of the saloon with the pail of beer In his
to do so. would have been admit that was mis-
taken in my assertion that the boy had purchased
| had been Violated Beer had been sold to minor
prove the sale for the child admitted the de-
| tectve and TO the Magistrate that he had bought
6eer Ss sera o ae a to eny the
| who sold it to him, no warrant was issued. Inc
and received in exchange that for which he asked,
but this. the Magistrate said, was insufficient
The well-known principle that what person does
through another he does through himself. in other
words that the employer is responsible FOR the acts
| Of his employee or representative was suggested TO
, the Magistrate. but this was met by the answer
admission made by the person buyins the beer; 1t
| frankly stated by the Magistrate that there
violation Of the law was charged-one who made
| the purchase and one who witnessed II, Tnousan Is
| about the spy system what they object to vgor-
ously is the possible result. They would not care
ing beer liquor on sunday to children 4 that s,
the END Of IT. What ,ne s oce oofG to s @
eide must be brought to court in order to secure
| conviction.
There is need of the spy system also in order to
aid the Police Department in keeping It's officers
| alert. To-day 2 complaint was made In writing
against a saloon not far from this chapel when
was open for business usual to men, women ana
children. The officer sent 10 make an arrest. II
he the law violated handed the complaint 70
the saloon keeper. If he recognized the writing
the persons who aided the police in doing their
duty will be the sufferer instead Of the man break
ing the law.
There is danger that threats the one hand. OF
failure 10 secure conviction the other. VIII deter
many citizens from doing their duty AT this tim"
city official Is reported to have said that tho
minister who reported to the police that men were
seen entering the side door of his saloon Sunday
would hear from him in way that would startlc
him II he did not stop annoying him. lie has de
MED personally that he made such threat but IN,
published interview still stands without a denial
But the Christian minister who is conscious OF
simply doing his duty who would swerve hairs
breadth because of such threat, or Of others thai
have been received would better leave the ministry
and retire 10 some quiet place where there are Nc
foes TO face What Is wanted also Christian
laymen who will throw their whole influence on
the side of right and God. regardless OF conse
Quences.
God give us time like this demands
Great hearts. strong minds faith and willing hands
BRIDGE WORKhAN SERIOUSLY INJURED.