The herald., 1895-03-25
Rev. Will A. Knighten's Sermon
at Grace Church
THEAUTHORITIES ARRAIGNED
Social Evil and Sunday Closing Are
lntelIigently Discussed
The Council and Police Commission Should Go
on FeariessIy and Meet the Corrupt
!, Elements Running the City

Morals. He chose as his text "And when
He was come near He beheld the city,
and wept over it, saying if thou hadst
known even thou at least In thy day the
things that belong unto thy peace, but
now they are hid from thine eyes"-Luke
xix, 41-2.
Christ was native Of Palestine and
Jerusalem was its capital; it was the
birthplace of prophets and kings; and
there the temple of gods was built and
there He revealed His will. 1t was to be
the center of Christian religion. The pat
riotism of Christ was natural. He loved
Jerusalem. Christ had an interest in the
respectability and moral and intellectual
development of his city and nation. He
saw the calamities and judgments which
resulted from violated law. He saw that
the rulers in the sanhedrim as well as the
Roman governors were corrupt and were
leading the people into great Timmoral. :.
tiles. This touchd the heart of Christ and
He wept over the city.
A city is like person; it has its op-
portunities. If it possess them it is liable
to the same losses and sufferings that in
the enlightenment of which produces the
moral sentiment which controls and di-
rects its affairs. The rulers of the city
are the representatives of the people, par
ticularly when elected by their votes.
The peace of city must depend upon
the honesty and purity of the officers and
the citizens. Good government is a legit-
innate result OF honest officials. Political
corruption arises from pledges, bribes.
falsehoods, prejudice and all those dan
gerous and evil influences which are used
to deceive the voters. If officers are pur-
chased through any or these influences the
officer cannot be trusted.
One of the evils which detieS all law IN
this city is the saloon. There is posi-
tive Sunday law enacted by the proper
authorities. which is openly defied. There
are back doors, secret stairways, rear
ant walters for the lower class of saloons.
A barkeepeI of. the Hollenbeck said that
Sunday was his busiest day, for he
worked harder then than at any other
time. Policemen are not allowed to go
in saloons while on duty. How can they
enforce the law or detect the offense? The
saloon at 418 South Main street admitted
visitors by the side door; the -Four Hun
dred Sample Room, Fourth and Main,
was entered by a rear door. The bell
boys at the Westminster say there is no
saloon in the hotel. but say that they can
bring drinks from the saloon across the
way. The Capital. on Main and Third
streets, had doorkeeper who offered no
resistance and the saloon was full of men
who were laughing and boisterous over
their bar. The Anheuser OF 243 Spring
street is a combination saloon and res
taurant; customers drink at a table. The
Auditorium. next to the Los Angeles
Theater on Spring street, was reached by
an underground crcuitous passage, and
the barkeeper said that it made it unde-
srable as Sunday saloon. M. l.. Polas-
kis place was reached by side door
through the Hoffman. The Hollenbec
Cafe was in full blast. being reached by a
door from tho hotpl Office The No1pau
Cafe was also run openly. Bob Kearn s
cellar, on Spring and Second streets, was
full OF people, and all of the saloons were
doing lively business. The barkeeper
generally said that there was no danger
of interference from the police; they were
all good fellows from the Chief down.
The above facts are quoted from Los
Angeles paper
A beer wagon with five men paraded
the public streets as an advertisement
for saloon opening, announcing the
event and showing the beer mugs, and
on the streets They drank before the
eyes of the people until they became
drunk. This occurred yesterday on Los
Angeles and First streets.
How is it that the reporters can get
evidence when the police can not? 1t has
become matter OF public conversation
and has never been dreamed that saloons
are running on Sunday upon back door
custom. Some of the high toned saloons
run openly. These are the worst possible
kind of saloons. Who permits this? If it
is an officer, let him be dismissed Some
body needs moral courage. Rich sinners
are no better than poor ones. They will
all be equal at the judgment and in hell.
Why do Los Angeles officials or the peo-
pie of Los Angeles excuse or permit these
outrageous violations of the law? The
breaking of one law opens the way to all
forms OF disobedience.
The social evil is one nearly related to
the saloon. Is this wicked city? No:
not more wicked than any other city
where laws are defied and the people have
not the courage to enforce them. / mean
that Los Angeles is not well governed. A
Councilman said that this evil existed
within stones throw of the City Hall,
night on their pilgrimages of sin. 1t is a
notorious and brazen iniqiuty. The Coun-
Gil makes these EXCUSES Where will you
put the evil?" ''It is big sin: you can
not curtail it. You had better let it
alone it is too strong Will this evil
ever be less? First it is backed up by
capitalists; men who are now residents.
am told by good citizens that four or
five of these men, who claim to be respect
able, are renting most of these buildings
on Alameda street. They would oppose
locating these houses in their wards or
near tHelT nOIneS. Dub puey are WlIllHB 10
live on this degradation if they can re-
main unknown. Some of these days
there will be published list of these
property owners.
Second-There are politicians who are
afraid on account of either pledges, or
political ambitions, or fears of its power
so that they will not take stand against
1t.
Thirdly. there is lack of unity and in
terest on the part of the moral elements
on this question. These centers of crime
should be scattered and broken up; if they
cannot be placed in a remote part of the
city the whole city should b, made to as
sume it's part in the control and regula-
tion of the evil. Let respectable homes
and public schools and Christian COM
munities be protected. We must stand
back of the high moral sentiment which
is the basis Of the home. the honor of the
law and safety of the city. Elect pure
men, make pure laws and see that they
are enforced. The press of the city is
generally with the people in moral re-
form; the pulpit is a unit in its denunci-
alton of the evils which threaten us.
Now let the people arise in their might
and demand the strictest enforcement Of
the Sunday law. Let the officers be as
sured of the sympathy and the moral sup
port of the moral and respectable citizens
of Los Angeles. Let the Council and the
Police Commission 60 on fearlessly and
meet the corrupt elements which are try
ing to run the city and hurl them from
power.
The Saloons Yesterday
Il u 7 =.